Professionalism and Landing that Coveted Legal Job

Professionalism and Landing that First Legal Job

You’ve gotten through a semester of law school, you know how to IRAC, but now its time to take your legal knowledge to the next level by securing a legal clerkship for the summer, and maybe through the remainder of your education.  However, gaining that job can be difficult, but with some few tips, your first legal job may be easier to find then it appears.

Know your Academic Standing:

Although you never want to see yourself as a number, you want to take into account that some larger firms and government/corporate entities tend to only hire the top 25% and above.  If your grades meet this requirement, and depending on your interest, it may be worth looking into options like this available for first year students.  If you’re not in the top 25%, no need to worry! Many smaller firms and government/corporate entities hire from all walks of academic success!

Update Your Resume/LinkedIn Profiles/Create Cover Letters:

If you haven’t already, go ahead and update your resume and LinkedIn Profiles.  One of the easiest ways to get noticed is through a solidly built resume, which highlights relevant skills that show the employer how you can grow their area of law and practice even further.  LinkedIn is a great way to supplement your resume as you only have so many pages to highlight yourself on paper, where LinkedIn gives you the ability to display courses, more jobs, involvement, endorsements, and professional recommendations. 

Finally, work on some base cover letters.  You will obviously want to tailor each cover letter for the job, but having these basic forms that outline your skill sets and some proper wording never hurts!

For Resume/Cover Letter Resources, please visit the Office of Professional Development Located in the Law School!  You can schedule a meeting with the assistant dean of professional development, or look to sample cover letters and resumes!

Tighten up your Writing Sample:

Now that you have a semester of school down, you also have a few writing samples to show how you argue legal issues to your boss.  It’s important to get these in the best form possible, as employers want to see how you write, and how you can persuade them to follow your course of action in a particular issue.  If you did well on a particular memo or motion, go ahead and tighten up the grammar and citations to make it even more convincing.  If you didn’t do so well on a memo or motion, talk to your legal research and writing professor on how you can fix it for the future. 

Make Sure to Dress Professional:

This should come as no shocker, but when interviewing season comes, you need to look the part.  Even if you join a firm with a casual dress code, you still need to come to the interview in business attire!  If you have a suit, go ahead and get it dry cleaned!  If you do not have one, it may be time to consider an investment in one!   

Need more tips? Please feel free to visit the following:

http://www.careerthinker.com/interviewing/dress-to-get-hired/

https://www.forbes.com/pictures/lmj45klek/dress-to-impress-2/#4bddd3a42240

http://law.capital.edu/OPDServicesResources/

 Taken from today.com kiss99.3 photo

Career Advantage Program!

Career Advantage Program

Once you make it through the first semester you are one step closer to that coveted Juris Doctor and a step closer to taking and (hopefully) passing the bar examination to become a licensed attorney.  While you may have the academics part down, some of you may be asking, “what next?”  Some of you may have jobs lined up thanks to family or friends, but for the majority of you, starting your career is relatively new and you may need that extra push. 

The Career Advantage Program is a student-alumni career conference that brings together students and distinguished alumni to foster and strengthen student career and professional development. 

Saturday, January 27, 2018
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Capital University Law School
303 E. Broad St., Columbus 

The 2018 Career Advantage Program offers a number of diverse programs and sessions throughout the day that you can select to attend during registration.

The career advantage program is a great way to learn invaluable skills including developing your personal brand, networking properly, and practice area sessions designed to show you one of the many facets of the law available to you. 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the program offers you TWO chances to network with esteemed alumni, including attorneys at Bricker and Eckler, Kegler Brown Ritter and Hill, as well as the Ohio State and Columbus Bar associations.  As you may know, in this age, job placement is highly dependent upon networking, so why not get an early start! 

For more information, incuding how to register and a schedule, please visit the following link:

Admitted Student Registration 

Future Student Registration 

*Deadline to register is Friday, January 19^th 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Student Organization Spotlight-Phi Alpha Delta

Student Organization Spotlight-Phi Alpha Delta

As the Nation’s Largest Professional Law Fraternity with a commitment to advancing integrity, compassion, and courage through service to the law school and the community!   Founded in 1902 in Chicago, Illinois, this professional fraternity has an impressive list of notable alumni including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Samuel Alito, Sonya Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan.

Here at Capital University Law School, Phi Alpha Delta seeks to fulfill their national motto of Service to the Student, The Law School, The Profession, and the Legal Community.  To live up to these mottos, the growing student organization networking events, fundraising, and other events to successfully leave their imprint in the Columbus Legal Community, and the Law School. 

If you are interested in learning more about Phi Alpha Delta, both nationally and at Capital University Law School, including recruitment information, please contact, phialphadelta@law.capital.edu.

In the meantime, here are more links to other student organization resources!

Phi Alpha Delta National:

http://www.pad.org/home

Phi Alpha Delta, Hayes Chapter (Capital University Law School):

http://law.capital.edu/PhiAlphaDelta/

Other Student Organizations at Capital University Law School:

http://law.capital.edu/Student_Organizations/

Don’t see a student organization? No problem! If you gather enough friends and classmates together, you can charter your own chapter!

HAPPY 115^th Founders Day Phi Alpha Delta!!! Love, the Capital University Law School Community.

“As citizens, we all have an obligation to intervene and become involved - it's the citizen who changes things”-Jose Saramago

Image taken from pad.org

As seen at CULS-Weekly Happenings

A Day in the Life: Upcoming Events at CULS

Please join the Capital University Law School Community for our Third Annual Diversity Week! Our plethora of Student Organizations will be hosting various events targeting issues in today’s society, as well as personal and professional development!  Most events include meals and best of all…each event is FREE to attend!

A little on CULS Diversity Programs:

Here at Capital Law, we strive for diversity, creating programs and organizations that benefit religious, ethnic, even political diversity across the Law School!  These organizations provide opportunities for connecting with those who share a commonality with you, as well as great networking opportunities!  The list includes, but is not limited to:

Christian Law Society

Capital Equality Alliance

Law School Democrats

Law School Republicans

The American Civil Liberties Union

The Federalist Society

And many more!

Don’t see an organization?  Make one yourself!  Gather a few people and contact our Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Branden Smith at bsmith10@law.capital.edu about funding and chartering an organization!