Graduate Fellow
Law Career Development
It’s that time of year again! Winter break. Final exams are finally over, and many of you are well on your way to relaxation and enjoying the holiday season. Law school winter break, however, is different from your average undergraduate winter break so avoid the temptation to “Netflix and chill.” Here are the things law students should do over winter break:
Apply for Internships
Whether you’re a 1L or a 3L, winter break is the perfect time to apply for internships and/or post bar positions. With the brief break from studying, you should be able to focus on finding an internship or post bar position. This is especially important for 1Ls looking for their first internship. Law school isn’t just about your academic studies but also discovering your passion. Practical experiences are the best way to test the waters while gaining valuable skills. These experiences will guide you into becoming a well-rounded attorney.
Law school’s a journey. Upon attending law school, I was firmly set on practicing family law but there were so many areas of law that I wanted to explore! If there’s a time to explore, law school is the time to do it. I didn’t want to be an attorney who THOUGHT she knew what she wanted to do, but later discovers that there was a better fit. My experiences varied, but my skills translated from one internship to my next. I started with criminal litigation, jumped to employment law, interned for a judge, before I settled back into family law. The law can be learned so as long as you can read and write well. The skills you learn (e.g. researching and writing memorandums) will make you a desirable attorney.
Moreover, employers look for law clerks well in advance. This is especially true for employers accepting applications on a rolling basis. Employers want to see that you’re willing to take initiative and that you’re passionate, so get ahead of the game before the competition sets in.
For folks interested in public service and/or public interest work, this is a reminder that PI/PS applications are due at the beginning of January 2017! If you need help on your cover letter and/or resume, make an appointment with one of the law career counselors by visiting LCDonline.
Be Socially Active
The holiday season means that there are plenty of networking events. I’m talking about holiday parties! Yes, some holiday parties can be pricey, but typically law students get a discount, so take advantage of these discounts while you can. To find events to attend, please visit the Events section on LCDonline.
If you’re not feeling up to attending a networking event, winter break is also a good opportunity to set up informational interviews. If there’s a company, firm, or organization that you’re interested in, now is the time to set up an informational interview with an attorney who works there. Although the thought of cold calling is a daunting task, you’ll find that it’s surprisingly easy. Many attorneys want to help “young” attorneys. Every attorney has been in your exact position, eager to learn and to gain experience. To get you started on your search, see if a GGU alumni works there by doing a quick search on LinkedIn.
Keep in mind that these informational interviews do not have to be in a formal office setting. Attorneys are extremely busy, but they’re still human beings. They still need to eat, have a breathe of fresh of air, and have their caffeine. To set up an informational interview and to thank them for their time, consider setting up a lunch date, a coffee date, or simply taking a stroll around the block.
Order Law School Books
As every law student is well aware of, law school is expensive so use this winter break to find your professors’ syllabus and order your law school textbooks! Visit Amazon (and similar websites like Bookbyte) to buy or rent your textbooks for a cheaper price. My rule of thumb is save where you can since there will PLENTY of things that you’ll need to pay for in the near future. Moreover, you should order your books now so you’ll have time to read for the first day of classes. Be smart about reading for the first day of class because this is not an undergraduate program where you can escape unnoticed. In other words, the first day of classes is not “syllabus day,” so expect the professor to cold call on you.
Enjoy Your Winter Break!
Lastly, enjoy your winter break! Although there are a few things that you should do over winter break, I found that winter break is the only time that you do not need to constantly worry about classes or internships so take this rare occasion to socialize, eat, sleep, and recharge.
