Law Blog | Rachel Bouman

Make Your Job Search After Law School More Manageable

November 17, 2015 by Rachel Bouman

Getting a job is competitive. Getting a job in today’s legal market is very competitive. Here are some tips to help set you apart from the competition and set you up for success.

Know What’s Trending

One way to stay ahead is to see what sort of legal jobs are trending. Check out websites that post surveys and hiring projections. Keep up with how technology is being merged with law. Stay informed. See what the in-demand practice areas are and how you might be able to best fit into them. Who knows, if you are unable to land a job in a specific practice area, you might just help a friend of yours to do so.

Network

It’s not an absolute, but it is definitely a trend: most people get jobs, legal and otherwise, through the people they know or at least through the people of the people they know. It’s not just about speaking to someone in the hopes of getting a job. It’s a long-term game of cultivating contacts, learning about different opportunities, and ultimately figuring out what sort of work you plan on doing yourself. This is more than just LinkedIn and Facebook. It’s about casting a wide net of emails that includes people who are not in law. It’s about setting up phone calls. And yes, it’s also about setting up coffee dates and happy hours. The more people the know, the more likely you are to land a job.

Give Your All to Law School

Publish articles, hold a leadership role in a law association, do pro bono work–do everything you can to set you apart from other job candidates. You’ve heard this before, but having a great GPA (although needed) will not be what ultimately gets you hired. Think outside the box and consult with your peers to hear how they’re going the extra mile themselves.

Cast a Wide Net

Unfortunately there are just more great law candidates out there then the traditional legal job market can support. Fortunately, there are a number of jobs outside of the traditional market that value your degree. Have you considered JD Advantage positions? There are a number of jobs out there where law degrees aren’t required, but are preferred. You may find yourself working in a consulting or accounting firm, e-commerce company, financial institution, or even a tech startup. Don’t rule anything out.

Make Use of Your University Career Services

Your university’s Career Services is a valuable resource. More than just helping you buff up your resume and practice for interviews, career services can connect you with internships, networking opportunities and even jobs. Who knows, perhaps you may end up applying for a legal job that you never even knew existed.

For a look at more job tips, check out this article and this one.

Top 5 Law Schools in the US

October 27, 2015 by Rachel Bouman

Law school has rightly been regarded as one of the most difficult graduate programs to pursue for a number of reasons. Aside from the sheer amount of work that needs to be done and studied, you’re constantly surrounded by incredibly intelligent and ambitious people that are willing to go above and beyond to guarantee their longevity within their field. Law is a tough field to enter, but it is an incredibly rewarding field once you’ve gotten through the schooling portion. With that in mind, here are the top 5 law schools in the country according to US News 7 World Report.

Yale University Law School: Along with consistently ranking amongst the best universities in the country (for good reason, by the way), Yale is also proudly the number one law school in the states. With only 607 students enrolled full-time and an acceptance rate of only 8.9%, the school is demanding and will cut you without a seconds notice.

Stanford University Law School (tied for 2nd): There are a number of schools tied for 2nd place and Stanford definitely deserves to be amongst them. It enrolls only 577 full-time students and has an acceptance rate of only 9.1%. It’s also comparable in cost to Yale and in a much nicer climate.

Harvard University Law School (tied for 2nd): Everyone knows about Harvard and it should come as no surprise that it is tied for the 2nd best law school in the country. It enrolls substantially more people (1,752) and has a higher acceptance rate of 15.4% but maintains the academic rigor and standards that Harvard is rightly known for.

University of Chicago Law School (tied for 2nd): For those who know the school, it makes complete sense that the University of Chicago is included on this list and tied for 2nd place. The school is full of amazing programs and faculty and this extends to the law school. Enrolling only 604 students full-time and accepting only 18.4%, you can be confident that you’ll be amongst the best of the best.

Columbia University Law School (tied for 2nd): Another school tied for 2nd place and another school that should surprise no one. Columbia has one of the best law schools in the country and it’s also located in New York City, allowing for easy access to some of the country’s most impressive legal firms and legal minds. With 1,170 full-time students and an acceptance rate of 18.9%, Columbia is going to continue creating fantastic lawyers for years to come.

While these are only 5 of the top law schools in the country, there are so many other amazing ones that weren’t mentioned. Read here for more!

Defeating Your “First Year of Law School” Demons

August 20, 2015 by Rachel Bouman

Starting law school is as terrifying as it is exciting. As crippling as that fear may be, it can definitely be used for your personal growth if you approach it the right way. Here are a few of the most common first-year-of-law-school fears and how to deal with them.

Picking Your Own Courses – The idea of picking your courses can be daunting. Often times, you’ll want to avoid certain courses because they sound scary. If the legends are true, the professor is evil, you’ll never pass, and your GPA will be destroyed forever. But don’t allow those fears to dictate which courses you take or don’t take. The courses that you are most fearful of are the ones that you probably need the most help in. So take those “scary” courses. Work hard. Excel.

Law School Exams – Freezing up on exams happens to everyone. It’s even worse when you can hear all of your classmates scratching or typing away at their tests, while you can barely comprehend the first question. The fear of looking unintelligent on paper is very real; you know that your professors will read your exams and be judging your answers. Try to relax. The professors are not out to make you look bad, and will be looking to find the good (or salvageable) in all of your work. Just take the time to write out all of your thoughts on the topic, and then go back and edit. Your first year of law school will be the perfect time to get over your fear of tests. You’ll be ready for the bar exam before you know it.

Speaking Out Loud….In Front of Anyone – Talking in front of anyone in law school may seem terrifying at first. Whether it’s a normal conversation during a lunch break or answering a question in class, speaking out loud, where everyone can hear your thoughts and judge your words, can cause you to freeze up. Just remember that if you’re being called on in class, your professor is training you to work under pressure. If you’re nervous about whether you match up to your peers, just remember that you got into law school just like the rest of them. You’re qualified and you should use this time to grow confident in yourself and exercise your conversational abilities.

For more advice on surviving your first year of law school, see this article.

Just How Binding are Verbal Agreements?

June 29, 2015 by Rachel Bouman

Every kind of contract, from a multibillion dollar Department of Defense contract to a scribbled on piece of napkin, must meet certain requirements in order for it to be considered valid in the eyes of the law. First, there must be an offer with clearly understood terms extended by one party that is met with an unforced acceptance by another. There must be mutual assent and awareness of the creation of the contract by all parties. All parties must give something up of actual value in exchange for the contract. Proving the validity of a contract, especially of a verbal agreement, is necessary for enforcement by a court.

Verbal agreements are contracts, even though they are not set in writing. If the contract is found to be valid, a verbal agreement between parties is binding. However, verbal contracts have a few unique complications that often arise when trying to establish validity.

He-said, She-said

It can be difficult for a court to decipher the terms of a verbal agreement when the parties involved have accounts of the agreement that may differ or even contradict one another. Sometimes parties may not agree that there was even a contract to begin with. It falls on the party who is seeking enforcement to prove the terms of the contract to the satisfaction of the court.

Proving It

Possibly the most difficult aspect of enforcing a verbal agreement is proving its existence. Without a written agreement, plaintiffs must turn to alternative means to plead their case. They can provide evidence of performing services called for under the contract. They can provide proof of payments to demonstrate that there was an exchange between parties, though this does not prove the terms. If there were witnesses to the original agreement, they may be called on. Written communication between parties in reference to the services may be also be submitted as evidence.

Statute of Fraud

Certain contracts, under state law, must be in writing in order to enforce them. Contracts regarding land, marriage, and debt are prime examples of topics that may have stricter requirements of enforcement that often include requiring a written contract in order to be found valid.

Statute of Limitations

This is the time limit in which a party can file a lawsuit against another other party if there is a breach. Due to the nature of verbal contracts, which often require fresh evidence and witness testimony, verbal contracts typically have a much shorter statute of limitations than written contracts.

If you’re entering into a verbal agreement with another party, the best thing you can do to protect both yourself and your financial interests in the future is to have that agreement drawn out in a written contract, ideally with the assistance of legal professional.

For more on this topic, visit the original article here.

Rent a Treehouse on Airbnb?|New Laws Emerge

May 21, 2015 by Rachel Bouman

Dan Alexander constructed a well recognized tree house a few years back. He had some experience in carpentry and so referenced a book to create the structure that now exists in his backyard. This civil rights lawyer has wanted this structure since he was a child. However, he has encountered some legal kickback from his local community of officials.

Soon after constructing the tree house, he began renting it to out via Airbnb. Travelers gained use of the house for $195 per night. After over a year of conducting business through this service, officials began asking more questions. The tree house got assessed for its compliance with municipal ordinances. Afterward, Alexander had to pay about $1000 of electrical upgrades. Additionally, his area is considering instituting rules that would restrict the creation of anything similar to what he created.

Alexander’s tree house reaches 196-square-feet to which he made available for $195 per night through Airbnb. He was allowed to do this because technically he rents a room in his home and allows full use of the backyard including the tree house. This decision that Dan Alexander made lead officials to consider increasing the overall property tax bill. Some are saying that if his structure was located somewhere other than a tree, it would have been considered a second residence on the same piece of land. This new angle was something town leadership never considered and so naturally, new provisions will arise.

The treehouse is located in suburban Chicago. His friend and son assisted in creating the structure. To view and read more about this architectural creation, visit the original article here.

Why Non-Compete Agreements Matter

April 21, 2015 by Rachel Bouman

As a company looking to hire employees, it may be important to consider sending out non-compete or non-solicitation agreements. Stephanie Hendricks of Hendricks Law Firm PLLC explains that a non-compete form restricts an employee from joining a company that may be considered competition upon exiting the present business. This provision typically stands for a period of time occurring directly after the employee decides to leave. Non-solicitation includes not allowing past employees to divert clients or employees away from the business.

Provisions such as these are important to help safeguard the company. Employees are often exposed to confidential information that help the company function. It is a valuable step to protect this information especially in the case of an employee’s termination. Without this protection, nothing would stop an individual from taking the business’ clients or employees in order to start their own lucrative project.

If a document including non-compete and non-solicitation provisions is not signed, little else can be done to protect the business’ important information. If a suspicion arises, a lawsuit would have to take shape in order to validate the claim. The offense would have to result in a quite volatile interference with business processes. It is possible to reach a solution through a case like this, however a lot more money and time can be saved with a precautionary document signed in the early stages.

Stephanie Hendricks offers more than 15 years of experience in sharing legal advice for business operations. To read more from her on the topic of non-compete forms, visit HG.org here.

Career Advice for Women From a Former Legal Counsel

March 20, 2015 by Rachel Bouman

Lorna Borenstein is a former Legal Counsel at Hewlett Packard who transitioned to the consumer technology industry as an entrepreneur. Over the course of her career, she learned several lessons of how to maintain her health and drive. Here she shares tips for women looking to begin their own businesses, how to maintain a work-life balance, challenges in the workplace and more.

Advice to Budding Entrepreneurs

Beginning your own business is a challenge. Most likely the topic of interest is an area where you have a lot of passion. However, there are other things to be mindful of throughout your business journey.

Keep your health as a top priority. Be sure to eat enough, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep.
Go on vacation. Stepping away from daily tasks to just enjoy some free time will leave you with some new energy to get back to the routine once you return. Your absence can also be a positive in terms of spurring individual growth as your team figures out how to excel without you present.
Have fun with your colleagues and staff. Laughing is an excellent way to foster relationships at work. Making this a priority will in turn boost productivity.

Work-Life Balance

As a busy person with family obligations, it can be a challenge to set aside me-time. Feelings of guilt may have a tendency to arise when being alone due to the number of people asking for your time. Realize that your personal health is key and should come first before doling out your resources to others. There are several methods that can be used in to help yourself personally.

Exercise or practice yoga every day.
Sleep for eight hours each night.
Reserve weekends for family and friends.

Challenges in the Workplace

Lorna points out that even in today’s times, sexism is still an issue. During the time she practiced as a lawyer, it was not uncommon for a client to assume she was an assistant. She would receive requests for coffee and had to politely offer to find someone that would help with that request. This reaction usual resulted in a sense of embarrassment on the client’s side, although each instance was simply a learning experience for Ms. Lorna.

To hear more career and business advice from Lorna Borenstein, visit Huff Post here.

Law Firm Website Advice

February 27, 2015 by Rachel Bouman

When creating a website, there are several factors to consider. These may include design, text content, and search engine optimization. For law firms’ sites in particular, there are specific tips that influence a positive result in product sales and overall user engagement.

Consider thought leadership.

Professor David Wilkins from the Harvard Law School believes in the importance of a variety of activities that reflect thought leadership. Some of these practices include blogging, speaking, lecturing, and writing. For a lawyer or law firm in particular, these items are especially important to display an understanding of the complex aspects that make up the law profession.

Start blogging.

A blog is beneficial for several reasons, especially one that highlights attorney business development topics. Current and prospective clients look to an existing blog for information that has the power to influence their hiring decisions. Yes, a blog is a form of thought leadership but it also provides a great boost in search engine optimization. The content published can be shared on social media and even encourage people to further share and expand overall business potential. Even newsletters and other alerts add value to building important relationships.

Track conversions.

Anyone who visits a website for a lawyer or law firm is a potential customer. It is important to have an understanding of the percentage that is converted. Installing an analytics site such as Google analytics is powerful, but having a conversion goal may be even more imperative. Other tools that will help law professionals get up to date with the technological times of today are varied. Besides Google Analytics -Clicktale, Hubspot, Usertesting.com, Feedbackarmy.com, and Unbounce.com provide other services that will help to track the conversion of site visitors to sales. Each of these will help steer law professionals in the proper direction as far as making site improvements.

Resume Advice From a Legal Recruiter

February 3, 2015 by Rachel Bouman

Review these steps to make a better first impression with your resume.

Find a way to make the most relevant information stand out. Bold, bullet points, and headings are a few ways to make the most necessary lines more prominent.
Adjust your resume for the exact job to which you are applying. Deleting old information will make your resume even more relevant. Also, if applying to both general litigation and patent litigation spots, have two versions of your resume available. Each one should be tailored to the type of position you desire.
Anything included on the resume should be able to be discussed in a very professional and intelligent manner. Brush up on anything that may have slipped your mind or simply delete it from the document. Have details regarding the legal matters worked on ready.
Give firm examples related to the experiences listed on the resume. Be direct when explaining your role in a project. Don’t just say that you “worked on” a project, include that you “successfully implemented” a project.
Review all information and make sure the details are up to date. Competence in abilities such as languages should also be honestly assessed. If you used to be advanced but have more of an intermediate handle on French now, be sure to make that adjustment.
Display that you are human by sharing your interests. This aspect can help the interviewer lighten the mood and ask you a question related your hobbies. There is a chance the applicant may have something in common with the interviewer.
When trying to decide whether to list education or experience first, think of what you are trying to convey first. If you attended a top school, include that first. Alternatively, if your past work experience sounds more impressive, insert that near the top of the page.
Proofread the resume multiple times. Remember to share it with someone else to review as well. Mistakes and typing errors are big deterrents for recruiters looking to hire.

For more resume tips from a Lateral Link Legal Recruiter, visit AboveTheLaw.com here.