Career Services Q&A with David Blaner, Executive Director of the Allegheny County Bar Association
How important is it to have graduated from a particular law school?
What are the most important parts of a resume?
What networking opportunities are available for law students?
How important is experience to a legal employer?
What do you look for in a candidate during an interview?
What is the protocol for follow-up after an interview?
Are there things a candidate can do which are immediate turn-offs in an interview?
What should a student do during the first year of law school in regards to his/her career?
What should you do if you are currently employed but want to change practice areas?
How does one go about finding available job opportunities?
Who can I talk to at the ACBA about my job search?
How important is it to have graduated from a particular law school?
In the Pittsburgh market, having graduated from law school at the University of Pittsburgh or Duquesne University is beneficial because of the opportunity to network and develop relationships with alumni who are located nearby. Outside of Pittsburgh, law schools with regional recognition include Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn, Yale, and Harvard.
What are the most important parts of a resume?
Your academic credentials and law school should be displayed prominently on your resume, as well as details about your most current job. A clear description of the specific work that you have done at that job is essential, and you should use pointed adjectives and adverbs to describe the major functions of your position, highlighting legal work. Make sure to identify special skills that were needed to accomplish your duties, particularly those in which you have unique strengths that others may not; if you wrote appellate briefs, highlight not only the legal nature of that work, but the writing skills that it required.
Your resume is the opportunity to communicate who you are on a sheet of paper. It will make clear your unique qualifications and also present a potential employer with interview discussion questions. For those with no specific legal work experience, unique skill details are imperative; it will help employers identify you for consideration. Professionals with more than one degree may use more than one page for a resume if needed. Having a two page resume is not a turn-off to an interviewer, as long as you have clearly articulated your skills and experience.
What networking opportunities are available for law students?
Law school is a sheltered environment, and it is essential that you expand your network when you move beyond school. It might be intimidating to join the bar association and attend meetings; you might feel you do not have the proper clothing or would not be able to network with senior attorneys. On the contrary, the bar association is the perfect place for law students to begin to network. Business casual dress is just fine, and the regular meetings of substantive law Sections and Committees give you a great opportunity to find out who local attorneys are, what they do, and receive career and practice advice directly from them.
How important is experience to a legal employer?
I would liken obtaining your first legal job to buying a house. Coming up with a down payment and securing a job are critically important as well as difficult. Clerkships and summer associate positions are very important. Recruiters typically come to law schools and allow students to make appointments to be interviewed. Resumes may often be submitted through the career services department of the school. It can be a very competitive process. Second year law students should begin planning for upcoming summer employment right away. The Allegheny County Bar Association has a minority clerkship program as part of its Diversity Initiative.
Recent graduates with no summer associate experience should consider doing part time or volunteer work to give them legal exposure. The Allegheny County Bar Foundation and its Pro Bono Center have pro bono programs which provide the necessary training.
What do you look for in a candidate during an interview?
The old adage is true. You only have one chance to make a first impression. Appearance is important and you should be dressed appropriately. A firm handshake and eye contact are also important. Practice giving answers in complete sentences and be careful and articulate with your answers.
Preparation is important in an interview, much like a court case. Do your research. Find out what practice areas are included in the firm, and the attorneys and their backgrounds within those areas. Make contact with alumni from your school. It is critical that you be prepared to answer questions about the firm and its practice.
What is the protocol for follow-up after an interview?
Though we live in a digital age and e-mail is easy to initiate, a handwritten thank you note personally mailed to an interviewer can go a long way. It will tell the interviewer something about your writing skills and that you appreciate his/her time, as well as show your willingness to take the time yourself. Little things count.
Follow-up calls are permissible. However, you have to decide where the fine line is beyond which you will be viewed as a pest. If the firm indicates that it will make a decision soon, two to three days after the interview is appropriate for a call. If the firm indicates that it will be a lengthy process, you may call to inquire as to the status of the position and whether or not it has been filled.
Are there things a candidate can do which are immediate turn-offs in an interview?
Poor eye contact and inability to look up are turn-offs. Even if a firm has a business casual dress code for its employees, there is an expectation that attorneys will dress the part (business professional) in an interview.
Sometimes people say too much. Answer the questions as best you can. If you have a lack of knowledge or experience in an area, diplomatically tell the interviewer and highlight your ability to learn as well as other skills you have which could be applied given the opportunity and mentoring.
What should a student do during the first year of law school in regards to his/her career?
A first year law student should focus on the demands of the schoolwork and build a solid foundation of writing and communication skills. No matter your job, you will communicate through writing, and you should create a solid base on which to build and improve during your second year of studies.
After your first year, consider an internship. Any work in a firm, even if it is not directly related to law, will help you learn how a firm operates. You might assist a paralegal or administrative assistant in the summer and be given some legal-related duties. Exposure to the legal profession is important. You might be able to work for a judge on a volunteer basis or through an internship.
What should you do if you are currently employed but want to change practice areas?
It is difficult to change practice areas if you have not picked up work in another area, and it is particularly tough in the current economy. You might have to hunker down and hold tight, building your strengths and volunteering for projects in your firm which are part of the practice area to which you want to move. You will give a better impression in an interview if you have created experience for yourself in that new area.
If you need technical knowledge or a new skill set, you should consider taking CLE programs in that new area, taking pro bono cases in the field, volunteering for civil legal service agencies and legal advice clinics, as well as attending ACBA Section meetings and events.
How does one go about finding available job opportunities?
Pittsburgh jobs are often not posted on national job websites or listed in the newspaper. Larger firms might, but oftentimes they are for Philadelphia or Harrisburg positions and not in the Pittsburgh market. Many are posted internally; this is where networking is key. As you network with attorneys, you will find out which firms have available positions and in what areas. Begin with your law school classmates and expand your network group to alumni and colleagues, asking for names and individuals to speak to regarding careers in a particular firm. Keep an updated resume available at all times. As a general rule, for every $10,000 of salary in a position, expect one additional month of job searching.
You might be successful with sending a resume directly to a firm’s HR department, but it is important to try and network in first. Firms frequently will scan resumes for keywords. For example, a firm looking for a labor and employment attorney will scan for phrases such as “labor negotiations,” “EECO,” or “NLRB.” National recruiters as well as firms do this because of the inundation of resumes they receive. Networking is essential; making contact with the head of a practice group or impressing an attorney from that firm may make a huge difference. Being a member of the bar association will give you a wealth of networking opportunities as well as access to job postings.
Who can I talk to at the ACBA about my job search?
I would be happy to meet with you about your job search and can be reached at 412-402-6601. You may also contact Annette Shimer at the ACBA Placement Service at 412-402-6647.
To find out more about the ACBA Summer Clerkship program for minorities, click here.
To learn about pro bono opportunities with the Allegheny County Bar Foundation and Pro Bono Center, click here.
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