The economic downturn isn’t news to anyone these days, but the effect it’s having on the job market — especially for new law school graduates — has made thinking “outside of the box” necessary when it comes to finding employment.
Though the job market may seem difficult to navigate through, keeping an open mind to a variety of career opportunities and possibilities will make the search for employment much easier, said David Galbenski, lawyer and owner of legal staffing firm Lumen Legal. He is also the author of “Unbound: How Entrepreneurship is Dramatically Transforming Legal Services Today.”
While all law students will be affected by the economy’s recent fall, third-year students are especially vulnerable. Their chances of landing a great job after graduation are devastated, and most experts agree that the profession may not bounce back until 2011 and beyond.
“The industry as they knew it when they entered law school is considerably different,” Galbenski said. “Students need to reinvent their preconceived notions and immerse themselves in what it means to be a lawyer today. You need to relearn what the industry is looking for.”
However, some practices are thriving. Firms that specialize in small criminal matters, intellectual property, bankruptcy, restructuring, financial-crisis management as well as labor and employment law actually are hiring new associates as their caseload allows.
“There are more opportunities at the mid- to small-sized firms, the competition for these positions is intense due to the lack of positions available at the government and large-firm level,” said Joe P. Perez, assistant director of the Phoenix School of Law Center for Professional Development.
In time, most students will find the position they want, and get their student loans paid off. But experts advise students avoid chasing today’s hot practices in lieu of focusing on where their passions really are.
“A legal career is not a sprint. It’s a marathon,” Galbenski said. “And you want to pick the right path to be on.”
— by Karen Dybis for The National Jurist
