The Five Deadliest Job Interview Mistakes

by Susanne Aronowitz
Associate Dean of Law Career Services and Alumni Relations

"The last thing you want to do on a job interview is disappear into the confusing sea of job-seekers that a hiring manager is desperately trying to keep separate in his mind," according to Liz Cole, the CEO and Founder of Human Workplace. "Only one person can get the job, so the last thing you want to do is sound like everyone else."

As you prepare for your upcoming job interviews, check out her great advice on the five deadliest job interview mistakes to avoid.

Interview with Ephraim Egan (JD 2011), Associate at the Ellis Law Group

Ephraim Egan graduated from GGU School of Law in 2011. He is currently an Associate Attorney for the Ellis Law Group LLP in Sacramento, CA.

---

Describe your overall job searching strategy after graduation, or after the bar exam.
After I took the bar, I spoke to my some of my fellow GGU alumni and was able to land an interview for a post-bar clerk position at Moss & Hough, an employment law firm in San Francisco. I stayed there for a little over a year as I built up my experience, then I began to apply to job postings online. After about four months of searching and applying, I was able to secure my current position at the Ellis Law Group. So in a weird way, I took completely different paths to secure my past two jobs.

What is your position/job right now and what specifically do you do there?
Currently, I'm an Associate Attorney at the Ellis Law Group. Our firm is a bit eclectic, but I focus on business and commercial law, specifically defending clients in claims involving the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. I also dabble in legal malpractice cases, both plaintiff and defense side.

Interview with Quan Vu (JD 2012), Army JAG Corps

Quan Vu graduated from GGU School of Law in 2012. He is currently stationed in Fort Rucker, Alabama serving as the Chief of Legal Assistance with the Army Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG).

---

Describe your overall job searching strategy after graduation, or after the bar exam.

My job goal since I started law school was to be in the Army JAG Corps.  During school, I reached out to LCS to put me in contact with Army recruiters.  As a 2L, I did informational interviews to find out more about the job and the application processes.  As a 3L, I had an interview with a field-screening officer (FSO), which I coordinated through LCS.  I submitted my application in the fall of my 3L year. 

During law school I interned at a non-profit, the San Francisco City Attorney Office, and a clinic at GGU.  Each of my experiences taught me a different layer of being a lawyer, from client interaction to writing memos or conducting research.  These did not have a direct link to being a JAG attorney, but the skills I learned were all relevant to being a good attorney.

Would you have done anything differently during your initial job search?
If there were something I would have done differently, it would be to apply and get into the Army JAG summer internship.  These are selective paid internships, which allow you to work directly with JAG offices in different parts of the country.  I would also have liked to be a law clerk for a judge.  Judge Stuart Hing in Alameda County has been a big supporter of GGU and employs several law clerks.  I would have loved to work for him.

What is your daily routine like at your current position?
The legal assistance office works with service members directly.  On a daily basis we help service members with a wide variety of issues.  Usually if a service member is getting ready to deploy, we help him/her draft a will.  We also help with family law issues such as divorce or child custody.  And sometimes if service members need to break their lease agreement due to deployment or change of duty station, we help with those issues.

What do you enjoy the most about working with JAG?
What I enjoy most about the job is that I can help service members one-on-one and I can resolve their issues and bring them peace of mind. What makes this job unique is that there is not a set of prescribed characteristics that makes a good JAG officer.  However, the one thing we have in common is that we are willing to work as a team and are not afraid of taking initiative.

Any last words/advice for students and recent graduates?
To current students:  Law school is the time to reach out to people, organizations, mentors, etc., to find out what it is you want and to align your actions to your goal.  Plan your internships six months to a year out.  There are places like LCS and mentors who want to help.  Don’t think it is all work and no play, because going out and bonding with your classmates is part of the experience.

To recent graduates: Nothing in life worth having comes easy.  I say this because I passed the bar the second time around.  But failure the first time made me realize how much I wanted it and I worked even harder and smarter.  Don’t stop trying to find that job that will make you feel satisfied.  Good luck in your goals and go live the dream.

January Was My Month: How Reaching Out To Alumni Got Me a Job!

By Jessica W. Rosen
GGU JD 2013

I just accepted an offer for employment that I am so excited about—an offer I couldn’t refuse. The pay is great, but more importantly, the firm’s work is rooted in what I fell in love with in law school: appeals.

Here’s how it happened: After taking the Bar Exam and moving back to Los Angeles, I had absolutely no idea what I should be doing. The networking I had done was up in the Bay Area – it wasn’t going to be very helpful in a new big city. While I’m from Los Angeles, I had very few legal contacts down here. After getting my Bar Exam results and finding out that I passed, I told myself, “January will be my month!” I’d start actively looking for work and begin (the dreaded) networking. I made a phone appointment with Susanne at Law Career Services for early January and Susanne gave great advice – join bar associations and be active within those associations in order to make contacts (I joined local associations and the Federal Bar Association, where I went to a few Young Lawyer Division events). She then emphasized that I should reach out to alumni located in Los Angeles, which I told her I had been meaning to do… and gave excuses why I hadn’t even signed into the alumni database. Nevertheless, having spoken with Susanne and feeling determined to make January my month, I contacted alumni down here.

I met with an alumnus for a drink at LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) and we spoke of my experiences volunteering in an attorney capacity and looking for work, our mutual connection to GGU School of Law, and the experiences that led him to open his own law firm on Wilshire Blvd. Best of all, he wanted to help me! He told me he wants to see fellow GGU Law alumni succeed. He asked me to send him my resume so that he could post it on a list-serve that includes him and a substantial number of other lawyers in the LA area. Within a week, I had an interview with a firm that hadn’t yet posted a job listing! A couple of days later, I had a job offer, and this week I will officially be an Associate Attorney.

I’m so glad that I got the nerve up to contact another GGU alum, even though I didn’t know him. I wasn’t sure what I’d say, but the fact that we both went to GGU and work in the legal field in the same city gave us plenty to talk about.  I know now how important networking can be: had I not reached out to alumni, I wouldn’t be writing this. I hope I can “pay it forward” in the future to another new GGU alum!

Recent Grad Success Spotlight: Harmony Groves Kessler on Creativity & Flexibility

Harmony Groves Kessler is an independent contract attorney handling dependency youth matters for the law office of Jacqueline Gillespie in Sonoma County.

---

by Harmony Groves Kessler (GGU JD 12)

Harmony

The path to finding my first full-time job as an attorney was not traditional whatsoever, but in the end it worked out just right.  Last October, I relocated with my husband from Humboldt County back down to the Bay Area.After getting bar results in November, I had to be creative and flexible about finding job opportunities and creating a network from scratch because of the awkward timing of our move (just before bar results).

While I did a variety of hourly work for attorneys in the Bay Area and completed a Bridge Fellowship, the months dragged on with no reply to heaps of applications. The trouble was everyone wanted an attorney with some experience, but a new attorney cannot get experience unless there is a job available. I had to think outside the box and outside what I thought my path in law would be to move my job search forward.

I decided to open my own practice because I was receiving requests from friends and acquaintances for work on small legal projects, and because I wanted to gain more experience as an attorney to use as leverage for a legal position. I researched the requirements to open a practice through NOLO books and the CalBar.org website.* I negotiated with insurance brokers and received a good rate on professional liability insurance. I printed business cards and put up a basic, one-page website. I was open for business and available to navigate basic issues on diverse topics thanks to my free ONLAW CEB account and my ability to ask questions to the network of attorneys I had built up and other lawyer friends.

After about a month and a half of private practice handling business contracts, small estates and DUI defense, I was hired as an independent contractor for a full-time position as a juvenile dependency attorney (from a Craiglist ad, believe it or not!). The response to the Craigslist ad was very high, but because I had started my own practice, I came to the interview as an attorney in a small private practice with my own insurance (perfect for an independent contractor), instead of as a “newly admitted attorney” waiting for someone to take me on.

I am excited about the work I am now engaged in and able to easily take on work as an independent contractor. I can still take on small matters on the side for extra income in addition to my current position. My path to my current job is not the one I had envisioned, and I will admit that at times it is incredibly frustrating and scary, but it is right for me.

*I have since learned that LCS has resources to help GGU Law graduates start their own solo practice, including the solo law practice workshop video - a 5-hour YouTube video featuring nine GGU Law Alumni solo practitioners of varying years out and practice areas on how to set up and run a solo practice. The video is also helpful to independent contract attorneys.

Recent Grad Success Spotlight:A Big Part of Networking is Showing Up,But Also Engaging New People

Alston Lew will be an associate attorney at the workers' compensation defense firm of Nakamoto Chou, LLP in their San Jose office. Alston attributes landing his job to a combination of networking, enthusiasm and persistence.

---

by Alston Lew (GGU JD 12)

In law school we were frequently told that we need to start networking to build connections to help us professionally. Several classmates have told me they do not like networking because they find it to be awkward and seemingly artificial. One classmate likened the experience to being put into a play without lines and being expected to perform. If I learned anything about networking, it's that it's not a natural thing in the beginning, but like everything else, you have to practice and work at it until it becomes more natural.

Networking is difficult because you have to go out of your way to engage a person you've never met before and try to find some common ground. At any given networking event, there are two parts of the battle - the first is making the effort to show up. However, you can't simply show up and just hang out in the corner or with people you already know. You need to engage with new people. Introduce yourself, and ask the person what their practice area is, and take it from there. You will quickly be able to gauge whether you will be able to build a rapport with someone. But by all means, never come out and ask for a job! I also try to read up on different areas of legal practice, watch current television shows and sporting events, in order to have topics to help the conversation along. Mention something interesting about yourself that will hopefully help the attorney remember you, and try to learn something about the attorney to help with follow up questions. 

Despite the initial awkwardness, try and get the attorney's business card. Often if you offer yours, they will respond in kind. I am amazed at how many attorneys don't carry cards. If you have your own, you can jot down their contact information on the back of one of your cards. Then move on and meet more people. (Being able to exchange cards and market yourself is all part of business development, and impresses attorneys to help you since it shows you understand that growing connections can lead to business referrals.)

Then here comes the most important part - follow-up! I spend almost as much time sending emails, LinkedIn requests and asking select attorneys out for coffee or lunch than I do attending network events. Whether on the back of one of your cards or theirs, write down the attorney's practice area as well as some interesting facts you learned about them. When you do follow up, you will potentially have some good information  to mention in your correspondence or subsequent get-together. At events, I make a point of asking attorneys whether they plan to be at other events, and then I show up at those events to build on my relationship with them. What often starts as awkward initial interactions becomes stronger connections, and in some instances, friendships. (Another way to grow and strengthen connections is to become involved in bar association committees. The other attorneys on the committee can also see how reliable and competent you are.)

I landed my new position at Nakamoto Chou due to persistence and enthusiasm for learning the field (in spite of my inexperience with workers' comp), and because of two entirely different connections that I developed. First, one of my connections heard about the job and contacted me, and separately an associate at the Nakamoto Chou firm, (who was good friends with another one of my connections), put in a good word about me to the hiring partner. In addition, others in my network who handle workers' compensation cases helped me prepare for my interviews. My network of connections was a huge part of helping me obtain my new position - I very much wish you the same success.

Recent Grad Success Spotlight: Relationship Building, Mentorsand Persistence

Jacqueline Oh is an associate attorney at the law firm of Phillips, Spallas & Angstadt where she handles insurance defense cases, including premises liability and product defect litigation.

---

by Jacqueline Oh (GGU JD 12)

Relationship Building. I started working as an associate attorney at Phillips, Spallas & Angstadt (“PSA”) in January 2013. However, this was not the first time that I’d worked for this firm. After graduating from UC Irvine, I worked at PSA as a legal assistant for two years before teaching abroad in South Korea. Thereafter, I consistently sent emails, postcards of my travels, and met up with previous co-workers while I was in law school; I grew closer to the firm personally and professionally by keeping in touch with the partner, my supervising attorneys and previous co-workers. I would encourage everyone to build relationships with the people you work with during internships, clerkships and contract work. Even if the firm doesn’t have an opening, if you have a positive and professional attitude, others will vouch for you, and this can lead to other opportunities.

Mentors.  I have had several mentors for different aspects of my life. I believe mentorship is important in furthering your legal career. I utilized my peer mentor for any school advice, what classes to take, what type of internships I should be looking for, etc. I sought professional advice from attorneys and judges from my prior internships relating to job prospects and general career advice. I would not have been able to get the job I have today without mentors. The attorneys at my firm supported me when I was applying for jobs and my firm mentor encouraged me to state my interest in working at the firm. Even if your attorney mentors are busy, they read their emails and mail every day. If you send a note appreciating the time they spent helping you, send follow up emails about what’s going on with you, and seek their advice about something, they will make the time to respond. It may be a short email, but a response nonetheless. Mentors are beneficial during the job search and throughout your legal career. I'm sure I'll have many more mentors in my life.

Persistence. This has been mentioned previously in blog articles, but it is totally true. You have to be persistent to get the employer’s attention. I would send an email to an attorney and if I didn’t get a response, I would assume they didn’t want to talk to me. This is not true! Attorneys are extremely busy at work and get a million emails a day. Don’t take it personal if you don’t get a response; the recipient may be too busy to shoot back a reply. Upon the suggestion of a mentor, I sent status emails to my current law firm. I made sure PSA knew I wanted to come back as an associate attorney. I sent emails every month about what was happening with my career: studying for the bar, taking the bar, my post-bar trip, my graduate recruiting position, my bar passage and interest in working at PSA. I sent these emails hoping for responses, but if I didn’t get one, I treated it as a status update on my life - I was just checking in to let them know what I was doing. By sending an email, you let the firm know you are still interested in a job and that they are your top choice. In my last email to PSA I stated I passed the Bar exam and planned to swear in December. The partner called and offered me an associate position. My persistence paid off!

Recent Grad Success Spotlight:Stephanie Tobosa's (GGU JD 12)Helpful Insight

Stephanie Tobosa is an Attorney Advisor at the San Francisco Immigration Court.  Her work includes researching legal issues related to removal proceedings and drafting decisions for immigration judges.

---

by Stephanie Tobosa (GGU JD 12)

I am six months into my two-year judicial clerkship at the San Francisco Immigration Court, and I am really grateful to be able tell you that I love my job.  The work is challenging, and sometimes I feel I am in over my head, but it is exactly the type of work that I hoped to do after law school.  I am very thankful to be where I am.  I know that the job search can be a frustrating and emotionally exhausting process.  I want all of my law school colleagues to find fulfilling jobs and believe that you will.  In the meantime, here are three tips to aid you in your job hunt that I believe helped me in mine: 

IDENTIFY YOUR FIELD OF LEGAL INTEREST.  While you may not have entered law school knowing your precise field of legal interest, the odds are that you have narrowed down the contenders.  In fact, maybe you’ve changed your mind completely since you first came to law school.  A friend of mine began her 1L year expecting to pursue a career in public interest law.  Two internships later, she realized that public interest work was not a great fit with her temperament.  She decided instead to explore real estate law, because she enjoyed her first-year property class.  Almost immediately, she discovered that it was a much better fit.  She loves the work and enjoys litigation.  Who knew?  I hope that your legal experiences either reaffirm the plan that originally brought you to law school or lead you to a realization like the one my friend experienced.  

PARTICIPATE IN YOUR FIELD OF LEGAL INTEREST.  Once you have identified your preferred legal field, participate in it as much as possible.  If you have time to volunteer — do it!  Before I worked at the court, I volunteered at the Asian Law Caucus’s free immigration clinic.  I was able to include that experience on my resume and discuss it in my cover letter.  Volunteering at the Asian Law Caucus demonstrated my commitment to immigration law, and in hindsight, I believe it allowed me to stand out as a candidate when I applied to the immigration court.

You can also participate in your field by reading relevant publications and news articles, which will keep you sharp and informed, and give you something to talk about when you meet your dream employer.  Someone I know was recently asked as the first question of an interview what changes she hoped would come from the passage of a certain type of legal reform.  Luckily, this person had read some of the legislative proposals on the issue and was able to give an intelligent and thoughtful response.  Phew!

Additionally, attending professional and social events related to your field may reveal job opportunities that are not yet open to the public.  For example, in law school, I applied to a certain non-profit several times, but never received a response.  I did, however, receive an invitation to their holiday party, which I attended.  As a result of one of the conversations from that evening, I was able to line up a spring internship with the non-profit that they had yet to advertise to the public.  

STAY POSITIVE.  I know that you probably hear this all of the time, but it bears repeating: stay positive!  I recently watched a friend go through the entire rollercoaster of emotions related to the job hunt.  Two weeks ago, she landed an awesome job in her exact field of interest.  I asked her what advice she would give to recent graduates.  She said, “Stay positive.  Don’t be too hard on yourself.  And submit a few job applications every week.”  I like that advice.  

Please note: The author is an Attorney Advisor in the San Francisco Immigration Court, Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), U.S. Department of Justice. The author prepared this article in her personal capacity, and the views expressed herein are solely her views and do not necessarily represent positions of EOIR or the U.S. Department of Justice.

Recent Grad Success Spotlight: Sarah Einhorn (GGU JD 12) - Her Top 3 Recommendations

Sarah Einhorn was recently hired by the Alameda County Public Defender's Office as an Associate Deputy Public Defender.

---

by Sarah Einhorn (GGU JD 12)

Recently I accepted a position as an Associate Deputy Public Defender in the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office.  I interned with this office in the summer and fall of 2011, and later as a post-bar law clerk, all the while hoping I would get a PD position.  Throughout this process, I have done a lot of second guessing, picked apart a thousand conversations, and regretted a thousand things that I had done or forgotten to do in my various interviews.  I also received a great deal of advice throughout this process. I found three recommendations to be the most helpful:

Show up to everything.  While I was still an intern in the fall of 2011, a post bar (who was later hired) told me, “Show up to everything. Get your face out there.”  I am incredibly intimidated by anything related to networking, but I tried my best to follow this advice and show up to Christmas parties, MCLE trainings, happy hours, and basically anything people would invite me to.  While at first I felt out of place, it really helped me get to know people in the office, as well as local criminal defense attorneys.

Be persistent. What is there to lose? When I was applying for the post bar position, I was not in the first group that was hired.  When I found out that offers had gone out and that I had not received one, an attorney suggested that I go and speak with the person in charge of hiring, just in case he still had positions open. I felt awkward about it, but the attorney pointed out,  “At this point, what is there to lose?” So I wrote a thank you note and went to the recruiter’s office.  We had a nice talk. He called me with an offer a couple weeks later. I don’t know if this had anything to do with his decision, but the advice to be persistent was excellent in this situation.

Don’t give up. I was also not among those hired in the first round for the Associate Deputy Public Defender positions.  When I found out, I reminded myself of the advice I had heard over and over from LCS, from supervisors, from professors, and from my family - don’t give up hope.  The very next week, completely out of the blue, another position opened up and I was offered my dream job. 

I realize that these recommendations are variations on advice that you have heard a million times before.  But we keep hearing this advice because it is true - you have to get your name out there, you have to bug people even if it feels awkward and weird and in stark contrast to fundamental aspects of your personality, and you absolutely can’t give up.

Recent Grad Success Spotlight: Caitlin Emmett (GGU JD 12) - Our Worth in the Current Job Market

Caitlin Emmett is an associate attorney at Bledsoe, Cathcart, Diestel, Pedersen & Treppa, LLP. Her work includes general civil litigation and insurance defense.

---

by Caitlin Emmett (GGU JD 12)

I consider the phenomenon of so many unemployed or under-employed law graduates truly lamentable. The preceding three years of law school are a testament to the employability of such individuals - they are willing to work insanely long hours and are dedicated to producing great work product for the benefit of those they hope to eventually serve.  In my own view - admittedly limited in terms of the driving forces of economics - the job market and employers alike would be lucky to hire such driven and hard-working people as my classmates.  Even in the face of a dreary job market, I do believe that the qualities that served us all so well in law school and during the Bar will eventually lead us all to careers that recognize and, hopefully, appreciate our efforts.  

Initially, I was reluctant to write this article because I was unsure what I could say that would offer new insight in your job search. For three years we all did the very best that we could, and our efforts in locating employment are certainly no different.   What I realized was that I could offer my own story as  acknowledgment of your talents and encouragement in your job search. 

I was lucky enough to start a new job at the beginning of this year - right about the time unanswered job applications, student loan notices and general discouragement had sapped my spirits. I could not have guessed how it would come about, or that I would survive employment limbo leading up to it.  

My internships during law school offered virtually no post-bar employment prospects. I had worked only in government positions where budgetary woes generally precluded hiring new employees.  I realized I needed to expand my search outside of familiar territory. 

In the spring semester of my 3L year, I started rounding up all of the business cards I had collected over the past three years. Some I acquired through OCI events and panelists visiting GGU, while others I received through informational interviews.  This activity assuaged my rising panic over making some headway on the job front prior to graduation without requiring a great deal of time or energy - neither of which was in abundant supply.  

I began emailing each of the contacts.  In my emails, I briefly updated them on my impending graduation and plan to take the Bar in the summer.  Careful not to sound desperate or demanding, I asked them to let me know if they had any suggestions for my job search and to notify me if they learned of any opportunities for a post-bar position. I never asked for a job, nor did I limit my expressed interest to law firms. Instead, I indicated my interest in all positions my contacts knew of - internet start-ups, accounting firms, human resources, etc.- tailored, of course, to the particular individual’s own career.  Sure, I wanted to work as an attorney, but I also knew that my law degree did not limit me in my career choice. 

Most of the contacts never responded. Surprise! However, a few did respond.  Among those responses was one from the Managing Partner at Bledsoe, Cathcart, Diestel, Pedersen & Treppa. I had met him through an OCI event and he had told me that although his firm was not currently hiring a year out, I should stay in contact with him nonetheless.  So I did. We emailed throughout that semester and met up a few times to discuss general job search strategies and bar prep woes. 

After the Bar, I worked as a law clerk at a small firm that immediately informed me that they could not hire me as an associate even if I passed the Bar exam. Discouraged, but grateful for a paycheck, I settled in for a few months and kept applying elsewhere. On a whim, I emailed the Managing Partner at Bledsoe to announce my survival of the Bar and to let him know I was working as a law clerk, but looking for something permanent. In response, he asked me to send him my updated resume, because the firm was hiring an entry-level associate. After several interviews and many follow-up phone calls, the firm offered me the position.  Although my job set in motion an entirely new set of learning experiences, it reminds me each day how much we have all accomplished in just three short (yet grueling) years.

Sometimes You Have To Go AwayTo Come Home Again

By Susan Leff (GGU JD 95),
Acting Director of Clinical Externships and Adjunct Law Professor

During my years as a student at GGU School of Law, I worked in several different kinds of public defender agencies – county, federal, and state offices – and I experienced both trial work and appellate work. I was also extremely fortunate to be mentored by great GGU law professors with strong connections to criminal defense, including Professors Calhoun, Rutberg, and Keane. Through both my work experiences and my conversations with my mentors, becoming a public defender trial attorney became my life’s dream.

However, when I graduated in 1995, it was a difficult time to find a job in my chosen area of law. Although I lived in San Francisco, getting a job in the San Francisco Public Defender's Office was nearly impossible. So after taking the California Bar Examination, I applied for employment to public defender offices in over 30 of the 58 California counties. I finally heard back from offices in two different counties: Kern and San Joaquin Counties. Although I had never stepped foot in either county – I wasn’t even exactly sure where to find either of them on a map! – I quickly responded by calling back the San Joaquin County Public Defender’s Office, simply because their call was the first one I received. With great excitement, I set up a time for an interview with the Public Defender. Before I hung up the telephone, I asked the Public Defender whether he could pick me up at the Greyhound station because I didn’t have a car.

Much to his credit, the Public Defender agreed to meet me at the Greyhound station. On the day of my interview, he personally picked me up there and walked me to his office. After our interview, I asked the Public Defender whether I could stay and have lunch with the misdemeanor trial attorneys on his staff and then shadow them in court after lunch: after all, I explained to him, my bus back to San Francisco wouldn’t leave until the end of the business day. He agreed and took me to meet and have lunch with his misdemeanor staff, and I trailed those attorneys in court that afternoon before getting back on the Greyhound bus for San Francisco. The very next morning, the Public Defender called me and offered me a job in his office, which I gratefully accepted.

In my first year at the San Joaquin County Public Defender's Office, I tried 18 cases in nine months. I spent the next four years working as a public defender attorney in California’s Central Valley, commuting over 90 miles each way to work – and yes, after commuting for several months by MUNI, BART and carpool, I did eventually have to buy a car. After that I spent over four years commuting to Napa County to work as a public defender attorney in the Napa County Public Defender's Office. In the Central Valley and in Napa, I had the time and experience to develop my craft and become the kind of public defender attorney I wanted to be. After nine years working as a public defender attorney, and nearly 60 trials, I finally received an opportunity to work in San Francisco in the San Francisco Public Defender's Office as a public defender attorney – my dream job in my chosen home.

Although it took a lot of time, work and energy, I had to go away and work somewhere else in order to get more trial experience – not to mention valuable life experiences – in order to come home again.

In Your Own Words:Grüezi aus der Schweiz!!

John Andy Brunner-Brown (JD 13)

Less than 48 hours after my last exam, the airplane touched down with a friendly notice from the flight crew - “Willkommen in die Schweiz; welcome to Switzerland.” Yet, spending my four weeks of winter break as a legal intern in the town of Zug instead of relaxing posed a potential problem: would the work burn me out or would the experience revitalize me? Fortunately, I quickly realized that working for Zwicky Windlin & Partner would be well worth the risk.

Despite having had only one semester of law school, the work was completely within the capacity of my legal education. On top of writing legal memoranda and researching international civil laws, the firm gave me opportunities to translate contract clauses, to meet with clients (either with a partner or alone) and even to draft a contract for a loan. Luckily, work did not always keep me in the office. By train or by car I traveled to Bern (the capital), to Altdorf (the hometown of the legendary William Tell), and to Morgarten to see the monument of the Battle of Morgarten. It’s always a pleasure traveling through the magnificent Alps and along the breathtaking lakes.

Even though the visit was short, my coworkers and roommates included me in their activities as if we had been old friends. Events outside of work included several dinners at “the boss’ house,” Christmas and New Year’s celebrations with my roommates and sledding during the lunch break.

Though I risked burning out in order to gain practical experience, the gamble paid off. Not only did I learn a great deal and gain valuable real-world experience, I was also able to enjoy the charms of a foreign country: its culture, beautiful scenery and delicious foods (Swiss cheeses and chocolates are amazing!). Most importantly, the experience re-energized me and made me all the more excited for the upcoming semester and my future legal career.

---

In Your Own Words is an opportunity for GGU School of Law students and alumni to share the wisdom they have gained from experience. If you would like to contribute a blog entry regarding your job and/or externship experiences or your job search, please email us or call 415 442-6625.

In Your Own Words:The Challenge & Triumph Of Going Solo

Adam Neufer (JD 09)

The most difficult part about going solo is making the decision to go solo. At least, it was for me. But once I made the decision and committed myself to build my solo practice, things began rapidly falling into place. I quickly realized I knew a lot more than I initially thought. I also realized that law school prepared me well to handle the things I did not know, as well as the things about being a solo practitioner that initially made me anxious.

As a solo practitioner I am solely responsible for every aspect of my firm. When I first started, I was nervous about marketing my business, and I felt ill equipped to develop and implement an effective marketing strategy. My first marketing efforts were aimed at increasing my firm’s visibility to the public and potential clients. I published a website and took out a small add in the Yellow Pages, but they generated little response. At that point, I decided to focus my efforts on increasing my firm’s visibility within the legal community. I sent a mass e-mail to my former law school classmates and legal employers announcing my new firm. The response was immediate. I received a few client referrals within the first month of launching my firm. Now I have turned my attention to promoting my firm and networking with non-legal professionals whose services overlap with my own.

Representing clients without supervision was another anxiety-producing issue when I first went solo. Although I had gained a good amount of experience in my chosen field, calling the shots and making the hard decisions required an extreme amount of confidence that I did not have after I passed the Bar and decided to go solo. My first case was a multi-day trial for which I had only two weeks to prepare. Now that someone was actually depending on me to represent them, though, there was absolutely no time to get muddled down in fear and self-doubt. While it is important to be able to recognize your own weaknesses and areas where you might need to call in some help, self-doubt is extremely dangerous for solo practitioners and can get them in a ton of trouble! The trial taught me to trust my instincts. Without trial experience or any real experience as an actual attorney, my instincts were all I had—and those instincts helped me win the trial.

Going solo is a lot of challenging work. But at the end of the day I find the work rewarding and fulfilling, and I know being a solo practitioner was the right decision for me.

---

In Your Own Words is an opportunity for GGU School of Law students and alumni to share the wisdom they have gained from experience. If you would like to contribute a blog entry regarding your job and/or externship experiences or your job search, please email us or call 415 442-6625.

In Your Own Words:A Lesson in Perseverance

Luke Welmerink (JD 11)

Like many of you, I was eager to find a legal internship in the private sector. I tried a lot of different approaches and I have lots of stories to tell about the experience, but I wanted to share one in particular in case it might help some of you as well.

I found an opportunity for a position working with in-house counsel at a Bay Area software company. I reached out to them and had a really positive phone interview, at the end of which I was told I was a “promising candidate” and would hear from them “in a few days” regarding scheduling a face-to-face interview.

A week went by without response from the company. I sent a follow up email to re-emphasize my interest in the position, and asked them to schedule me for an appointment whenever they could fit me in.

Another week went by without response, and I sent a second email to follow up with the recruiting director. I asked if there was any additional information I could send to them that would assist in their decision-making process. Two weeks later, I still received no response.

Most people would have given up at this point, concluding that the job had gone to someone else. After six weeks of hearing nothing, that’s exactly what I thought, as a matter of fact. Nevertheless, I sent an email to the company to ask “a few follow up questions that will help me along my career path.” I was hoping for constructive criticism about how I might improve to make me a better fit in my future job searches.

The next morning, I received phone calls from both the recruiting director and the General Counsel. Both men apologized profusely for dropping the ball with communication, and both were extremely interested in bringing me into the office for an interview. Although I had already committed to other summer plans, I am now in the process of interviewing with the company for a fall internship, and potentially a post-bar job!

Had it not been for my diligent follow-up, and a little humility in asking for feedback, I likely would have been forgotten by this company. Networking is not always fun, and job opportunities don’t always proceed in the way you expect, but perseverance pays off in due time. And remember, don’t take it personally when employers don’t get back to you, and don’t be afraid to gently follow up in search of constructive criticism. You never know what rewards those efforts might reap.

---

In Your Own Words is an opportunity for GGU School of Law students and alumni to share the wisdom they have gained from experience. If you would like to contribute a blog entry regarding your job and/or externship experiences or your job search, please email us or call 415 442-6625.

In Your Own Words:

Philip Batchelder (JD 09)

We keep hearing it: connections, and not Craigslist postings, are what will land us a job in this tight market. I'm not employed yet, so I can't swear that this is true. What is certain is that the more networking I do, the more I learn what I want to do and who is doing it (as well as what I don't want to do). I also meet interesting professionals, some of whom have taken time out of busy practices to answer questions over coffee and to recount their own triumphs and difficulties. This is a truly worthwhile way to inspire and clarify one's goals - and to keep gathering nuggets of legal knowledge while we await bar results.

That doesn't mean, though, that it's easy. Almost every letter I've sent, every call I've made, and every event I've attended has felt oddly risky, as if I'm asking too much or somehow getting overexposed. Also, if an interaction goes awkwardly or a request for an informational interview goes unanswered, it's not especially encouraging for the next round! It's a good time to tune up a personal "reset" button so we can forgive our stumblings and keep letting the world know we're interested.

Go to as many events as possible that relate to your professional interests. Send out requests for chats over coffee. Introduce yourself to the lawyer who just addressed the gathering. Contact your professor. When you put yourself out there and it goes well, it's nothing short of energizing - and sometimes it's the way to employment. So do it!

---

In Your Own Words is an opportunity for GGU School of Law students and alumni to share the wisdom they have gained from experience. If you would like to contribute a blog entry regarding your job and/or externship experiences or your job search, please email us or call 415 442-6625.

IN YOUR OWN WORDS:

Liz Winberry (JD 09)

I’ve heard people say they don’t like networking because it feels disingenuous, but this absolutely does not need to be the case. When I “network” I make a point of attending events (like fundraisers) for organizations I admire, and seek out conversation with people who I think will be able to teach me something, not instantly offer me a job. Many times, the information I pick up leads to opportunities to get involved, which I treat as working interviews. For me, expressing an interest to learn, and following up with notes and phone calls, has led to internships, informational interviews, and involvement in local associations.

---

In Your Own Words is an opportunity for GGU School of Law students and alumni to share the wisdom they have gained from experience. If you would like to contribute a blog entry regarding your job and/or externship experiences or your job search, please email us or call 415 442-6625.