Career Research and Resources

With summer approaching, you may still be uncertain which practice area may be right for you. The OCS Practice Area Podcast Series provides insight into specific practice areas from leading practitioners in their field.

Have you thought about what you are looking for in a firm? Do all the firms look similar to you at this point? This Thursday, March 30 our OCS 3L Peer Advisers will host one last workshop to help you differentiate firms and walk you through how to use the many available resources.

As part of your firm selection, you may be interested in more than market and practice area in narrowing down your list. You may want to consider a firm’s commitment to diversity in hiring and retention, part- and flex-time policies, parental leave policies, or the firm’s commitment to pro bono.

The EIP Roadmap is your one-stop page for all things EIP. If you haven’t already, decided if Preview and EIP are right for you and, if so, be sure to register for EIP. You can also wrap up Leg 3 by getting your application materials in order before exam preparation gets into full swing and submit your resume for review.

You have likely heard a lot of things about Big Law and may have a general sense of what to expect this summer and beyond. But, you may also be feeling like all the firms look the same and are not quite sure how to differentiate them. Listen to our new podcast, 10 Things You Should Know About Big Law to learn some of the things that are important to know about Big Law, but you may not know yet.

You have likely heard a lot of things about Big Law and may have a general sense of what to expect this summer and beyond. But, before you head into your summer, listen to our new podcast, 10 Things You Should Know About Big Law to learn some of the things that are important to know about Big Law, but you may not know yet.

You have likely heard a lot of things about Big Law and may have a general sense of what to expect after your summer associate experience. But, before you head into your first post-grad job, listen to our new podcast, 10 Things You Should Know About Big Law to learn some of the things that are important to know about Big Law, but you may not know yet.

Wondering what you can do in the private sector beyond Big Law? The Beyond Big Law Podcast Series provides students an opportunity to learn about careers in the private sector that are outside of typical big law firm practice. Many HLS Alumni have pursued such careers, either immediately or after practicing at a large law firm or in another traditional legal setting for some period of time.

One of the things students find the most challenging is determining which practice areas they would like to explore. While employers won’t expect you to have your mind made up about which practice area you want to pursue by this summer, they will expect you to be able to discuss your interests and demonstrate you’ve been thinking about what you’d like to do at a firm.

Have you thought about what you are looking for in a firm? Do all the firms look similar to you at this point? Over the course of the next few weeks, our OCS 3L Peer Advisers will be hosting workshops to help you think about what you are looking for in a firm, and walk you through how to use the many available resources to learn more about firms and how to differentiate them.

Your time is limited, so you may be wondering why you should spend time attending employer events. While you can’t (and don’t need to) attend them all, attending some events is a great way to learn more about EIP employers.

Speaking with someone who has a career you might want to emulate is a great way to think about the big picture while also getting advice. Amicus Student-Alumni Connect provides an easy way for you to connect with HLS alumni.

Tomorrow’s EIP Orientation & Market Mixer is an opportunity for you to learn about this summer’s Early Interview Program (EIP) and how best to prepare, as well as meet lawyers from six major legal markets — Boston, Chicago, New York, California, Texas and DC.

Students don’t always appreciate the value of networking and attending employer events, but informational interviews and employer events are great ways to make meaningful and strategic connections with EIP firms that are of interest to you. Our podcast, Strategic Networking for EIP explains why networking before EIP gives you such an advantage and provides a list of things you can do to network in advance of EIP.

Wondering how to learn what Big Law practice is all about as you consider participation in EIP? We’ve partnered with Hotshot (a digital learning provider for the legal industry) to create 3 self-directed learning tracks to give you a taste of Big Law practice: Intro to Big Law, Intro to Legal Practice: Litigation, and Intro to Legal Practice: Corporate.

Most of you are in the early stages of your 1L summer job search, so it may feel early to start thinking about your 2L summer job and where you would like to be after graduation. Employer events over the next few months can be a great place to get started thinking about your longer-term goals.

Starting next week, many firms will host receptions and other events for 1Ls. Think of these events as your first step in EIP preparation and research.

As you look ahead to your summer job, you may be asked about your practice area interests.

If you haven't already explored it, our Practice Area Podcast Series can be a great resource for learning more about practice areas in the private sector.

One question you will soon be getting asked is, “What practice areas are you interested in?” Our Practice Area Podcast Series can be a great resource for identifying practice areas of interest to you.

Starting in a couple weeks, many firms will host receptions and other events for 1Ls. Events may include coffee chats, attorney office hours, local receptions, and virtual chats. Think of these events as your first step in EIP preparation and research.