Helen Long: Career Development Director at Boston University School of Law | Law Crossing

Summary

Helen Long is the Director of the Career Development Office at Boston University School of Law (BU Law). She has been leading the department since August 2018. Long has made an impact on the career paths of students by creating diverse programs and services that guide and prepare them for life after graduation.


At BU Law, Long is responsible for creating and implementing career-related programming and offfering in-depth counseling for students. She has recently increased the range of course offerings for students to expand their career-related knowledge. In addition, Long has created a more comprehensive system of career counseling for students by providing individual assessment, feedback, and assistance.

Long has also worked closely with the Office of Graduate Student Services & Programs to ensure that students are receiving the necessary career-related resources and information. Long has spearheaded an online tool to track job opportunities and keep students up to date on job postings. This has provided an easier access to career opportunities.

By creating a comprehensive and well-rounded career-related support system, Long has been able to help guide students along their career paths and prepare them for post graduation.

Helen Long, director of the Career Development Office at Boston University School of Law (BU Law), has been a driving force in helping students develop their career paths since 2018. Long has created a comprehensive system of resources, programming, and counseling to ensure that students are receiving the assistance needed to find career opportunities. Through her efforts, Long has increased the range of course offerings, created an online job tracking tool, and worked closely with the Office of Graduate Student Services & Programs to provide important career-related information to students. Her efforts have enabled students to find their ideal job paths, allowing them to pursue their post-graduate lives with confidence.
 

Helen Long: Director of Career Development Office at Boston University School of Law

Helen Long is the director of the Career Development Office at Boston University School of Law (BUSL). She has been serving BUSL since 2000, providing career services to students and alumni. With her wealth of knowledge and experience in the legal field, she is an invaluable asset to the BUSL community.

In her capacity as Director of Career Development, Ms. Long has provided guidance and direction to hundreds of law students, as well as many alumni, on how to secure employment in the legal profession. She is extremely knowledgeable about the legal job search process, from resume critiques to interview strategies. By utilizing her vast network of contacts in the legal profession, she has helped countless individuals to secure meaningful employment.

Ms. Long has also been instrumental in connecting employers with the talent at BUSL. As Director of Career Development, she has forged relationships with many local and global employers. These relationships have enabled BUSL students and alumni to gain meaningful experience and employment opportunities.

In addition to her role as Director of Career Development, Ms. Long serves on the board of the Boston Bar Association. She is also a member of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) and the National Association of College and Employers (NACE). She is a regular speaker at BU and other professional conferences, and she has even been a guest lecturer at Boston University School of Law's Professional Development program.
 

Helen Long's Leadership Role at Boston University School of Law

As Director of Career Development at Boston University School of Law, Helen Long has played an integral role in connecting employers with talented law students and alumni. Through her long-standing relationships with various local and global organizations, she has assisted countless individuals in securing meaningful employment. In her capacity as Director of Career Development, she has also provided guidance and direction to hundreds of students and alumni on how to successfully navigate the legal job search process.

Ms. Long's commitment to the BU community is demonstrated by her position on the board of the Boston Bar Association and her membership of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) and the National Association of College and Employers (NACE). She is an invaluable asset to the BUSL community, regularly speaking at BU and other professional conferences and guest lecturing at Boston University School of Law's Professional Development program.

A confirmed Bostonian now, Helen was born in Munich, Germany, to a German mother and American father. Her family eventually settled in western Massachusetts. Like most of her neighbors, Helen likes the New England Patriots football team and struggles with her feelings about Red Sox baseball. "With them, it's kind of like a bad divorce; it's hard to watch because I can't stand to get my heart broken again."

Her illustrious association with higher education began when she enrolled at Mount Holyoke University. She later entered law school at the University of Pennsylvania and upon graduation became a trial lawyer, practicing law during the eighties. It was during one of her stints at a large Boston firm that she met her husband.

"My first day on the job at the firm, he was assigned to take me to lunch."

Bound to each other legally at work and soon at home, Helen and her husband also have three children.

One day, Helen felt the need for some time off. "I decided to try and figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I had become a bit dissatisfied with work as a trail lawyer. I loved the analytic side of law but found it static."

Like a true future career services professional, Helen began to reflect on what courses she had liked most as an undergraduate. She developed a renewed interest in organizational psychology and entered the Ph.D. program at Boston University in Organizational Behavior. Here, she refined her juggling act of being a wife and mother, taking Ph.D. courses, and teaching.

"I relished interacting one on one with students but found that teaching in particular was not the area of academia I was meant for. With the Ph.D. program, I really wasn't enamored with the strong emphasis on writing and publishing."

Deciding not to complete her doctoral work, Helen pondered how next to proceed. Her ever-helpful husband mentioned reviewing a legal journal's classified section.

"Harvard was within a few blocks from home and was advertising a part-time career counselor position. I got the job and eventually went full time."

After three years at Harvard as Assistant Director for J.D. and Alumni Advising, she left this position last summer for the opportunity to become Director of the Career Development Office at the Boston University School of Law.

Established in 1872, BUSL attracts a diverse study body and offers a wide range of J.D. and LL.M. degrees. The 2005 edition of The Princeton Review ranked BUSL fourth in Best Career Prospects.

Helen's duties consist of a mix of administrative activities, program planning, and one-on-one counseling. One major initiative she is implementing as Director concerns the management of the office's services.

"I'm working to make all of our resources available 24 hours a day via the computer, as well as trying to increase efficiency by eliminating paperwork."

"The variety is a very attractive aspect of the position-every day is something different."

"I have found much joy in working with students. Hearing their stories, helping them sort through important decisions, as well as helping them market themselves."

"One of my strengths as a career counselor is that when I was pursuing my doctorate, I looked at law as a profession. I can offer my students a candid view of the choices they have to make while they complete their law degree."

"It's a challenge for me if students are having a tough time and are discouraged." You want to be a motivational force for them, but at the same time, you don't want to be a total Pollyanna either."

Helen continues to stay interested in professional careers and management of knowledge-based professional workers in law and educational settings. She helped found and administer an educational-reform effort aimed at improving leadership in public schools.

"One tip that I would pass on to law students is to think of themselves as professionals from the first day they start their law school education."

Clearly, Helen is one specialist who is demonstrating that it is possible to achieve a successful balance between professional and personal endeavors.