The Art of Drafting a Proper Legal Memo There was a time when the law firm memo was the bedrock of the American legal system. In those days, a private lawyer was contacted and asked to opine on the legal ramifications of a personal or business issue. The lawyer withdrew to a library alcove or office, where almost all of the legal research he/she performed was done in books. At the end of that process, the lawyer... (16405 views)
How Long Does It Take to Become a Criminal Lawyer When learning about the law, there is without a doubt going to be a lot of years spent learning all of the aspects of it. The criminal world and the laws that attorneys have to know in order to deal with the situation are huge and numerous. Know that while this is a career that can be very rewarding, it is also one that takes a lot of work and preparation. There are many... (16192 views)
Independent Paralegals sought by Legal Firms on Contract basis As the practice of law evolves, many attorneys are finding that they have more work than they can handle; for the overburdened practitioner, freelance or contract paralegals present a convenient solution. (16071 views)
Contacting Previous Employers for Jobs and Job Leads From the Job-Club point of view, a previous employer can offer especially valuable assistance in your job search. Traditionally, however, former employers usually are not contacted. Job seekers often balk at the idea of making this contact—they feel that they don't want to do the same work; that a return to an old employer is an admission of failure; that they now have... (16038 views)
Essential Tips for Becoming a Successful Immigration Attorney We talked to several immigration attorneys to find out the good (it can be very rewarding) and the bad (it can be very frustrating) parts of practicing in this field. Find out what they had to say and how you can break into this specialty. (15913 views)
What Does It Mean to Work as an Antitrust Lawyer? With their potential for multimillion dollar damage awards as well as their potential for restructuring entire industries (such as the telecommunications or petro-chemical industries), antitrust cases are complex high-stakes cases that often make fBillt page news. Antitrust law was responsible for the breakup of the Standard Oil Company into numerous competitors as well as... (15634 views)
Top 10 Reasons Why Getting a Summer Associate Job with a Large Law Firm is Crucial to Your Legal Career While most law schools do not make a big deal out of it-and you may not even understand why (yet)-getting a job as a summer associate is extremely important to your future career as an attorney (if you hope to work inside of a large law firm). (15581 views)
Top 39 Tips for New Litigation Associates and Trial Lawyers: How to Be a Good Litigation Attorney Summary: You know how to dazzle the jury box with your closing argument. You know enough now to wing it, right, Icarus? Only if you want to crash and burn. (15450 views)
What Does It Mean to Be a Banking and Commercial Finance Attorney? In the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life, Jimmy Stewart played George Bailey, the quintessential small town banker, a pillar of the community who bore the burden of running the local savings and loan. If George Bailey were to return to Bedford Falls today, he would likely find the local savings and loan had become part of a national conglomerate that offered numerous... (15404 views)
Why You Should Think Twice Before Quitting Any Legal Job If you go into any firm that has been around more than 20 or 30 years, you will inevitably find a handful of attorneys who have been there from the very beginnings of their careers. These well-adjusted souls will typically report to work each day at a similar time and will have managed to be the only ones left in the law firm after generation upon generation of attorneys... (15216 views)
Your Attorney Resume: Use a Statement of Qualifications and a Cover Letter Instead of an Objective Some experts believe that attorneys should have objective statements on their resumes. They see the objective as a nice, friendly opener to let the employer or recruiter know immediately what your legal focus is. Particularly, they believe that an objective section at the top of your resume right under your name and contact information will clarify things if you have an... (15185 views)
Top 5 Tips for Attorneys Who Make Mistakes Summary: Despite your hard work, your intellect and your best intentions, you are going to make mistakes. Here is how to deal with them. (15051 views)
The 10-Step, ''No-Fail'' Guide to Distinguishing Yourself as a First-Year Associate Be a Prince (or Princess) Amongst Paupers.Remember Prince...the Artist Formerly Known as Prince...who is now, apparently, Prince once again? I saw him today. I was finishing up minute 46 on a treadmill at the New York Sports Club on the Upper West Side of Manhattan when, lo and behold, he appeared before me clad in purple, heels, and big hair. (14954 views)
How to Become a Prisoner Advocate Unfortunately, there are many people who are serving time in our prisons today. It is even more unfortunate that while these people are paying dearly for what they did by serving out their sentences, they are, often times, deprived of the most basic civil rights that we all take for granted in this nation. While we may all agree that one has to suffer the consequences of... (14706 views)
The Life and Career of Texan Attorney Dick DeGuerin Dick DeGuerin is one of the most celebrated Texas bar members in practice today. He is respected and very well known for his keen understanding of the many nuances of the law and his aggressive defense tactics. You may also easily identify him by his wide grin, down home manner, and his Stetson hat. DeGuerin will tell you that he is a constant and avid supporter of a... (14690 views)
Guide to Making a Lateral Move as a Legal Associate In the turbulent job market of the 1990s, lateral hiring had become a common phenomenon in law firm circles. Fast forward to the 21st century, "Cherry picking," or hiring experienced lawyers with a solid book of portable business away from the competition, once sneered upon by law firms, now happens every day. Associates, with little loyalty to firms that cannot or will... (14526 views)
What Does It Mean to Work as an Environmental Law Attorney? Today's children grow up with a keen awareness of environmental issues. Grade school children participate in community efforts to clean up creeks and rivers and spend class time studying the causes of global warming. Preschoolers, coached by sophisticated teachers as well as a certain purple dinosaur, remind family members to recycle. The parents of these savvy... (14351 views)
How to Become an ACLU Lawyer When you are in a place where you are thinking about finding a career that will please you both morally and ethically as well as financially, you may find that your path takes you in the direction of the ACLU. There are many responsibilities that an ACLU lawyer might undertake, but if you have a thorough understanding of the law, and if you are familiar with the ACLU's... (14278 views)
How to Become a Patent Attorney The field of patent attorney is very wide and is a relatively new and challenging area that has tremendous potential. It is also a position suitable for and open to engineers, biologists, computer scientists, chemists, and many other professionals in the field of science and technology. (14261 views)
Why You Should Think Twice About Remaining in Law (or Going to Law School) Several years ago, an employee who curated content for our company website and was making around $120,000 a year was recruited to teach at a fourth-tier law school for a higher salary and less work. (14218 views)
The 12 Top Non-Legal Careers for Lawyers Who Do Not Want to Be Lawyers Summary: Some lawyers don’t like practicing law. For them, here are 12 alternative careers to practicing in the legal arena. (14063 views)
What It is Like Working in a Boutique Law Firm A boutique firm is usually comprised of a group of experienced lawyers practicing in a specialized area of law. Sometimes the firm is organized around several related legal areas. A boutique, for example, may offer expertise in patent, trademark and other intellectual property services. Less common are boutiques that focus on all the needs of a particular type of client.... (13892 views)
How to Become a District Attorney: A Step-by-Step Guide If, like many of us, your interest in the law started with shows like Law & Order, being a District Attorney is the best way to fulfill your childhood dreams of playing a role in courtroom intrigue and drama. Of course, not everything is as it appears on television. (13801 views)
Job Opportunities for Civil Rights Attorneys Civil rights attorneys follow a calling, defending the Constitution of the United States in order to make sure that the rights of their clients are being protected. These lawyers tend to take on the sorts of cases in which the rights of individuals have been attacked and need to be defended accordingly. Civil rights attorney jobs may involve advocating for women's rights,... (13800 views)
The Life and Career of an In-House Attorney Are you overworked? Tired of stressing about your billable requirements? Dissatisfied with the level of responsibility you are given or the quality of your deals? Miss having a life outside of the law firm? Not confident in the ability to make partner at your law firm? Been daydreaming lately about finding the perfect in-house position? (13078 views)
The Life and Career of Marcia Clark, Criminal Defense Attorney On October 3, 1995 — before reality television ruled the airwaves — people watched the guilty verdict of the OJ Simpson murder trial with all the enthusiasm of an American Idol finale. Like the singing contestants, the legal team also had to appear in front of judges and peers. This trial made them overnight celebrities. Marcia Clark, one of the Los Angeles District... (12703 views)
How to Write a Legal Resume Summary: While having a well-written resume is a critical aspect of your job search, many attorneys don’t know how to write one. Learn how to write a legal resume. (12435 views)
The JAG Experience We have all seen the Hollywood version of the JAG experience. A classic JAG moment is caught in the epic film A Few Good Men, when Jack Nicholson (playing Col. Nathan R. Jessep) screams “You can’t handle the truth” while be cross examined by Tom Cruise (an inexperienced US Navy JAG officer). Is this epic cinematic moment an accurate portrayal of the JAG experience?... (12419 views)
What should a deal sheet look like? Answer: If you have been practicing for two or more years and have gained some substantial, varied experience, then it is time to consider putting together a Deal Sheet or “List of Representative Transactions.” A Deal Sheet is a compact, succinct compendium of the deals an attorney has worked on with headings. A deal sheet serves the attorney by organizing his or... (12390 views)