Being a transactional lawyer at a large firm or a lawyer at a business-focused government agency (such as the SEC) are two routes which offer insight into running a business. Does a law school student who wants to become an entrepreneur or transition into a non-legal job in the private sector have any other GOOD options for gaining business experience?

-- JosephWilliams - 22 Jun 2008

-Adam- I am currently working for a legal services organization called Legal Assistance Foundation in Chicago where we asked to do exactly the things you have mentioned. One way to get that expirience before you graduate is to work/ volunteer to one of these organizations durig the school (if you dont want to commit a summer to it).

-- BetreGizaw - 21 Jun 2008

Is there any part of the country where i can get the best 'bang for my buck' in terms salary and cost of living so I can pay off loans as quickly as possible? If that is not a place where I want to be or where there isn't a large public interest opportunities, how difficult is it to find public interest work in CHI, SF, NY, DC where these jobs seem to be?

-- BetreGizaw - 21 Jun 2008

How can first year students best experience different aspects of the law and decide for themselves their career paths before the rat race consumes the decision making process and makes their choices for them?

-- HoangTruong - 20 Jun 2008

Which classes should every law student take in their time in law school? Would it be necessary to take corporations and such if I have no prior experience in business or economics?

-- HoangTruong - 20 Jun 2008

How should we go about fulfilling or minor and major writing credits? It addition, once we finish them, should we take the time to shop it out to prospective journals? Is it worth it if academia or clerking is not a goal?

-- NicoleMedham - 20 Jun 2008

-- NicoleMedham - 20 Jun 2008

To piggy-back onto Ana's mommy track question--how can we, as female associates, go about having a family but making it clear that we do not want to be on the mommy-track and will continue to work just as hard (emergencies not withstanding) despite having children?

-- NicoleMedham - 20 Jun 2008

I think the question is: CAN you?

-- AndrewHerink - 19 Jun 2008

* Amanda, I'm doing an internship with Legal Assistance in Chicago, and before it started, I kind of had the same question. But now, I feel like I'm gaining subtle skills (through trial and error) that can help me in later public interest work. But the problem is that I'm not sure how this skill set I am gaining can transfer to OTHER types of public interest jobs. So, in the end, I feel like I still have to answer that initial question.

-- AndrewHerink - 19 Jun 2008

Is it crucial to get involved with the type of public interest work that you are interested in early in your career? For example, I have a real interest in city planning and urban development issues. Very few of the public interests opportunities I was able to locate while looking for a job for this summer had programs that provided work in a relatively niche capacity (like the legal side of city planning). Outside of being bogged down in city-level government work, it seems like the most viable way to get involved with this type of work is with a private academic, but I have difficulties figuring out a) how to make connections with independent people of such an industry and b) how to develop a skill set that is relevant for this type of work. (RobertCorp)

If there is a reality, and a general perception, that a huge percentage of young associates will not be staying with a firm until they reach partner, how competitive is the workplace? Can anyone who is summer-ing at a big firm attest to this aspect of the experience? It seems like the cutthroat competition of law school (or at least of the characterization of law school) would not have to exist in such a setting, since it seems like a relatively small percentage of people are actually focused on making partner. (RobertCorp)

How important is the “prestige” that comes from the reputation of the top firms to facilitating a transition to a position of community leadership? During my section of legal methods, with Bobbitt, we were exposed to many attorneys who have had interesting careers and have accomplished a lot in the civil spectrum, but many used the reputation of their big firms as a conduit to their success in the political/social sphere. (The example that has stayed with me the most was Philip Howard, Vice-Chairman of Covington & Burling, who has gone on to be a prominent civic leader in New York) (RobertCorp)

In class, we talked about students who found ways to practice without giving up control of their license. I am deeply concerned with finding a way to live and practice that allows me to do good without forfeiting a personal life and family. Many of us were astounded by the idea of a young associate who seized upon something that he did extremely well (greenmail) and that was of critical importance to his firm, which he leveraged to gain unparalleled flexibility and autonomy. I want that. I want to know what the firm needs that could be done effectively in a way that grants me greater control over my life.

And, I want to know how to get Big Law or Big Business to foot the bill for the cause I care about. Is it all about knowing who has sympathy for my cause? How do you get the firm to break the rules that ordinarily add to the bottom line?

-- SylvieRampal - 02 Jun 2008

• I am at the Bronx Defenders this summer. Their acquittal rate is pretty impressive and, having watched our attorneys go toe to toe against ADAs this past week, it is clear that the Bronx Defenders' attorneys have what they need to be successful. I have no experience with other defenders services and so I would suggest that you investigate any particular place you are interested in working.

• I think there are two main differences. First, at a public interest job, you are doing work you believe in and so, presumably, don't begrudge doing. People are less likely to be forced to work for hours on end, instead, they want to be there. Second, there is more flexibility in hours at a public interest job (I got shoed out of the office yesterday at 5:00 and my supervising attorneys looked at me like I was crazy when I asked for more assignements late in the afternoon).

I think health insurance, retirement benefits, transaction costs of hiring and office space are factors in that, but it still seems that there is a point at which they could hire more people for each person to do less.

-- AndrewWolstan - 22 May 2008

• From ages 6 to 13, I lived in a household with a combined income below 40K. The 2006 median household income was about $48K. Since first year public defenders make about 48K, I can't imagine you would be making much less after graduation if you choose to use your law degree. But, even if you do, you will have the same chance of survival as I had. Given that 1 in 4 American families have a combined household income of about 25K or below, you won't even be that poor. -- AdamCarlis 22 May 2008

Who wants to start a "We aren't doing EIP" support group?

-- AmandaRichardson - 22 May 2008

What are the benefits and drawbacks of taking classes at other schools (journalism, business, etc)?

-- AmandaRichardson - 22 May 2008

How important are internships to public interest work? Is it really important to essentially begin a career now?

-- AmandaRichardson - 22 May 2008

How possible is it to shift from firm work to government work--that is, how much professional back-and-forth is there?

-- RyanMcDevitt - 21 May 2008

What do judges look for when selecting clerks straight out of law school? More generally, what are the pros and cons of clerking straight out of law school as opposed to trying to practice for a few years first?

-- WardBenson - 20 May 2008

How much money does it take to live the conventional American suburban life (raising 2.5 kids and sending them to college without relying on loans or scholarships)? Looking farther, given the rising costs of health care and living in general, and the likelihood that Social Security and Medicare may not be around when I retire, how much money will I need to accumulate during my professional career in order to be able to live well in old age.

-- WardBenson - 20 May 2008

Do pro-bono coordinators at big firms get to make decisions about the kinds of issues the firm's resources will be devoted to? Do they become involved in the work, or are they just middlemen between public interest organizations and the firm? (VishalA)

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