Networking

Networking is the single most effective way to find a job and keep it. For some people, the art of networking comes very naturally. For others, nothing causes more anxiety than the idea of it. Part of being a good attorney is networking effectively in order to gain and keep clients, increase your book of business, and advance in your career. You will never stop having to network throughout your life, even if you choose an alternative position, and the practice of law is a profession in which you will always have to do it whether you are in private practice, public service, academia or government.

The word "networking" can be scary to many law students. You need not think of networking as schmoozing. It comes in many forms, and you can definitely tailor your networking style to your comfort level. Not all networking happens at cocktail parties. You can go to small events or CLEs where you can sit next to one person. You can arrange informational interviews to engage in one-on-one conversations or if you are comfortable in big crowds, there is no shortage of networking events in the Madison area. With that, here are some specific tips for networking:

  1. Join national, state, and local bar organizations. Often bar organizations offer networking events and the opportunity to attend CLEs and reduced or no cost for law students. Ask OCPD about specific ways to join these organizations.
  2. Attend OCPD events! Nothing makes a networking email easier than saying, "I was fortunate to attend a Pizza with Professionals Panel in which you participated." Additionally, OCPD offers networking trips to places such as Chicago, Washington, D.C., Appleton, Minneapolis, New York City, Madison, and Milwaukee. Keep an eye on your email for news about these trips!
  3. Schedule informational interviews. Use your network to find people to interview. Below are some more sources for expanding your network. As always, contact OCPD for help with any of these resources or to seek advice on topics to talk about!
  4. How to Ask for an Informational Interview. You may be comfortable with the idea of sitting down with a lawyer and talking about his or her practice area, but the idea of requesting that meeting may cause you anxiety. When you ask a lawyer to get coffee or have lunch, keep in mind that most lawyers love to talk to law students. Most lawyers want to help you and like to talk about their days and their practice. That said, you want to be respectful of an individual’s time. Suggest several dates and times or a range. Offer to meet somewhere close to his or her office. Below you will find example emails asking to meet for an informational interview:

Conversation Topics for Informational Interviews:

An informational interview is a chance to establish a meaningful connection. Accordingly, you should do most of the listening. You may be interested in finding out more about an attorney’s typical work day. You may be interested in determining whether a certain practice area is for you. You may just want to know about an individual’s career path. All of these areas are great discussion topics for the informational interview.

An informational interview is not a chance to ask for a job. It may lead to opportunities in the future, but the interviewer should focus on learning, establishing a meaningful connection, and practicing active listening. Additionally, your questions should focus on things you actually want to know—they shouldn’t be phrased in an effort to make yourself sound smart.

Here are some example questions:

Example 1

Dear Ms. Smith:
David Johnson suggested I contact you. I had lunch with David yesterday to speak about his disability rights work. He indicated that you have worked at the Oregon Center for Disability Rights since 2009.
I went to law school to be an advocate for those with disabilities. When I was nine, my mother became paralyzed in a car accident. Watching her navigate the ins and outs of society as a person living with a disability was inspirational. Additionally, while in Law School, I have worked at Disability Rights Wisconsin where I had the opportunity to advise multiple organizations and businesses regarding the ADA as well as work with clients living with disabilities.
I am moving to Oregon in December and taking the bar exam in February. My fiancé recently secured employment at Portland State in the Sociology Department. I will be visiting him next month (October 7-11) and would appreciate the chance to meet for coffee. I realize you have a busy schedule, please let me know if there is a time that would be convenient for you. I’d be happy to meet at Java Joe’s right next to your office.

Best,
Law Student

Example 2

Dear Mr. Danielson:
I hope you are having a wonderful Spring and enjoying the beautiful weather! I am a 2L student at the University of Wisconsin Law School. I see that you are a 2009 alum practicing criminal law at a small firm in St. Louis.
I am from St. Louis and eager to return after graduation. Additionally, I would like to practice criminal law after my admission to the Missouri Bar. I have availed myself of several criminal law opportunities while at the University of Wisconsin Law School, including the Innocence Project the summer after my 1L year I will be visiting St. Louis over Spring Break and was wondering if you had availability to meet for coffee to discuss the work you do and your career path. I realize you have a busy schedule, so please let me know if there is a time convenient for you during the week of March 30-April 3. Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
Law Student

Interviewing

Most lawyers are not "trained HR professionals" and therefore their interviewing styles, and the sorts of questions they ask, vary widely from individual to individual. Most lawyers who interview law students try to put them at ease and make it an enjoyable experience. Each interviewer's style is unique, and often the lawyer who interviews you will not have a list of prepared questions. Recently, however, a number of law firms have begun asking what are known as "behavioral" interview questions.  Don't be surprised, therefore, if occasionally you encounter questions that begin with the phrase "Tell me about a time when you  . . . " or "Describe a situation in which you . . . "

The most successful interviews usually are characterized by an easy give-and-take, of a conversational nature. However, to help you prepare for interviews, we have compiled below a list of some of the most commonly-asked questions that you're likely to encounter in a legal job interview.

Be prepared to discuss knowledgeably anything that is on your résumé, because that is the document that the interviewer will be looking at while talking to you, and which he/she will use to choose topics to talk to you about. If your interviewer has a writing sample from you, be sure to refresh your recollection about the subject matter of the document, so that you can talk about it intelligently.

Questions You Might Want to Ask

At some point in the interview, the interviewer will "turn the tables" and ask you if you have any questions for him/her. At this point the ball is in your court, and it is incumbent upon you to keep the conversation going by asking some questions. These should be questions that reveal that you have done your homework and know something about the organization you're interviewing with.

Interview Scenario:

Interviewer: "So, now that I've found out a little about you, do you have any questions for me?"

Student (after awkward silence): "Ummm . . . No, I think you've answered everything. Thanks."

Message to Interviewer: This student isn't really interested in my firm.

Do not let this happen to you! In preparing for your interviews, it is vitally important to have a number of thoughtful, relevant, insightful questions to ask the interviewer. This is true whether you are preparing for a 20 minute on-campus interview with just one person or a half-day off-campus interview where you meet with numerous people. Asking questions conveys self-confidence, thorough preparation and sincere interest in the firm/organization.

Try to come up with questions based on your independent research about each firm/organization and/or interviewer (and try to phrase the questions in a way that indicates you've done some advance research). Also, when formulating your questions, think about what attributes are most important to you in a legal employer. Stability and future of the firm? Working conditions? Training/mentoring programs? High profile cases or nationally-recognized clients? Commitment to community service? Once you have come up with a list of attributes, try to incorporate them into your questions. It is perfectly appropriate to glean the information you are seeking through general questions about the firm/organization or relevant (and non-intrusive) questions about your interviewer personally.

Finally, do not ask questions if the answers are readily available through the usual pre-interview research sources, such as the firm's/organization's web site, marketing brochure or NALP Directory listing (e.g., "How many female partners does your firm have?"). Also, avoid questions that would be more appropriate after you have received an offer, such as questions about salary, vacation and other benefits.

The following are sample questions; however, as mentioned above, you should only ask questions that elicit answers in which you have genuine interest. Otherwise, your questions may appear disingenuous and cause more harm than good.

Remember to tailor your questions based on your research on the firm or organization

Questions such as "I noticed that your firm just added an intellectual property department. Why did the firm decide to do that? Are there other practice areas that the firm is considering adding?" show that you have researched the firm and are at least a little bit savvy about law firm management and growth. Other good questions are ones such as "What are the fastest-growing areas of the firm?" or "Which firms do you consider to be your competition in the local market?" Do not ask questions that you could easily have found the answer to on the firm's website, and don't ask questions that will make it seem as if you are only interested in getting paid a lot and working as little as possible. If you run out of ideas for questions to ask, remember that you can always ask the interviewers about their career paths: whether they began their legal careers with this organization; how they got involved in the practice area they specialize in; what they like best or least about the firm/their practice area; what a typical work day is like for them. Law firm merger activity in the city in which the firm is located can also be an interesting topic to bring up.

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