1. Volunteer. Getting inside some real-life legal situations and venues, networking in the legal community, and learning some law outside the classroom are benefits to you in addition to the services you can provide for others. Emily Smith, with Columbus Legal Aid , spends a couple of days each week in the Career Services Office connecting Moritz students with volunteer needs. Current opportunities include the Tenant Advocacy Project and the Interfaith Legal Clinic (in which volunteers are paired with a local attorney, so gaining a mentor is yet another potential benefit of volunteering). Commitments can be as little as a few hours a month. Emily notes that this is a great way to enhance your skills and your resume to distinguish yourself in the current competitive job market.
2. Be active. Moritz, for example, has more than 50 student organizations. Check them out here. Join the Columbus Bar Association under a student membership and attend committee meetings in practice areas of your interest.
4. Set up an informational interview. This is a great resource for networking leads, knowledge and "inside information" on employer hiring criteria and decision making. Because you are asking for information only, attorneys are usually happy to help you. For ideas on how to identify someone you might want to interview, questions you might ask, and to see sample request letters, consult Career Services Office's resources for informational interviews.
5. Open yourself to other possibilities. Consider the advantages of seeking a position in an “off-broadway” location; opportunities for summer experiences and entry-level positions exist in places other than and smaller than Columbus, New York, and Chicago, e.g. Don’t assume that your preferred practice interest is limited to private firm practice; investigate venues for your interest in the public sector and in alternative career paths.
