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Call numbers and locations are provided for books
in the UW Gallagher Law Library.
Introduction
You need information at all stages of your career planning and job search,
from your first tentative musings about what sort of job might be a good fit for
you to your preparation for a big interview or decision about whether to accept
an offer. This guide suggests some sources and search tips.
Note that you might use the same source or type of information at different
stages, for different purposes. For instance, Martindale-Hubbell and West’s
Legal Directory can be useful when you are:
- gathering information about a type of practice or community
- looking for lawyers who might be willing to talk to you in an
informational interview
- looking for employers to apply to
- preparing for a job interview.
How
Can I Learn about Legal Careers?
Many books, notably some published by the
American Bar Association (ABA), introduce you
to legal careers. Check library catalogs (note: many will have “vocational
guidance” in the subject heading).
Legal Careers Generally
Books
- Deborah Schneider & Gary Belsky, Should You Really Be a Lawyer? The
Guide to Smart Career Choices Before, During & After Law School
(2005). KF297.S36 2005 at Classified Stacks
- Deborah Arron, What Can You Do With A Law Degree? A Lawyer's Guide to
Career Alternatives Inside, Outside & Around the Law (5th ed. 2004).
KF297.A872 2004 at Reference Area & Classified Stacks
- Kathy Morris & Jill Eckert, Ask the Career Counselors: Answers for
Lawyers on Their Lives and Life’s Work (ABA, 2003). KF297.Z9M674 2000 at
Classified Stacks
- Kimm Alayne Walton, What Law School Doesn't Teach You--But You Really
Need To Know: Expert Tips & Strategies For Making Your Legal Career A Huge
Success (2000). KF297.W344 2000 at Reference Area
- Kimm Alayne Walton, Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your
Dreams (1999). KF297.W34 1999 at Reference Area & Classified Stacks
- Gary A. Munneke, The Legal Career Guide: From Law Student
to Lawyer (4th ed. ABA, 2002). KF297 .M86 2002 at Reference Area
-
Brian Doan et al., A Life in the Law (ABA, 1997). Very short (25 pp.) KF297.Z9A454 1997 at Reference
Area
-
What Can You Do with a Law Degree?: A
Lawyer’s Guide to Career Alternatives Inside, Outside & Around the Law
(5th ed. 2004). KF297.A872 2004 at Reference Area
-
So You Want to Be a Lawyer: A Practical Guide to Law
as a Career (1994). KF297.Z9S6 1994 at Reference Area
-
Gary A. Hengstler, Making Work Work for You
(ABA, 2001). KF318.H46 2001 at Classified Stacks
- Steven C. Bennett, The Path to Partnership: A Guide for Junior
Associates (2004). KF300.B36 2004 at Classified Stacks
See also books listed under
Law –
Vocational Guidance – United States in the Gallagher Law Library online
catalog.
Careers generally (not just law)
- Pam Gross & Peter Paskill, Want a New, Better, Fantastic Job? How
to Find Satisfying Work in This Topsy-Turvy World (2d ed. 2001).
HF5382.7.G76 2001 at Classified Stacks
- Po Bronson, What Should I Do with My Life? The True Story of People
Who Answered the Ultimate Question (2003). BF637.S4B869 2003 at
Classified Stacks
Websites
ABA Career Counsel,- Separate tabs for students, lawyers, employers.
- Career articles
(from various ABA publications)
- “Attorney by Attorney” section
has profiles of individual lawyers, sorted by Practice Area, Employer,
Location, or Firm Size.
Lawjobs.com (part of American
Lawyer Media) offers a “Career Center” with legal job ads.
Monster.com
offers a variety of features. “Career Advice” has articles about job-hunting
and work life. “Monster Moving” has relocation information.
Vault
offers articles, career advice, and job ads.
Choose law under
“Industries” or “Career Topics” for links to many articles, law firm
directories, and other job-hunting advice.
Findlaw's Career Center
has an extensive array of articles, career advice and job ads.
Greedy Associates
features a job board and message boards.The
ABA's
Market Research Department offers statistics on the legal profession. There’s a lot more to
the practice of law than big firms:
nearly 50% of lawyers in private practice are in
solo practice!
The Gallagher Law Library staff have collected items from their Law
Library news column in a page of Legal Career Tips.top
Biographies and Books about the
Practice of Law
-
Richard L. Abel, American Lawyers (1989). KF297.A756 1989 at
Classified Stacks
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Cynthia Fuchs Epstein, Women in Law (2d ed. 1993). KF299.W6E65 1993
at Classified Stacks
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Karen Clanton, ed., Dear Sisters, Dear Daughters: Words of
Wisdom from Multicultural Women Attorneys Who’ve Been There and Done That
(ABA, 2000). KF299.M56D43 2000 at Classified Stacks
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For other books, check library catalogs for subject headings
like:
Specialties
Specialties Generally
- Lisa L. Abrams, The Official Guide to Legal Specialties:
An Insider’s Guide to Every Major Practice Area (NALP, 2000). In Career
Services
Government and Public Interest
- Bradley M. Bittan, The Public Defender Experience: A
Student Career Guide into the Heads and Hearts of America’s “Real Lawyers”
(1997). KF9646.B57 1997 at Reference Area
- Ronald W. Fox, Lawful Pursuit: Careers in Public Interest
Law (ABA, 1995). KF299.P8F69 1995 at Reference Area
- Do Your Legal Career Justice: Opportunities for Entry-Level Attorneys
and Law Students at the U.S. Department of Justice (2002). A short guide.
KF299.G6D6 2002
- Stacy M. De Broff et al., Serving the Public: A Job Search Guide.
Volume I, USA (15th ed. 2004). 400+ page guide from Harvard Law School.
KF299.P8S46 2004 at Reference Area
- UWLS Career Services, Government Employment,
http://www.law.washington.edu/Career/Gov/. Includes a research guide.
Solo & Small Firm Practice
- Jay G. Foonberg, How to Start and Build a Law Practice (5th ed. ABA
2004). KF300.Z9F66 2004 at Reference Area
- Starting a Law Practice,
http://www.okbar.org/members/map/practice.htm, links to guides and
resources, from the Oklahoma Bar Association.
International Law
- Mark W. Janis & Salli Swartz, eds., Careers in
International Law (2d ed. ABA, 2001). KZ1238.U55C37 2001 at Reference Area
- Careers in International Law: A Guide to Career Paths and Internships
in International Law (American Society of International Law, 2005).
K115.C47 2005 at Reference Office
- See the Careers in International Law guide.
Judicial Clerkships
Corporate Counsel
- Association of Corporate Counsel,
http://www.acca.com.
- Minority Corporate Counsel Association,
http://www.mcca.com/. (Includes material for minorities, women, people
with disabilities, gay men and lesbians – and, of course, much of the
advice is applicable generally.)
Law Librarianship
Other Specific Specialties
- F. Lee Bailey, To Be a Trial Lawyer (2d ed. 1994). KF8915 .B343
1994 at Classified Stacks
- Careers in Intellectual Property Law
(ABA, 1993). KF299.I57 C37 1993 at Classified Stacks
- William D. Henslee, Entertainment Law Careers (2d ed. ABA, 1998).
KF299.E57 M46 1998 at Reference Area
- Robert M. Jarvis, Careers in Admiralty and Maritime Law
(ABA, 1993). KF299.M37 J37 1993 at Classified Stacks
- Sara Vlajcic, Family Law Careers (ABA, 1998). KF299.F3 V63 1998 at
Reference Area
Nonlegal Careers
- Gary A. Munneke, William D. Henslee & Elaine S. Wayne, Nonlegal Careers
for Lawyers (5th ed. ABA, 2006). KF297.M85 2006 at Reference Area
- Deborah Aaron, Running from the Law: Why Good Lawyers Are Getting out
of the Legal Profession (2004). KF297.A87 2004 at Reference Area
- Deborah Aaron, What Can You Do with a Law Degree? A Lawyer's Guide to
Career Alternatives Inside, Outside, and Around the Law (5th ed. 2004).
KF297.A872 2004 at Reference Area & Classified Stacks
See also other books listed under keywords
vocational
guidance and united states in the Gallagher Law Library online catalog.
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Periodicals
Skimming local or national bar publications and legal newspapers can help you
get to know different types of practice. They often have articles about
practice, articles about attorneys, and profiles of firms.
Washington State Bar News. Monthly.
- Print: KF332.W3W354, current at Reference Area
- For essays about solo practice, search the archives for “Jeff Tolman.”
De Novo (WSBA’s Young Lawyers Division). Six times a year.
- Print: KF332.W3W359d, current issues at Reference Area
Bar Bulletin (King County Bar Association). Monthly.
- Print: current issues at Newspapers
Trial News (Washington State Trial Lawyers Association).
Monthly.
- Print: current issues at Newspapers
National Law Journal. Weekly.
- Print: current issues at Newspapers
- LexisNexis
- Westlaw
American Lawyer. Monthly.
- Print: current issues at Newspapers
- LexisNexis
- Westlaw
ABA Journal. Monthly.
- Print: current issues at Reference Area (display shelves)
- LexisNexis
- Westlaw
Student Lawyer
(ABA Law Student Division). Monthly.
- Print: KF287.S77, current issues at Reference Area
GPSOLO (ABA General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm Section)
- Print: KF297.A1C65 at Classified Stacks
- Web:
Corporate Counsel (WSBA Corporate Law Department Section)
- Print: KF332.W3W359co at Classified Stacks
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Where
Can I Find Advice about the Job Search Process?
Kathy Morris, Objection Overruled: Overcoming Obstacles in
the Lawyer Job Search (ABA, 2000). KF297Z9 M67 2000 at Classified StacksJ. Murray Elwood, The Legal Career Guru’s Guide to the
Perfect Legal Resume (2000). KF297.E48 2000 at Reference Area
Heidi McNeil Staudenmaier, ed., Changing Jobs: A Handbook
for Lawyers for the New Millennium (3d ed. ABA, 1999). KF297.C42 1999 at
Reference AreaHow Can I Find Information about
Law Firms?
National Association for Law Placement, NALP Directory.
Available in law school career planning offices. Contains detailed profiles of thousands of
firms (and other employers) that hire law students. Available on Westlaw.
Firm resumes – often available in career planning offices.
Firm websites.
- See links at
Greedy Associates.
- Find URL in directory listings (e.g., West’s Legal Directory).
- Use a search engine.
Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. Annual.
KF190.M3 at Reference Area
- Attorney directory from
Martindale
- Can search for individuals or firms.
- Can limit by geography, practice type, etc.
- Law firms in
Martindale Directory
- LexisNexis (Legal > Reference > Martindale-Hubbell(R))
- More flexible than the web version. Use that flexibility to focus your
searching – either for applications or for leads for informational interviews.
- Tip: use “Restrict by Segment.”
- Sample searches:
- To look for medium-sized firms in Colorado, choose “CO Listings” and
search for firm size < (60) and firm size > (10).
- To look for New York lawyers who went to your college, choose “NY
Listings” and search for college (reed) and admitted aft (1995).
- To find California firms that represent big newspapers, choose “CA
Listing” and search for clients (los angeles times or san francisco chronicle
or san francisco examiner or sacramento bee or san jose mercury or san diego
union-tribune).
- To find lawyers who clerked for a judge you had a successful externship
with, search for text (clerk! w/5 coughenour).
West’s Legal Directory“Findlaw’s Legal Directory” – same thing):
- You can search by practice area and location or by name.
Westlaw
- WLD – lawyers, law firms, and judges in U.S., Canada, and Europe.
- WLD-CA,
WLD-WA
etc. – state databases.
- WLD-ENV,
WLD-FAM,
etc. – practice area databases.
- More flexible than the web version. Use that flexibility to focus your
searching – either for applications or for leads for informational interviews.
- Use template or standard (terms & connectors) search.
- Sample searches:
- To look for smallish California firms that represent labor unions, choose
WLD-CA; in the template, enter Area of Law: labor; Firm Size: 11-25;
Representative Clients: union* or local. (You’ll get some false drops – “Union
Bank” and “American Civil Liberties Union” – but you’ll also get good examples
of what you’re looking for.)
- To find UW law grads practicing in Hawaii, choose WLD-HI; in the template,
enter Law School Information: “university of washington”.
- To find Washington attorneys who list their volunteer work with
organizations you’ve had externships with, choose WLD-WA, and enter as a
standard search: “northwest women’s law center” or “american civil liberties
union” or aclu.
- To search for UW law grads who are government attorneys in Western states,
choose WLD-GOV; in the template enter State: wa or ca id nv az ak [remember
that Westlaw reads a space as “or”] and Law School Information: “university of
washington”.
Note:
- Martindale-Hubbell and West’s Legal Directory are both incomplete. Some
lawyers and law firms just don’t fill out the forms to be listed.
- Sometimes one has information that the other doesn’t.
- They tend to be more complete for law firms, especially larger firms. They
are spottier for government and corporate counsel.
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How Can I Find Information about
Government Agencies?
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How Can I Find
Information about Public Interest Groups?
-
Public Service Law Network Worldwide (PSLawNet), http://www.pslawnet.org/.
Click on "Sign up now" and register.
-
Encyclopedia of Associations. Available in print in law
libraries and on Westlaw (EOA). Profiles thousands of nonprofit organizations.
-
Idealist.org, http://www.idealist.org/,
a project of Action without Borders, offers information about volunteer
opportunities and jobs with nonprofit organizations.
-
Equal Justice Works (formerly NAPIL): http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/.
-
Foundation Center: http://www.foundationcenter.org/.
-
National Public Defender Association: http://www.nlada.org/Jobs.
“[I]ncludes positions in civil legal
services, defender organizations, pro bono and public interest organizations,
public interest law firms and academia.”
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See the Gallagher Law Library guide on Fellowship Opportunities in Law.
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Serving the Public: A Job Search Guide. Vol. 1, USA. KF299.P8S46 2004
at Reference Area
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How
Can I Find Information about the Attorneys I’m Going to Interview with?
-
Check for listings in Martindale-Hubbell and
West’s Legal Directory.
-
Check firm websites.
- Search organization websites.
- E.g., searching the Washington State Bar Association site (http://www.wsba.org) might tell you that an attorney has served on a committee or written a
letter to the editor in the Bar News.
- E.g., searching the ACLU of Washington’s site (http://www.aclu-wa.org) might yield press releases mentioning a cooperating attorney or even
pleadings he or she drafted.
- Search for news stories.
- If they are litigators, search in case databases for their cases. E.g.,
-
Westlaw: at(hugh /2 spitzer)
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LexisNexis: counsel(helen w/2 anderson)
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See “People-Finding,” http://lib.law.washington.edu/ref/people.html.
How
Can I Find Information about Other Cities?
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