How Hard Is it to Find a Job in a Law Firm?
Graduation from law school may be on the horizon, and it's time to start thinking about your employment prospects. Finding a job in a law firm, if this is your career path, largely depends on your resume. In addition, your employment prospects will also depend on how prestigious a law firm may be in the legal community.
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Class Rank
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Top-ranked law firms require a class rank in the top 10 percent range of your graduating class. Also, attending a tier 1 law school is preferred. Why? Because they can recruit this kind of talent. There's a tremendous amount of competition for jobs in top-ranked law firms, so only the best of the best will receive job offers. They pay well, and the prestige is a nice benefit.
Other Credentials
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To find a job in a top-ranked law firm, it also helps if you are a member of the Law Review and Moot Court. Of course, these credentials are usually synonymous with a strong GPA and class rank. If you write for the Law Review and show quality participation in Moot Court, you have placed yourself in a comfortable position for being selected for an interview.
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Online Job Postings
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If your employment prospects do not fall within opportunities with a higher ranked law firm, there's still a large pool of law firms in your legal community that need to fill a demand for lawyers. For example, small law firms (1 to 10 attorneys) to medium-sized law firms (25 to 50 attorneys depending on area) usually post openings online through websites such as lawjobs.com, careerbuilder.com, and monster.com.
Alternative Methods
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Students with a lower class rank may have a more challenging time finding a job in a law firm; they may have to be a little more patient and diligent in their search efforts. Joining a bar association is a good source for making contacts. If the interviews are few, consider contract work to get experience, and then apply for full-time positions in the future.
Judicial Clerkship
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If a graduating student doesn't have the credentials for the type of law firm she wants, consider applying for a judicial clerkship. Judicial clerkships typically run for one to two years, so it's a short time horizon. Law firms look favorably on this experience, and the prestige is a nice complement to your resume.
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