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

Explore 614-Columbus Happenings

Experience 614-Columbus Happenings

Columbus can be described as a melting pot of various cultural and social activities.  From the swanky appeal of the Short North Arts District, to the historic Charm of German Village, you will always find something to do in the 614! 

It may be cold outside, but don’t let that stop you from experiencing Columbus.  Whether you’re a young professional, or looking to enjoy time with your family, Columbus has something for you! 

This week in Columbus, you can look forward to some of the following events:

Gallery Hop-Short North Arts District, Saturday, February 3, 2018

Come explore North High Street, home to the Short North Arts District, and explore the dozens of art galleries that call Columbus home.  These galleries will be open late, allowing patrons to explore each of them.  Who knows, you may even find the next piece to hang in your living room!

Columbus Blue Jackets v. Wild, Nationwide Arena, Tuesday, January 30, 2018, 7:00 PM

           

The Columbus Blue Jackets are the only National Hockey League franchise in Ohio!  Come see them face off against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday!   Visit https://www.stubhub.com/blue-jackets-wild-tickets/grouping/427193/ to see if tickets are still available!

Personal Branding: Learn How to Impress your Employers: Tuesday, January 30, 2018, Franklin University Ross Auditorium

           

What can you bring to the employers table?  Perhaps one of the most important things is to learn how to show your employer just what you can bring to their company.  Learn from the experts how to build a personal brand and sell yourself on interviews and in your future career.

Columbus Blue Jackets Winter Park, February 2-25, 2018, McFerson Commons

Come join in the fun with the community skate rink, or enjoy some tubing in the tall tubing hill towards the front of the park!

Looking for more events? Please visit the following:

https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/

https://www.cypclub.com/events

http://experimacfranchise.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Columbus-Ohio

Student Organization Spotlight: First Generation Law Students

Student Organization Spotlight-First Generation Law Students

For many students, going to Law School was a no-brainer.  Their parent is a lawyer, grandparent, and even extended family members.  They begin their legal education knowing at least a few lawyers, and may even have a job lined up at their family firm following graduation.  While this is true for many Law Students, some are the first in their family to go to Law School, let alone pursue higher education. 

 

Jeffrey Lewis, L’19 (Pictured), saw this and realized there needed to be a change, as those who are the first in their family to go to Law School did not have the same resources as their peers.  After bouncing the idea around with classmates and mentors, First Generation Law Students was born. 

The purpose of the group is to help motivate, inspire, teach and support/mentor those students who are the first in their family to pursue a legal education, and may even be the first in their families to seek secondary education.  More importantly, the group strives to motivate students that, “if they want to pursue something beyond high school, whatever they choose, they can be successful,” says Lewis, the founder and current President. 

“One of the first things they tell you in Law School is how tight-knit the legal community is and how the sooner you build those relationships, the better,” says Sarina Glick, L’19 (Pictured).  This group focuses on fostering a community among the student body, the future of the legal community, while bringing together established attorneys from the Columbus Legal Community, with whom these students will be practicing. 

Since their first meeting in October 2017, the group has hosted events such as a “How to Network” event with the Columbus Bar Association and Hannah Botkin-Doty, L’13, and a LinkedIn workshop with Bill Nolan, Managing Partner at Barnes & Thornburg. 

http://law.capital.edu/uploadedImages/Law_School/Template_Assets/Law_School_Home_Page_Slider_Content/First%20Generation%20Slider.jpg

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!