MAKE NEW FRIENDS
Be the friendliest person in the office
paths if you ask specifically to take them out to coffee to do so. However, if you are just making conversation in the office you may want to steer clear of asking too often about how they got their job or what they look for in a new hire. It is a fine line to walk, but there are ways in which you can learn about a supervisor’s career path without coming off as though you only care about them giving you a job.
My Personal Experience in Attaining the Unattainable
I’d like to briefly share the success I’ve had using the tips outlined above. For my 1L summer I was placed in an externship by my law school in judicial chambers with a federal district court judge. I did my best to learn the rhythm of the office and engage the law clerks, the staff, and the Judge. I listened and observed as much as I could in the first few weeks. I set goals for my experience and discussed those goals with both of the law clerks who helped me to refine the list with an eye towards what they expected I could accomplish. Over the course of the summer I went to lunch with each law clerk individually and discussed their career paths and their goals for the future. I engaged the law clerks and the Judge with discussions about the cases and also about current events, national news, and sports. I submitted drafts and revised drafts as quickly as I could and integrated comments I received into my next assignments. At the end of the summer I met with the clerks and the Judge personally to thank them individually for the experience and to give them a small token of my appreciation. I also gave notes and flowers to the support staff. I stayed in touch with holiday cards to the Judge and his staff and emails to the law clerks.
When I found out I would have a month off before my 2L summer internship began a Professor suggested I spend that time working in Chambers again. I emailed the Judge with an offer to volunteer for the month and he immediately accepted. During that month I worked full-time, submitted multiple work products, and conferred with the Judge and his clerk on deciding the outcome of a challenging case. I also submitted my application materials for a Clerkship in his Chambers.
I knew that a Federal clerkship was a longshot because my transcript was not nearly as impressive as most applicants but I had the support of his law clerks and decided it was worth a shot. Two weeks into my official summer internship I received a call from Chambers and I scheduled an interview for the next day. One month later I was offered the job. It is safe to assume that I wasn’t offered the job solely on the basis of my academic achievements. But what I had done was proved to the Judge and his law clerks that I was capable of contributing useful work and that I was someone they enjoyed having around. At the end of the day, most people want to work alongside people they enjoy spending time with—which is great news because it is something that you have much more control over than a three-hour exam!
I recognize that I was very lucky in securing this job and it came down to a lot of good fortune and the kindness of others. However, if I had not followed some of the advice listed in this Chapter I don’t think I would have been considered at all. I cannot overstate the value of contributing useful work product, interacting appropriately in the office, and following up.
1 Christen Civiletto, Esq. and Professor Kristen David Adams, The Practice of Law School: Getting In and Making the Most of Your Legal Education, Chapter 13 Maximize the Summer Experience 429–33 (2003).
2 See also, Betsy Smith, 4 Things Successful People Do In Their First 30 days Of A New Job, BUSINESS INSIDER (Jan. 13, 2014), available at, http://www.businessinsider.com/advice-for-first-30-days-at-a-new-job-2014-1.
3 See Lizandra Vega, THE IMAGE OF SUCCESS: MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION AND LAND THE JOB YOU WANT (2010) AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.
4 See RICHARD L. HERMANN, MANAGING YOUR LEGAL CAREER: BEST PRACTICES FOR CREATING THE CAREER YOU WANT 39-45 ABA (2010).
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