2016-2017 cdo job search guide
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Career Development Office (CDO) Suite 208
410-706-2080 (Phone) 410-706-0870 (Fax)
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THE CDO TEAM
Dana L. Morris, JD
Assistant Dean for Career Development
Dina R. Billian, JD
Deputy Director for Career Development
Ally Amerson, JD
Assistant Director for Career Development and Outreach
LaShea Blake
Data & Resource Coordinator
Terri Goode
Recruitment Coordinator
Ann Lloyd, JD
Director, Alumni Counseling & Programs
Jennifer Pollard, JD
Director, Judicial Clerkships
M. Teresa Schmiedeler, JD
Director, Public Service Programs
Adrienne Williams-Conover
CDO Associate
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Thursday: 8:30 – 6:30 p.m. (Evening hours on Thursdays)
Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
CONTACT US:
500 W. Baltimore Street, Room 208
[email protected], 410-706-2080
SCHEDULE COUNSELING APPOINTMENTS:
https://law-umd-csm.symplicity.com/students/
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October 25, 2017
Dear Students:
Welcome from the Career Development Office (CDO) team at the University of Maryland
Francis King Carey School of Law! As you move through law school, remember that your job search is
yet another experience that will help prepare your entry into the legal profession. Throughout your law
school years, the CDO team will provide professional development coaching and career programming to
help you develop and polish the skills and abilities that are necessary to conduct a successful job search
and guide your transition from law student to legal professional. I urge you to treat your job search as an
integral part of your law school experience that will require your continued planning and attention
throughout law school.
Whether you are student in the Day Division or in the Evening Division, it will be essential for
you obtain meaningful legal experience during law school. This will heighten your appeal as a job
candidate and to enhance your ultimate employment prospects in the competitive legal job market. To
help you navigate that process, you will be assigned a career counselor following the Orientation to the
CDO that will be held for your class. I encourage you to meet with your assigned counselor regularly to
strategize on: how to find legal job opportunities in your areas of interest, how to best to hone your
personal presentation and job research abilities, and how to actively market your lawyering skills,
analytical abilities and personal qualities in ways that will distinguish you with prospective employers.
The CDO counseling team works year-round to establish and foster relationships with prospective
private and public sector employers throughout the country. To that end, I invite you to pursue
vigorously the numerous job and internship opportunities that will be made available to you through the
CDO’s recruitment programs, on-line job bank (https://law-umd-csm.symplicity.com/students/), and
networking opportunities with alumni and other legal practitioners. Plan to make time to take part in
these events throughout law school. The relationships that you build with the attorneys who participate in
these events can lead to valuable mentoring and employment opportunities!
We look forward to partnering with you to help launch your future legal career.
Kind regards,
Dean Dana Morris
Career Development Office (CDO)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page #
CDO Staff & Office Hours 2
Honor Code Issues in Representing Your Credentials 5
American Bar Association Policy on Student Employment 6
CDO Non-Discrimination Employment Policy 6
(1) BEFORE YOUR FIRST CDO APPOINTMENT 7 - 9
I. CDO Orientation, Resume Draft Submission, Symplicity Registration
II. Career Self-Assessment, Meetings with Your CDO Counselor
(2) CDO ADVISING, SERVICES & PROGRAMS 10 - 11
Individual Counseling Resume & Cover Letter Reviews
Recruitment Programs Professional Development Programs
Symplicity Job Bank Career Panels
Mentoring Opportunities Public Service & Pro Bono Opportunities
(3) YOUR REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS 12 - 52
III. Resumes 12
IV. Cover Letters 30
V. Email Correspondence 42
VI. Writing Samples 46
VII. References and Transcripts 49
VIII. Grades, GPA & Class Rank 51
(4) LEGAL JOB MARKET & RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITIES 53 - 70
IX. Legal Job Market, Key Resources 53
X. Recruitment Programs, Career Fairs 64
XI. NALP Principles & Standards on Legal Recruitment 68
(5) JOB SEARCH TIMELINES FOR 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls 71 - 78
(6) INTERVIEWING & NETWORKING 79 - 94
XII. Preparing for Job Interviews 81
XIII. Networking & Informational Interview Preparation, 90
Tips & Sample Communications
(7) LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM &
LEGAL SALARY INFORMATION RESOURCES 95 - 96
XIV. Public Service Loan Repayment Assistance 95
XV. Resources to Find Legal Salary Information 96
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HONOR CODE & REPRESENTING YOUR CREDENTIALS
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School Of Law operates under a student-
administered Honor Code. The Honor Code specifically states: "that all law students should
adhere to the ideals of professional responsibility in honorably conducting themselves while
pursuing a legal education." Furthermore, the Honor Code enunciates a list of specific
prohibited conduct, including: "To make any material misrepresentation on a document
submitted for employment, including, but not limited to, a resume, a grade report, a cover letter,
a recommendation or a writing sample." (Honor Code Section III (K)).
Information that you present on your resume and in your correspondence to employers should
be error-free and must be completely accurate. The CDO routinely receives requests for
verification of information on student resumes. The CDO will verify the GPA, and class rank and
transcripts through the Office of Registration & Enrollment (OR&E).
Representing Your GPA: Please note that “rounding off” your GPA is prohibited. Your resume
must indicate the GPA on your official transcript drawn out to the one-hundredths place (i.e.,
2.98). As such, if your official GPA is 2.98, rounding up your GPA to 3.00 is an example of a
material misrepresentation.
Representing Your Class Rank: Class rank information is provided and verified by the School
of Law's Office of Registration and Enrollment. Class rank may be represented by displaying the
numeric ratio of your rank compared with the number of students in your class (e.g. 17/282). Or
you may use the rank percentile (ex. Top 6%). Or you may use both: 17/282 (Top 6%). Be sure
that the rank percentile is calculated correctly and is reported to the nearest decimal, as
opposed to rounding the figure up or down. (ex. 35/282 is represented as 12.4%)
Report the exact percentage as calculated instead using the nearest "grade cut-off" point. (e.g.
17/282 should be displayed as Top 6%, not Top 5% or Top 10%). Remember, as with GPA
reporting, errors made in reporting your class rank can be perceived as a material
misrepresentation of your credentials and an Honor Code violation.
Representing the Grading Scale: The School of Law uses a 4.33 grading scale, not a 4.0 grading scale. You are not required to indicate the 4.33 grading scale with your numeric GPA but if you do choose to display the grading scale with your GPA, you must use the 4.33 scale reflected on your transcript. The CDO must notify the Honor Board of any discrepancy or misrepresentation identified by
employers or the CDO, and corroborated by law school officials. Always ask a CDO counselor
if you are uncertain or concerned about the accuracy of the information on your resume.
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ABA POLICY ON STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
In accordance with the American Bar Association (ABA) rules of accreditation, the University of
Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law does not permit full-time law students to be
employed more than twenty hours per week during the academic year. Additionally, the School
of Law strongly discourages first-year, full-time (Day Division) students to be employed during
their first academic year.
CDO NON-DISCRIMINATION EMPLOYMENT POLICY
The University of Maryland, Baltimore does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion,
national origin or ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or
mental disability, marital status, protected veteran's status, or age in its programs and activities.
Specifically, Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in UMB's programs and
activities. UMB will take steps to eliminate prohibited conduct, prevent its recurrence, and
remedy its effects.
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BEFORE YOUR FIRST CDO APPOINTMENT
Before your initial meeting with a CDO counselor, we ask you to complete the following requirements:
Attend the “Orientation to the CDO” and “Resume Workshop” held for your Section.
Submit your resume draft for review by a counselor to [email protected].
Complete your on-line Student Profile on the UMD-Symplicity career information system. The UMD-Symplicity homepage may be found at: http://www.law.umaryland.edu/students/careers/programs/jobs.html
The UMD-Symplicity system contains our recruitment programs and job postings database. Students and alumni have access to the postings in the Jobs section of Symplicity. You can also view postings and customize “search agents” to automate the job search process and specify your criteria. Students will receive a welcome email along with a password and log in information by December 1.
It is important for you to know that Symplicity works as your “job search manager.” The CDO posts jobs in the Symplicity job bank every day! It is imperative that you keep your job search profile current and relevant. For instance, each time you update your resume and application materials, be sure to upload copies on Symplicity. This practice makes it easier for the CDO to identify your career interests and advocate on your behalf with employers when researching possible job candidates.
Complete the following self-assessment exercise questions and bring your answers to your assigned career counselor.
If you are having trouble logging into the UMD-Symplicity system or have password problems, please contact Recruitment Coordinator Terri Goode at [email protected] or at 410-706-2080.
Start Here
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CAREER SELF-ASSESSMENT
As you look through these materials, you should consider the single most important question: “What Kind of Lawyer Do I Want To Be?”
Some people enter law school and think that they know exactly what they want to do (which often is not the same thing they end up pursuing, by the way), and others have no clue. Whether you represent the former or the latter, it is important that you know what your interests, goals, and priorities are before you can figure out the right career move for you. It is important to know yourself and figure out what activities make you happy and productive. Answering the questions below will assist you in discovering the type of employment that satisfies you the most (and, in turn, will allow you to be successful).
ASSESS THE LAWYER IN YOU
1) What is your ideal workplace setting?
a. Do you work best in a formal hierarchy or a more casual setting?
b. How important is on-the-job training or a formal mentor system?
c. Do you prefer to work as part of a team or individually?
2) Are you interested in certain areas of law?
a. What subjects appealed to you in your undergraduate studies?
b. What do you enjoy reading about?
c. What issues (legal or otherwise) do you care about?
3) What skills do you most enjoy using?
a. Do you enjoy research, analysis, and writing?
b. Is it important to you to have lots of people contact?
c. Do you work best with several projects at once, or one at a time?
4) What personal commitments do you have outside of school & work?
a. How much time do you want to have for family and friends?
b. How much control would you like over your work schedule?
c. How much money do you need to live comfortably?
d. Where (geographically) do you want to live and work?
5) How do you define success?
a. Prestige – How important to you is it that others perceive your job as important?
b. Helping people?
c. Compensation?
d. Fame?
e. Power?
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f. Work/life balance?
6) Name five of your favorite things to do (hobbies, activities, etc.)
7) Name five people you know personally whose job you would love to have
8) What is your biggest accomplishment? Why?
9) What was your favorite job ever?
10) What would you do if you won $5 million dollars tomorrow? Or if you won the money the
next in five years? How would your career interests change?
11) Are there any legal practice areas about which you are curious or may wish to explore?
A.____________________________________
B.____________________________________
C.____________________________________
D.____________________________________
E.____________________________________
It is a good practice to consider these questions throughout your law school career and do not
be surprised if the answers change as you learn more about the legal profession.
Next Steps: Take your answers to your assigned career advisor for your first counseling
session.
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CDO ADVISING, PROGRAMS & SERVICES
The CDO has many resources to assist you in your job search. These resources include print and on-line job search guides, as well as counselors who are available to assist and educate you through the ongoing job search process. A successful job search must be both self-directed where you identify employers and contact them to determine if there are positions available and comprehensive to include interview opportunities, job fairs, job postings and resume collections made available through the CDO. You cannot afford to be passive in managing your job search, as competition for the best job opportunities is stiff. Most students who obtain internships and jobs secure them by learning how to conduct an effective job search from CDO counselors, tapping CDO resources and contacts, maximizing networking opportunities and following up on job leads through informational interviews, targeted mailings, and personal connections. This Job Search Guide was designed to provide you with the necessary and valuable information you will need to prepare you for starting and completing your job search! Please avail yourself of all of the services we offer throughout the year. These CDO services include:
1. INDIVIDUAL ADVISING: CDO counselors are available to meet with you to advise you on
all aspects of the job process. Topics discussed include job search strategies, employer research techniques, networking advice, resume and cover letter drafting, and interviewing skills. The CDO has extended hours to accommodate both Day Division and Evening Division students. Students are welcomed and encouraged to meet with counselors for scheduled appointments, telephone appointments and quick questions. We encourage you to establish and maintain a “partnership” with the CDO team during your law school years.
2. RESUME and COVER LETTER REVIEWS: Students may submit, by e-mail, their resume
and cover letters for review. The resume and cover letter section of your Job Search Guide will provide detailed instruction and helpful examples for you to use as guides in drafting your job application materials. To make the best use of your time and ours, please review the Guide and follow the instructions provided before submitting your resume drafts and cover letters for review.
3. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS: We conduct skill-building workshops and
presentations on resume preparation, job search strategies, interviewing skills, building your professional networks and developing the workplace skills, qualities and mindsets that employers seek in job candidates. These programs often include outside experts and focus on topics such as preparing for judicial internships and clerkships, government and private sector practice as well as developing your lawyering skills through pro bono training
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opportunities. We also conduct mock-interviewing programs and develop venues for you to practice networking by interacting with alumni and other attorneys. These programs are advertised via the student email list servs, in the CDO Update electronic newsletter, on the law school calendars and on the home page of the UMD-Symplicity system.
4. CAREERS PANELS & PRESENTATIONS: The CDO coordinates and presents career
panels about the legal job market and the range of practice areas and fields in which lawyers work within and outside the legal profession. The speakers are often alumni and other attorneys who are eager to talk about job search experiences, career paths and the organizations where they work.
5. RECRUITMENT PROGRAMS: Employers nationwide, including law firms cited among the
country’s largest, recruit students through the CDO’s Fall Recruitment Program. The Fall Recruitment Program includes (1) On-Campus Interviews or “OCI”, (2) the Washington, DC Interview Program (WIP), (3) National Law School Consortium (NLSC) regional interview program, and (4) Resume Collection opportunities. The CDO also conducts a Spring Recruitment Program for employers that recruit “of the moment” and sporadically during the spring semester. Additionally, the CDO co-sponsors or facilitates students’ involvement in 25 local, regional and national job fairs and career consortia with employers recruiting for summer and entry level jobs in the private and public sectors. (See the section of the CDO Guide’s “Legal Job Market & Recruitment Opportunities” section.)
6. SYMPLICITY JOB BANK: Many employers, such as smaller and mid-sized law firms,
governmental agencies and non-profit organizations, recruit interns, law clerks and attorney job candidates by posting job openings in the CDO’s UMD-Symplicity Job Bank as needs arise throughout the year. First-year students (1D/2Es) gain access to the CDO’s Symplicity job bank following the ”Orientation to the CDO” held for 1D/2E students annually in October.
7. PUBLIC SERVICE, POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS and PRO BONO TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES: Many of our graduates pursue public services careers as judicial law clerks in the courts, as attorneys with direct legal services providers, as public policy leaders, as postgraduate fellows in public interest organizations, and law firms with pro bono practice. The CDO team counsels students seeking public service experience and employment, and how to increase one’s public service experience through community service and pro bono service. The Office also hosts programs on how to fund summer and postgraduate public service work, in addition to counseling graduating students pursuing public interest employment and are interested in applying to law school’s Public Service Loan Repayment Program.
8. MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES: The CDO conducts a one-year Alumni-1L Mentoring Program that matches 1D/2E students with alumni mentors who are available to help students navigate the law school experience. We also assist students in connecting with mentoring opportunities offered by a host of outside legal organizations.
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YOUR REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS
RESUMES
Creating a professional resume is the initial step in the job search process. There is not a single correct resume form. There is, however, an expectation and preference within the legal profession that a law student’s resume should include certain information, and that the information is presented in a uniform order. Within this general structure, a resume can be personalized to highlight particular qualities and convey an individualized summary of experience. Typically resumes should be one page. Two-page resumes are acceptable in some cases where a student has significant past experience and accomplishments relevant to the positions sought. Three page resumes are not acceptable but there are exceptions. For some government employers, a longer resume may be appropriate. If you think your experience warrants a two-page resume, please see a counselor for clarification and advice.
Regardless of the particular format and style, a resume has certain essential characteristics that will positively influence any resume reviewer. To create an effective resume, keep in mind the guidelines outlined below.
AUDIENCE
Keep your audience in mind. Studies have indicated that employers will spend an average of sixty (60) seconds looking at a resume. You want to makes sure your resume is targeted towards the people that will be reading it (such as lawyers, public advocates, corporate executives, and so forth).
If you come from another field with several years of work experience, recognize that legal employers may not recognize certain terms and industry-specific language. You will have to tailor it so that your experience comes through in a way easy to understand.
RESUME STYLE & FORMAT
Design a well-organized, uncluttered, easy-to-read resume. Choose the resume style and format that works best for you and that you would feel comfortable presenting to these individuals. Examples of acceptable layouts are included in this Guide.
Print the resume on good quality paper--professional traditional stationary (plain, laid, or linen weave paper, of very pale ivory, or white color). Avoid gray or tan paper and paper that has any speckles or flecks in it. Often an employer will make a copy of your resume for a colleague to review and these papers copy poorly. Cover letters, thank you letters, reference lists and envelopes should match your resume.
“A resume is a promotional piece. It should present the most attractive, albeit true, picture of you. It’s supposed to pique someone’s interest enough to get you
through the door, where you’ll sell yourself for the position.”
Alayne Walton, Kimm, Guerilla Tactics For Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, The BarBri Group, Chicago, IL ©1999; quoting Debra Fink, Case Western Reserve Law School.
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Use indentations, boldface type, underlining, and upper- and lower-case lettering interchangeably to create a clean crisp format that is easy to read. Use italics for magna cum laude, and for publications (i.e., Maryland Law Review, The Business Lawyer, or the titles of your own publications such as a senior thesis, law review note, and article). When you are using these tools, be sure to be consistent throughout the document.
Many resume formats exist, but only two are generally accepted in the legal profession. They include a reverse chronological (historical) format and a functional (qualitative) format. Examples of these are available at the end of the resume section.
In creating a reverse chronological resume, which is the most commonly used format keep
the below tips in mind:
It is the preferred resume style
Content arranged in reverse chronological order (newest first)
Most effectively used by those who have established or are establishing
credentials within a particular field, or whose credentials show career growth and
direction within one particular employment environment
Should not merely detail history of employment and education
Narrative statements should emphasize skills and accomplishments
Devote more space to recent positions
Fully describe positions most supportive of your career decision, i.e., legal work
or legally related work
Avoid excessive repetition in detail and substance
If you plan to use the functional resume format, keep the following tips in mind:
Emphasize abilities over work history by organizing information according to skill
possessed, results accomplished, contributions made, or functions successfully
performed
Best used by a person changing careers who possess little or no experience
supportive of their present goals, have time gaps or inconsistencies in work
experience, have been out of the labor market for a considerable length of time
Selection functions describing job related abilities
List functions in order of importance and relevance to career direction
Maintain emphasis toward accomplishments and achievement while illustrating
specific abilities
RESUME CATEGORIES
The two necessary categories on a legal Resume are Education and Experience. They should be in this order unless you have graduated and been in practice for awhile; in that case, you may choose to switch the order. Other headings for your resume may include:
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Volunteer Work or Community Service – This is especially important if you are applying to a public service employer and want to prove a demonstrated interest in service. For other employers this can also be a way to show ties to a particular area or business development opportunities.
Languages – This can be a huge selling point to an employer who has clients in a particular area. But do not overrate your skills because you may be asked to demonstrate them in an interview. You should include if you are fluent or, at a minimum, can carry a conversation or translate the language.
Professional Affiliations – This can include bar associations (not affiliated with law school student groups) and other memberships in trade-specific industries.
Additional Education – This section can highlight additional courses taken at other institutions either not-for-credit or towards a degree not completed. Any relevant job or practice area training or seminars can also be included. Some students also choose to include study abroad in this section.
Publications – Even if it is in a non-legal area, publications can demonstrate research and writing skills that would interest an employer. If you have several, consider listing on a separate page that you can provide with your resume.
Interests – Some employers love this section, others dislike it. If you have a unique interest that you spend a fair amount of time pursuing and can speak on for a fair amount of time, include it. Not everything you like to do is an interest (watching T.V. is not an interest). Don’t use general terms (example – “traveling” or “sports”) or anything controversial or inappropriate.
INFORMATION NOT TO INCLUDE ON YOUR RESUME
There are types of information to avoid placing on legal resume (even if you see this information represented on resumes for other fields or CVs). This information includes:
An objective, profile, or career “capsule”
LSAT scores
High schools (instead, note your alumni association membership in your
Professional Memberships & Affilations Section)
Personal data: age, date of birth, SS# (unless required for government applications)
The word “I” or “my” in your employment descriptions
References (these go on a separate page and are provided only if requested)
Place of Employment addresses and telephone numbers
Computer or typing skills
TOP OF PAGE HEADING
This section includes all information necessary for a prospective employer to contact you such as name, address, phone number (home or cell), and email address. Generally, the name on a resume is “set-off” with a point size that is different from that used throughout the resume. Otherwise, the style and format of the identifying information is a matter of taste, provided it is clear, easy to read and visually and spatially balanced.
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You should include your current local address. However, you should include your “Permanent Address” (when it is outside of Maryland) if, and only if, you want to convey to a prospective employer that you have ties to your permanent address area and are interested in returning to it.
What follows are some heading examples you can consider:
Example 1:
Andra M. Batson
555 West Main Street Austin, Texas 50015 (888) 555-0505
Example 2 (for students applying to employers in a home state):
Robert T. Redding
[email protected] / (888) 555-9009
Home Address: Law School Address:
725 North Avenue 1025 Pratt Street
Beverly Hills, California 09991 Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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EDUCATION SECTION
This section includes expected and earned degrees, and must be presented in reverse
chronological order (from most recent to oldest position). You should also consider including
grade point average (GPA), class rank, as well as other education-related experiences.
Educational Degrees: It is appropriate to write out Juris Doctor, Master of Arts, Master of
Science, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, etc., or to abbreviate J.D., M.A., M.S., B.S.,
B.A., respectively. Be sure to use a consistent format throughout the resume. Include all
important academic honors, awards, extracurricular activities and community service.
Leadership activities related to school should be grouped under each respective school listing.
Please note you are enrolled in a J.D. degree program and J.D. is the abbreviation for Juris
Doctor. It is NEVER correct to refer to your degree as a Juris Doctorate or a Jurist Doctorate.
GPA: GPA information is provided by the Office of Registration and Enrollment (OR&E) at the
School of Law. On your resume, you can represent your GPA numerically or as a letter grade,
or both. However, if you report the GPA numerically, you must use the exact information
reflected on your transcript, carried out to the second decimal point (See Section I: Honor
Code).
The CDO recommends including GPA if it is at or higher than 3.00. You may also choose to
represent your GPA as a letter grade and not numerically. To determine your letter grade, you
may go to the law school website at http://www.law.umaryland.edu/employers/hiring/grading.html to find grading
scale information from the Office of Registration & Enrollment.
Grades/Transcripts: You will receive your grades from the Office of Registration and
Enrollment. Questions regarding grades may be directed to OR&E (Suite 280, 410-706-2045,
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/about/departments/ore/). Please consult the homepage of OR&E
to order official/unofficial transcripts through the campus Student User Friendly System
(SURFS).
Grading Scale: You are not required to indicate the 4.33 grade scale with your numeric GPA
but if you do choose to display the grading scale you must use 4.33 and not “4.0.” (e.g. GPA:
3.84/4.33 or GPA: 3.84).
Class Rank: Class rank information is provided and verified by the School of Law's Office of
Registration and Enrollment. Class rank may be represented by displaying the numeric ratio of
your rank compared with the number of students in your class (ex. 17/282). Or you may use the
rank percentile (e.g. Top 6%). Or you may use both: 17/282 (Top 6%). Be sure that the rank
percentile is calculated correctly and is reported to the nearest decimal, as opposed to rounding
the figure up or down. (e.g. 35/282 is represented as 12.4%)
Report the exact percentage as calculated instead using the nearest "grade cut-off" point. (ex.
17/282 should be displayed as Top 6%, not Top 5% or Top 10%). Remember, as with GPA
reporting, errors made in reporting your class rank can be perceived as a material
misrepresentation of your credentials and an Honor Code violation.
To calculate class rank: divide your individual rank by the total numbers of students in your class. For instance, if your class rank is 35/282, divide 35 by 282 to get 0.12411. Move the decimal point to the hundredth place (two spaces right) = 12.411, which = 12.4%.
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Transfer Students: You can include your most recent cumulative GPA from your previous law
school on your resume but it must be listed under that school and not under the University Of
Maryland Francis King Carey School Of Law. You can also list, under your previous law school,
any honors you earned while attending that school. Note that if you were successful in
petitioning to join a law journal and were “officially” selected, you CAN state on your resume that
you were “invited” or “selected” to participate in the activity. However, you CANNOT simply list
the law journal or Moot Court on your resume because it implies that you actually participated in
those activities.
Examples of Education sections:
Example 1:
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Baltimore, MD
J.D. Expected, May 2019
GPA: 3.33 / Class Rank: 50/200 (Top 25%)
Activities: Business Law Society, Moot Court Board
Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD
B.A., May 2012, cum laude
Major: Business / Minor: Spanish
GPA: 3.81
Honors: Dean’s List (7 semesters), Edward D. Moody Scholarship (academic merit)
Example 2:
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Baltimore, Maryland
Candidate for Juris Doctor, May 2018
GPA: 3.50
Environmental Law Society
Moot Court Board
Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Arts, Spanish, May 2015
GPA: 3.75
Dean’s List 2012-2015
Varsity Field Hockey (Captain 2012-2014)
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“Your goal in creating a resume is to make it an effective marketing
tool. It must be a concise, visually powerful document that reflects
your educational and professional experience, but also your strengths
and accomplishments and, ideally, some identifiable thread of your
career interest. Hiring partners like me spend less than a minute
looking at a resume that we receive. Therefore, it’s crucial that you
make your resume an organized, informative document that helps the
employer decide at a glance whether to place your application in the
‘keeper’ pile instead of the rejection pile.”
--advice from a Maryland Carey Law mentor to his law student mentee
Example 3 (Transfer student):
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Baltimore, MD Juris Doctor anticipated, May 2019
Transferred: University of Miami School of Law, Miami, Florida
GPA: 4.0 / Class Rank 2/456
Invited to join UMiami Law Review
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Master of Science, Business Administration, May 2014
University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD
Bachelor of Arts, English, May 2013
Senior Thesis: “The Influence of Child Labor Laws in the Genesis of Dickensian Literature”
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EXPERIENCE SECTION
Include all professional work experience, including paid, volunteer, part-time, and full-time experience. Also includes legal clinics, internships and clerkships. They should be listed in reverse chronological order. The EXPERIENCE category communicates a sense of an applicant’s skills, responsibility and leadership. Job descriptions should be concise and written in short phrases beginning with strong, clear, action verbs. Describe past experiences using past tense verbs, and current experience using present tense verbs. Describe the level of responsibility and, if applicable, the extent of experience with specialty areas of law, legal writing and research. If relevant or significant, include specific awards. In your previous positions, you will want to highlight your transferable legal skills. Think about your past experiences and what skills you learned from them. Many skills are universal and can be applied to the legal profession. For example, working as a waitress can teach you the ability to multi-task, handle difficult clients and provide excellent customer service.
Action Verbs: Action words at the beginning of phrase or bullet are used to drive attention to and demonstrate effectively your proficiency and achievements in the skills and abilities you want employers to notice. Therefore, it is important that you start descriptions in your Experience section with key action verbs that not only highlight the tasks performed but also specifically showcase your abilities. Below is a sampling of action verbs to consider:
Decision-Making Management Change Activity Auditing
Approve Execute Modify Negotiate Review
Require Approve Upgrade Cooperate Analyze
Decide Direct Create Represent Report
Test Change Stimulate Coordinate Conclude
Accept Organize Improve Publicize Change
Authorize Meet Compare Strengthen Render
Terminate Establish Design Guide Anticipate
Manage Make Assist Consider
Activate Evaluate Establish Compare Communication
Solve Plan Assemble Write
Adjudicate Administration Interpret
Supervision Analyze Purchase Inform
Foster Requisition Interview
Train Assign Promote
Supervise Discharge Maintain
Interview Display Testify
Exercise Administer Employ
Delegate Supply Appraise
Encourage Procure Recruit
Counsel Secure Screen
Assess Justify Report
Develop Engage Market
Employ Critique
Develop
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How to Write High-Quality Descriptions
The exercise that follows was designed to assist you in writing descriptions that will stand out to employers. This is a very important section for employers and it is your opportunity to demonstrate your skills and abilities. In the left-hand column of the box below are core skills that legal employers will seek in potential employees. These skills can be obtained in many different positions and you may have demonstrated them in previous positions, internships, or extracurricular activities. For each skill, try to come up with an example of when you used that skill. This will help you to write your descriptions.
SKILLS RELATED TO JOB
COMPETENCE
EXAMPLES OF SKILLS USED
Analytical Thinking/Logic
Research
Writing/drafting
Communication
Decision-making
Problem solving
Time management
Supervision/Management
Independent work/thinking
Teamwork
Attention to detail
Multi-tasking
Negotiation
Strategizing
The mechanical skills to complete the job are not all that is required. You must also possess personality traits that allow you to excel in the workplace. What follows is another chart listing highly sought after personality traits. You must have specific examples to back up your traits. This exercise will assist you not only in resume drafting but when it comes time to write cover letters as well.
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SKILLS RELATED TO PERSONALITY
EXAMPLES OF THESE PERSONALITY
TRAITS
Creativity
Persuasiveness
Resourcefulness
Adaptability
Reliability
Responsible
Trustworthy
Self-motivated
Patience
Conscientiousness
Composed under pressure
Diligence
Self-disciplined
Fair
Versatility
Grit/Resilience
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Sample job descriptions:
Example 1 ( Federal Government):
Analyzed Environmental Agency Impact Statements. Prepared reports used
for formulating interrogatories. Analyzed and developed areas for expert
testimony. Conducted related legal research, including an investigation of
agency grievance procedures.
Example 2 (Private Law Firm):
Researched and drafted legal memoranda and briefs, with emphasis on contracts, torts,
real estate and insurance law. Drafted pleadings and motions. Interviewed clients and
handled inquiries.
-OR-
Prepared legal memoranda and researched substantive legal issues in international trade,
trade regulation, patent, trademark, and copyright law. Drafted legal documents for use in
litigation. Assisted in preparation for litigation before federal courts. Monitored
congressional and federal agency actions affecting client's interests.
Example 3 (Public Interest Organization):
Represented clients in all phases of civil and criminal litigation.
Researched and drafted legal memoranda on issues related to the elderly including
social security, medicaid/medicare, workers’ compensation and landlord/tenant
disputes.
Example 4 (Clinic):
Assisted prosecutor in criminal and regulatory offenses including
arraignments, status hearings and probation. Represented the State in
trials, deposition proceedings and plea bargaining.
Example 5 (Military):
Managed claims resulting from personal injury and property damage.
Provided legal assistance to military service personnel on a wide range of personal
matters.
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EDITING TIPS
As you gain more experience you will find it increasingly difficult to get it all on one page. However, making the font and the margins smaller is not the best way to make it all fit. In fact it makes it hard on the reader and he/she may be less inclined to spend time reading your resume. In this section we will provide some valuable editing tricks and tips to help you make it all fit and still have an excellent and readable document.
Prioritize – Eliminate or shorten less relevant jobs or experiences. The most recent and relevant
experience should have the most space.
Re-organize – Try to present the information in a different manner. Use bullets instead of narrative paragraphs, put headings in the middle instead of on the side.
Use word processing editing tricks – Microsoft Word has many fonts, spacing and other functions that can be used to fit the same information in less space (beyond just smaller margins and fonts).
Insert Lines - Creating a separation line between your contact information and Education section helps with the formatting but instead of just inserting an auto shape line go to “Design”, then “Page Borders,” then “Borders.” In the box that appears, select the type of border you would like. In the preview section make sure you choose the option to underline only the paragraph and not the whole page and then click OK.
Spacing - Shrink the space between entries on your resume by changing the font size to 5 point
on the lines without text.
Tabs - Use tabs and the ruler at the top of the document to line up information on both the left and
right margins.
SAMPLE RESUMES
The following few pages contain sample resumes. DO NOT just copy from the samples; rather,
use them as a guide in drafting your own resume. Employers can pick out the resumes from
students who followed a template because they will all look the same.
Look for the following sample resumes to match your situation:
1L student resume
2L student resume
3L student resume
Evening Division resume
Transfer Student resume
Graduate resume (awaiting bar results)
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Terrence F. Johnston 555 Main Street / Ellicott City, Maryland 21102 / (555) 997-6060
EDUCATION
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Baltimore, MD
Juris Doctor Candidate, May 2020
GPA: anticipated February 2018
Leadership Scholar Award for Public Service
The George Washington University, Washington, DC
Bachelor of Science, History, May 2017
GPA: 3.66
Student Government Association, Vice-President (2016-17)
Sigma Tau Alpha service fraternity
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Jane Dohe & Associates, Burtonsville, MD
Legal Assistant, Summer 2017
Fielded inquiries from clients and assisted in drafting routine correspondence
Redacted privileged materials from documents and created privilege logs
Provided research on criminal defense matters
Accompanied attorney at court appearances and depositions
The George Washington University, Washington, DC
Research Assistant to Professor Michael G. Jones, May 2015 - December 2016
Researched legislative history on various topics, including health care and prison reform
Edited draft chapters of upcoming textbook
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Gaithersburg Community Pool, Gaithersburg, MD
Swimming Instructor, Summers 2012 - 2014
Taught swimming lessons to elementary aged children
Assisted with the coordination of lessons and instructor schedules
LANGUAGES
French: Fluent
German: Reading ability
[Sample 1L Resume]
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JOANNA H. PARK 111 Elm Street ▪ Laurel, MD 22222 ▪ (301) 555-1111 ▪ [email protected]
EDUCATION
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Baltimore, MD
Juris Doctor Candidate, May 2019
GPA: 3.51
Maryland Law Review, Member
Maryland Public Interest Law Program, Treasurer
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Arts, English, May 2017
Senior Honors Thesis: The Use of Adventure in Children’s Literature
EXPERIENCE
University of Maryland Carey School of Law, Clinical Law Program, Baltimore, MD
Student Attorney, Fall 2016
Represented clients with HIV/AIDS in a variety of health and family law matters
Drafted pleadings, such as, complaints, answers, and motions to dismiss
Attended adjudicatory hearings at the Juvenile Justice Center in Baltimore City
Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Rockville, MD
Judicial Intern to The Honorable William Mathis, June 2016 - August 2016
Assigned to Civil docket, which included complex civil litigation , class actions and
mass tort cases
Researched substantive and procedural legal issues and observed court proceedings
Drafted judicial orders and memoranda in a workers compensation appeal and a post
conviction petition
Gaithersburg Summer Camp, Gaithersburg, MD
Counselor, Summers 2014 - 2015
Organized orientation and trained new counselors for group assignments
Planned activities for group of ten (10) third-grade children
Managed and solicited sponsorships for the end of the summer talent show
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA), Law Student Division, Criminal Law Section
American Bar Association, Law Student Division
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Homework Tutor, House of Ruth, 2016 - Present
Holiday Volunteer, Bright Oaks Retirement Community, 2014 - Present
[Sample 2L Resume]
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Raymond Davis Bennett 1180 Main Street, Glen Burnie, MD 22222
[email protected], 410-555-1111
Education:
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Baltimore, MD
J.D. Candidate, May 2019
GPA: 3.30/4.33
Activity: Business Law Society
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
B.A., Urban & Regional Planning, May 2004
GPA: 3.51
Activities: Varsity Soccer Team: NCAA Playoffs (2002), Most Valuable Player (2002), Community
Service Students Unsung Hero Award (2004).
Professional Experience:
McNeal Enterprises, Lanham, MD
Government Contracting Division, Division Manager, 2008 – present
Oversee the negotiation of defense procurement contracts involving the corporation and the federal
government. Manage a staff of 25 professionals, overseeing their training and development. Collaborate
with business group management and law department attorneys to address clients’ contractual issues.
Promoted from Senior Manager to Division Manager in 2008 for superior performance. Awarded
McNeal’s “Leader of the Year” in 2013.
National Aerospace Industries, Washington, DC
Government Contracts Administrator, 2004 – 2008
Negotiated contracts, grants and cooperative agreements. Monitored institutional proposal process and
maintained compliance with regulations governing government procurement process and contracts.
Worked with the Office of General Counsel to update and develop subcontracting templates.
The Princeton Review, Annapolis, MD
Instructor, 2000-2004
Taught SAT prep classes for high school students in small group settings and provided additional
individual instruction as needed. Organized and implemented 300-page syllabus to meet needs of specific
classroom settings. Analyzed results of student diagnostic SATs and provided feedback to aid in test
preparation.
Professional Affiliations
National Association of Government Contractors
Law Student Member: Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA), American Bar Association:
Skills & Interests:
Fluent in Spanish and German. Glen Burnie Junior Soccer League Coach
[Sample Evening Student Resume]
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LINDA T. HOURIGAN 8777 Spring Haven Columbia, MD 22222 410-555-1111 [email protected]
______________________________________________________________________
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND FRANCIS KING CAREY SCHOOL OF LAW, Baltimore, MD
Juris Doctor Candidate, May 2019
Transferred: Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse, NY
GPA: 3.21; Invited to join the Syracuse Law Review
William H. Colby Scholarship Recipient
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK, College Park, MD
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, May 2007
GPA: 3.54
EXPERIENCE
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW, CLINICAL LAW PROGRAM, Syracuse, NY
Student Attorney, Immigration Law Clinic, Summer 2017
Represented persons seeking asylum before U.S. Immigration and Nationalization Service
and administrative law judges.
Prepared asylum claims involving: extensive client interviews at an INS detention facility,
investigating facts on legal issues, writing memoranda, and appearing at asylum interviews
before INS adjudicators.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, INC., Washington, DC
Government Contracts Administrator, August 2013 – July 2016
Negotiated contracts, grants and cooperative agreements in conjunction with general
counsel.
Monitored institutional proposal process and assured corporation’s compliance with
regulations involving bilateral donors.
Worked with general counsel to develop and update subcontracting templates.
Supervised three administrative staff.
MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Annapolis, MD
Analyst, November 2010 - July 2013
Developed and implemented a contract tracking system to monitor annual statewide
allocation of $275 million in Housing and Urban Development and Department of Labor
funds.
Processed sub-grantee contracts.
SIMPSON CONSULTING, INC., Baltimore, MD
Clerk, August 2008 - October 2010
Prepared feasibility studies of local housing markets. Coordinated with local and state
housing agencies to compile reports on bond-financing approval process.
[Sample Transfer Student Resume]
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HEATHER L. MEADOWS
5600 Concordia Street, #13R / Rockville, MD 21207 / (301) 123-3214
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY of MARYLAND FRANCIS KING CAREY SCHOOL OF LAW, Baltimore, MD
J.D. Expected, May 2018
GPA: 3.67
Journal: Maryland Law Review, Articles Editor
Activities: Teaching Assistant (Legal Writing); Women’s Bar Association
HOWARD UNIVERSITY, Washington, DC
M.Ed., Teaching, June 2014
GPA: 3.90
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, New York, NY
B.A. in English Literature, May 2012
GPA: 3.82
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa; Elected to the Honor Society for English Literature
EXPERIENCE
SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM, New York, NY
Summer Associate, Summer 2017
Conducted research and prepared memoranda on litigation, mass torts, international
arbitration, project finance and commercial property law issues. Participated in litigation and
trial advocacy workshops. Attended client meetings and participated in firm pro bono
activities involving immigration review issues.
UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS, Washington, DC
Judicial Intern to The Honorable John E. Russell, Summer 2016
Researched and wrote memoranda regarding tax and securities issues. Attended court
proceedings.
CHARLES HAMILTON HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL, Largo, MD
English Teacher, September 2012-May 2014
Taught grammar, writing and composition to students in grades 9-12 at a public high school.
Organized the school’s first annual regional writing competition geared to college-bound high
school students.
PUBLICATION
"Restructuring Securities Law to Promote Equity in Investments,"
Maryland Law Review, January 2018 (anticipated)
[Sample 3L Resume]
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MATTHEW T. PHILLIPS 11321 Shaker Road Baltimore, MD 21046 (555) 808-4990 [email protected]
BAR ADMISSION
Maryland (July 2017 Bar Exam, awaiting results)
EDUCATION
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Baltimore, MD
Juris Doctor, cum laude, May 2017
GPA: 3.52 (Top Third)
Towson University, Towson, MD
Bachelor of Arts, History of Art and Architecture, May 2012
GPA: 3.6, cum laude
EXPERIENCE
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Baltimore MD
Rule 16 Student Attorney, Clinical Law Program, Spring 2017
Represented victims of Hurricane Katrina in contractor fraud litigation Prepared memoranda relating primarily to consumer protection legislation Assisted attorneys in the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General
SMI Corporation, Inc., Baltimore, MD
Law Clerk, Law Department, October 2015 – August 2016
Assisted in-house counsel by reviewing documents and researching issues relating to corporate law
Drafted documents for business transactions, including letters of engagement and employment agreements
Prepared attorneys for and assisted at depositions
Wright, Mackey & Stone, P.C., Baltimore, MD
Summer Law Clerk, Summer 2015
Prepared memoranda on a range of topics such as corporate fraud, federal labor law, and mergers & acquisitions
Assisted the successful representation of a pro bono client in obtaining a protective order
Assisted in the drafting of a corporate practice guide for the Maryland State Bar Association
Holland & Knight, LLP, Washington, DC
Legal Assistant, August 2012 - July 2014
Managed document production for both corporate transactions and litigation cases
Assisted in preparing for arbitration and litigation before both state and federal courts
Prepared trial notebooks and organized exhibits for both jury and bench trials
[Sample Graduate Resume--after bar exam, awaiting results]
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COVER LETTERS
The cover letter is as critical to the job search process as the resume. It is the only professionally accepted tool used to introduce you to potential employers and to communicate directly with an individual employer. You should always include a cover letter with a resume when applying for a position or responding to an advertisement, even when it is not expressly requested. The cover letter is the tool that allows you to address qualifications that specifically match a particular position.
A cover letter should:
Be typed and, to the extent possible, tailored for a particular position.
Be addressed to an individual rather than to "Dear Hiring Attorney" or “To Whom It May Concern.”
Focus upon, and request, a particular outcome such as an employment interview or an informational interview.
Be free of errors - typographical and grammatical errors are usually deadly. Run spell-check on your document, but do not rely on it solely, as it will not detect all errors; proofread carefully and have someone else read it.
Be on the same paper used for your resume (if mailing).
A cover letter should NOT:
Be more than one page
Be sent via facsimile unless the employer specifically asks you to do so or you cannot make an application deadline otherwise.
Be a chronological run-down of your resume. Rather, use the cover letter to highlight certain skills or personality traits (using specific examples) to demonstrate to the employer why you should be considered for the position.
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STANDARD COVER LETTER FORMAT
Your cover letter must include the following standard eight (8) components:
1) Your name and address (street address, phone and email) at the top of the letter (letterhead style, just like your resume) or at the top left-hand corner two spaces under the date line.
2) Dateline (Month Day, Year) The dateline is usually typed 2 or 4 lines below the letterhead and may be flush left, centered, or flush right. Place commas between the day and month.
3) Inside Address of the Recipient The “inside” address includes the full formal name and address of the addressee. If addressed to an individual at the place of employment, the address should include the individual’s title and formal name of the company. The inside address can be placed 2 or 3 lines under the dateline, should begin flush with the left-hand margin, and is single-spaced. No line of the address should extend beyond the middle of the page. Spell out numerical names of streets and avenues if they are numbers twelve and under.
4) Greeting or Salutation Type the salutation 2-3 lines below the inside address, flush with the left-hand margin. Capitalize the first word, the title, and name. Use a colon following the salutation. A comma is used only in personal or informal social letters. When the gender is unknown, use the person’s first name in the salutation. (ex. Dear Chris Stone: or Dear M. L. Watson:)
5) Body of the Letter Begin the body of the letter 1 line of space below the salutation. Single space the body of the letter and double space between paragraphs. The paragraphs in the body of the letter may begin flush with the left-hand margin (block style) or the first line of each paragraph may be indented 5 spaces.
6) The Closing Type the closing 1 line under the body of the letter. The standard practice is to use a warm complimentary closing such as: Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Cordially, Cordially yours, Regards, Best regards, and so forth. When writing to a company, “Sincerely” is preferable to “Cordially.” The closing may be placed flush left (block style), centered to align with the dateline, or flush right to match a dateline placed flush with the right-hand margin.
7) Signature Line The signature may contain your name and, if applicable, your business title. Type the signature line 4 lines beneath the closing. Align the typed signature under the first letter of the complimentary close. No line of the signature should extend beyond the right-hand margin.
8) Enclosure Notation When you are enclosing a resume or other enclosures with your cover letter, type the word “Enclosure” or “Enclosures” or “Enc.” flush with the left-hand margin, 2 lines under the last line of the typed signature.
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ADDRESSING YOUR COVER LETTER
Address your letter to a specific person It’s always best to address your letter to a specific person whenever possible (Dear Mr. Snow: ). If you cannot find the name of a recruiter or hiring attorney, call the organization to find out the name and correct spelling of the person responsible for hiring decisions. Avoid using “To Whom it May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.” Instead, if you’ve investigated and cannot pinpoint a specific point person, address your letter to a member of the group that is recruiting (Dear Hiring Committee:).
Be sure that the contact person’s and organization’s name is spelled correctly. If the organization is a law firm, this includes the proper spelling of all named partners, appropriate placement of commas, ampersands (&) or other words used in the firm’s name (ex. Howe, Holland and Newsome LLP or Thomas & Chang P. C.).
When to write “Esq.” When including “Esq.” after an individual’s name in the address block, never use Ms. or Mr. as a prefix. Esquire is used alone at the end of a person’s name to indicate that he or she is an attorney. E.g.
Jeremy O. Graham, Esq. 1000 Oaks, Suite 200 Ellicott City, MD 21044
Use a Colon Not a Comma in the Greeting Because your initial cover letter is business correspondence that is introducing you, use a colon in the greeting instead of a comma (e.g., Dear Mr. Smith:). After you have met or spoken with the recipient, it is acceptable to use a comma in the greeting, such as in a thank you letter sent after an interview or an informational meeting.
Ex.
Megan Smith 103 Mt. Zion Road, #105, Silver Spring, MD 20903
202-555-0909, [email protected]
_________________________________________________________________________
December 1, 2017
Timothy G.W. Traynor
Partner
Price, Nixon & Ames P.C.
1400 Monument Avenue
Capital City, MD 21203
Dear Mr. Traynor:
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BODY OF THE LETTER—TYPE OF INFORMATION TO INCLUDE
First Paragraph - The Opening (Who You Are and Why You Are Writing): Begin confidently and state who you are, why you are writing (the position for which you are applying), and where you heard of the opening. It is not always necessary to mention the name of the website you may have seen the posting but if someone referred you to the position, mention that person’s name in the first paragraph of the letter. Specifics about connections to the employer or ties to the city should also be included in this paragraph.
Ex. First Paragraph I am a (insert year) student at the University Of Maryland Francis King Carey School Of Law. I am
interested in being considered for the (xyz position) at your office. . . (Mr./Ms. Full Name) recommended that I contact you with respect to the (xyz position)…
State ties and connections to the city if the position is out-of-state.
Second Paragraph – The Sell (Why the Employer Should Hire You): Tell employers what you bring to the job. Focus on why the reader should talk with you. Possible topics include: prior experience, clinics, internships, and appropriate school-related activities (journal, moot court). Most importantly, discuss what you gained from these experiences. You may also include language abilities and other professional skills, when relevant. Highlight significant, relevant portions of your Resume, but do not repeat the content of your Resume. After some
experience, this section may be split into two paragraphs.
Ex. Second Paragraph
My professional experience prior to law school enabled me to gain . . . My course selection in law school demonstrates my interest in . . . I am confident that my experience and education will allow me to contribute . . .
Discuss specific positions/jobs or courses that exposed you to . . .
Third Paragraph and the Closing: Ask for a personal interview and indicate your flexibility as to time and place. If you are applying out of state, tell the employer when you will be in the area and available for an interview. You can use this space to reiterate your interest and/or let the employer know when you will be following up. Thank the employer for his/her time and consideration.
Ex. Third Paragraph
I am interested in meeting with you to discuss employment possibilities and am available for an interview (specify city and time)…
I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
(leave four blank lines for signature – always sign your cover letter)
Signature
Your name (typed)
Enclosure(s)
Salary Requests
The closing paragraph is an appropriate place to respond to any requests for salary
requirements/history. If a job advertisement requests that you provide such information, you
should try to address this issue without stating a dollar amount or even a range. Providing a
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salary amount could eliminate you from consideration if it is too high, or limit your ability to
obtain a higher salary if you obtain the position. Often you will not have information to
determine what the position will pay. You should try to postpone the salary issue until further
into the interview stage. However, to demonstrate that you are aware of the request and that
you are detail-oriented, include a sentence in your closing paragraph that states something to
the effect of: “My salary requirements are negotiable.”
Some postings will state that cover letters without salary requirements will not be considered. In
that case, you may be forced to provide a number. We have several salary resources in the
CDO Library including NALP’s Associate Salary Survey and the Robert Half Legal Salary Guide.
Both resources provide good information on salary ranges for positions such as law clerks,
paralegals, and entry-level and experienced attorneys. Feel free to review these materials
during CDO office hours or to contact the CDO with any questions.
SAMPLE COVER LETTERS
The following pages contain some very basic cover letter samples. DO NOT copy from the samples. Cover letters are a very individualized and yours should be very different from the samples. A word to the wise: employers can tell which students copied from CDO samples, especially when they receive numerous cover letters that all read the same. Work with a CDO counselor to hone and perfect your unique and specific cover letter.
These samples include:
Sample 1L Job Cover Letter
Sample 2L Job Cover Letter
Sample Public Service Job Cover Letter
Sample Law Firm Job Cover Letter
Sample Judicial Internship Cover Letter
Sample Fall Recruitment/OCI Job Cover Letter
Sample Graduate Cover Letter – Government
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CHRISTOPHER J. MANZONI 11 S. Eunice Street, Baltimore, MD 21203 [email protected] 410-555-5555
December 1, 2017
Wanda V. Lawrence Esq.
Draper, Paulson & Moss, P.C.
2780 N. Charles Street
Suite 1700
Baltimore, MD 21201
Dear Ms. Lawrence:
I am writing to express my interest in a summer law clerk position with Draper, Paper & Moss,
P.C. I am currently a first-year student at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey
School of Law. I am very interested learning more about civil litigation practice. After
researching civil litigation law firms and speaking with law school alumni, I was encouraged to
apply to Draper, Paulson & Moss.
Although my legal education has only just begun, my academic record shows that I am
developing the analytical skills, writing ability and work ethic that are crucial attributes in a law
clerk. First semester I earned a grade point average of 3.61, including an ‘A’ in Legal Analysis,
Writing and Research (LAWR I). I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Maryland,
College Park, where my double-major in English and psychology afforded many opportunities
to participate in high-level research projects and hone my writing skills. I also can offer
practical experience and an understanding of law office operations gained during college while
working in a busy private family law practice. I am familiar with pleadings and the court
system, and I am accustomed to the wide variety of tasks and daily challenges inherent to
assisting attorneys in the litigation process. Furthermore, I am particularly interested in
employment and health law, two areas in which your firm specializes.
I can be reached at 410-555-5555 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Thank you for
your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Chris Manzoni
Christopher Manzoni
Enclosure
[Sample 1L Cover Letter]
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Megan Smith 103 Mt. Zion Road, #105, Silver Spring, MD 20903
202-555-0909, [email protected]
_______________________________________________________________________________
January 3, 2018
Loretta K. Elliott, Deputy Director
Legal Action Center
134 Main Street Pike
Baltimore, MD 21234
Dear Ms. Elliott:
I am a second-year student at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. I
am interested in being considered for a position as a full-time summer law clerk with the Legal Action
Center (“LAC”).
My previous experience working with underprivileged populations in Washington, DC, through
the National Legal Services Program, heightened my awareness of the lack of support and access to
representation which LAC attempts to correct. In addition, my work on issues relating to individuals with
disabilities in the law has made me aware of the need for a dynamic approach to legal resolution for
individuals interacting regularly with institutions of support and government agencies. Finally, my
current pursuit of a Health Law Certificate demonstrates my long-term interest in health care, which I
have chosen to tailor towards a study of methods in health care reform and advocacy for underrepresented
populations. I am confident that my experience and education will allow me to contribute to LAC’s
unique mission of providing legal representation and advocacy to individuals affected by addiction and
HIV/AIDS, as well as LAC’s efforts towards realizing policy changes that will improve the networks of
support available to individuals thus affected.
I am interested in meeting with you to discuss employment possibilities at your convenience. I
also plan to attend the Baltimore/DC Area Public Service Career Fair later this month and will be
available to meet with you. Additionally, you may reach me at 202-555-0909. Thank you for your
consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Megan Smith Megan Smith
Attachment
[Sample Public Service Cover Letter]
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Francis Ormand II
111 Deluxe Apartments
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
(410) 900-7001
December 15, 2017
Harrison M. Leslie, Esq.
Mason & Bostwick, P.A.
2222 Ivy Lane, Suite 444
Greenbelt, Maryland 20770
Dear Mr. Leslie:
Professor Thomas Goodson recommended that I contact you with respect to the possibility of a
law clerk position at Mason & Bostwick for the summer 2018. I am currently a first-year student
at the University Of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
Before entering law school, I served as a paralegal for Carroll, Harrell & Associates LLP in
Washington, DC, for three years. I worked directly for three attorneys and became acquainted
with the practice of civil litigation in complex employment and consumer class action lawsuits. I
was involved in all stages of the litigation process from the complaint, through discovery, and
preparation for trial. My ability to work under strict time constraints, coupled with my attention to
details and time management skills, contributed to the success of my professional experience.
During my first year at law school, I have had opportunities to further refine my legal research
skill and develop legal writing abilities through my classes and petitioning for one of the school’s
scholarly journals. Based upon my petition, I was selected as a Staff Editor for the Journal of
Business & Technology Law. I am confident that my experience and legal training have
equipped me to be a valuable law clerk at your firm.
Please find attached my resume for your review. I am interested in meeting with you to discuss
employment possibilities at your convenience. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank
you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Francis Ormand II
Francis Ormand II
[Sample Law Firm Cover Letter]
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Carolyn Chambers
500 E. Baltimore Street, #313, Baltimore, MD 21201 - 443-555-4001, [email protected]
December 20, 2017 The Honorable Brian T. Cooper New Mexico Court of Appeals
P.O. Box 2008
Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87504
Dear Judge Cooper:
As a New Mexico native and first-year law student at the University of Maryland Francis
King Carey School of Law, I am seeking a judicial internship with your chambers for the summer
of 2018. I am interested in returning to New Mexico after graduation and serving as a judicial
intern in your chambers would be an invaluable opportunity to learn more about the workings of
the state’s judicial system.
I believe that my strong research and writing skills would make a successful judicial
intern. As an undergraduate research assistant at the University of New Mexico (UNM), I
contributed to an article that was published in a national environmental journal. Moreover,
during my first semester of law school, I received the highest honors on my legal research and
writing class. In addition to my legal skills, I have a long-held commitment to public service in
the New Mexico community. While at UNM, I lead a campus-wide service day to clean-up and
improve our community and the surrounding neighborhoods. I continued my call to service
while at law school and participated in monthly visits to Our Daily Bread, an organization that
feeds homeless citizens.
I welcome the opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you in further detail. I will be
home during my winter break from January 2 – 10, 2018. Additionally, my Career Services
Office has teleconferencing capabilities that I can access, should you would like to speak with
me a different time. My resume is attached. Thank you for your consideration.
Best Regards,
Carolyn Chambers Carolyn Chambers
Attachment
[Sample Judicial Internship Cover Letter]
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Aaron P. Rackman
52 West Fayette St., Apt 1111C / Baltimore, MD 21201 / (410) 555-4433 / [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
July 19, 2017
Lawrence Lawson, Partner
Willson, Tilson, Taft & Sullivan LLP
1 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10010
Dear Mr. Lawson:
I am writing to apply for a summer associate position at Willson, Tilson, Taft & Sullivan LLP in
response to the firm’s plans to participate in the University of Maryland Carey School of Law’s on-
campus interview program in August. I am currently a second-year student. I applied to law school with
plans to study business law, particularly in the areas of contracts, corporate governance, and venture
capital. Having lived in New York for most of my life, I look forward to returning and believe that
working as a summer associate at your firm would provide a more relevant understanding about the
daily practice of business law in New York.
I am confident that my experience, coupled with my legal research and writing abilities, would
enable me to be an extremely capable summer associate at your firm. As an undergraduate student at
Michigan State University, I was a faculty assistant for two years and served as a teaching fellow during
the last year of my Master’s program. Afterwards, as a financial analyst at Dewey & Price in Baltimore, I
further honed my research capabilities and gained a thorough understanding of financial services
industry and the regulations governing corporate transactions. This past summer, I worked as law clerk
at Kaplan Drysdale, which provided opportunities to assist attorneys handling corporate transactions in
a deadline-driven environment. These experiences provide a foundation to understand the complex
business issues handled by your firm and to deliver the accurate research and support in a timely
manner as required of summer associates. Furthermore, I recently learned that I have earned a
position on the Maryland Law Review.
Please consider my interest in your firm and my qualifications as you select applicants for
summer employment with your firm. My resume, writing sample and most recent transcript accompany
this letter. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Aaron Rackman Aaron P. Rackman
Enclosures
[Sample OCI/Fall Recruitment Cover Letter]
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Kelly Shields 365 Homestead Lane (800) 450-9087
Annandale, VA 20986 [email protected]
January 9, 2018
The Honorable William Seaberry, Jr.
Chester County Courthouse
Two N. High Street
West Chester, PA 19380
Dear Judge Seaberry:
I am a third-year student at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law and I plan to return
to Pennsylvania after I graduate in May. As a law student who aspires to be a successful Chester County
trial lawyer, I am interested in becoming your judicial law clerk for the 2018-2019 term.
I am confident that I am qualified to become a judicial law clerk. I understand that a clerk is
required to have excellent research and writing skills, skills that I worked hard to develop in law school.
For the past year-and-a-half, I have been a member of the University of Maryland Law Review. As a
member of the Law Review, I researched and wrote an article suitable for publication, which I attached as
a writing sample. My article analyzed the constitutionality of anonymous juries. This experience, along
with researching and editing other staff members’ and lead authors’ law review articles, honed my
research and writing skills tremendously.
I utilized my research and writing skills as tools to build knowledge of substantive areas of the
law. Last spring, I interned at the United States Department of Labor in the Plan Benefits Security
Division. Without having prior ERISA experience, I was able to research and write a portion of a federal
district court brief in which the Department sought to enjoin a retaliatory state action prohibited by
ERISA Section 287. In addition to this experience, I developed my advocacy skills and learned many
aspects of criminal trial work during my summer internship with the Office of the State’s Attorney in
Montgomery County, Maryland and through my clinical experience with D.C. Law Students in Court this
year. Through these experiences, I swiftly developed a passion for criminal work. I understand that you
spent the bulk of your career prosecuting cases for the Chester County District Attorney’s Office and
hope to gain further insight to the criminal justice system in Chester County through your tutelage.
Please contact me if I can provide further information. Thank you for your time and
consideration.
Sincerely,
Kelly Shields
Kelly Shields
Enclosures
[Sample Judicial Clerkship Cover Letter]
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542 Saratoga Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, (555) 123-4567
August 30, 2017
James M. Jones, Esq.
Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City
208 Mitchell Courthouse
110 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Dear Mr. Jones:
I am writing to express my interest in an attorney position with the Office of the State’s Attorney
for Baltimore City. I recently graduated from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of
Law and sat for the State of Maryland’s July 2017 bar exam.
I chose my legal experience during law school with the goal of pursuing a career as a prosecutor.
Last summer, I completed a public service externship at the Office of State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel
County, where I assisted with legal research for over 50 attorneys in three county offices on issues
ranging from Fourth Amendment Knock and Announce requirements to jurisdictional differences on
handling the effect of crime dramas on jurors, known as the “CSI effect.” During the spring, I was
enrolled in a criminal defense clinic, where I represented clients charged with misdemeanor and felony
offenses. I was in court several times and successfully defended a bail hearing, won a motion to suppress,
and prepared to take a misdemeanor theft case to trial. Course selection during law school also helped
prepare me for criminal prosecution. I completed courses in criminal law, jurisprudence, evidence, and
federal sentencing, trial evidence and criminal procedure.
My litigation experience and my strong desire to pursue criminal prosecutorial work would
enable me to make a positive contribution to your staff. You may reach me anytime via phone (555-123-
4567) or email ([email protected]). Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to
hearing from you.
Best regards,
Paul C. Weston Paul C. Weston
Attachments
[Sample Graduate Cover Letter – Government]
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EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE
These days, email is the preferred method of communication for many employers and most
students. As with any correspondence, you want to remember to always stay professional and
proofread everything sent via email. Every document sent as an attachment should be a pdf (to
avoid differences in programs when opening the documents). There is a scanner in the CDO
library for students to use for this purpose.
There is no consensus as to whether the cover letter should be placed in the body of the email
or as a separate attachment. If you send as an attachment, include a short introduction in the
body of the email as to who you are, why you are writing, and the documents attached. DO
NOT repeat your entire cover letter twice.
Below are some articles on email etiquette that you should read before you hit the ‘send’ button
to an employer.
Before you Hit Send: Guidelines for Using E-Mail Effectively for
Job Search-Related Correspondence
*By Katie Schendel for the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), 2002. Portions reprinted with
permission from NALP.
We all know the importance of first impressions when meeting a potential employer face-to-face. Equally important are the first impressions we make when communicating with a potential employer via e-mail. An inappropriate e-mail account name or hastily written message will tarnish an image faster than an employer can press the delete button. As a result, it is critical that the same professional attention given to establishing first impressions through regular mail, a face-to-face encounter, or a telephone call also be given to e-mail correspondence.
E-mail is an appealing means of communication because it is quick, convenient, and paperless. But the ease and immediacy of e-mail may also lead to the mistakes commonly associated with its use – spelling and grammatical errors, protocol and etiquette gaffes, and potential formatting problems. Remaining mindful of these frequently occurring errors and developing strategies to avoid them will help you maximize the use of e-mail and project the professional image you want.
1) Use a professional account name
Your e-mail account name should convey a professional image, so save the “cyberbabe” or “cyberhunk” handles for e-mailing your friends and family. Consider using your law school e-mail account for job search correspondence.
Also do not use an e-mail address that identifies you with any geographic area other than the one in which you are pursuing a job. (Example: [email protected]. This e-mail address may be perceived as an indicator that you are not invested in staying in the Baltimore area. A Baltimore based employer doesn’t want to hire someone who would rather be in New York).
Include your e-mail address on your resume, and remember to check this account frequently. Many employers use e-mail to contact students regarding the status of their application and to schedule interviews. You don’t want to miss their messages.
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2) Don’t forget the attachments!
If you refer to an attached cover letter and resume in an e-mail, remember to attach the promised documents. Give each attachment a name that identifies the author and the type of document. For example, name your resume “Paul Smith Resume.” Follow suit with your other application documents. This will make it easier for the recruiter to locate and forward your application when necessary. Attach the correct document--for instance, the final copy of your writing sample rather than the first draft-–and be sure to scan all attachments for viruses before sending them. Most employers recommend that attachments be sent in Microsoft Word or PDF format. 3) Avoid “Casual Speak” When e-mailing prospective employers, steer clear of the casual and informal dialogue you may use then e-mailing friends and family. An e-mail to an employer needs to be as professional in format, style, and content as a typewritten letter:
Print out a copy of your e-mail and proof for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. This will make errors easier to spot.
Never use emotions or ALL CAPS to convey tone, and avoid acronyms like “BTW.”
Address the recipient using a professional salutation such as “Dear Ms. Smith.” Do not use a first name unless the recipient requests that you do so.
Wait until morning to send the e-mail you have written in the middle of the night. Messages written at 2:00 a.m. are likely to contain mistakes and warrant a final review in the morning before being sent.
Do not send anything via e-mail to a prospective employer that you would not print on your personal letterhead and send via regular mail.
If you add employers to your e-mail address book, take care to avoid sending them inappropriate messages, whether through a careless click or a virus.
4) Be cautious about e-mailing “thank you” letters
The protocol for using e-mail for certain types of correspondence between legal employers and applicants is still evolving. For example, although e-mailing thank you letters is acceptable to some employers, some employers still express a preference for handwritten thank you letters on those occasions calling for special follow-up. Most large employers do not expect, or want, a thank you letter e-mailed or otherwise, following the initial interview. Nonetheless, if you have a follow-up interview with those same employers a “thank you” note is appropriate. What’s most important is that all e-mailed as well as hard copy “thank you” messages be well written, error free, courteous, and sent to the appropriate person and address. Don’t invest time and energy in your initial cover letters, resumes, and interviews only to be eliminated from consideration because of a careless follow-up communication.
When you feel a “thank you” is necessary, how do you decide whether e-mail will be appropriate? Your primary clue should come from considering how much of your communication to-date with the employer has been by e-mail. If you are still uncertain about whether an employer is e-friendly, stick to using hard copy.
When used properly, e-mail can be an effective and efficient way to submit application materials and correspond with prospective employers. Before you hit the “send” button, though, stop and ask yourself if your message reflects the professional image you want to convey. Like all other impressions, the one you make through e-mail is lasting: invest the time and energy to make it positive.
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E-Professionalism DOs and DON’Ts
*By Tracy Evans and Amy E. Gerwitz for the NALP Bulletin, September 2008. Reprinted in its entirety with permission from NALP.
These e-professionalism dos and don’ts offer some basic guiding principles to maintaining professionalism in the electronic and information age.
Top 10 E-Professionalism DOs 1. Do a regular online search of your name (Google, Yahoo, Ask). If necessary, consider hiring a company to “clean up” your online image. 2. Keep your online profiles private, letting in only those you trust and know personally. Check friends’ profiles on a regular basis to monitor what pictures and comments are being posted about you. 3. Record a professional voicemail message at home and on your cell phone. Employers may think you have a beautiful voice if you choose to sing your message, but they won’t be impressed with your professionalism. This includes using a professional sounding ringtone on your phone. 4. Treat your e-mails like professional correspondence or conversations, using correct grammar and only saying those things you would say to someone face to face. Avoid using slang or abbreviations in your e-mail communications. 5. Professional online networks such as LinkedIn are a great way to market yourself in a professional manner. 6. Personal web pages are a great way to market yourself, but be sure they stay clean and safe. 7. Do use the Internet to research potential employers or professionals you’ll be interacting with so that you are informed about them professionally and personally when you meet them. 8. Always follow up on electronic communications. As convenient as they may be, they are sometimes unreliable.
9. Check your e-mails and voicemails on a regular basis — especially if you set some aside hoping to spend more time on them later, as these are easy to forget. 10. Use your work computer for professional purposes only; save online shopping and playing games for home.
Top 10 E-Professionalism DON’Ts 1. Don’t risk putting inappropriate content on the Internet, including on social networking sites, blogs, message boards, YouTube, etc. Don’t assume that just because you don’t put inappropriate content online, others can’t or won’t do so, and their content may include your name or pictures, etc. 2. Don’t assume that even though your profile settings are private, employers and others may not see them. 3. Don’t assume that employers are not conducting electronic background checks on you; they are and will continue to do so. 4. Don’t over blog unless the content is professional. In particular, don’t put anything about your employer in a blog; employees have been fired for this. 5. Don’t put inappropriate content in your home or business e-mail; messages may be circulated to others. 6. Don’t have an inappropriate e-mail address such as [email protected], and don’t use the same e-mail address on your resume that you use for your online presence unless the online presence is completely appropriate and positive.
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7. Don’t click “send” on an e-mail without double-checking to make sure you are sending it to the correct recipient and without rereading the content, especially for “reply to all” messages. 8. Don’t wear a Bluetooth accessory or headphones in a meeting, at a lunch, or in other business settings. Not only is it unattractive, it is also distracting and rude.
9. Don’t text in the middle of meetings, lunches, etc. If communicating with someone is that important, excuse yourself from the conversation and text in private.
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WRITING SAMPLES
Resumes and cover letters are only two of the job search materials that employers may require.
The other most common requests are writing samples, references (or letters of
recommendation), and transcripts.
WRITING SAMPLES
For the same reason that interview answers should reflect the needs of the employer, the
writing sample should represent a real world context. A brilliant analysis of an arcane subject for
a seminar or law review is not necessarily the winning writing sample, nor is a writing sample
that contains lurid material. Choosing a writing sample with lurid material will distract the
employer from the merits of the writing and make an unfavorable impression. For first-year
students (1D/2Es), a memorandum drafted for your Legal Analysis, Writing and Research
course is appropriate. For second- and third-year students (2D/3E and 3D/4Es), an internal
memorandum or pleading that you drafted as a law clerk or summer intern may be the stronger
choice. (Be sure to get explicit permission from your employer before using a work document as
a writing sample. Judicial opinions are not acceptable writing samples).
Your writing sample should create a positive image of you as someone who pays careful
attention to detail. It must be accurate and free of typographical errors and other
mistakes. The following points will guide you in making decisions about what to submit and
how to prepare a final product for submission to the employer.
When should I provide a writing sample? Only when requested to do so by the employer. Be
prepared, however, by bringing a copy of your writing sample to an interview. Do not offer it
unless the employer asks for it.
What should I use as a writing sample? If you are allowed the opportunity, ask the employer
what type of writing sample he or she would like to see. Good writing samples are legal writing,
persuasive writing, which allows the employer to evaluate advocacy skills. A writing sample
should be sufficiently recent to indicate a measure of your current skill level. Unless you are a
first-year law student, most employers want to read a writing sample that you drafted as a law
clerk or intern. Among your best choices for a writing sample are memoranda of points and
authorities or a brief. A bench memorandum for a judge is also appropriate because it reveals
practical research and writing skills. Never submit an opinion that you drafted for the judge
as your writing sample. Regardless of how much of the opinion you drafted, it is improper to
represent an opinion, issued over the signature and by the authority of a judge, as your own.
Another choice would be a law school exercise that simulates a real world legal problem such
as a moot court brief or memorandum for your Legal Analysis, Writing and Research course.
Submitting a paper written for a law journal is not recommended because it does not mirror the
style of writing done in practice. The amount of time spent on a scholarly note is out of
proportion to the time available in practice.
How long should it be? Generally, a good writing sample should be approximately five to ten
pages, double spaced. When you must cut a previously written document to create a more
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manageable length, you should make sure not to delete necessary context. If it would help to
clarify the deletions, and then mention this on the cover page by stating, for example, "I have
omitted Arguments III and IV." Writing Fellows at The Writing Center can give you suggestions
about reducing the number of pages by, for example, cutting down on the number of issues that
the paper addresses and explaining those changes in a cover page or annotation.
What if I wrote only part of the memorandum? The writing sample should allow an employer
to assess your work. Do not submit a writing sample that was extensively revised by your
supervising attorney. If, however, the writing sample is a brief or other document that you wrote
signed by a supervising attorney, you should explain in a cover letter your part in drafting the
final product and neatly cross out parts you did not write.
Can I submit the writing sample as it is or do I need to redact confidential information?
You will need to remove confidential or sensitive information from your writing sample. A
fictitious character, such as "ABC Co.," should be inserted to maintain the flow of the writing
sample when confidential material is redacted. Do not simply use a black magic marker to mask
identifying information, as this leaves a sloppy and sometimes illegible work product.
Regardless of your writing ability, failure to understand the importance of protecting the
confidentiality of a client will taint your application.
How should I present the writing sample? You should refrain from submitting writing samples
in elaborate notebooks or binders. An employer will have to take the binder apart to make
copies and to insert the writing sample in the applicant's file. If a document like an appellate
brief is customarily bound, however, it is acceptable to submit the document in that form.
Do not just copy your brief or memorandum for submission. Be sure to review the writing
sample with fresh eyes. This includes taking the time to cite check the noted case law again to
ensure that it is still good law. You should also include a discussion of new opinions on point.
You never know who will be reading your submission, and it may be brought to the attention of
an attorney who has completed extensive research in the area of law upon which your writing
sample is based.
Prepare the document so that it is easy to read, with ample margins and preferably, 12-point
typeface. Use regular white paper. Be sure to put your name and other identifying data on the
cover page.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR WRITING SAMPLES
Double check grammar and punctuation. Your writing sample must be perfect in this
regard. Review your document several times, check and recheck your use of colons,
semicolons, commas, and periods. Be sure that direct quotes are properly offset, if required,
or delineated with quotation marks. Grammatical errors and poor punctuation will kill any
chance you may have to get the job.
Attach a cover page with your name on it. Be sure to include on the cover page the
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same “heading” (with your name and contact information) as your resume and cover letter.
The cover page also should include an explanation of when and for whom you wrote the
product. If a writing sample is an excerpt of a longer piece, describe the nature of the larger
document and provide context and background information regarding the excerpt.
Continually update your writing sample. As your legal research and writing skills improve,
make sure that your writing sample reflects that improvement. The writing sample you
drafted as a first-year student is not appropriate to use at graduation.
Cite all sources. Review the cases cited in your memorandum to be certain that in your
discussion of a case you have not simply paraphrased or quoted the Court's own language
without indicating that it is in fact a quote. You never know who will be reading your sample
or whether they will also review the authority cited within. This is not unusual practice. In
fact, many employers have members of the hiring committee whose sole responsibility is the
review of writing samples, including an exhaustive review of all case law cited therein.
Writing samples must be error free, period. Employers consider your writing sample to
represent the quality of the work product that you would allow to go to judges, opposing
counsel or clients. Typographic errors and misspellings can ruin your chance being
considered for possible employment.
Submit a clean copy of your document. This may seem obvious, but students at another
school have submitted writing samples to prospective employers with "red pen" corrections
from their legal writing instructors.
Only submit a writing sample upon request. Some employers do not require writing
samples for the initial screening interview, but will request them at the second or third
interview.
Visit the Writing Center. The Writing Center is located in Room 400. Writing Fellows at the
Center are available to assist you in polishing your writing sample to perfection before
submitting it to potential employers. The feedback you can expect from writing fellows will
be the kind that focuses on the legal reader's reactions to the text. (In this way, the Writing
Fellows can play the role of the potential employer, who may not be familiar with the specific
area of law.) Their feedback can help you understand why places in your document may
create confusion and encourage you to come up with your own solutions: how you can
better organize the document or create a better legal context for your reader. The writing
fellows are not there to proofread your papers, nor are they are editors. They can, however,
spot patterns of writing problems and give you feedback on how to address these problems.
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REFERENCES AND TRANSCRIPTS
Employers are seeking a list of references when they request references. An employer will
specify if it wants a letter of recommendation instead of a list of references. The only employers
who seek letters of recommendation, as opposed to references, on a regular basis, are judges
(hiring judicial clerks). In either instance you should expect the employer to call the people you
list as references or who write letters of recommendation on your behalf. Lawyers especially
tend to like the opportunity to speak with other lawyers about a candidate and would not be
likely to rely on a letter of recommendation, even if one was provided.
What is a proper format? References should be listed on a separate sheet of paper of the
same quality and color as your resume and cover letter paper. Your name should always
appear at the top center of the page, preferably the same heading as your resume. References
should be listed in a column and should include the individual’s name, title, and employer name,
mailing address, telephone phone number, and email address. In general, lawyers like to talk to
other lawyers, so use practicing attorneys and law professors whenever possible. Choose
people who can speak in-depth about your abilities. You can include a line or two after each
reference indicating what skills they can attest to. Be sure to supply a copy of your resume to all
your references and keep them posted regarding your search. Never include a sentence on
your resume stating that “References will be provided upon request.” That is understood, and
including such a phrase just fills valuable space.
Whom should I use as a reference and how many do I need? Only business or academic,
never personal, references should be provided. Employers seek references who can attest to
your positive work experience or academic performance. Previous employers and professors
are appropriate references. Select supervisors, rather than peers, and list them in order of your
employment history. Select only law professors who can speak positively about your strong
academic performance, for example professors in whose class you received a grade of “B” or
higher. Two to three references is usually sufficient.
When should I provide references to an employer? It is not necessary to provide references
until they are requested, but you should bring your list of references to an interview. Under
certain circumstances, it can assist your candidacy if you send your list of references with your
resume and cover letter when applying for a position. For example, doing so can be helpful if
your references are well known or are well-connected in the practice area you seek to join. This
should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Should I let my references know when I provide their names to an employer? You must
get the permission of everyone on your reference list before you begin to use them as
references. Once you have permission to use someone as a reference, he or she should be
prepared to speak about your abilities when called upon without advance warning. If a long
period of time passes between your relationship with a particular person on your reference list
and the time during which you are using that person as a reference, be certain to contact that
person to update them on your activities and your use of him or her as a reference. You may
also want to inform references about your candidacy for certain jobs so that you can brief them
on the position. In these instances, the reference would be able to tailor his/her comments to
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that particular position and, as a result, improve your candidacy. What follows are two sample
formats for listing references:
MARK LOUIS PELMAN
123 Main Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21102
(410) 385-4567
References
The Honorable Roberta Jones Professor Sage Wisdom
Court of Special Appeals of Maryland University of Maryland Carey School of Law
Robert C. Murphy Building 500 W. Baltimore Street, Room 208
Annapolis, Maryland 21333 Baltimore, Maryland 21201
(410) 484-3589 (410) 706-5555
[email protected] [email protected]
John N. Klined, Esq. Ellen C. Smythe, Esq.
Hoppen & Lancaster, LLC Smith, Barney & Wilma, P.A.
24 East University Road 444 Park Lake Avenue, 10th Floor
Silver Spring, Maryland 21205 Roland Park, Maryland 21020
(301) 787-3456 (410) 777-9000
[email protected] [email protected]
Janet Garcia
101 South Moon Street, Baltimore, MD 21020 (555) 666-9999 [email protected]
REFERENCES
1. Professor Marcus Spelman
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
500 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
(410) 706-5555
*Professor Spelman was my research and legal writing professor
2. Stephanie Lawless, Esq.
Lawless & Lawless, PA
908 Westfield Street
Bel Air, MD 20344
(410) 555-3030
* I worked as a legal assistant for Ms. Lawless prior to law school
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Some employers may request that you submit a transcript along with your resume or will ask
that you bring one with you to the interview. Unless specified, this always means an unofficial
transcript. An unofficial transcript for recruitment purposes is a copy of your current transcript,
as opposed to an official transcript in its sealed envelope from the University Registrar. You may
also order an unofficial transcript (grade report) from the Office of Registration and Enrollment
at: http://www.law.umaryland.edu/students/registration/forms/class_rank_req.pdf)
A word to the wise: be judicious when ordering transcripts. DO NOT order more than two (2)
official transcripts unless an employer has specifically requested an “official” transcript, or
unless judges to whom you’re applying for judicial clerkships have specially requested official or
“sealed” transcripts. Otherwise, the Registrar’s Office will not be able to accommodate the
overwhelming demand for transcripts and ALL law school requests for transcripts will be
delayed for several weeks, causing unnecessary problems for you and for your classmates.
Please contact the CDO with any questions you may have regarding transcripts.
GGRRAADDEESS,, GGPPAA && CCLLAASSSS RRAANNKK
GPA: GPA information is provided by the Office of Registration and Enrollment (OR&E) at the
School of Law. On your resume, you can represent your GPA numerically or as a letter grade,
or both. However, if you display your GPA on your resume, you must use the exact information
reflected on your transcript, carried out to the second decimal point. (e.g. GPA: 3.32)
The CDO recommends using the numeric GPA on your resume if it is at or higher than 3.00.
You may also choose to represent your GPA as a letter grade and not numerically. To
determine your letter grade, you may go to the law school website at
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/employers/hiring/grading.html to find grading scale information
from the Office of Registration & Enrollment.
Grades/Transcripts: You will receive your grades from the Office of Registration and
Enrollment. Questions regarding grades may be directed to OR&E (Suite 280, 410-706-2045,
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/about/departments/ore/). Please consult the homepage of OR&E
to order official/unofficial transcripts through via the campus Student User Friendly System
(SURFS).
Grading Scale: You are not required to indicate the 4.33 grade scale with your numeric GPA
but if you do choose to display the grading scale you must use 4.33 and not “4.0.” (e.g. GPA:
3.84/4.33 or GPA: 3.84).
Class Rank: Class rank information is provided and verified by the School of Law's Office of
Registration and Enrollment. Class rank may be represented by displaying the numeric ratio of
your rank compared with the number of students in your class (ex. 17/282). Or you may use the
rank percentile (e.g. Top 6%). Or you may use both: 17/282 (Top 6%). Be sure that the rank
percentile is calculated correctly and is reported to the nearest decimal, as opposed to rounding
the figure up or down. (e.g. 35/282 is represented as 12.4%)
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Report the exact percentage as calculated instead using the nearest "grade cut-off" point. (e.g.
17/282 should be displayed as Top 6%, not Top 5% or Top 10%). Remember, as with GPA
reporting, errors made in reporting your class rank can be perceived as a material
misrepresentation of your credentials and an Honor Code violation.
To calculate class rank: divide your individual rank by the total numbers of students in your class. For instance, if your class rank is 35/282, divide 35 by 282 to get 0.12411. Move the decimal point to the hundredth place (two spaces right) = 12.411, which = 12.4%.
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LEGAL JOB MARKET & RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITIES
The following pages offer you a general overview of employers that typically employ attorneys.
The CDO encourages you to cast a wide net when considering where to work and what type of
employer to consider. Law school is your one chance to experience a wide variety of subject
areas and different industries. Don’t limit yourself because you think you have to follow a
structured path after graduation. Everyone has a different career path and yours will be unique.
PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT
Private practice law firms are where many law school graduates begin their legal careers.
Typically, about 30-40% of our students secure positions in larger law firms; the majority of
students secure positions in smaller and mid-sized law firms.
LARGE LAW FIRMS
Large firms hire entry-level attorneys predominately through their Summer Associate Programs.
Recruitment for these Programs begins in the late summer/ early fall for second-year day
students and third-year evening students. Some large firms may recruit from the 3D/4E class,
but it is very rare. Large firms usually recruit students in the top of their class, though there are
always exceptions. Recruiting committees and hiring partners control the selection process. The
competition for these positions is very high and the firms receive thousands of resumes from
students throughout the country. You must possess superior academics and writing skills. Many
firms look for students who are on a journal or moot court board, or who possess previous work
experience.
Large firms are often departmentalized into practice groups and specializations. In large firms,
the opportunity for significant client contact and independent action is much less than in smaller
firms and other legal employers, but the salaries are much higher. This is many times offset by
many more hours worked.
Key Websites & Resources:
NALP Directory (www.nalpdirectory.com)
Martindale-Hubbell Directory (www.martindale.com)
HG www.HG.org (provides a basic overview of the practice area as well as useful links to educational resources and selected employers)
Chambers Associates (top-ranked International Arbitration law firms and International
Trade law firms http://www.chambers-associate.com/
Vault Career Insider (http://vault.com)
)
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SMALLER & MID-SIZED FIRMS
Many graduates in private practice are in small or mid-sized firms. Some small and mid-sized
firms do formal recruiting through the CDO, but most of them do not. Their recruiting plans are
based on actual need, not on future projections like large law firms. One way to gain entry into
a small or mid-sized firm is to work as a law clerk while in law school. Many will hire on a
permanent basis from students who have worked as law clerks part-time during law school.
Law clerk hiring is sporadic, and can occur at any time during the year. To work in a small or
mid-sized law firm it is important to be flexible and always be looking for opportunities.
Networking and targeted searches are especially important for these employers because
smaller firms may only post an open position as a last resort; instead, they would prefer to hire
from students they’ve met or who have actively sought them out through their own initiative.
These firms focus more on candidates who have direct work experience, law school extra-
curricular activities, clinic experience, and personal qualities that are a good fit for the firm.
They are usually not as focused on credentials (such as class ranks and law journal) as larger
firms may be.
Small or mid-sized firms may be boutique practices that focus on a particular area of the law or
general practice firms that offer broader services. Associates and law clerks are given a great
deal of responsibility. Salaries vary drastically in these firms and some offer creative options that
include a salary combined with a draw on profits.
SOLO PRACTICE
Few choose to go right into solo practice from law school because of the responsibilities of
starting a law practice and the business aspects that go along with it. The CDO has a close
relationship with the Maryland State Bar Association’s Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee,
which maintains an extensive knowledge base for lawyers seeking to go into solo practice.
Solo practitioners are a source of employment for students and hire law clerks at various times
throughout the year. Like the small and mid-sized firm job search, you have to be diligent in
seeking out these opportunities through postings and self-directed searches.
Key Websites & Resources:
Martindale-Hubbell Directory (www.martindale.com)
MSBA Maryland Lawyer’s Directory (Available in CDO)
MSBA Solo and Small Firm Practice Section & MSBA member directory
(www.msba.org)
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CORPORATIONS & BUSINESSES
CORPORATIONS & BUSINESSES
Summer internships with corporate in-house legal departments are possible. This is particularly
true in the health industry as many health-related companies may seek law students in the
Baltimore/Washington, DC area. Some will post positions with the CDO and recruit on campus.
A corporation may also hire a student for the summer or school-year in other “non-legal”
departments such as compliance, finance, contracts, and tax (to name a few). Many of these
areas have positions available that utilize the skill set of a J.D., although it is not required. To
find them, you should use the resources below, ask your professional contacts, and check the
CDO job postings.
Most corporations and businesses traditionally do not hire new graduates as attorneys and
prefer to hire experienced attorneys with 3-7 years of legal experience. Most corporations offer
good salaries that are somewhat competitive with law firms and excellent benefits. Corporations
offer several gradations in the legal staff hierarchy and lawyers can often progress steadily and
naturally through the ranks.
GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
The federal government is composed of hundreds of agencies, commissions, departments, and boards. Almost all of these hire law students both for summer and permanent employment. The application procedures and the hiring criteria vary greatly. Given the wide range of options and varying hiring criteria, it is important to work with a counselor on a federal job search and review information in the Government Honors and Internship Handbook.
Key Website & Resources:
MSBA Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee (www.msba.org)
Hanging Out a Shingle (Annual MSBA event; available on CD Rom in the CDO library)
Key Website & Resources:
Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) (www.acc.com)
Leadership Libraries database (www.law.umaryland.edu/marshall)
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Government opportunities range from a variety of practice areas including: antitrust, litigation, first amendment, communications, trade, labor law, banking, tax, international, immigration, environmental, health law, policy, technology, intellectual property, patents, housing, civil rights energy and many others.
Entry-level attorneys are given excellent training and usually assume a great deal of responsibility. Federal employment offers some flexibility, including alternate work schedules and movement between agencies. Many times, promotions are offered in a steady and incremental manner. Also, entry level attorneys typically start at a GS-11or GS-12 salary level. Some also offer assistance with the repayment of student loans.
Many of the larger agencies will recruit and hire new lawyers through their “Honors Programs.” There is also the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program, which is an alternative to the Honors Programs for policy-making entities. Other than these two types of programs, another form of entry for permanent employment is by securing a position posted on www.usajobs.gov. Most government jobs are highly competitive, and an excellent academic record and commitment to public service are important evaluation criteria.
EXTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES The School of Law offers a public service externship program which includes the Asper Judicial Fellowship Program, all of which provide opportunities for students to earn course credit and learn about significant aspects of the law and its practice. Examples of externships include the Environmental Protection Agency, Securities & Exchange Commission, the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the World Health Organization. For details on externship offerings, contact Assistant Dean Crystal Edwards, [email protected] or http://www.law.umaryland.edu/academics/practice/externships/.
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
State and local government agencies are excellent places to work and generally hire lawyers and law students. These positions are often not advertised widely. You should inquire as to availability for summer and permanent positions by contacting agencies directly. You should do considerable research and use your networking contacts to identify these and other jobs.
A career as a local prosecutor, public defender, or county attorney is another avenue of employment in state and local government. Some public defenders, prosecutors, and city and county law departments recruit early and on-campus, so to be effective you should make direct contacts to these agencies. Some of the area public defenders and prosecutors participate in our recruitment programs, including surrounding cities such as New York and Washington, DC.
Key Websites:
Government Honors and Internship Handbook and Public Policy Handbook (Password required - http://arizonahandbooks.com/u/careerdv)
USAJobs (www.usajobs.gov)
Partnership for Public Service (http://ourpublicservice.org/)
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MILITARY
Working as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) provides attorneys with the opportunity to get immediate trial experience while traveling the world to different military bases. While you are often required to make a 3-4 year commitment to the branch you serve, you are also provided benefits, housing allowances, and, in some instances, loan repayment assistance. Many branches will also pay for further educational opportunities, such as obtaining an LLM. Areas of law that you may practice include: military justice, criminal law, administrative law, environmental law, admiralty and maritime law, civil claims, national security, and intellectual property, among others.
Competition for positions in the various JAG Corps has become fierce. Most branches offer summer internship and/or law clerk positions for law students. These positions will be helpful in obtaining a post-graduate position as a JAG. There are often several deadlines throughout the year and the application process can be lengthy.
PUBLIC SECTOR INTERNATIONAL LAW
Since there is no single practice area that can be called International Law, we begin this category with a definition which we consider to encapsulate a great, brief, description of International Law in the global market.
What is International Law?
“It could mean working in a law firm in the United States and dealing with foreign clients, or negotiating deals between clients located in two different countries as either in-house counsel for a multinational company or as an attorney with a law firm with clients based in different countries in the world. It could also mean working for a U.S. government agency dealing in international public matters, such as the State Department, or international private law matters, such as the Commerce Department, or it could mean working in the
Key Websites:
State & Local Government on the Net (www.statelocalgov.net)
State of Maryland (www.maryland.gov)
Key Websites:
Air Force: http://www.airforce.com/jag
Army: http://www.goarmy.com/jag.html
Coast Guard: https://www.uscg.mil/Resources/Legal/
Navy: http://www.jag.navy.mil/
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military as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer, or for a nongovernmental organization (NGO) abroad, or as a staff attorney with a United Nations organization, such as ILO (International Labour Organization), WHO (World Health Organization), WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), or UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). It can also mean being part of the defense or prosecutorial team(s) of the International Criminal Court, another type of hybrid international court dealing with war crimes, or a staff attorney with the International Chamber of Commerce, or a professor of law who teaches and writes scholarly articles on cutting-edge issues of the law. One thing is certain: there are many
options out there as there are creative ways of practicing law.”
Swartz, Salli Anne. Careers in International Law. 4th ed. American Bar Association Section of International Law.
PUBLIC SECTOR RESOURCES
Externships Abroad: The School of Law offers a comprehensive public service externship program which includes semester-long externships with public service organizations in South Africa, the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland and international courts. For details on externship offerings and application instructions, visit: http://www.law.umaryland.edu/academics/practice/externships/.
PSJD (formerly PSLawNet) International Resources: https://www.psjd.org/search_resources?CategoryID=2
NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations) Global Network http://www.ngo.org/index2.htm
ILO (International Labour Organization)
http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/lang--en/index.htm
WHO (World Health Organization) http://www.who.int/en/
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) https://en.unesco.org/
United Nations Association of New York http://www.unanyc.org/
Millennium Challenge Corporation – Independent U.S. foreign aid agency http://www.mcc.gov/
Amnesty International – Human Rights http://www.amnestyusa.org
Human Rights First http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/
Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/
International Justice Mission http://www.ijm.org/who-we-are
Tahirih Justice Center – Protecting Immigrant women and girls fleeing violence
http://www.tahirih.org/
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (The UN Refugee Agency) http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646c491.html
Ideal List http://www.idealist.org/ (Jobs and Internships)
The World Bank http://www.worldbank.org/en/about
CARE http://www.care.org/
VITAL VOICES http://www.vitalvoices.org/
U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of the Chief Counsel for International Commerce
http://www.commerce.gov/os/ogc/international-commerce
Export-Import Bank of the United States http://www.exim.gov/
Office of the United States Trade Representative http://www.ustr.gov/
International Criminal Court, The Hague, Netherlands: https://www.icc-cpi.int/
Center for International Environmental Law http://www.ciel.org/
WEBSITES FOR CAREER EXPLORATION AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
American Society of International Law: https://www.asil.org/
The American Bar Association Section of International Law http://www.americanbar.org/groups/international_law.html
International Bar Association http://www.ibanet.org/
UN Jobs http://unjobs.org/organizations
Corporation for National & Community: https://www.nationalservice.gov/
Society for International Development, Washington D.C. Chapter http://www.sidw.org/
Organization of American States: http://www.oas.org/en/topics/trade.asp
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PUBLIC INTEREST OPPORTUNITIES
Public Interest job settings are diverse. The common thread in all is that work is performed in the interest of the public good. There are many types of employment in the area of public interest. These include working for a public policy center, public interest law firm, membership association, legal aid society or direct legal services employer. Most of the positions either effect policy change or represent underserved and disenfranchised populations including the poor, elderly, children, and immigrants. Public interest law organizations look for students and future lawyers who are committed to their issues and causes. Public Interest work in the most well-known national employers are highly competitive. Those who wish to enter the field should cast a wide net within their area of interest and consider numerous types of job prospects.
Before you begin your public interest job search, you need to spend some time assessing what your interest, values, and goals are and what type of skills you want to use. Investing the time to think about why you want to work for a particular public interest organization will help you communicate your enthusiasm about the work performed at the organization and make a positive impression during interviews.
One of the most effective ways to conduct an active job search is to speak with professionals who work in the public interest field in which you are interested. Meeting with public interest practitioners for informational interviews is a great way to begin a successful job search.
It is important to utilize many job search strategies: visit your career development office; meet with a career counselor; conduct informational interviews; use Symplicty and PSJD websites; attend public interest career fairs; join bar associations or professional associations; volunteer for a public interest organization; attend CDO career panel programs; send targeted mailings to employers; and, respond to listed job announcements. Furthermore, it is important to lay a foundation in the public interest community. This can be done through developing credentials and contacts by taking law school clinics and other law school classes that have a public ingest focus. Many of these are taught by public interest practitioners who have great advice and contacts. You should plan to take part in organized community service and pro bono opportunities initiated though the CDO and law school public interest student organizations.
The Maryland Public Interest Law Project (MPILP) is the largest public interest organization and has over a twenty-five year history of developing leaders in the public interest and pro bono community. (http://www.law.umaryland.edu/students/life/orgs/mpilp/) Also, since many public
interest employers are not able to pay students for summer work, MPILP offers summer public interest grants for law students. There are also some bar associations and other groups that provide some summer funding for public interest work. A list can be found on PSJD website and Equal Justice Works website.
Print Resources (Available in the CDO Library)
• American Jobs Abroad • Careers in International Law Fourth Edition • International Jobs Fifth Edition • International Public Interest Law: A Guide to Opportunities in the United States and
Abroad (Harvard and Yale Law Schools)
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PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWSHIPS Postgraduate public interest fellowships enable recent graduates to secure entry level positions with nonprofit organizations, government entities and educational institutions. Some law firms offer public interest fellowships as well. The PSJD website includes over 250 fellowship listings. Some examples of Public Interest Fellowships include Skadden Fellowship, Equal Justice Works Fellowships, and Open Society Fellowships.
The postgraduate fellowship applicant is a good fit for someone that is a self-starter with a lot of initiative and has a passion for the issue he/she wishes to pursue in the fellowship application. Before students consider which fellowships to apply for, it is important for students to brainstorm, research, and create a plan of action with a career counselor. Although it is true that the fellowship application process is competitive and demands effective time-management skills, public interest career counselors can provide students’ strategies to increase the likelihood that students will receive an opportunity to compete for a public interest fellowship. If you are interested in pursuing fellowship opportunities, please contact the CDO to meet with Director Teresa Schmiedeler at [email protected] or 410-706-2080.
PRO BONO AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
For many students, the opportunity to volunteer in the community or to provide equal access to justice for those who cannot afford legal assistance is why they came to law school. Community and pro bono work can also build your legal skills and expand your professional network. University of Maryland Carey School of Law provides a wealth of service and pro bono opportunities through our clinical program, CDO Leadership in Public Service and law student organizations. Pro bono experience offers great “hands on” experiences such as client interviews, drafting pleadings or appearing in court. Pro bono work can also help you gain a foot in the door in a specific practice area.
JUDICIAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Judicial internships and clerkships are excellent ways to gain experience in the legal profession. Judicial internships are volunteer positions that enable students to gain exposure to the court system during the summer or academic year. First, second, and third-year students can apply to work with judges in state and federal courts across the country. Note to 1Ls: almost all of the courts in Maryland and the District of Columbia Superior Court, as well as many of the federal courts take first-year students as summer judicial interns. We recommend that you apply for those positions early, generally at least 2-3 months before you wish to work with the judge. Judicial internships could pave the way to secure post-graduate judicial clerkships in some instances.
Judicial clerkships are one-to two-year paid positions which enable law graduates to serve as
Key Websites:
PSJD
http://www.psjd.org/
Equal Justice Works
http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/
CDO Public Interest Fellowships section on website
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/students/careers/programs/fellowships.html
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law clerks to judges. These positions are available from county trial courts to the United States Supreme Court. The hiring criteria vary by level; generally, the higher the court, the more competitive the positions become. Judicial clerkships are excellent positions because you become familiar with the trial process and gain valuable hands-on experience early in your career. These are great positions for students pursuing entry level attorney jobs with both public service and private practice employers. They also enable you to gain great experience while awaiting bar exam results.
Appellate and trial courts provide different types of work. Law clerks who work in trial courts gain significant opportunities to engage in the trial advocacy process and observe courtroom proceedings; whereas law clerks in appellate courts spend most of their time researching and writing briefs, memoranda and draft opinions. Competition for clerkships is fierce. You should meet with the CDO’s Director of Judicial Clerkships, in the fall or summer of your second year to discuss your clerkship strategy.
Asper Judicial Fellowship Program: The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School
of Law Asper Judicial Fellowship Program offers opportunities for law students to obtain credit for supervised law-related work with state and federal judges. For more information about the program and application process, please visit the Asper Fellowship website: http://www.law.umaryland.edu/academics/practice/asper/.
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Working on the “Hill” has excitement and appeal to many law students. However, this can be a difficult market to break into and making connections helps a great deal. In this job search, “who you know” is extremely important.
There are three main points of entry for employment: Legislative Aide (LA), Legislative Director (LD), or legal staff member of a congressional committee. Political caucuses also hire staff attorneys. If you are interested in policy analysis you should consider intern and attorney positions with the Congressional Research Service, a federal agency housed in the Library of Congress. A number of private lobbying firms and watchdog groups also hire lawyers and law students.
The key to getting hired on the “Hill” is to work your contacts and be committed and aggressive in the job search. Contacts include representatives from your home town. Many students have obtained internships by directly contacting offices in which they are interested in working. Intern positions are not typically advertised widely or obtained through postings.
Key Websites:
Vermont Guide to State Judicial Clerkships (Password required) http://forms.vermontlaw.edu/career/guides/)
OSCAR (https://oscar.uscourts.gov/)
Maryland Judiciary (www.mdcourts.gov)
NALP Judicial Clerkship Information (www.nalp.org/judicialclerkshipinfoforcareerservices)
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TRADE ASSOCIATIONS
Trade associations are non-profit, voluntary and cooperative professional organizations. Organizations can include professional societies, scientific and technical learned societies and foundations. They can also include political action committees.
Trade and professional associations employ attorneys, but positions are generally difficult to find and geared more toward senior attorneys. However, there are intern/law clerk positions available for students during the summer or school year. Some of the most popular places students work include the National Association of Securities Dealers and the Recording Industry Association of America. Many association attorneys perform lobbying, legislative and regulatory law functions.
ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
JD ADVANTAGE & JD ALTERNATIVE JOBS
JD Advantage jobs are “law-related” professional positions where a legal education and training are assets but the jobs do involve practicing law or require bar passage. Typically, employers in this category recruit JD graduates because of the skill set that law graduates bring to the workplace. Some examples of these types of jobs are policy and compliance analysts, legislative aides and lobbyists, law firm administrators. JD Alternative jobs can be positions in professions where a legal education and training are not necessarily required or customary. An example of such a position in this category would be an FBI agent. You will discover that the skills that you acquire in law school can prepare you to enter a range of different positions in government, politics, law firm administration, compliance, regulatory analysis, contracts, and more.
Students interested in these types of career paths should consult closely with their career counselors and actively seek informational interviews with alumni and other contacts who hold positions like the ones that they hope to attain.
Key Websites:
Government Honors and Internship Handbook and Public Policy Handbook (Password required - http://arizonahandbooks.com/u/careerdv)
Presidential Management Fellows Program (www.pmf.gov)
Brad Traverse (www.bradtraverse.com)
The Hill classifieds (www.thehill.com)
Key Website & Resource:
ASAE The Center for Associations Leadership (www.asaecenter.org)
National Trade & Professional Associations Directory (CDO Library)
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In addition, positions in higher education administration, as well as in teaching are considered JD Advantage positions. Some areas of employment options include admissions, financial aid, academic counseling, student affairs, career development and diversity offices. Other options also include working as adjunct faculty, writing instructors, and clinical fellows at law schools. Additionally, graduates may work in law libraries, but a Masters of Library Science degree is often required or candidates must be working toward the degree at the time of application.
Students often find positions in academia during the summer and school-year as research assistants for various professors. Interested students should express interest in such positions early and directly to the professor. These positions are often announced during classes or advertised among a select group of students that the professor has hand-picked. Rarely do such positions get posted online.
If you are interested in pursuing this path many will advise you to take the bar exam and work for a couple years to be sure this is the route you want to pursue. Alternatively, if you have worked in higher education administration before, you may have an easier time finding employment directly out of law school.
Key Websites:
The Association of American Law Schools (www.aals.org)
The Chronicle of Higher Education classifieds (www.chronicle.com)
American Association of Law Librarians (www.aallnet.org)
Key Websites:
NALP’s Alternative Careers for Lawyers: Web Sites of Interest
(www.nalp.org/uploads/AltCareersWebsites_rev2010.pdf)
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RECRUITMENT PROGRAMS & CAREER FAIRS
THE FALL RECRUITMENT PROGRAM
The CDO’s Fall Recruitment Program has three components that provide opportunities for 2D/3E and 3D/4E students with to interview with employers via: [1] On-Campus Interviews (OCI), [2] the Washington, DC Interview Program, and [3] the National Law School Consortium (NLSC) Regional Interview Programs. Participating employers are predominately large firms and large government agencies. The large firms recruit second-year day and third-year evening students to fill their Summer Associate Programs, from which they identify candidates to hire for entry level employment after graduation. Few, but not many, of these employers will also recruit third-year students for permanent associate/attorney positions. While the majority of the employers in the program are large law firms, there are also many government agencies, public defenders and prosecutorial offices that participate. It is important to carefully check through all of the programs to see which employers will be participating in the Fall Recruitment Program. You will go through Fall Recruitment Orientation during the spring of your 1D/2E year. The Fall Recruitment Program is very structured and organized and it is essential that you follow the process as described below to be successful in the program. 1) Attend the CDO’s Fall Recruitment Orientation in the spring of 1D/2E year. Review the Fall
Recruitment Packet (provided at Orientation) and calendar the important dates – bidding deadlines, interview sign-up, program dates, etc.
2) Make sure you are familiar with Symplicity and have logged-on at least once prior in the
year. Obtain a password from the CDO (sent after finals in the spring) for access to our second Symplicity site, which is solely for the NLSC regional interview programs and resume collections.
3) Send your resume into the CDO for review (directions provided at Orientation). 4) Starting early-to-mid July, upload your resume, cover letters, writing samples, transcripts,
and whatever other materials the employers have requested into Symplicity and bid (apply) for employers in which you are interested. Please pay attention to the bidding deadlines to avoid missing your one-time opportunity to apply for interviews.
5) Employers review all the student application materials and select those students they wish
to interview. 6) Employers enter into Symplicity the names of the selected interviewees. Check on
Symplicity for the interview sign-up dates (provided at Orientation) to see if you have been selected.
7) Students who are selected choose an interview slot on the employer’s interviewing schedule
via Symplicity. Most of the employers that participate in this program are very credential-driven and weigh academic excellence as the primary criteria for granting interviews. Employers may also look at other criteria such as participation on a journal and/or previous work experience in addition to grades. In addition to the Fall Recruitment interviews, student can participate in Resume Collection
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and Direct Contact opportunities facilitated by our office. Resume Collections: The Career Development Office collects resumes and other requested materials through Symplicity similarly to the way described above for employers that cannot interview on-campus in Baltimore for a variety of reasons. Once collected, the resume/applications are forwarded to employers for their review and selection of interview candidates. Employers contact students selected for interviews and make arrangements to interview students at their offices. Direct Contacts: Some employers request that students apply directly to their offices. These opportunities are advertised to students via job postings listed in the UMD-Symplicity Job Bank, which can be accessed under the Job Posting tab. Spring On-Campus Interview (OCI) Program Every spring semester, the CDO conducts a Spring OCI program that provides opportunities for 1L and 2L students to apply for summer job opportunities and 3Ls to apply for entry level job opportunities. Employers that typically participate include local small and mid-sized law firms, and government agencies (as opposed to the larger law firms and agencies that dominate Fall Recruitment). While Spring OCI is less robust than its fall counterpart, we encourage students to take advantage of all possible recruitment opportunities occurring throughout the year.
REGIONAL RECRUITMENT PROGRAMS
Regional interview programs provide students with opportunities to interview with private practice and government employers in geographic areas outside of the Washington, DC-Baltimore area. The CDO also targets for regional interviews many employers who are unable to conduct interviews through our On-Campus Interviewing Program (OCI). Please note that students who participate in the regional recruitment programs are responsible for their own travel, accommodations, and other personal expenses associated with participation. Interviews arising from the regional recruitment programs fall under the same Interview Cancellation Policy that applies to the entire Fall Recruitment Program. Resumes and applications submitted for the regional programs represent your agreement to accept and travel to interviews should you be selected for an interview. National Law School Consortium (NLSC): The NLSC is a recruitment forum co-founded by the University of Maryland Carey School of Law that brings together other top-ranked public law schools to host recruitment programs with geographically distant employers in national legal markets across the country. We host a separate NLSC-Symplicity site as a group and the process to apply for interview opportunities in this program is identical to the process you will use to apply for our On-Campus and Washington Interview Program via the UMD-Symplicity system. The difference is that you will need a separate log-in and password to access the NLSC-Symplicity system. During the fall, our office conducts NLSC regional interview programs and resume collections in select cities that have included the following locations: New York, Chicago, Houston and Miami.
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JOB FAIRS, DIVERSITY & CAREER CONSORTIA The CDO encourages student participation in more than 20 local, regional, and national job fairs with employers recruiting for summer and entry level jobs in the private and public sectors. These job fairs include consortia geared to reach student affinity groups and students with specialized, technical experience. Information about these job and career fairs is disseminated to students throughout the year as it becomes available. At this writing, dates remain to be set for 2018 but the months when the events are typically held, if known, are listed. Details about these events will be sent to you via email throughout the year as we are notified about the registration periods. These programs include:
Bay Area Diversity Career Fair, July
Boston Lawyers Group Minority Job Fair www.thebostonlawyersgroup.com, August
Cook County Bar Association Minority Student Job Fair http://www.ccbaminorityjobfair.org/,
August
Delaware Minority Job Fair, August
Greater Washington Area Chapter, Women Lawyers Division, Intern Placement Program
http://gwacbar.org/index.php, February
Heartland Diversity Legal Job Fair www.heartlanddiversity.org, August
Hispanic National Bar Association Annual Conference and Job Fair www.hnba.com,
August/September
IndyBar Diversity Job Fair, August
LatinoJustice PRLDEF Legal Internship/Fellowship programs www.latinojustice.org
LGBT Bar Association Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair http://lgbtbar.org/
Loyola Patent Interview Program http://www.luc.edu/law/career/patent.html, August
Mid-Atlantic Black Law Students Association Job Fair (MABLSA)
Minnesota Minority Recruitment Conference http://www.diversityinpractice.org/, August
National Black Law Students Association Regional Job Fair, September
National Black Prosecutors Convention and Job Fair, July
New Jersey Law Firm Group Job Fair http://www.njlawfirmgroup.org/JobFair.aspx, August
Rocky Mountain Diversity Legal Career Fair, September
PUBLIC SERVICE JOB FAIRS
Equal Justice Works Career Fair and Conference: This is an annual event sponsored by Equal Justice Works (EJW) (http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/law-school/conference-and-careerfair). The EJW Career Fair is the largest public interest career fair of its kind and traditionally over two hundred public interest and government employers attend and interview students. It is usually held in mid-to late-October in the Washington, DC metro area. Second- and third-year students are eligible to apply for open positions at organizations and first-year students are invited to attend the conference programming and the table talk portion of the fair. Greater DC/Baltimore Public Service Career Fair: Hosted by six area law schools and the Federal Bar Association, the annual Greater DC/Baltimore Public Service Career Fair (http://law-dcpscf-csm.symplicity.com/students) typically occurs in late January and takes place at the George Mason University School of Law in Fairfax, VA. It offers law students an opportunity to learn about participating organizations and agencies and possible summer and post-graduate positions available at their offices. Past fairs have attracted more than 100 employers. Students will receive information about the career fair, which is open to first-,
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second- and third-year students. University of Maryland Carey School of Law/University of Baltimore School of Law Public Service Career Fair: The program is hosted by both schools and takes place in Baltimore in early February. Public interest organizations and government agencies are available to talk to students about open summer and school year internships and collect resumes from students. It is open only to UM and UB students.
PSJD Public Interest/Public Service Job Fair Directory: http://www.psjd.org
What If Employers Do Not Hire Through CDO Recruitment Consortia?
To be successful in your job search, you will need to pursue employment opportunities as they arise year-round with employers that participate in recruitment programs and job fairs and that post job listings for current openings. It will also be necessary for you to target the “hidden” job market—employers such as smaller law firms and nonprofits--that may only promote openings by word of mouth, and don’t usually post job listings or participate in structured recruitment programs.
These employers rely on candidates to contact them and express interest in securing possible work with as law clerks or new attorneys. You will need to research these employers by locations and practice areas, and generate a list to contact, using any possible connections to the organizations that you have through law alumni or other referrals. Then you will need to need to write to the managing partner, hiring partner or practice group head to express interest in a job. Many of our students find their summer and permanent jobs this way. Our office can assist you in generating lists of potential alumni and employer contacts. Contact us at [email protected] to meet with a counselor who can show you how use online search engines to find the information you will need.
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NALP GUIDELINES ON LEGAL RECRUITMENT
The Career Development Office (CDO) at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School
of Law is a member of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP). As a member law
school, the CDO upholds NALP’s hiring principles and standards for recruitment of law students
and graduates. Please review the following information from the NALP website (www.nalp.org),
which provides important information about legal recruitment and how to address offers for
summer and full-time permanent employment.
NALP PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS
The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) was organized in 1971 to promote the exchange of information and cooperation between law schools and employers. In order to advance those interests, the Association has developed these "Principles and Standards for Law Placement and Recruitment Activities." The NALP "Principles and Standards for Law Placement and Recruitment Activities" were first adopted in 1978. Part V, "Standards for the Timing of Offers and Decisions," was derived from "Interviewing Procedures for Law Students and Prospective Employers," a set of guidelines originally adopted in the early 1960s by a group of law schools meeting under the auspices of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Subsequent modifications were adopted in 1985, 1988, 1992, 1994, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
The "Principles and Standards for Law Placement and Recruitment Activities" are organized as follows:
I. General Principles
II. Principles for Law Schools
III. Principles for Candidates
IV. Principles for Employers
V. General Standards for the Timing of Offers and Decisions
NALP encourages law schools and legal employers to educate all participants in the law placement and recruitment process about the spirit and the letter of these Principles and Standards. NALP urges all participants in the law student recruitment process, including members and non-members of NALP, to abide by these Principles and Standards. These Principles and Standards are designed to empower law schools, legal employers, and law student candidates ("candidates") to self-govern based on the concepts set forth below. NALP expects such governance will be managed with the highest regard for the best interest of all involved parties.
The full text of the Principles and Standards can be found at: www.nalp.org/principles. Part V, is reprinted in its entirety below:
PART V: GENERAL STANDARDS FOR THE TIMING OF OFFERS AND DECISIONS
In November 2016, the Board adopted changes to Part V.C.3. and Part V.D.1&2.
To promote fair and ethical practices for the interviewing and decision-making process, NALP offers the
following standards for the timing of offers and decisions:
A. General Provisions
1. All offers to law student candidates (“candidates”) should remain open for at least two weeks
after the date of the offer letter unless the offers are made pursuant to Sections B and C below, in
which case the later response date should apply.
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2. Candidates are expected to accept or release offers or request an extension by the applicable
deadline. Offers that are not accepted by the offer deadline expire.
3. A candidate should not hold open more than five offers of employment at any one time. For each
offer received that places a candidate over the offer limit, the candidate should, within one week
of receipt of the excess offer, release an offer.
4. Employers offering part-time or temporary positions for the school term are exempted from the
requirements of Paragraphs B and C below.
5. Practices inconsistent with these guidelines should be reported to the candidate’s career services
office.
B. Full-Time Employment Provisions
1. Employers offering full-time positions to commence following graduation to candidates not
previously employed by them should leave those offers open for at least 28 days following the
date of the offer letter or until December 30, whichever comes first. Candidates should reaffirm
these offers within 14 days from the date of the offer letter, if an employer requests such
reaffirmation in its offer letter. Employers that have requested this reaffirmation may retract any
offer that is not reaffirmed within the 14-day period. Offers made after December 15 for full-
time positions to commence following graduation should remain open for at least two weeks after
the date of the offer letter.
2. Candidates may request that an employer extend the deadline to accept the employer’s offer until
as late as April 1 if the candidate is actively pursuing positions with public interest or government
organizations. Candidates may hold open only one offer in such circumstances. Employers are
encouraged to grant such requests.
3. Employers offering full-time positions, to commence following graduation, to candidates
previously employed by them should leave those offers open until at least October 1 of the
candidate’s final year of law school, provided that such offers are made prior to or on September
2. Candidates should reaffirm these offers within thirty days from the date of the offer letter, if an
employer requests such reaffirmation in its offer letter. Employers that have requested this
reaffirmation may retract any offer that is not reaffirmed within the 30-day period. After
September 2 of a candidate's final year of law school, employers offering full-time positions to
commence following graduation to candidates previously employed by them should leave those
offers open for at least 28 days following the date of the offer letter.
4. If an employer makes an offer to a law student candidate not previously employed by that
employer before the beginning of the law school's on-campus interview program, that offer
should not expire until at least 28 days following the first day of the law school's on-campus
interview program. Employers should contact the appropriate law school(s) to determine these
dates. See Part IV F above.
5. Employers offering candidates full-time positions to commence following graduation and having
a total of 40 attorneys or fewer in all offices are exempted from Paragraphs 1-4 of this Section.
Instead, offers made on or before December 15 should remain open for at least three weeks
following the date of the offer letter or until December 30, whichever comes first, and offers
made after December 15 should remain open for at least two weeks.
C. Summer Employment Provisions for Second and Third Year Students
1. Employers offering positions for the following summer to candidates not previously employed by
them should leave those offers open for at least 28 days following the date of the offer letter or
until December 30, whichever comes first. Candidates should reaffirm these offers within 14 days
from the date of the offer letter, if an employer requests such affirmation in its offer letter.
Employers that have requested this reaffirmation may retract any offer that is not reaffirmed
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within the 14-day period. Offers made after December 15 for the following summer should
remain open for at least two weeks after the date of the offer letter.
2. Candidates may request that an employer extend the deadline to accept the employer’s offer until
as late as April 1 if the candidate is actively pursuing positions with public interest or government
organizations. Candidates may hold open only one offer in such circumstances. Employers are
encouraged to grant such requests.
3. Employers offering positions for the following summer to candidates previously employed by
them should leave those offers open until at least 28 days following the first day of the law
school's on-campus interview program.
4. If an employer makes an offer to a law student candidate not previously employed by that
employer before the beginning of the law school's on-campus interview program, that offer
should not expire until at least 28 days following the first day of the law school's on-campus
interview program. Employers should contact the appropriate law school(s) to determine these
dates. See Part IV F above.
5. Employers offering candidates positions for the following summer and having a total of 40
attorneys or fewer in all offices are exempted from Paragraphs 1-4 of this Section. Instead, offers
made on or before December 15 should remain open for at least three weeks following the date of
the offer letter or until December 30, whichever comes first, and offers made after December 15
should remain open for at least two weeks.
D. Summer Employment Provisions for First Year Students
1. To position law students to be as successful as possible, their efforts during the first semester of
law school should focus on their studies rather than on job search activities. Nonetheless,
opportunities to learn about professionalism, professional development and the legal profession in
a group setting are appropriate early in law school. Recognizing that law schools will differ in
philosophy as to first-year career development activities, law schools nevertheless should not
begin providing one-on-one career counseling or application document reviews to first-year
students before October 15 (except in the case of part-time students who may be given assistance
in seeking positions during the school term). Individual law schools may set later dates as
appropriate.
2. Recognizing that opportunities to learn about professionalism, professional development, and the
legal profession are appropriate early in law school and recognizing that law schools will differ as
to whether and how to include prospective employers in career development activities,
educational and professional development contact with 1Ls is permitted at any time at the
discretion of the school. Prospective employers and first year law students, however, should not
initiate contact with one another and employers should not initiate formal one-on-one recruiting
contact with one another, including applications, interviews, or offers to first year students, before
December 1. Appointments with candidates for interviews should be established for a mutually
convenient time so as not to unduly disrupt candidates' studies.
JOB SEARCH TIMELINES
Note:
NALP guidelines only apply to “member” schools and legal employers. Not all legal
employers are members of NALP and follow the NALP-guidelines. NALP employer
members are mostly larger law firms, some major government agencies, and a select
number of public service organizations. To see whether an employer is a NALP member,
visit the NALP Directory at www.nalpdirectory.com.
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JOB SEARCH TIMELINES FOR 1Ls, 2Ls, and 3Ls
The following are timelines meant to provide guidance on what you can expect from your job
search starting in your 1D/2E year. These are meant to be general. You should meet with a
CDO counselor individually to discuss what types of employers you are interested in and your
individual job search timeline.
Timeline for 1D/2E Students
AUGUST –
SEPTEMBER
National Association for Law Placement (NALP) guidelines are in effect:
law schools may discuss recruitment with students and review job
seeking documents starting November 1; employers will not
recruit/accept applications from first-year students before December 1.
Concentrate on studies and coursework.
Feel free to attend career panels and programs as you find time. Drop
by the CDO with any questions.
2Es – Please speak with a CDO counselor if you are seeking full-time
employment to replace your current employment. We can provide
access to online job postings and other resources for your job search.
OCTOBER Attend the mandatory 1D/2E Orientation to the Career Development
Office for your section. This is your introduction to the CDO team, legal
job market, and recruitment process. The CDO Job Search Guide will
be provided at this program.
Attend the annual Equal Justice Works Career Fair in Washington,
DC and participate in “table talk” with participating employers.
NOVEMBER Drop by the CDO’s Career Exploration Fair. This is an informational
forum to speak with alumni and other representatives from the public
and private sectors on how their organizations recruit for future intern
and job opportunities. Attend the fair, meet attorneys, and get the
names of recruiting contacts for your future summer job search.
(Business attire NOT required.)
Meet with your CDO counselor to discuss your resume draft and
devising your personal job search plan for applying to employers
accepting applications beginning December 1.
Exercise your access to the UMD Symplicity Career Services
Management System and Job Bank.
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Peruse the Government Honors & Internship Handbook (password
available from CDO) to determine summer employment programs of
interest with deadlines in December.
Register for the Greater DC/Baltimore Public Service Career Fair
DECEMBER After December 1: Some law firms begin accepting resumes for
summer employment from 1Ls. This is also a good time to meet with
your counselor to identify other employers that recruit in the spring.
ASAP after December 1st: Apply to Government Summer Honor and
Internship Programs accepting applications from 1Ls (see Government
& Internship Handbook)
Bidding opens for interviews with employers participating in the Greater
DC/Baltimore Public Service Career Fair
Mid-December after Final Exams: If you plan to apply to legal
employers over winter break, finalize your resume and cover letter with
a counselor before leaving for the holidays.
JANUARY –
MARCH
In January, the CDO will conduct Summer Job Workshops to assist
you with finding employment and internships over the summer. Review
the Summer Experience Binder in the CDO to get the inside scoop on
how previous 1Ls found their summer jobs and what they experienced
working for their employers.
Check in with your CDO counselor to devise job search strategies for
identifying summer opportunities with small/mid-sized law firms,
government agencies, judges, or public interest organizations. 2Es --
this is the time to consider replacing your non-legal job with a legal
position. Discuss your plan with a counselor.
Spring Recruitment Programs: This includes on-campus interviews,
Resume Collections, public interest job fairs, and job postings. For on-
campus interviews and resume collections in the spring, all materials
will be collected via Symplicity. Review the information sent to you by
the CDO on responding to important deadlines.
Attend the Greater DC/Baltimore Public Service Career Fair and the
UM/UB Public Interest Career Fair: Meet representatives from
government and public interest organizations that recruit
summer/semester interns.
Participate in the Firm Night Program for 1D/2E Students and Firm
Night Orientation: Attend evening receptions held at prominent local
law firms where you will have the opportunity to meet attorneys from the
firm and practice your networking skills.
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Participate in the Spring Mock Interview Program, geared towards
1Ls applying for summer jobs in the spring.
Monitor Symplicity for summer employment postings and apply for
summer jobs.
Attend career panels and other programs throughout the spring.
APRIL – MAY 1D/2E Orientation to Fall Recruitment: Preview which employers will
recruit your class next fall and pick up the registration and summer
contact forms necessary to participate. MANDATORY.
Send your resume in for critique by a CDO counselor (mandatory for
participating in the upcoming Fall Recruitment).
Drop off or email your completed Fall Recruitment Interview
Cancellation Policy to the CDO before leaving campus for the summer.
Timeline for 2D/3E Students
JUNE – JULY CDO counselors critique resumes submitted in May for review.
Carefully review the CDO’s Guide to Fall Recruitment provided at
Orientation.
Bidding opens for interviews with employers participating in Fall
Recruitment: On-Campus Interviews (OCI), Resume Collections,
The Washington Interview Program (WIP), and the National Law
School Consortium (NLSC) regional interview programs. Begin to
upload your resume, transcript, and all other applicable materials via
Symplicity. Make sure to refer to your orientation materials often.
Research employers participating in the Fall Recruitment Program.
Meet with a CDO counselor to discuss your strategy.
Begin preparing government summer honors program applications.
Mid-July: Many Fall Recruitment Program deadlines will occur mid-July.
Make sure you have all your materials submitted via Symplicity and do
not wait until the last minute.
Nuts & Bolts of Judicial Clerkships: Learn about a range of post-
graduate judicial clerkship opportunities. Schedule an appointment with
a Director to discuss strategies on applying for clerkships in your areas
of interest.
If applying for federal judicial clerkships, familiarize yourself with the
timelines, secure recommenders for letters of recommendation, and
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review and complete all CDO mailing program requirements.
JULY –
AUGUST
Participate in the Fall Mock Interview Program and Interviewing
Skills Workshop to prepare you for Fall Recruitment and beyond.
The Fall Recruitment Program begins with NLSC Regional Interview
Programs, the Washington Interview Program (WIP), and On-Campus
Interviews (OCI).
Keep track of bidding deadlines.
SEPTEMBER The Fall Recruitment Program continues with OCI, resume
collections, and regional job fairs.
Attend career panels and professional development programs.
Application deadline for the Department of Justice’s Honors and
Summer Law Internship programs. Check the Government Honors
& Internship Handbook for other federal and state government
agencies with early deadlines.
Meet with your CDO counselor to devise a year-round job search
strategy for employers that do NOT participate in the Fall Recruitment
Program.
Register for the Equal Justice Works Career Fair in Washington, DC,
and bid for interviews with public service employers.
OCTOBER –
NOVEMBER
The Fall Recruitment Program comes to a close.
Conduct targeted mailings to small/mid-sized firms and other employers
who may not typically advertise open positions. Participate in the
Lunch at a Law Firm Program and learn about the hiring process at
law firms that do not typically hire through “OCI”.
Judicial Clerkship Panel: Learn why you should consider applying for
post-graduate judicial clerkship.
If applying to federal and state appellate clerkships, contact
recommenders to prepare letters of recommendations, prepare writing
samples and get feedback on them, and draft cover letters and
resumes and have materials reviewed by the CDO.
Attend the Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair in
Washington, DC. Speak with employers from state and federal
government, non-profit and public interest organizations about potential
summer employment. Even if you did not receive an interview you can
still participate in table talk.
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Monitor Symplicity for summer and semester job and internship
opportunities.
CDO Judicial Clerkship Mailing Program: Use it to send your
materials to state court judges and federal judges not using the OSCAR
system.
Meet with your CDO counselor to make sure your materials (resume,
cover letter, etc…) are ready for contacting and meeting with employers
over the winter break and applying for summer job openings.
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Begin applying to state appellate judges for post-graduate judicial
clerkships.
Bidding opens for interviews with employers participating in the Greater
DC/Baltimore Public Service Career Fair.
Conduct informational interviews and attend networking events to
generate job leads and build your network.
Review the Vermont Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures
to determine the process for applying to various state judges.
SPRING
JANUARY –
APRIL
Participate in any Spring Recruitment activities such as on-campus
interviews, resume collections, and public service job fairs.
Attend the Greater DC/Baltimore Area Public Service Career Fair
and the UM/UB Public Interest Career Fair: Meet representatives from
government and public interest organizations that recruit
summer/semester interns.
Monitor Symplicity for summer and semester job and internship
opportunities.
Attend career panels and professional development programs.
MAY Review Fall Recruitment materials and calendar deadlines for the
upcoming summer.
Timeline for 3D/4E Students
SUMMER
AUGUST
Judicial Clerkships: Follow-up on references and letters of
recommendation from professors and employers that you will need
to apply for federal and state clerkships.
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Prepare application materials for government honors programs.
Fall Recruitment Program: Review bidding deadlines and apply for
employers hiring for your class year.
Interested in private practice? Consider working for a small/mid-
sized firm part-time during the school-year to get your foot in the
door and set yourself up for possible full-time employment after
graduation and/or bar results. Meet now with your assigned
counselor to conduct a search of law firms to contact. Strategize
with your assigned counselor on your communications to law firm
contacts.
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
Participate in the Fall Recruitment Program.
Meet with your CDO counselor to devise a job search strategy for
employers that are NOT participating in the Fall Recruitment
Program but DO recruit during the fall.
Application deadline for the Department of Justice’s Attorney
General’s Honors Program. Review the Government Honors &
Internship Handbook for application deadlines for other government
Honor Programs and entry level attorney recruitment.
Judicial Clerkship Program: Learn why you should consider
applying for state trial court/circuit court post-graduate judicial
clerkships as entrées to legal employment after graduation.
Early deadline for Maryland February Bar Exam – see the State
Board of Law Examiner’s website for details
(www.courts.state.md.us). Check application deadlines and
requirements for bar examinations in other jurisdictions at the
National Conference of Board Examiners’ website (www.ncbex.org).
Register for the Equal Justice Works Career Fair in Washington,
DC, and bid for interviews with public service employers.
OCTOBER –
NOVEMBER
The Fall Recruitment Program comes to a close.
Conduct targeted mailings to small/mid-sized firms and other
employers who may not typically post open positions. Participate in
the Lunch at a Law Firm Program and learn about the hiring
process at law firms that do not typically hire through “OCI”.
Attend the Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair in
Washington, DC. Speak with employers from state and federal
government, non-profit and public interest organizations about
potential summer employment. Even if you did not receive an
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interview you can still participate in table talk.
Alternatives to OCI: Discuss your job strategies with your counselor
and conduct a job search for entry level employment with small and
mid-sized firms and public service employers that typically do not
hire through OCI but recruit during the remainder of the academic
year.
DECEMBER
Late application deadline for Maryland FEBRUARY Bar Exam --
see the State Board of Law Examiners’ website for details
(www.courts.state.md.us).
Early application deadline for Maryland JULY Bar Exam -- see
the State Board of Law Examiners’ website for details
(www.courts.state.md.us). Check application deadlines and
requirements for bar examinations in other jurisdictions at the
National Conference of Board Examiners’ website (www.ncbex.org).
Meet with a counselor to review your job search strategy and begin
Conduct informational interviews and attend networking events to
generate job leads and build your network.
SPRING
JANUARY –
APRIL
Participate in any Spring Recruitment activities such as on-campus
interviews, resume collections, and public service job fairs.
Attend the Greater DC/Baltimore Public Service Career Fair and
the UM/UB Public Interest Career Fair: Meet representatives from
government and public interest organizations that recruit
summer/semester interns.
Monitor Symplicity for post-graduate job opportunities.
Attend career panels and professional development programs.
Set up informational interviews and attend networking events to help
you generate job leads and build your network.
Conduct targeted mailings to small/mid-sized firms and other
employers who may not typically advertise job openings in the
Symplicity Job Bank.
Pick up your Graduation Information from the Office of Student
Affairs containing information about May graduation requirements
and activities, the CDO alumni resources for jobseekers.
Tell us about your job search progress and results by completing the
CDO’s Graduate Employment Survey. The survey helps us target
assistance to graduates who remain active in the job search.
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MAY Beginning of May: Return your completed Graduate Employment
Survey to the CDO. Jobseekers: Upload a current resume to
Symplicity and receive job announcements via e-mail. Plan to meet
with Alumni Counselor Ann Lloyd.
Late application deadline for Maryland JULY Bar Exam -- see the
State Board of Law Examiners’ website for details
(www.courts.state.md.us).
Graduation! You did it!
JUNE Study for the bar exam. Monitor the CDO’s JobTalk e-newsletters
for updates on job listings and attorney networking opportunities.
JULY Unlimited access to Symplicity continues.
Monitor the JobTalk e-newsletters for updates on job listings and
attorney networking opportunities
Contact Director Ann Lloyd, Alumni Counselor, with job search
questions, counseling appointments, resume reviews, or to request
reciprocity to view job postings at law schools outside the MD/DC
region.
Bar exam!
Stay in touch. We’re available to help you with your job search
until you secure postgraduate employment.
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INTERVIEWING & NETWORKING
PREPARING FOR JOB INTERVIEWS
Now that you have identified the types of employers you want to work for, reached out to your network and participated in networking events/job fairs/CDO events, and drafted stellar application materials, the last step is to ace the interview.
Types of interviews
Employment interviews can take many forms, depending on the type of employer. Interviews with large law firms (the ones that participate in OCI) for 2L summer associate programs are usually a two-step process -- the screening interview and the call-back interview. In both cases there may be communication between just two parties, or there may be several interviewers seeking information from one employment candidate. Screening Interviews: Generally, screening interviews are part of a formal interviewing process, and provide an employer with basic information concerning the applicant's suitability for a position. Many times employers use your resume to make the first cut, and the screening interview to eliminate from further consideration those who do not appear to be a good fit for the employer. Screening interviews usually last 20-30 minutes, and may be held on-campus, at an employer's office, at a hotel, or via phone or video-conference. Based on predetermined criteria, an interviewer seeks factual information supporting an individual's candidacy. Relevant background and indicators of future success are carefully measured and considered. Call-back Interviews: The call-back interview is characterized by more prolonged contact with the prospective employer, and an emphasis on "fit" rather than evaluation of minimum qualifications. Although most selection interviews involve one-on-one conversations, you may meet with several employer representatives, either simultaneously or in a series of individual meetings. Most call-back interviews take place at the prospective employer's office to allow the applicant an opportunity to see the premises and to develop a sense of the environment. Depending on the style of the interviewer, call-back interviews may be comfortable conversations or stressful encounters. Interviews with large prosecutor’s offices and other like government agencies (i.e., Miami-Dade State’s Attorney’s Office, Bronx District Attorney’s Office) also take the form of a two-step, and even a three-step, process. In many instances a screening interview is followed by a panel interview, and then one last interview with the D.A. or Deputy D.A. Smaller organizations, such as small firms and non-profits, and judges may only conduct one interview. It is appropriate when setting up the interview to ask about the timeframe of the interview, who you will be interviewing with, and the interview process.
INTERVIEW FALLACIES
Developing an effective interview style requires applicants to be aware of interview myths and to
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prepare for them appropriately. The following are prominent myths:
The interviewer is prepared for the interview, is knowledgeable about the organization, and has reviewed the applicant's resume. (Given an attorney’s busy schedule, an applicant cannot always assume that the interviewer has had adequate time to prepare).
The interviewer controls the interview. (The interviewer controls only the format of the interview; the applicant controls the content).
Applicants cannot prepare for an interview—one cannot predict what the interviewer will ask. (Interviews are predictable; applicants can anticipate the types of questions most likely to be asked, and should prepare responses).
Knowledge and experience are the factors most critical to a positive employment decision. (Once applicants are seen to possess "minimum qualifications," the decision to hire is largely based on personality and "fit").
The only important part of an interview is the first five minutes. (Failure to impress an interviewer during the first five minutes should not cause an applicant to dismiss the interview as unsuccessful. The remaining 15 or 20 minutes should be used to gain the interviewer's support).
An applicant can accurately determine the status of his/her candidacy by assessing the dynamics of a given interview. (Although it is important for the applicant to assess/analyze the interview, one cannot accurately predict the result).
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BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
Preparation: Preparation begins before the face-to-face meeting, and includes the applicant's recognition of his/her credentials and of the organization. Applicants should:
Consciously assess credentials and be able to articulate these qualifications and skills.
Evaluate the position and the organization by your personal and career interests.
Know the organization, the position specifications, and the interviewer.
Rehearse answers to predictable questions (especially sensitive questions or grueling lines of inquiry, including hypothetical situation questions)
Appearance: Professional dress is fundamental; your appearance should be conservative, and suit the nature of the position for which you are interviewing.
Appear neat, clean, and fresh.
Keep accessories moderate and jewelry tasteful.
Clean and brush hair into an attractive style.
Fingernails should be manicured and hands unsoiled.
Shoes should be polished and clothes should be pressed. Relax: Many people experience stress symptoms before, during, and after interviews including:
sweaty hands, headaches and muscle tension, increased heart rate, anxiousness, sleeplessness, heartburn, irritability, extreme nervousness resulting in visible shaking, or stomach queasiness. These physical reactions to stress usually result from self-doubt, confronting the unknown, and allowing fear of failure or rejection to take control.
Manage stress by learning to relax, getting enough rest before the interview, and concentrating on positive thoughts. Take a walk before the interview to relieve excess energy and stress. Thoroughly preparing for interviews will substantially reduce stress.
Knowledge of the organization, interviewer, and position counteracts fear of the unknown. Have a sense of personal/professional abilities and career interests to advocate your candidacy with confidence. Become familiar with the interview location and allow ample travel time to arrive at the interview 10-15 minutes early.
DURING THE INTERVIEW
Rapport: You must establish good rapport at the onset of the interview. This creates an atmosphere in which information is exchanged easily and freely; it facilitates trust; and it promotes and sustains the interviewer's positive reaction to the applicant's personality and credentials. Establish rapport by:
Greeting the interviewer with a firm handshake, a welcoming smile, and a warm greeting
Maintaining a friendly, sincere demeanor
Using a conversational tone
Exhibiting enthusiasm
Practicing active listening (an occasional nod or comment)
Maintaining eye contact (without staring)
Engaging sparingly in small-talk.
Rapport is easily lost by having a "chip on your shoulder," by incorrectly addressing the
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interviewer (use Mr. or Ms.), by not engaging in eye contact, by communicating disinterest through slouching or fidgeting, and by totally consuming the conversation.
Converse: During the interview conversation, content is a two-way street. When responding to inquiries you should:
Answer all questions thoughtfully; pause to organize your thoughts before responding
Respond truthfully, consistently, and candidly
Lead the discussion to points of strength, avoid conversation on weaknesses and limitations
Show a direct relationship between applicant skills and employer needs
Find appropriate moments to interject information (especially if the interviewer is not allowing you ample opportunity to fully describe your credentials and value to the firm)
NEVER participate in a conversation degrading a previous employer
Respond tactfully yet firmly to offensive questions and report any offensive/illegal questions to the CDO
Maintain a serious, friendly, relaxed demeanor; do not joke or “clown around”
Keep the interview moving along by maintaining enthusiasm
Be prepared to answer questions preceded by WHAT, WHY, HOW, TELL ME, DESCRIBE FOR ME, EXPLAIN, and COMPARE.
Ask questions: Most interviewers allow limited time for applicant questions, which must be selected carefully to avoid broadcasting a lack of research or causing the interviewer to doubt the applicant's priorities. See Questions to Ask Interviewers below. Listen: Listening and understanding answers to your questions are critical to your ability to evaluate a potential association with an organization or firm. Attentive listening allows an applicant to catch subtle differences, understand hidden meanings, and identify evaded subject areas. Active listening (nodding and making supportive verbal comments) maintains an atmosphere in which important information is easily shared and discussed. Observe: Observe the interviewer's body language for insight into how you are being perceived. These visual clues must be digested immediately to constructively change interviewing techniques. Closing: Typically, at the end of the interview, the interviewer requests a final remark from the applicant. You should make a positive statement supporting your credentials and interest in employment with the organization/firm. If the interviewer does not mention the probable next step in the hiring process, ask about it.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW
Record: Write down immediate impressions, notes describing the organization, the people, the position and its requirements, the environment, and the time frame in which hiring decisions are to be made. This information will be invaluable to your evaluation process. Follow-up: Remember to send a thank you note within 24 hours of the interview. Thank you notes are not necessary after screening interviews arranged through the Fall and Spring Recruitment Programs, but are essential after call-back interviews and interviews resulting from a direct write or Resume collection.
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EVALUATING A POSITION
Avoid being excessively influenced by: the halo effect (allowing one trait to positively offset serious concerns) and stereotyping (allowing a particular image to control your decision). No one can describe all characteristics which constitute the right employment opportunity for you. Consider the following factors when choosing an employer:
Position: potential advancement, challenge/enjoyment, career flexibility, responsibility level, practice areas, amount of travel, variability of job, subordinates, supervisors, peers, level of interpersonal activity Organization: goals, relative size, market share, diversification, reputation, clientele served Industry: growth potential, size, stability, sensitivity to economic conditions
Geographic Area: housing, cultural, recreational, schools, population density, transportation facilities Remuneration: salary/commission, potential raises, medical/life insurance benefits, Bar costs, moving expenses, educational assistance, training programs, pro bono opportunities
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Part of preparing for your interview is to anticipate the types of questions that an employer may ask and think about your responses. The list below features some common interview questions asked by employers.
General
Why did you accept an interview with us? What interests you most about our specific
office/organization?
Tell me about yourself.
ESSENTIALS OF SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEWING…
Have a positive attitude
Be outwardly focused
Prepare
Maintain a conversational tone
Be sincere and honest
Talk!
Be enthusiastic
Think about what you want the employer to know
Bring references, a writing sample, a copy of your transcript, and extra Resumes
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Have you made a decision about the city where you ultimately wish to work? Why have
you selected this city?
What qualities do you have that you think will make you a successful lawyer?
Why would someone with your personality and background be a good fit for our
organization?
If I called your most recent employer, what would he/she say about you?
What two or three personal accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
Which are most significant to you and why?
What is the greatest obstacle that you have overcome in your life/career? What is the
most difficult decision you have ever had to make?
With what other kinds of employers are you interviewing? Do you have any pending job
offers? If so, where?
Tell me something about yourself that is not on your resume.
Does your law school have journal publications? Why are you/not a member of a law
journal?
What do you like to do outside of law school?
What persuaded you to become a lawyer? Why did you decide to go to law school/to
your particular law school?
What areas of the law particularly interest you?
Where do you plan to be and what will you be doing five years after graduation? Ten
years?
How much significance do you think we should attach to your GPA and class rank?
Please explain your law school’s grading system.
Under what conditions/management styles do you work most effectively? (Do you prefer
to work independently or with others?
If you graduated from law school, passed the bar, and had a year to do anything you
wanted, what would you do?
Large/Medium Office/Law Firm
What in particular interests you about our firm/organization?
What part of our practice/mission is of special interest to you?
What relevant educational/employment experience do you possess?
What practice specialties interest you?
What type of work are you unwilling to do? What would you do if assigned work in that
area?
If we made you an offer, how soon would you be prepared to give us an answer?
If you receive more than one offer, what would your thought process be for deciding
which on to accept?
What do you want to gain from working for with our firm/organization?
What are your expectations about the numbers of hours you'll be working at our
firm/organization?
Small Office/Law Firm
What ties do you have in this community?
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What is your understanding of how a small firm operates?
How much responsibility are you prepared to assume right from the start? Explain.
Government
Why are you interested in this government agency? What do you know about this
agency?
Why do you want a career in government?
In what other government agencies are you interested? In what ways do you prefer this
one over the others?
What training do you have in administrative law?
Judicial Clerkships
Explain your interest in trying to secure a clerkship.
What are your particular interests in seeking a clerkship with me?
Do you think a one-year term is long enough to make the job worthwhile?
What are the particular aspects of a clerkship you would value?
How valuable do you consider law review work in preparing you for a judicial clerkship?
What judges have you particularly admired because of style, substance, or ideology?
How important to you are the political views of the judges?
Legal Services and Public Interest Groups
How committed are you to service for the poor?
What if any interests do you have in service to the public generally?
How much experience have you had in your field of interest?
How important to you is the matter of compensation?
What do you see as the basic rewards for working for Legal Services or Public Interest
law firms?
Second Career
After working for a few years, why did you decide to return to school?
Tell me about your background/work experience. What did you gain from it? What does
your experience allow you to bring to our firm/organization?
How will you handle starting over professionally?
Behavioral Interviewing: Most employers have become more selective in their hiring
processes and have begun to rely heavily on behavioral interviewing. Behavioral interviewing is
based on the premise that past performance is the best predictor of future success. Many
employers have a list of competencies, or traits, that they look for in potential candidates. This
list is often based upon many years of data on their most successful, profitable, and longest-
lasting attorneys. Based upon this list, the employer will develop questions that seek to elicit
specific examples of this behavior.
Examples of behavioral interviewing questions are:
What factors did you consider when you were deciding if law school was a good choice?
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Tell me about a challenge you faced.
Describe the environment in which you get the most work done and can be most
productive.
Tell me about the last time you had to work in a group to reach a consensus.
Describe a time you dealt with a difficult client.
Tell me about a time you had to work under pressure.
Questionable or Insensitive Inquires: Be prepared to handle those questions that, although
impermissible, are frequently asked. If you are asked an inappropriate question, handle the
inquiry tactfully; do not answer questions that place you in an awkward position. For example, if
you are a woman and an interviewer asks about your marital status/family plans, you may
simply let the interviewer know you would not feel comfortable answering that question and that
your personal life would in no way effect your performance at their organization. Please bring
any inappropriate incidents to the CDO’s attention.
Examples of such inquiries are:
Are you married? What does your spouse do?
Do you have children? How old?
Do you anticipate additions to your family and if so how soon? Who will take care of
them?
To what extent will the existence of your family interfere with your performing a
normal work week?
In emergency situations, which interests would take precedence, your office or your
family?
Have you/your spouse consulted a family planning service?
Will the fact that you and your spouse both work create tensions in your family?
If one of you had to give up work which one would do so?
If the work of either of you required a transfer to another city, how would you work it
out?
Questions to Ask Interviewers: The interviewer should not be the only one asking questions.
Preparing intelligent, knowledgeable questions demonstrates to the employer that you have
taken the time to research the position and are interested in the organization. Below is a list of
some questions you may want to have prepared for the interviewer.
General
What is a typical day like?
What distinguishes the organization from others?
What attracted the interviewer to the organization and what makes him/her stay?
Associate Positions
How does the firm/organization determine what type of work a beginning attorney is
assigned? How is the work supervised? How are the evaluations of that work
communicated to the new attorney?
How is the entry level attorney trained? Are there formal training programs?
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How soon does a beginning attorney have direct client contact?
What are the criteria for advancement? To what extent is the development of new
clients a prerequisite to advancement?
In what departments has the firm experienced the greatest growth in the past five (or
ten) years? What are the firm's expectations for future growth?
Summer Associate Positions
What kind of work are summer law clerks engaged in? Is there a rotation among
departments? How is the choice of departments determined?
What kind of supervision can a summer law clerk expect to receive? Is there an
evaluation process? How is performance communicated to the clerk?
DO NOT ASK:
“How will I benefit?” questions, including work/billable hours, vacation time, maternity
leave policy, benefits, and pro bono programs. Ask these questions after you receive an
offer.
Negative questions, including rumors about the firm, how the firm compares with others,
or what employees dislike about the firm.
Questions you could answer yourself through simple research.
Questions answered during the interview. Pay attention and listen!
CALL-BACK INTERVIEW INFORMATION
For many of us, interviews are the most daunting part of the employment process, and when the initial 20-30 minute screening interview goes well, you will typically be invited back to the employer’s offices for half a day of interviews and maybe a meal. These second interviews are typically called “call-back” interviews.
When you receive an invitation for a call-back interview, pause for a moment and pat yourself on the back because you have cleared a significant hurdle. The number of students invited for call-backs varies from employer to employer. Once you obtain the call-back, there is little question about your ability to do the work; employers are more frequently looking for a good fit at this point in the process. Respond to the invitation and respond promptly. It is very unprofessional not to respond (don’t be a part of the more than about 7% of call-back recipients who neglect to respond annually). Realize that it is acceptable to decline a call-back invitation, and you can do so tactfully and diplomatically. It is also acceptable to change your mind after accepting the callbacks if you have accepted an offer from another employer, but do so as soon as possible and apologetically. Circumstances and plans change, and in fairness to the employer and other students, it doesn’t serve anyone well to attend the call-back if you are no longer able to accept the position from the employer.
When setting up the call-back, maximize the amount of information you can obtain from the employer. Ask 1) how long the meeting will be (explain that you just want to make your plans and arrangements appropriately; you’re not in a hurry and are happy to stay as long as necessary); 2) the name(s) of interviewer(s) (realizing that these may not be available until the night before or the morning of your interview, and even then there may be last minute substitutions); 3) expense reimbursement policies (while most private sector employers will pay
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for your reasonable travel and accommodation expenses, it is best to have this discussion up front rather than later in the process when such a question could be more awkward). BE COURTEOUS to everyone from the very first phone call – all people in the process can provide feedback to the decision-makers, and your judgment will continue to be evaluated throughout. If you are traveling outside the Baltimore/DC area for a call-back, now would be a good time to contact other employers in the same city where you have the call-back and see if they are interested in meeting with you while you are in town. Feel free to contact one of the counselors in the CDO if you want to discuss how to handle this strategically.
Preparing for a Call-back: Keeping in mind that a call-back is typically several 20-30 minute interviews strung together, you should prepare in a method similar to what you did for the initial interview, only a bit more in depth. Feel free to contact UMD alums, alumni from your undergraduate school, or the attorney who initially interviewed you to get advice.
Research interviewers and the employer using the Web, Lexis/Westlaw news and case files, summer employment surveys and firm Resumes in the CDO Resource Library, and the like. Make sure you know where you are going and that you allow yourself some extra travel time to get to the office 10-15 minutes early so that you can acclimate to the office and locate a restroom.
The Call-back Itself: A call back interview usually lasts a couple of hours to a half-day and may involve a meal, usually lunch. The number of interviewers also will vary, and you may meet with attorneys individually, in pairs, or in groups in a conference room. Don’t let your guard down with junior attorneys or support staff; treat everyone cordially and professionally. No matter what associates say, stay focused with them. They can be tougher than partners. Use Mr./Ms. unless you are told otherwise.
The attorney who initially interviewed you or someone from the recruiting staff may meet and greet you, shepherd you through the day, and/or debrief you at the end of your interview. This person may or may not sit on the hiring committee, but will definitely have input for hiring decisions. Questions you may be asked: Expect to be asked more of the same questions you fielded at your initial interview, but expect fewer regarding grades and academic performance, since at this point in the process you have most likely made the “grade cut.” Expect more informal conversation in an attempt on the part of the employer to gauge your ‘personability’ quotient. You may be asked the same questions multiple times by different attorneys. Stay fresh and enthusiastic – even if it’s the sixth time you’ve answered it; this is the only time that interviewer will hear your response. Be consistent in your responses–don’t change your responses depending on who’s interviewing you based on their practice areas. See the “Employment Interviews” handout available in the CDO Resource Library for sample questions you may be asked.
Questions you may want to ask: Don’t worry about asking the same questions of multiple people, so long as the questions are not already answered in the employer’s written materials. Good questions are those that 1) get people to give personal responses and /or 2) legitimately can be asked of more than one person. For example: What do you find most challenging/rewarding about your work? What skills are necessary to succeed here? What factors attracted you here? What distinguished the practice/work environment here from other employers? Are there new practice areas in development? Where do you see the firm/organization 5-10 years from now – growth, practice areas, technology?
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If a meal is involved, avoid alcohol and foods which might cause slurping, spilling or squirting. Be prepared for discussions involving things other than work. Read the paper in the morning before your interview.
After the Call-back: Evaluate the atmosphere at the firm. Debrief yourself. Remember that the interview is a two-way street and is as much, if not more, for you than for the employer. Don’t take notes during the interview, but jot down your impressions as soon as possible after leaving the site. Were doors open? Were people on a first-name basis? How was the non-attorney staff treated? Was it bustling or quiet?
Thank you notes are essential after call-back interviews: There is no consensus on handwritten versus typewritten. It is not advisable to write to everyone with whom you met if the letter says the same thing. All of your correspondence will go to the same file. Either write a joint note or one to each person with specific things you talked about at the interview. Or you can write a note to the Recruiting Coordinator or the attorney who shepherded you through the day asking that he or she extend your thanks to the others with whom you interviewed. Your letter will be routed to them and then placed in your file. Finally, if you don’t receive a response from the employer within the timeframe that they told you, wait an extra week, and then follow-up via e-mail or phone. If you have a change in your credentials after the call-back, by all means, share your good news with the potential employer by e-mail or phone.
And as always, please feel free to meet with one of the counselors in the CDO to discuss any questions you might have about the interview process.
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NETWORKING & INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS
Networking involves contacting people you know, or with whom you have some connection, and asking them to provide advice and/or assistance with your job search. These individuals do not need to have a job to offer you. They need not be particularly high-ranking or influential individuals. Any contact is helpful if he/she can provide you with information about a particular practice area, career path, job market, or introduce you to additional contacts.
There are several reasons why building your network is vital to your job search and your career. However, one reason stands above the rest – networking is the most effective method of finding a job! The simple fact is that most employment opportunities are not advertised through traditional means. It is up to you to uncover the “hidden job market.” The existence of the hidden job market means that responding to job postings and sending out targeted mailings is only part of the job search. The best way to learn about unadvertised positions is to form a network of people who will get you connected to the job opportunities.
The following are four easy steps to follow in creating your networking plan.
STEP ONE: IDENTIFY WHO IS IN YOUR NETWORK Anyone can be a networking contact, you just have to think outside the box:
Your fellow classmates, upper-class students, undergraduate classmates
Former employers
LinkedIn Connections
College fraternity, sorority and other affinity group contacts
People you know from the gym
Friends and relatives
It is very important to have realistic expectations before you begin contacting people you know and developing professional relationships. When networking, it is reasonable to expect:
Advice about career fields, practice areas, and market trends
Feedback about a resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills
Assistance in formulating an action plan for a specific field or organization
Referrals to others who may assist you
Professional mentoring (in some cases – not everyone you meet with will want to form a long-term mentoring relationship)
It is not reasonable to expect your contacts to find you a job. You are sure to make a bad impression if your only question is: “Do you have any openings?”
STEP TWO: HOW TO START NETWORKING One of the best ways to network is through informational interviewing. This is where you contact people you know, or have been referred to by your contacts, to ask them if they are willing to talk with you about their career and how they got into the field. You want to ask them
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about any insights they may have on your job search. You do not want to ask them for a job!
Informational interviewing can provide:
Insights into a career field of interest including skills needed, entry-level positions, employment trends, job opportunities, etc…
A realistic view of the work
Assistance with academic planning and ideas for volunteer, summer, part-time, and internship opportunities related to specific fields
Professional contacts and increased confidence when interacting with professionals
A better chance of being ‘in the right place at the right time”
A foot in the door
Information about special concerns (i.e., salaries, part-time hours, etc…) that may not be appropriate to raise during a formal employment interview
You may approach potential contacts via phone call or email. It is sometimes easier to begin the conversation with someone you don’t know via email (BUT always keep your emails professional. Refer to the previous section on email etiquette). When approaching a potential contact, it is advised NOT to include a resume and/or cover letter in your initial request. It may make the reader presume that you are only looking for a job under the guise of an informational interview (which, in reality, may be the case). An informational interview is meant to be employer/attorney focused and not student focused. Sending your materials before you have secured the interview may make the reader uncomfortable and possibly lead him/her to deny your request. What follows are some sample emails from a student requesting an informational interview with a new contact.
Dear Mr. Bachrach:
I am currently a second-year student at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and am very interested
in pursuing a career representing corporate tax clients. In pursuing this goal, I have signed-up to take a variety of relevant
courses and spent my first-year summer interning with the U.S. Tax Court.
I am writing to ask if I may schedule a brief meeting or telephone call with you to discuss your career path and hear any
suggestions you may have for me. I have researched your career and found some of your previous positions to be
fascinating and am interested to hear about your experiences. I will call your office at the end of this week to see if it would
be possible to schedule a meeting. Thank you and I hope we will get to speak soon.
Regards,
Second-year student name (Class of 2019)
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Email address
Telephone number
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Conduct a self-assessment before each
interview so that you are prepared to discuss
your skills, interests, and goals with the person
you are meeting.
Ask for a job, only information.
Make eye conduct and dress in appropriate
business attire.
Show up late or not at all. You will likely not get a
second chance to meet with this person.
Be prepared. Research the person you are
meeting with so that you know something
about his/her career path, previous employers,
or practice area.
Stay longer than 30 minutes in most cases.
Create a list of questions. This list may change
depending on the person you are meeting with
– you want them to be well-tailored to each
individual.
Forget to send a thank-you note.
Follow-up with a thank-you note after the
meeting.
Keep records of who you have met with so you
can follow-up later in your job search.
DO… DON’T…
Dear Ms. Listin:
I am a third-year student at your alma mater, the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. I just
finished my summer at Big Law Firm in their government contracts division. I am intent on working
in the federal government after law school and would like to learn more about the Department of
Transportation Honors Program. Yvette Watts suggested that I contact you to see if you would be
willing to meet with me to discuss any advice or guidance you have regarding my career goals. I
would welcome the opportunity to meet for coffee or lunch at your convenience. Thanks and I look
forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Third-year student name (Class of 2018)
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Email address
Telephone number
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STEP THREE: WHAT TO ASK
Having questions prepared is key to helping you relax and be able to converse intelligently with the person with whom you are networking. The following is a list of sample questions that can be asked at a networking event or during an informational interview. Do not, however, become so focused on asking just these questions that you forget to hold the conversation and not follow-up on interesting things the person is saying.
General Questions:
How did you get your job at (name of organization)?
Were you an intern/law clerk/summer associate at (name of organization) before you
were hired permanently?
Did you work at any other organizations before landing your current job? Where?
What led you to choose this career path? What do you wish you would have known
about your particular field/practice area before starting out?
What does an attorney in your field do? What are the different aspects of this job?
Have you advanced within the organization? What are the advancements opportunities
in your organization?
What does your organization look for when hiring new attorneys/law clerks/ interns?
What traits do successful applicants have?
As a judicial clerk, how do you spend your day? Do you get to spend time with the judge,
attend court, perform research?
How is the market in (insert geographical location)? Are there areas of practice in
(geographical location) that are considered up-and-coming?
Are there any professional organizations I should join that would put me in contact with
other attorneys in this practice area?
What is the typical salary range for a position with a (insert type of organization) in
(insert geographical area)?
What advice do you have for a student/recent grad looking to get into this field?
Do you know of any other people to contact that may be able to assist me with my
research?
Professional Development:
What professional development organizations have you found most helpful?
What publications or newsletters do you read?
Are there any upcoming events that you think would be helpful to me in my research?
Law School & Career Planning:
What are some things I can be doing now while in school to better acquaint myself with
your area of practice?
What are some of the activities that you pursued while in law school that you believe
prepared you for practice?
How did you prepare for interviews while in law school?
What are some typical interview questions someone in your field may ask?
How can I use my summers to help me make informed career decisions?
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Perspective:
What are some things you wish you knew about the practice of law before graduation?
What do you find most rewarding/challenging about the practice of law?
What do you find least rewarding/challenging?
Quality of Life:
Do you have any suggestions on how to balance work and other commitments, both
personal and professional?
How do you deal with client demands?
How much control do you have over your schedule? How predictable are your hours?
STEP FOUR: FOLLOW-UP
It is important to send a thank-you note after any informational interview. You will also want to follow-up with the contact either with news about yourself (i.e., you met with one of the contacts they recommended or had an interview), about them (i.e., you saw an article they wrote), or about their practice area or organization (i.e., their firm just won a pro bono award). You may also choose to invite them to connect via your LinkedIn account (not Facebook).
To ensure that you are getting the most of your networking, you should keep detailed notes on each of your contacts and keep a networking log. Another resource for information and questions regarding informational interviews can be found at: https://www-cms.livecareer.com/quintessential/informational-interviewing
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Loan Repayment Assistance Program & Salary Information Resources
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Public Interest Loan Repayments Assistance Program was established to address the educational debt burdens faced by Maryland law graduates committed to careers in public interest law. Current Maryland law students in their final year of law school are eligible to apply for program funds. Also, graduates in the class of 1996, or later, from the School of Law are eligible to apply for program funds. For questions about your financial eligibility for the School of Law’s LRAP, contact Marilyn Jones, Office of Student Affairs at [email protected]. For questions about the public service employment that may be eligible for the School of Law’s LRAP and researching other assistance programs, contact Director Teresa Schmiedeler in the CDO at [email protected].
Please note the email application for the LRAP program will not be accepted. Mail your hard
copy application to the law school address and contact person listed in the application. To find out more information on LRAP and other public interest loan repayment assistance programs,
and to download the LRAP application, please visit the website:
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/students/resources/tuition/loan_repayment.html
LEGAL SALARY INFORMATION RESOURCES
National Salary Data – Starting Salaries for Law Graduates Each year, National Association for Law Placement (NALP) collects graduate employment and salary information from the majority of law schools across the country. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reports its employment data, which includes salaries as requested, to the American Bar Association and to NALP. This data is collected and released nine (9) months after graduation and may also be found on the law school website at: http://www.law.umaryland.edu/about/departments/cdo/employment_stats.html and
Salary ranges for law graduates are influenced by a variety of variables including economic pressures, and the hiring capabilities of employers that recruit law students and graduates across the spectrum of employment. To get an accurate and complete picture of starting salaries for the most recent law school graduates, we encourage you to view the Salary
Questions on Managing Educational Debt and Budgeting?
While salary should not be the determining factor in choosing which
type of employment to pursue, it is important to maintain a realistic
expectation of the salary you can expect to earn after graduation and
budget your law school expenses accordingly. Ms. Marilyn Jones,
located in the Office of Student Affairs, is available to meet with you
and work out a realistic student budget. CDO counselors encourage
you take advantage of this service and prepare for your future:
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Distribution Curve produced by NALP based upon the reports from all the law schools at: http://www.nalp.org/salarydistrib. In particular, note the two peaks and deep valley of the bimodal salary curves that represent the starting salaries of new law graduates that reflect the impact of the current economy on legal hiring. Resources
NALP.org, click on Research & Statistics => Salary & Compensation, http://www.nalp.org/salariescompensation.
NALP Jobs & JDs (information available at the CDO).
NALP Annual Associates Salary Survey (information available at the CDO).
Regional and Local Salary Data A few credible resources for obtaining information on starting salaries for graduates and other legal positions are:
NALP Jobs & JDs (information available at the CDO).
Robert Half Legal Salary Guide – http://www.roberthalf.com/salary-guides.
Indeed.com Salary Guide - http://www.indeed.com/salary/Indeed.html.
Negotiating Salary:
Negotiating Salary with Small Firms (hand-out and advice available in the CDO).
Salary Requests
If a job advertisement requests that you provide salary requirements, you should try to address this issue without stating a dollar amount or even a range. Providing a salary amount could eliminate you from consideration if it is too high, or limit your ability to obtain a higher salary if you obtain the position. Often you will not have information to determine what the position will pay. You should try to postpone the salary issue until further into the interview stage. However, to demonstrate that you are aware of the request and that you are detail-oriented, include a sentence in your closing paragraph that states something to the effect of: “My salary requirements are negotiable.”
Some postings will state that cover letters without salary requirements will not be considered. In that case, you may be forced to provide a number. We have several salary resources you can consult in the CDO Library including NALP’s Associate Salary Survey and the Robert Half Legal Salary Guide referenced above. Both resources provide good information on salary ranges for positions such as law clerks, paralegals, and entry-level and experienced attorneys. You can find the Robert Half Salary Guide online, as is the Indeed.com salary guide also referenced above. Feel free to contact the CDO with any questions on salary matters at [email protected] or 410-706-2080