Advice
- Professionalism Primer
- Dressing for Interviews, Receptions, and Work
- From Student to Associate: Navigating the Transition
- Understand Performance Evaluations
Resources
- Hotshot Legal uses short videos to teach a range of legal and business topics. See Self-Directed Learning with Hotshot for information about signing up. Hotshot’s videos provide simple explanations of complex concepts. Topics include Accounting & Finance, M&A Basics, Excel & Data Analysis, and Venture Financing, and new content is continually added.
- The HotShot’s Professionalism & Communication series will build essential professional skills that will help you succeed in summer positions, clinics, and your career as a lawyer.
- Watch Starting Strong: Core Skills for Summer Associates and enter your summer associate role with confidence and professionalism by focusing on the skills that firms expect from day one.
- Watch Foundations for New Associates: Communication & Professional Skills as you transition from full-time student to full-time attorney and leverage the skills you need to succeed in the professional world.
- Prepare to Practice program by LexisNexis. This tutorial is designed to help students master some of the practical skills you need to arrive practice ready on day one.
- Developing the Professional Lawyer – Student Tip Videos. Created by the National Association for Law Placement, these interactive e-learning modules are a simple way to help you focus on some of the core elements of professionalism.
- Bloomberg Law produces short videos that shed light on the economic models and structures of major law firms.
Podcasts and Videos
| TITLE | FORMAT |
|---|---|
| Managing the First Years of Your Law Firm Career | Video |
| Summer Success in a Remote Setting | Video |
| How a Law Firm is Run and Why it Matters to You Julie Jones, Chair of Ropes and Gray | Video |
| How a Law Firm is Run and Why it Matters to you Kevyn Orr, Partner-in-Charge Washington, Jones Day | Video |
Updates from Hire Ground
-
Developing a Networking Plan
Networking is one of your best tools for learning about legal practice, differentiating law firms, and creating lasting relationships in the profession. But with all the networking options available to you, you may be wondering how best to use your time. Stop in to our 3L peer advisers’ office hours to learn from someone who
October 13, 2026
-
Do Not No Show for Events
Firms track student attendance at their receptions, including no-shows. If, for any reason, you cannot attend an event to which you have RSVP’d “yes” you must let the firm know by sending them an email before the event. When it comes to attending events, consider the following scenarios. Best: If you plan to attend a
October 8, 2026
-
Coffee Chats: What to Wear and How to Prepare
With daily employer coffee chats in the OCS suite (WCC 4020) beginning this week, you may be wondering what to wear and how to prepare. These coffee chats are super informal, so come as you are, after or between classes. You don’t need to prepare anything ahead of time, but you can check out our
September 29, 2026
-
Responding to Return Offers
If you received an offer to return to your summer firm for post-graduation employment, remember that you need to respond by October 1 (or within 28 days if the offer was made after September 2). For more information, including suggestions on what to say, visit the OCS website at Holding and Responding to Offers.
September 24, 2026
-
You Have an HLS Email- Use It!
Branding is important, especially in the hiring process, and when it comes to the legal profession, there is no better brand than Harvard Law School. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to use that to your advantage. Your resume and cover letters should list your HLS email address only. When you correspond with potential employers
September 17, 2026