Finding Attorney Jobs in Chicago

That said, there are techniques that you can take advantage of to make your search for a position in Chicago easier and more effective. The first place to begin your search is at the career development and job placement centre in your university or law school. And there is a reason for this - you see, as much as there is fierce competition to the best attorney Chicago jobs, there is also an almost equally fierce competition between law firms looking to pick out the best legal brains even before they leave law school.

A number of top Chicago law firms will prefer to start to look for entry level attorneys from law school as opposed to in the job market. But career development and job placement centers in law school play another important role for the students - they offer good information and practical advice on how to prepare a winning resume, conduct yourself during an interview and the best places to focus your job search energies on.


Many budding attorneys lose contact with their university and law school professors after completing their course not realizing how many opportunities they will lose as a result. As much as you can, maintain regular contact with your law professors as their position privileges them to interact with the most influential persons in the legal industry not forgetting the fact that they may have taught some of the key decision makers in the top Chicago law firms.

In addition, a number of law professors started out working in a law firm before joining the teaching profession or have worked as law consultants in Chicago. Keeping in touch with your professors does not take much and could be as simple as paying them a visit, giving them a call or dropping them an email at least four times a year. Of course you have better chances of your law professor recommending you for a position if you show interest in current trends in Chicago law, landmark cases and controversial judgments as opposed to simply pestering them for a job.

This demonstration of interest will see them have no qualms about your ability to perform once you are hired. That being said, do not be reluctant to start off your industry experience with volunteer legal work in Chicago. In Chicago, you can offer your legal skills in community service by offering pro bono legal work or becoming an LSAT tutor.

Even if you are getting no pay from it or just a small stipend, the advantage with volunteer work is that you not only get real legal work experience but that you also keep your knowledge of law fresh as you wait to secure steady Chicago attorney jobs. In any case, volunteer work is an attractive attribute to many recruiters as it is perceived as proof of ambition and readiness to face challenges head on.

Just like the best jobs in any industry, the top entry level attorney jobs in Chicago are best obtained through networking. Invest in purposeful networking as it will increase your chances of meeting with the right kind of people who will provide with the industry opening you are looking for or know someone else that may do. Attend as many law events in Chicago as possible - and there are many.

Some are invitation only and may require a hefty contribution in order for one to be allowed in; but there are many more that are open to any attorney and these are the ones you should start with. When you do attend an event, undertake an extensive background check of the organizers as well as the event theme. As a newbie, this is the only way that you can confidently interact with more experience event participants and create a good first impression.

Don't forget the internet -the single largest source of attorney jobs Chicago advertisements today. Law firms have a liking for internet job boards as they provide access to a massive audience and thus increasing the chance that the right person for the job will see the advert and apply. And there is no better place to start your online job search than Lawcrossing.com. You can sign up for a free trial today and have a head start over other law school graduates in Chicago in getting that dream job.