Soldier On: Boot Camp to Law School—Summer is the Perfect Time for Those Pre-Combat Inspections

By Julie Cummings 

JD ‘16 

Julie Cummings is a recent graduate of GGU Law and one of Ms. JD’s 2016 Writers in Residence. The following article originally ran May 5 on the blog of Ms. JD, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the success of women in law school and the legal profession.

The beginning of summer is the perfect time for law students to conduct pre-combat inspections (PCI). Pre-combat inspections are a management tool that the Army uses to make sure that every soldier brings to battle every piece of required equipment, every time. And importantly, PCIs ensure the equipment is in proper working order.

Pre-combat inspections consist of soldiers physically laying out for inspection each item of equipment they will need for a mission. The inspections are often highly regimented with detailed checklists and completed according to a prescribed layout diagram.
For instance, soldiers may be assigned a 5 x 5 foot area in which to display all of their equipment according to the diagram. Within that area, the soldier will neatly place equipment that they will need for the upcoming mission. And each soldier’s area will look identical, with all items placed in exact positions.

Meet the Bar Associations 2016: Coming Wednesday, 4/13

It’s that time of the year! GGU’s annual Meet the Bar Associations 2016 is coming up next week! Both law students and graduates are encouraged to attend! 

When: Wednesday, April 13 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm

Where: GGU, 6th Floor GGU Center

What: More than 25 local and national bar associations will be coming to GGU to talk to students about their organizations and membership benefits. Some offer free memberships to students. These groups provide excellent opportunities to connect with lawyers, learn about the law, obtain mentors, and win scholarships and fellowships. Light food and refreshments will be served; attire is business casual. The event will be like a networking fair, so you are free to arrive whenever you want, and to talk to whichever organizations interest you.

The following is a list of the amazing bar associations that are participating this year:

• Alameda County Bar Association
• Asian American Bar Association
• Bar Association of San Francisco- Barristers Club
• California Association of Black Lawyers
• California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
• Consumer Attorneys of California
• Continuing Education of the Bar
• Federal Bar Association, Northern District of California Chapter
• The Litigation Section of The State Bar of California
• Filipino Bar Association of Northern California
• Italian American Bar Association of Northern California
• Korean American Bar Association of Northern California
• Palo Alto Area Bar Association
• Queen’s Bench Bar Association
• San Francisco Intellectual Property Law Association
• San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Association
• San Francisco Paralegal Association
• San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
• St. Thomas More Society of San Francisco 
•   California Women Lawyers 
• Contra Costa County Bar Association 
• California Lawyers for the Arts 
• Eastern Alameda County Bar Association 
• Charles Houston Bar Association

Networking Is A Necessity, Not A Luxury

By Erica L. Morris
Law Career Development, Graduate Fellow

The next time you are tempted to blow-off a networking event, consider this: an overwhelming number of law school graduates find their first jobs through networking and self-initiated contact as opposed to on-campus interviews or sending in cold resumes. This concept remains true for individuals outside the legal profession; "the number one way people find jobs and job openings is through networking and personal contacts." Alternatively, "[a]ttorneys who do not network often fail over time because of this fact alone." Thus, networking is a vital component to not only developing a legal career, but to continuing to have a successful career as well.  In essence, networking is a necessity, not a luxury.

Two-Day Bar Exam Coming to California in 2017

by Nadine Abousalem
Communications & Recruiting Coordinator for Law Career Development

In light of New York's announcement of switching to the uniform bar exam (UBE) starting in 2016, California has announced plans to adopt a two-day bar exam instead of its three-day predecessor starting July 2017. California is notorious for giving one of the most difficult bar exams in the country and is also known for being the last to publish bar passage results.

While many exam takers will be excited by the prospect of significantly less writing on the exam, California is not planning to make the bar exam any easier and will set the scoring to keep passage rates low and consistent with those of the three-day exam. However, the proposed two-day bar exam will only include one day of essays and one day of MBE, putting the California exam on par with other jurisdictions in terms of length and content. Each exam day will be weighted equally for the final score.

What does this mean for exam takers? While the three-day exam allowed those who do poorly on multiple choice questions to pad their scores with killer writing, there will now be a heavier emphasis on multiple choice. Multiple choice will now account for 50% of the exam score.

You may read more about the changes from Solo Practice University's blog post here.

SAVE THE DATE! March 16, 50 Things You Can Do With a Law Degree

Please email lawcareer@ggu.edu to let us know you plan to attend

The Law School Fashion Statement, Part I

by Hengameh Poya 
LCS Intern

Remember college? Rolling out of bed 10 minutes before class and throwing on the closest pair of sweats. Fine for college, not so much in law school. This doesn’t mean that you have to wear a suit to every class, but you probably shouldn’t wear flip flops. Why? Law school is a professional school. Are you presenting yourself in a way that supports your professional ideals? How might you be received by others?

There isn’t a precise guideline for everyday attire. There are, however, some things to avoid, such as, clothing that is tight fitted or revealing. In addition to what you wear to class, there are those events that require more thought, such as: career panels, receptions, informational interviews, and formal interviews. What do you wear to those? Again, there is no rulebook, but here are some things to keep in mind:

Networking Events: Any event that gives you the opportunity to network with attorneys should have you looking your professional best. This is your chance to make a good first impression on attorneys who may have internship or employment connections, so dressing the part can reveal your professionalism. Business casual is probably a safe bet. You can also play it really safe (depending on the event) and wear interview attire since some events turn into on the spot interviews. Informational

Interviews: When appearing for an informational interview, you always want to put your best foot forward. Even if the attorney you are meeting with is not offering you a job, informational interviews are an opportunity to establish your network. We recommend that you wear formal business attire so the person you are meeting with can be confident in the impression you'll create if he or she refers you to a colleague.

Etiquette for Professional Holiday Parties

by Sabrina M. Johnson
LCS Grad Fellow

You are attending Holiday Parties and you will want to make sure that you are there to enjoy yourself and strengthen your professional network. While you are thinking about which events to attend, you should also be thinking about how you will present yourself. This applies for organizational holiday events, as well as an office party.

Holiday Parties - Let's Mingle

by Sabrina M. Johnson
LCS Graduate Fellow

Holiday Party season is upon us. This is a great way to meet new attorneys in a welcoming and casual environment. Enjoy the season and boast your network.

Click here to view a list of upcoming holiday season events!

Keeping these holiday party tips in mind will allow you to enjoy your time:

1. Have an Entrance Plan. When you walk into a room, make sure you know where you are going. Head to the bar/food area or take a quick walk around the room. Having an initial plan helps alleviate anxiety and boost confidence. 
2. Prepare to Talk. Be able to talk about yourself. This includes both your professional self and other interests. "How about those Giants?" I am willing to bet that the Giants are a hot topic of conversation in San Francisco this season. 
3. Prepare to Listen. Listen to what others are saying, and use their name when appropriate. Active listening (eye contact and smiling) is an easy way to win over your audience. 
4. Dress the Part. Your outfit is your first impression, and while people don't necessarily notice a good outfit, they definitely judge an inappropriate one. Make sure your festive holiday attire is still professional. Remember, you can never go wrong with slacks and a collared shirt. 
5. Collect the Card. Casual conversations at holiday events tend to last 5 - 20 minutes. When you have a connection with someone or want to learn more, ask if you can follow-up with them at a later time. Be sure to get their business card. 
6. Follow Up with the individuals you enjoyed speaking with to wish them a happy holiday, invite them to join your LinkedIn network or to schedule an informational interview.

TED to the Interview Rescue

by Sabrina M. Johnson
LCS Graduate Fellow

Photo courtesy of TED

Are you looking for something fun to include when preparing for your next interview? Try these TED talks, mentioned by Lily Zhang in “5 TED Talks to Watch Before Your Next Interview.” You can prepare for an interview in more ways than research about where you are interviewing, and practice questions. I love TED talks because they are short and usually interesting. I have practiced some of these techniques for interview preparation, and even while taking the bar to boost my confidence. In particular the now famous Wonder Woman pose from Amy Cuddy’s talk. I also found the talk, “How to Spot a Liar,” very informative about techniques that could be used during an interview to make sure that the interviewer is telling you the truth about what it is like to work there. Each talk can help you to identify areas that can be changed slightly to achieve a different result from your next interview. 

1. Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are, by Amy Cuddy
2. How to Speak So That People Want to Listen, by Julian Treasure
3. Talk Nerdy to Me, by Melissa Marshall 
4. How to Spot a Liar, by Pamela Meyer
5. The Optimism Bias, by Tali Sharot

Student Blogging Equals Opportunity

By Henghameh Poya, LCS Intern

One of the most effective ways for 1L students to enhance their professional reputations and relationships is via blogging. There is a plethora of law subjects not covered in the legal blogging world. For example, say you are interested in tax law and working with underprivileged communities. You can start blogging about current tax projects with underprivileged communities and referencing news articles regarding the subject. Utilizing other social media outlets to expand your blog topic will connect you even further. Within months you’ll be recognized in the tax community. This in turn leads to more job and networking opportunities. Learn more here. For links to a wide array of law-related blogs, check out the ABA's "Blawg" Directory.

Microsoft Office Tutorials – for FREE!

By Henghameh Poya, LCS Intern

Ever wonder, "How do I alter the margins in my document?" "How do I add those equations in Excel?" You're not alone. Legal employers expect their interns and attorneys to be self-sufficient when it comes to computer skills; check out these resources that offer videos and step-by-step instructions.

1. Straight from the source

This website offers video tutorials for all of Microsoft's available programs. You can also choose which version you have and whether you're using a PC or Mac. Try using the search bar at the top of the page to navigate you to what you're looking for.

2. If videos aren’t your thing

This website offers step-by-step instructions (with pictures) on how to do a variety of tasks. It also offers some helpful explanations on what the tools do and what they would be useful for. The directions may differ slightly depending on the version of Office you’re using, but you'll get a nice overview from this website.

3. Just another option

This website is another text-based instruction site, but it's not quite as comprehensive as the previous one. It offers some simple instructions and gives you the option of choosing which version you're using.

Tip: If there isn't a tutorial for what you're looking for, try running a Google search with a brief description of your question. Example: "how to add column Microsoft Word."

Happy New Year!

by Elisa Laird-Metke

Law Career Services welcomes everyone back from the winter break! LCS counselors are available to meet with you to help with applications for spring and summer jobs. Make an appointment by calling (415) 442-6625

If you need just a quick resume/cover letter review, drop-in hours are also available. Stop by Monday, January 6 through Friday, January 10 between 11:30 and 1:00 pm daily at 40 Jessie, 5th floor.

Don't forget that PI/PS Day applications are due January 16!

We look forward to working with you in 2014!

Maximizing Your Winter Break -A Note to Evening Students

by Amanda Vassigh-Sigal
Career Counselor

Many Golden Gate School of Law students work full-time in addition to attending classes for several hours a week. Many of you have family responsibilities as well. You are often incredibly busy, but this doesn’t mean that you should leave career planning for when you graduate! It is essential that evening students gain legal experience while in school if you intend to practice law after graduation.

You are already carefully managing your time, so you might wonder how you will squeeze in legal work experience before graduating. By planning ahead, it is possible to find creative ways to get experience and boost your resume. One suggestion is to maximize your time between semesters. This winter break is a terrific time to do some career planning, and possibly, some volunteer legal work in an area that interests you.

6 Career Planning Tips for Your Winter Break

1. Research the legal market and practice areas.
   Peruse our resource library and LCSonline and you’ll discover terrific resources, including recordings of career services programs discussing a wide range of practice areas. Since your time is precious, exploring your interests and learning more about where you would like to work is a very important component of your career planning.



2. Begin the process of looking for ways to fit legal experience into your schedule.
   If you work for a corporation, explore whether there is a way to work in your company’s legal department at some point. Can you save vacation time in order to take summer legal job? If not, look into volunteer income tax assistance or consumer debt programs, which often operate during evening hours. Think creatively about how you can fit some legal experience into your busy schedule, and look into your options.



3. Get legal experience this month by engaging in pro bono work.
   GGU has recently established a pro bono program with the Public Interest Clearinghouse (PIC). This program will give you access to various volunteer opportunities, including those taking place on nights and weekends. PIC allows students to volunteer in a host of substantive legal areas and can help you find a project tailored to your specific interests and schedule.
   
   One upcoming opportunity is with Legal Aid of Marin, which will hold eviction intake clinics on Monday, December 28 through Wednesday, December 30 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to develop your client interviewing and fact investigation skills. (For more information or to reserve a spot, please contact Doan at dnguyen@pic.org).
   
   Please visit www.lawstudentprobono.org to register and sign up for PIC’s weekly newsletter. When you find an opportunity that interests you, contact Doan Nguyen, the pro bono coordinator at PIC.



4. Write a publishable paper.
   An excellent way for evening students to enhance their legal resumes is to write a publishable paper on a subject of interest. Approach a professor, committee member of a bar association, or a law school colleague with an idea for a collaborative article. You can also contact the editors of legal journals to ask if there are any topics for which they are seeking articles, and propose to write a relevant article yourself. Not only do publications add to your legal resume, conducting the research for an article or paper often leads to the opportunity to connect with successful attorneys and expand your network.



5. Attend a least one networking/holiday event or conduct one informational interview.
   You’ve probably been told that networking is an effective way to secure a job. During the semester, you might not have much time to attend bar association events or CLE’s, but try to do so during your winter break. Plan to attend a social gathering or program that will allow you to meet people in the legal community. Informational interviews are a terrific networking vehicle as well and are often sources of valuable guidance. Networking and informational interviewing handouts are available on LCSonline.



6. Meet one-on-one with an LCS career counselor.
   Law Career Services is open during most of your winter break, and we are available to meet in person or over the phone.. (We will be closed for our move to 40 Jesse Street between 12/9 – 12/15, and for a few days close to Christmas and New Year’s Day). We encourage you to take advantage of this time to start working with us. You can make an appointment to meet with an LCS career counselor by calling us at (415) 442-6625 or by emailing lawcareer@ggu.edu.

Spend time connecting with people and activities that bring a smile to your face and joy into your life during your winter break, and set some time aside for career planning. Law Career Services is here to help you, with late office hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays to accommodate evening students.