Friday, April 18, 2014

The Summertime Professional Development Plan

by Victoria Capinpin
LCS Graduate Fellow

As budding legal professionals, your life should not just be about attending law school classes and getting that internship you really wanted. Professional development also includes getting involved with activities outside of law school, volunteering with local community organizations, and making meaningful connections with other professionals. Summertime is a great time to catch up with your professional development.




ATTEND OR VOLUNTEER AT ONE EVENT PER MONTH: Attend events and make it a goal to meet at least five attorneys (and exchange contact information). For the larger events, try to find a contact person to ask if they need any student volunteers. Volunteering at events is a great way to attend the events for free, meet all of the attorney-guests, and show the attorney-coordinators how hard you work. Some upcoming events are:

JOIN A COMMITTEE: Joining the committees of bar associations is one of the best ways to build your professional network because it gives you opportunities to plan events and work on various projects.
  • Korean American Bar Association of Northern California (KABANC) is looking for members to join their Social Committee: As part of the KABANC Social Committee, you will be an integral part of planning, facilitating and having fun at KABANC's numerous social events. If interested, please contact Alice Choy (aechoy@gmail.com).
  • Asian American Bar Association (AABA) Is looking for members to join their Solo and Small Firm Committee and their Newsletter Committee: Solo and Small Firm Committee is looking for committee members! All interested in helping plan, organize, and put on events for the coming year should contact Veronica B. Guinto at veronica@guintolaw.com for more information. Newsletter Committee is looking for committee members! All interested in helping with article submission and editing the web-based newsletter and post-event articles should contact Janet Li at janetl.email@gmail.com for more information.

GO ON TWO INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS PER MONTH: Informational interviews are simply meant to help you make real connections with other professionals in the legal industry. You can ask questions without feeling the same stress that may come from a formal interview for a job. And if you make a favorable impression, the attorney may think of you if a position becomes available later.
  • LCS makes it easy for you to ask for informational interviews by providing you with a list of attorneys and professionals who have already agreed to be contacted for meetings: sign up now for our 30-Minute Mentor Program.
  • Log into GGU's Alumni database or search the Golden Gate University Law LinkedIn group to search for attorneys who are working in the firm you want to work for or are practicing the type of law you want to practice.

ATTEND A CAREER FAIR: There are so many great career fairs going on this summer! If it is out-of-state, consider making it worth your trip and stay for a couple more days to explore the city.

View more career fairs


APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS: Summer is a great time to polish your application materials and apply for scholarships and grants. Come in to LCS and have a counselor review your materials before you submit them!
  • AABA Law Student Summer Grant - due April 25 - The Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area is offering one or more grants to help fund qualified summer law clerk(s) to work on legal projects that provide free legal services to the Asian American community.
  • AAJ Women for Justice Education Fund's Mike Eidon Scholarship 2014 - due May 1 - The scholarship, traditionally in the amount of $5,000, is awarded annually to a rising 3L (or rising 4L in a night program) female student who has demonstrated a commitmentto a career as a plaintiffs’ lawyer or criminal defense lawyer, along with dedication to upholding and defending theprinciples of the Constitution, and to the concept of a fair trial, the adversary system, and a just result for the injured, the accused, and those whose rights are jeopardized.
  • 2014-2015 FBANC Legal Scholarship - due May 5 - Current law students in good academic standing and those admitted to law school for the 2014-2015 academic year are encouraged to apply for the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC) Legal Scholarships. This year, FBANC will present three scholarships: two FBANC Scholarships awarded in the amount of $2,500 each and the Raymond L. Ocampo, Jr. Family Scholarship awarded in the amount of $5,000.

ENTER WRITING COMPETITIONS: Sharpen your writing skills and enter writing competitions. Winning one will add tremendous value to your resume!
View more writing competitions


VOLUNTEER AT CLINICS: Volunteering at clinics is a great way to get legal experience and meet other attorneys.

POLISH YOUR JOB MATERIALS AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES: Don't let your job materials become stale during the summer.
  • Come in to LCS and have a counselor review and update your materials. Call us for an appointment at (415) 442-6625.
  • Apply for opportunities through our Summer Recruitment Program; details and deadlines are in LCSonline. 
So, take advantage of your free time during the summer and work on your professional development!
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