Florida State 1L Taking Questions

[Contract2008]

If someone can't get some kind of legal experience in the span of 3-5 years, that's more their fault than the market.

Not 3-5 years. If you've graduated more than a year and did not practice law during that period, you're pretty much unemployable.  We're in 2009 now, and IF (a big one) a law firm wants to hire a new attorney with no experience and willing to train him/her, why would he want to hire someone who graduated in 2007 but did not practice law in over a year when there are countless 2008 grads who are eager to be hired? 

To you, I want to say that it's important to do something legal during your 1L summer. You're going to look bad during the interview for 2L summer clerkship when you didn't do anything legally related during your 1L summer. You're in the capital of the state and a big legal market, Atlanta, is less than two hours away. No excuses!

[Ninja1]

If someone can't get some kind of legal experience in the span of 3-5 years, that's more their fault than the market.

Not 3-5 years. If you've graduated more than a year and did not practice law during that period, you're pretty much unemployable.  We're in 2009 now, and IF (a big one) a law firm wants to hire a new attorney with no experience and willing to train him/her, why would he want to hire someone who graduated in 2007 but did not practice law in over a year when there are countless 2008 grads who are eager to be hired? 

To you, I want to say that it's important to do something legal during your 1L summer. You're going to look bad during the interview for 2L summer clerkship when you didn't do anything legally related during your 1L summer. You're in the capital of the state and a big legal market, Atlanta, is less than two hours away. No excuses!

I appreciate the advice, but I'm not so sure of the importance of legal work during 1L summer. 2L, yes, but 1L, not so much. Everything I've seen and been told (by professors, no less) indicates that you can get away with skipping out on work during 1L summer. And, given the current market, I think it should be exceptionally easy to explain a dead 1L summer.

[Matthies]

No, he's just giving common sense networking advise that suprisingly many non-business majors were not familiar with during college. Then they wondered why they didn't have jobs when they graduated. I hope law school is as full of socially awkward people as they make it seem in movies though, it would be finding a job much easier. 

I am a business major in college and I have a job, but not due to this "networking" method that he is describing. 

And I’m glad you have a job. I’m going to assume that you got it though one of the more traditional ways; OCI, mass mailing , or responding to an add. Those are all ways to find a job, and if they work great! But as we know there are grads who did this and still did not find jobs, or "good" jobs.

All I am saying is there are others as well, ways that I have found have given me more options than the traditional methods, to find jobs. Networking being the most effective that I have tried. I think in this economy, and for grads of lower ranked schools it’s imperative that they at least add that to the plate when looking for a job. Unfortunately most don’t, because they think the traditional ways are the only way to find work I think if more students did do that, more students would have jobs at graduation than they do now, hence I post what I do in an effort to let folks know that option is out there and effective, if done right.

[Contract2008]

No, he's just giving common sense networking advise that suprisingly many non-business majors were not familiar with during college. Then they wondered why they didn't have jobs when they graduated. I hope law school is as full of socially awkward people as they make it seem in movies though, it would be finding a job much easier. 

I am a business major in college and I have a job, but not due to this "networking" method that he is describing. 

And I’m glad you have a job. I’m going to assume that you got it though one of the more traditional ways; OCI, mass mailing , or responding to an add. Those are all ways to find a job, and if they work great! But as we know there are grads who did this and still did not find jobs, or "good" jobs.

All I am saying is there are others as well, ways that I have found have given me more options than the traditional methods, to find jobs. Networking being the most effective that I have tried. I think in this economy, and for grads of lower ranked schools it’s imperative that they at least add that to the plate when looking for a job. Unfortunately most don’t, because they think the traditional ways are the only way to find work I think if more students did do that, more students would have jobs at graduation than they do now, hence I post what I do in an effort to let folks know that option is out there and effective, if done right.

So, how exactly did you do your networking? 

[Matthies]

No, he's just giving common sense networking advise that suprisingly many non-business majors were not familiar with during college. Then they wondered why they didn't have jobs when they graduated. I hope law school is as full of socially awkward people as they make it seem in movies though, it would be finding a job much easier. 

I am a business major in college and I have a job, but not due to this "networking" method that he is describing. 

And I’m glad you have a job. I’m going to assume that you got it though one of the more traditional ways; OCI, mass mailing , or responding to an add. Those are all ways to find a job, and if they work great! But as we know there are grads who did this and still did not find jobs, or "good" jobs.

All I am saying is there are others as well, ways that I have found have given me more options than the traditional methods, to find jobs. Networking being the most effective that I have tried. I think in this economy, and for grads of lower ranked schools it’s imperative that they at least add that to the plate when looking for a job. Unfortunately most don’t, because they think the traditional ways are the only way to find work I think if more students did do that, more students would have jobs at graduation than they do now, hence I post what I do in an effort to let folks know that option is out there and effective, if done right.

So, how exactly did you do your networking? 

Here is a post I made awhile back with some of the things I did that worked for me http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,4013253.msg5153384.html#msg5153384

[beinlaw]

Matthies,

I just tagged that, I'll be using that when I become a 1L. Thanks!

Ninja1,

This thread became a UM/tier 2 debate, all because of my one question! SORRY!

[Ninja1]

Matthies,

I just tagged that, I'll be using that when I become a 1L. Thanks!

Ninja1,

This thread became a UM/tier 2 debate, all because of my one question! SORRY!

It's all good in the hood.

I like talking about Miami anyway, I feel they're underrated.

I started another thread like this a few days ago, then this one bounced up and the other has since been buried, so whateva.

And I'm still fielding questions in this thread anyway.