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How to Be Your Own Advocate on the Job as a New Lawyer

October 24, 2023 by Leave a Comment

How to Be Your Own Advocate on the Job as a New LawyerThis week we welcome back guest writer Marissa Geannette to talk about speaking up for yourself when you’re a new attorney.

As a new lawyer, you’ve already worked tirelessly to earn your JD, pass the bar, and secure your first job. However, your journey is far from over – it’s just beginning!

To succeed in the legal profession, you must learn how to be your own advocate. This skill is not only essential for your professional development but also for your overall job satisfaction. Here, we explore strategies and techniques that will help you become an effective advocate for yourself over the course of your legal career. [Read more…]

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A Month At the Court As an Intern

July 18, 2023 by Leave a Comment

A Month At the Court As an InternThis week we’re hearing again from guest writer Stephanie Gregoire, this time about what her experience as an intern in the court has been like during the summer.

For the past month, I’ve had the honor of interning with a Texas appellate court justice. It’s hard to believe my time in this position is over, but this has been an unforgettable experience, and I am so grateful for the opportunity. If you’re wondering what a judicial intern does, or at least what they might do, read on to learn more about what the past few weeks have involved for me. I should caveat up front that not all experiences will necessarily be the same, depending on the particular court or judge/justice you work with, but hopefully this will be helpful to you in some capacity. [Read more…]

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You Can Do Anything With a Law Degree – These Authors Prove It!

July 4, 2023 by Leave a Comment

You Can Do Anything With a Law Degree – These Authors Prove It!This week we welcome back guest writer Marissa Geannette to talk about what you can do with a law degree.

You’ve no doubt heard it before – “you can do anything with a law degree!” But do you believe it? Are there really alternatives to working as a lawyer? There absolutely are plenty. And while most law students aren’t thinking about how to leave the profession before they even enter it, it’s good to know all of your options.

Here, for some inspiration, we delve a little bit into the fascinating world of lawyers turned novelists and give some tips on what you can do if you think that’s something you might be interested in doing. Knowing that alternative career paths exist is one of the smartest things you can do for yourself as a young lawyer.

Who knows, maybe you’ll add author to your resumé one day!

[Read more…]

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Law Students – Do You Have a Plan for Your Legal Career?

May 23, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Law Students - Do You Have a Plan for Your Legal Career?

This week we welcome back guest writer and attorney Marissa Geannette to discuss how to plan for your future legal career as a law student.

Planning your legal career can be an overwhelming thought for law students. How are you supposed to know what type of lawyer you want to be or what kind of law you want to practice after just a few years of school? On top of that, most law school classes cover subjects that lawyers never use again once they graduate!

If you are feeling unsure of what to do, don’t despair. There are some steps you can take while you’re still in law school to develop a plan for your legal career. You can make the process more manageable by breaking things down into specific areas of consideration.

While you don’t have to know exactly what you’re going to be doing for the rest of your legal career, it is helpful to have a general plan for where you want to take your career once you graduate. That’s what we’re to help you with. Read on for key areas to focus on when developing a career plan.

[Read more…]

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How is Life as a Lawyer Different from Life as a Law Student?

April 25, 2023 by Leave a Comment

How is Life as a Lawyer Different from Life as a Law Student?This week we welcome back guest writer Marissa Geannette to discuss the differences that come with being a practicing lawyer once you’ve left law school.

By now, you’ve probably heard that law school and working as a lawyer are two totally different things. Some go so far as to claim that nothing you learn in law school prepares you for the “real” world. While I don’t agree with that, there are definitely huge differences between life as a law student and life as a lawyer.

Some law students get anxious, wondering what working as a lawyer will entail. It’s a big change, that’s for sure (and I’m not just talking about how much, or little – if you’re going into corporate law – you’ll be using Westlaw or Lexis). But it’s something that you can prepare for by knowing a little bit more about some of the key differences between student living and lawyer living. [Read more…]

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The Pros and Cons of Quitting Your Job After Less Than a Year

February 14, 2023 by Leave a Comment

The Pros and Cons of Quitting Your Job After Less Than a YearThis week we welcome guest writer Marissa Geannette to talk about what to do if you want to quit your job quickly.

After you graduate from law school and take the bar, it’s time to start your first legal job. For most, it’s an exciting beginning of a new career. For some, though, that first job is not exactly what they were hoping it would be.

There’s almost always an adjustment period when starting something new. Working at a law firm or other legal job is no different. What happens, though, if, almost from the get-go, your shiny new job is not at all what you were hoping it would be? Can you quit shortly after starting, or will that sink your legal career before it’s even had time to get off the ground? Let’s explore. [Read more…]

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How To Juggle Multiple Work Assignments At Once

January 17, 2023 by Leave a Comment

How To Juggle Multiple Work Assignments At OnceThis week we welcome back guest writer Marissa Geannette to discuss managing multiple work assignments as a lawyer.

As a law student, you already know what it’s like to have more than one thing due at once. Having competing obligations and multiple assignments due at once is nothing new to you.

When you begin working, especially at a law firm, you’ll likely find that you have even more things to juggle. Sooner rather than later, you’re bound to receive multiple assignments, from multiple lawyers, all due at the same time. So, what’s a new lawyer to do?

First of all, let’s put something to bed once and for all– multitasking doesn’t work. Our minds can’t do two things at once, so when we try to do that, we end up costing ourselves more time in the end.

That’s why none of these tips are about how to multitask. Instead, we talk about other strategies you can implement to juggle multiple work assignments without driving yourself crazy.

[Read more…]

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What Is The Billable Hour? An Overview And Practical Tips For New Lawyers

December 6, 2022 by Leave a Comment

What Is The Billable Hour? An Overview And Practical Tips For New LawyersThis week we welcome guest write Marissa Geannette to talk about an overview of the billable hour.

When I was a law student, I had no idea how law firms operated. One of the biggest mysteries to me was the billable hour. I’d heard that most law firms required their lawyers to track their time, but I didn’t really know what that meant.

If you feel similarly confused, hopefully, this post will make things clearer for you. While it takes a little while to understand the billable hour, with these practical tips, you’ll get the hang of it in no time!

[Read more…]

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Making Moves in Today’s Job Market

October 11, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Making Moves in Today’s Job MarketThis week we welcome back guest writer Zoila Sanchez to talk about navigating the current job market.

The prospects around the legal job market may seem discouraging and even confusing.

On a daily basis, we are hit with ever-changing news about the economy and the job market. Currently, there appears to be uncertainty around a recession. Specifically, we are hearing that the nation is headed toward a recession, and other sources indicating that we are already in a recession.

This understandably leaves concerns for the class of 2023, and for current JD job-seekers as employers are likely faced with limiting their demand to protect their costs in the face of recession discussions, and inflation.

Regardless of job market predictions and prospects, it is always a good idea to make daily progress by:

  • remaining hopeful
  • exercising your networks; and
  • thinking outside of the box

[Read more…]

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Intern Turned Prosecutor: How My Internship at the DA’s Office Led to a Career

March 29, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Intern Turned Prosecutor: How My Internship at the DA’s Office Led to a CareerThis week we welcome guest writer and Law School Toolbox tutor, Sara Beller, to discuss how she turned an internship in the DA’s office into a career.

By the end of my internship at the DA’s office, I felt like a full-blown prosecutor. As an intern, I conducted numerous preliminary hearings, drafted and argued countless motions in court, and even completed a real jury trial from start to finish (by myself!). Everything was going according to plan, and I was about to receive a snazzy job offer…or so I thought.

I’ll never forget the day a supervising attorney told me that the office wasn’t able to make any job offers because the county was in a hiring freeze. To say I was heartbroken is an understatement. My Type-A brain went into immediate panic mode. Did all of my hard work go to waste? Should I have invested my time at a private firm instead? Was it a mistake to put all of my eggs into the DA office’s basket? The short answer is absolutely not. Here’s how my internship led to a career as a prosecutor: [Read more…]

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