|
|
A summer internship is not only an excellent opportunity to learn more about a particular legal field while developing your legal skills but it is also a critical time to build lasting connections that may lead to future post-graduate employment. Here are a few tips for making the most of your internship and having a successful summer.
Be prepared.
Avoid starting your internship on the wrong foot by arriving ill-prepared. Have you confirmed your start date and time? Is your first day at the office or are you meeting somewhere else for an orientation? Give yourself plenty of time for your commute on the first day. It is always better to arrive a little early than late. What is the dress code? If you are unsure, call ahead and ask. Ask for clarification if the dress code is business casual or casual as the terms can mean different things depending on the organization. Even if the office dress code is informal, there may be occasions that still call for business attire including court appearances and client meetings. When in doubt, always wear a suit. Also, be sure to take plenty of notes during your tour of the office and training.
Be proactive.
Do not be afraid to ask questions! Questions are expected and welcomed as they usually mean your are engaged and conscientious about doing the work correctly. Also be open and communicative by meeting with your supervisor about how best to keep in contact with them over the summer and consistently keep them appraised of the progress of your projects. Use your down time to offer assistance and ask for new assignments; do not wait for the work to be assigned to you.
Be professional.
While some offices may appear casual and laid-back, it is important to remain professional and take your work seriously. The usual common sense rules apply: be kind and respectful to everyone in the office including the support staff and other interns; do not check your personal email account or make personal calls during work hours; do not drink excessively with other attorneys or staff members at after work functions. Also, remember that some things considered acceptable behavior for full-time, permanent members of the organization are not always considered acceptable behavior for summer interns. Be on time even if every attorney in the office arrives late; do not use bad language even if everyone else in the office curses; and refrain from getting caught up in office gossip.
Lastly, be sure you end your internship on a good note. Identify any loose ends prior to your last week of work, provide case summaries of everything you have worked on and update your supervisor on the status of any unfinished projects. Your summer employer may act as a future reference, networking contact, or be a potential post-graduate employer and it is important to leave a lasting, positive impression.
For further reading:
First Week of Work: Make or Break Your Summer (via Pass the Baton)
There are two purposes to the Alumni Career Forum taking place this Wednesday, April 3rd:
Network: You’ve heard this before - - people often find a job through people they know! The Alumni Career Forum is designed to help you get to know practicing attorneys. While the Forum is not a job fair (resume exchanges are not allowed), students often gain employment through meeting alumni and following-up with them on their own. The alumni participating will be ready and waiting to meet you.
Exploration: Over 40 areas of law will be represented at the Forum. This is an excellent time for you to explore many different practice areas of the law and learn about different career paths. You will find out what areas are growing and which are declining and changing. You will gain practical information and realistic insights as to what you can do NOW to prepare for gaining legal experience/employment in the future. You will also learn how New England Law alumni found their first job(s) and how they came to work in their practice area.
The Do’s:
1. Do: Dress in appropriate business attire. This event is taking place after work hours, and the alumni volunteers are coming straight from work in their business attire. You want to impress these individuals. Dress professionally.
2. Do: Be on time. Give yourself the full two hours to attend the event if possible. There will be lots of people for you to meet. Give yourself enough time to make the most of this opportunity.
3. Do: Be aware of how much time you are spending with one person. At this event, 5-10 minutes is enough time to talk with someone. Be mindful of other students who may be waiting behind you to talk with the alum you are talking with.
4. Do: Be open minded in choosing who you speak to. You may receive excellent advice on how to get a job from someone who is practicing in an area that you have no interest. You may also become interested in areas that you haven’t yet explored!
5. Do: Collect business cards from participants. After you have talked with an alum, ask for his/her business card. Try following up with an email, letter or phone call.
6. Do: Be prepared. Review the Participant Biographies booklet before the event and know something about the alumni you would like to meet before you attend the event. Try to think of questions that you would like to ask that person about their career so that you will be well prepared to make the most of this opportunity.
The Don'ts:
1. Don’t: Bring a resume to this career forum. Collect business cards to follow-up with the alumni in the future.
2. Don’t: Ask for a job! This is not a job fair. Focus on building new professional relationships, gathering information for your career plans and making valuable contacts, rather than focusing on the job you hope to gain.
3. Don’t: Limit your questions. There is no such thing as a stupid question. For example, there are many aspects of practicing business/corporate law. The simplest question of: “What does a corporate attorney do?” is a great way to start a conversation.
4. Don’t: Limit who you are willing to meet. Look around and see who is by themselves at their table. Go to them and strike up a conversation. Even if you are positively sure you have no interest in their practice area, they may be full of great job search information, or you may learn of a new area of interest or they may know someone to connect you with.
5. Don’t: Feel like you are “schmoozing” people. Attorneys love to share their story. You are allowing them a chance to do so. Also, alums remember what it was like to be a student and they want to help you!
Networking Etiquette and Sample Questions:
Introductions and Closings
1. First, introduce yourself and give the alum relevant information such as your class year, your interests, work experience, student associations/memberships and organizations.
2. Shake hands firmly.
3. Use the list of questions below to help get the conversation started.
4. Be aware of the time. Try not to spend more than 5 minutes with someone if there are students waiting.
5. Towards the end of your conversation, ask for a business card from the participant.
6. Thank the alum for his/her time and coming to meet you.
Suggestions of Questions to Ask
What is a typical work day for you?
What types of cases/projects are you currently working on?
How is what I am learning in school different from what it will be like practicing [insert practice area]?
What does an [insert practice area] lawyer do?
How did you become a [insert practice area] attorney?
If I am interested in [insert practice area], what can I do to make myself an attractive candidate for employment by the time I graduate?
Can you recommend any professional organizations that might be useful for someone interested in [insert practice area] law?
Breaking into Certain Fields
How did you get your first job in [insert practice area] after law school?
Did you work while you were a student? Where? Did it help you get into [insert practice area]?
I have had two experiences within [insert practice area]. Should I continue to work in this practice area, or is it better for me to try a different practice area?
How did you get into a “solo/small/medium/large sized” firm? What do they look for in attorneys?
How important are grades to get my first position in a “solo/small/medium/large sized law firm or government agency/clerkship” opportunity?
The Alumni Career Forum will take place at the Revere Hotel on Wednesday, April 3rd, 4:00pm - 6:00pm, and is open to all current New England Law | Boston students. To attend, please RSVP with the CSO!
Prior to attending law school, Sharon Schawbel received a Bachelor of Science in Management from the Tulane University Freeman School of Business in New Orleans, Louisiana and subsequently worked for five years in the field of Event Planning. After graduating from New England Law | Boston, Sharon became a litigation associate at a small law firm in Framingham, Massachusetts, concentrating her practice in civil litigation and litigation defense. After nearly four years in the litigation arena, Sharon accepted an in-house counsel position with RNK Communications (a telecommunications service provider) where she handled a variety of legal and regulatory matters for the company. Sharon joined Staples in April of 2009 and in the position of Counsel supports both Merchandising and the Staples Brands Group, advising these business units on a variety of legal issues relating to the procurement of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) product for retail stores, as well as the creation, sourcing, production, importation and marketing of Staples' own-brand product line. Sharon is also a member of the Legal Department’s Commercial Compliance Team, which identifies, tracks and informs business units of proposed and passed legislation impacting their functions.
1. How did you get started working as an in-house attorney?
My first few years after law school were spent working for a small litigation firm doing mainly insurance defense work. That immersion in litigation, although by no means my practice area of choice, gave me a very solid legal background and the ability to truly understand how the legal process and cases work. When I came upon an opportunity to move in-house, it was that litigation background that ended up sealing the deal for me. The company I ended up going to was interested in adding someone to its legal team with litigation expertise, so it ended up being a great fit. After three and a half years in that position, I’d gained enough experience and insight into providing legal advice as a company employee to be well prepared for my current position at Staples.
2. What is a typical day like for you?
Working in-house you get to really focus on the work of just one client – your company. In my case, because I work for such a large company, that gets drilled down even further. My clients within the company are two business units. One is the own brand product group responsible for creating, sourcing, manufacturing and marketing the company’s private label products. The other is the retail merchandising group, which is responsible for choosing the assortment of products in our retail stores and making sure they actually get on the shelves. The legal work is extremely interesting, and there’s never a dull moment. On a very regular basis I encounter projects, issues and challenges that are somehow different than those dealt with previously, often requiring creative thinking to resolve them in a manner that is both legally acceptable and beneficial for the business. My work touches on product creation, including intellectual property issues, negotiating contracts with product vendors and foreign manufacturers, international trade issues (importing/customs) and a lot of advising on consumer product laws, regulations and issues to ensure that the product content, composition, packaging, claims and promotions comply with all applicable laws.
3. Were there any particular law school or post-graduate experiences that especially prepared you for this career?
The courses I chose in law school were mainly geared toward the bar exam. I’d take a class here and there on a subject of interest, but was very focused on being as prepared as possible for the bar exam. I figured without that I was not going to get too far! Generally though, I’ve found that every experience teaches you something, so any legal work you do and exposure you get is valuable. For me, I can really just point to my litigation background, as it provided a solid legal foundation and understanding that I was able to build and expand on, transitioning into the role I have today.
4. Are there certain personality traits candidates should have in order to do well as an in-house counsel?
When you work in-house, and for a large global company especially, you’re going to have to deal with different types of people at all different levels of the organization - many who may have little knowledge of legal issues. There might be college interns working for your client for a semester and just learning the ropes and then there are the Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents and higher who you may need to fill in on exactly why the really great endeavor they’re so excited about could pose great risk to the company. The ability to think things through, be diplomatic, understanding, build rapport and to simplify and explain complex concepts will serve you well if you practice in-house. Come to think of it, I imagine those traits will serve you well in almost any position – life, career or otherwise!
5. What advice do you have for law students and graduates interested in pursuing in-house counsel positions?
I think being realistic is probably most important – which does NOT mean being pessimistic! The reality is that in-house positions are typically filled by lawyers with several years of experience and oftentimes “big firm” experience. That is not always the case though, as I can attest! So once you have established your solid legal foundation, I think looking at smaller companies who have in-house legal positions is the best place to start. At a small company, you’ll be exposed to a variety of practice areas (promotions, advertising, HR, employment, regulatory, contracts, negotiation, intellectual property), and these smaller companies will likely be more flexible on the experience level required. Note that there are not usually a lot of these positions, as small companies tend to have very small legal departments, but if you’re persistent and keep your goal in sight, the right opportunity will come along. In the meantime, you are gaining more and more experience that will make you invaluable to the company that plucks you up in the future!
Whether you are seeking your first legal job for the summer
or looking for post-graduate employment, the winter break is a good time to organize
your job search campaign.
1. Reconnect with old
contacts and establish new ones. Send a holiday card to former employers
and colleagues updating them on your academic and career progress. Use the
networking section of the Symplicity
site to contact alumni in the area and ask if they are available to meet
after the New Year. Check the LinkedIn Alumni feature to identify
and establish connections with fellow graduates from your undergraduate school
who are practicing law.
2. Let everyone know that you are looking for
a job. Use holiday parties to update old friends, relatives, and neighbors
with your interests and where you would like to practice. You never know who
has valuable contacts that could lead to opportunities. Listen to a free
podcast by the ABA for more tips on holiday networking.
3. Update your
resume. Be sure to add any clinics you are taking during the spring
semester. Re-read previous blog
posts on resume writing for frequently asked questions and resume
suggestions. The Career Services Office
will be available to review resumes and cover letters the first week of
January.
4. Apply to jobs and research
potential employers to contact directly. Search job postings on the JobNet and other websites
listed on our “Job Search Resources” handout available on Symplicity site. Utilize
our handout “Targeting Small to Medium-Sized Law Firms Using Martindale-Hubbell” to do a targeted
search for firms and organizations in your geographic area and field of
interest.
5. Relax. Focus
on a little rest and relaxation so that you will feel rejuvenated upon your
return next semester: sleep in, catch up on your favorite TV shows, do some
non-law school related reading, and spend quality time with your family and
friends.
Best of luck with your exams and have a happy and productive
winter break, from your friends in the Career Services Office!
Each year, the Rappaport Fellows Program in Law and Public Policy hires law students from Boston area law schools for summer internships in state or local government offices with an emphasis on public policy and issues relevant to the Greater Boston region. The 10-week program includes a generous stipend as well as a mentoring program and weekly seminar series. Stephanie Rogers, a third-year day student, was the 2012 Rappaport Fellow from New England Law | Boston. As part of our blog series highlighting student work Stephanie writes about her experience working as a Fellow at the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.
Once I confirmed my placement at the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCA), I knew I would enjoy the work, but I had no idea how diverse my experience would be, or just how much I would learn over the summer. During just my first week, I was exposed to veterans’ issues, insurance topics, antitrust law, conflicts in the Department of Professional Licensure (DPL), problems with for-profit schools, and the general inner workings of the OCA office. As a Fellow, I not only sat in on regular staff meetings and meetings with OCA’s under-agencies, but also a hearing at city hall about for-profit schools, a pitch from a private company OCA sought to hire to update its website, an OCA press conference to release results of a major survey, and a day-long conference about consumer credit issues.
One of the pieces of advice about how to get the most out of your Rappaport experience was to attend as many meetings as possible. I began doing this right away by attending five meetings and a hearing during my first week in the office. At one of those first meetings, I discovered that the DPL would be assuming oversight of occupational schools beginning August 1st, per a recently passed statute with the backing of Governor Patrick. I had several projects on my plate already, but I requested and was granted permission to work with the DPL on this transition. I had no idea I would be able to contribute to an initiative I found so important, and it remains my favorite part of my Fellowship experience.
I got more out of the Rappaport Fellowship than I ever thought possible. Not only did I gain legal knowledge, but I also learned how to interact in a government office, both a small one with a tight-knit staff when at the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, and a large one with several smaller departments interacting when at the Department of Professional Licensure. I also had a glimpse into the life of a government lawyer at several angles, from chief counsel to hearing officer. I am very thankful to all responsible for my acceptance into the program and for giving me this opportunity. Government works, and I am anxious to begin my career within it.
- Stephanie Rogers, Class of 2013
Want to learn more about the Rappaport Fellows Program? Stephanie Rogers and Gregory I. Massing, Esq., Executive Director of the Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service, will speak more about the program and the application process on Thursday, November, 15th , 4:30pm – 5:30pm in Room 505. To RSVP, please email rappaportcenter@suffolk.edu.
Christina Bailey is a second-year day student at New England Law | Boston. This past summer she worked as a legal intern for the Massachusetts Securities Division. As part of our new blog series highlighting student work Christina writes about her summer experience and explains how she found her internship.
Throughout high school and undergrad I was opposed to the idea of networking to find a job. I wanted to know that I got the job entirely based on my own efforts and merits. But with the legal job market the way it is, I realized that I should welcome help, not reject it. In the end, having a connection is how I found my summer job.
In March 2012, my mom ran into one of her friends who is an Assistant Secretary for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and mentioned to him that I was in law school. He told her that the Secretary’s Office hires legal interns and that if I was interested, to e-mail him my resume. I had just begun thinking about jobs for the summer and so decided to take him up on the offer. Aside from several quick back and forth e-mails, I didn’t hear back for about a month. I wanted to have as many options as I could so I also applied to several small firms in Boston using the JobNet on the CSO’s Simplicity site. On the last day of classes, I received a phone call from the Secretary’s Office offering me a position with the Securities Division. I know that I was extremely lucky to get this job because I was hired based off my resume alone without having an interview.
I started the full-time position at the end of May. I was the only legal intern for the Registration, Inspection, Compliance, and Examination (RICE) section of the Division. As such, I was given a lot of responsibility. Throughout the summer, I constantly conducted researched and wrote memoranda. The skills that I learned in my Legal Research & Writing (LRW) course were extremely useful. I created detailed Excel files to help organize the production from several investigations and keep track of Investment Advisers who were in the processing of switching from the Securities and Exchange Commission to the Massachusetts registration. I also helped draft and proofread subpoenas, consent orders, and complaints; and I attended and took notes at several on the record depositions. In addition, I was entrusted with writing inquiry letters asking about certain disclosures made by broker-dealer agents attempting to register in Massachusetts.
The hardest part of my job was learning how to prioritize and complete multiple projects efficiently while in a working environment. However, I’m very happy that I was exposed to that difficult experience because I know that it will help me be better prepared in the future. My favorite part of the internship was doing real-world legal work in a professional environment. It definitely confirmed the fact that I want to be a lawyer.
I was extremely surprised by how much I liked working in securities. Before working for the Division, I hadn’t even considered securities as a field I might be interested in and honestly, didn’t expect to enjoy the work. I am so happy that I decided to take the job because I now want to pursue a career in securities and business law. This internship experience taught me to not be closed minded about working in different areas of law. As a law student, especially a 1L, there are so many fields of law that we don’t know about or aren’t exposed to. How are we to know we don’t like something before we try it?
Towards the end of the summer my supervising attorney asked if I wanted to continue working part-time during the school year. Currently, I work 20 hours per week while keeping a full class schedule. Fall semester has been busy, but working part-time has been worth it because working for the Securities Division has absolutely helped me with my future plans. Knowing I wanted to work at a large firm after graduation, I applied to 2013 summer associate programs this fall and received an offer for a summer associate position from a top firm with a large securities practice. I am certain that I would not be in the position I am in today had I not taken a chance by sending in my resume and accepting an internship with the Securities Division at the Secretary’s Office.
- Christina S. Bailey, Class of 2014
Michael Card is a third-year day student at New England Law | Boston. This past summer he worked as a legal intern for a New England Law alumnus at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. As part of our new blog series highlighting student work Michael writes about his summer experience and explains how he found his internship.
My summer internship came about as a last minute surprise from a friend’s connection. I slowly began looking for internships around Thanksgiving time of my second year. I had numerous promising leads that either eventually lost funding or required school credit which is not a possibility for internships not done through a school clinic. So, I was very disappointed and stressed as summer was quickly approaching. Right before the end of the second semester I had a number of job offers but none that I was really interested in. Then a friend called and told me a New England Law | Boston graduate was looking for help at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Under the supervision of this alumnus and two other attorneys in the Office of Faculty Activities, I was responsible for reviewing consulting and confidentiality disclosure agreements for, and between, Dana-Farber, Harvard Medical School faculty and pharmaceutical companies. This position was contract and intellectual property-based so I had a great opportunity to apply what my first year contracts course taught me and gain a head start on what I would learn in my intellectual property class. I was also able to apply what I had learned in my negotiation course as I reviewed the agreements and negotiated their terms with the pharmaceutical companies in favor of Dana-Farber’s faculty, the Institute’s protection of intellectual property and against liability.
The hardest part of my internship was learning the current regulations as well as the future changes, that were scheduled to go into effect in August 2012. In order to effectively negotiate agreements I had to learn the current rules and regulations. However, to make sure the faculty and institution would not be in violation come August, I also had to learn the new regulations. I definitely learned the most as I researched the current and future regulations as well as the applicable intellectual property laws.
My favorite part of my experience was being able attend the conflict of interest advisory board meetings in which the board members discussed the current and future problems/positions of the partnership between cancer research institutions and the private sector. This was a completely unexpected and amazing experience, and something I will always remember.
This summer internship truly opened my career interest spectrum in terms of seriously considering healthcare and similar areas of law. Upon entering law school I was sure I only wanted to practice regulatory or securities law but now may also pursue a post-graduation position in this area of law due to this summer experience. Finally, I found my internship in part because the hiring attorney likes looking out for New England Law | Boston students and graduates which makes me extremely proud to be part of the New England Law | Boston network.
-Michael Card ’13
|
|
.jpg)
Posts
