Networking

Branding is important, even 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.

We hope those of you who attended our Masterclass event last week found it helpful.

As you settle into the new school year, it’s time to reconnect with the people you will want to list as references during your upcoming summer job search. Take a few minutes over the next few weeks to draft a short email to them, describing your law school experience so far and checking in with them.

Why attend OCS’s Masterclass tomorrow? Learn how to network with employers and then practice in a comfortable setting with attorneys from 30+ firms that recruit with HLS. Starting as early as December, you will receive invitations to attend employer receptions.

While you will not be applying to private sector positions prior to December 1, you are not prohibited from getting information or speaking with networking connections within law firms or other employers.

OCS’s signature fall event for 1Ls, Masterclass: The Unspoken Rules, on Wednesday, October 19 at 5pm is one of your first opportunities to meet with potential employers. Representatives will be in attendance from 33 national law firms.

Hear from Gorick Ng, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right, to get concrete steps for making a favorable impression on employers throughout the recruitment process and on-the-job.

As you enter the legal profession, those you interact with will have certain expectations of you. Yet these expectations are often unspoken, and therefore unknown, and sometimes learned the hard way.

The summer 2022 “Who Works Where” lists are now available. These lists detail where many of your peers are working this summer.

If you have not already, please be sure to complete your Summer Employment Survey in CSM by tomorrow, May 27. We will use this information to publish this year’s edition of the “Who Works Where” lists detailing where rising 2Ls and 3Ls will be employed this summer.

If you have not already, please be sure to complete your Summer Employment Survey in CSM by Friday, May 27. We will use this information to publish this year’s edition of the “Who Works Where” lists detailing where rising 2Ls and 3Ls will be employed this summer. These lists can be useful to connect with your peers and learn about their experiences at various organizations. The Who Works Where lists are only available to HLS students, but if you prefer to not have your 2022 summer job listed, please email OCS by June 1. Please contact OCS with any questions.

As exams draw near, your time is more limited and you may be wondering if employer chats are worth your time. Employer chats will be ending next week, so take advantage while you can. The chats are a great way to learn more about EIP employers. Before you know it, you will need to put together a list of firms on which to bid for Preview and EIP.

Don’t let employer chat fatigue keep you from missing out on great opportunities to meet with EIP employers. These receptions provide a great opportunity to do a bit of EIP research while also making strong connections with employers and attorneys.

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

In the coming weeks, many firms will host events for 1Ls. As your first step in EIP preparation, use the events to learn more about the firms, their attorneys, and their work- information that can be used later in interviews to discuss your interest in a particular firm.

Students often question the value of networking and attending employer events, but informational interviews and employer events are actually great ways to make meaningful and strategic connections with EIP firms that are of interest to you.

Don’t miss the largest EIP employer networking event of the semester! Why should you attend OCS’s Masterclass TOMORROW 1/12? During 1L year you will have many opportunities to interact with attorneys at law firm-sponsored programs.

Wondering what to wear to law firm events, including Masterclass? The dress code for these events can vary by firm, but the default is business casual. What is that? This can mean dress pants or a skirt, a pressed button-down shirt (no tie) or a nice sweater, and nice shoes.

If you are thinking about participating in EIP this summer, we strongly encourage you to come to Masterclass: Big Law Behind the Scenes. Wondering what to expect? After a brief introduction from OCS on how to approach the event, you will participate in three 20-minute sessions with associates from various law firms.

Register now for Masterclass: Big Law Behind the Scenes on Wednesday, January 12 at 6:00 p.m. ET. Masterclass is a low-stakes virtual event where you can practice interacting with EIP employers while you learn about practice areas and how to differentiate firms. 

During your 1L year, employers will host numerous events, including virtual employer chats and in-person reception-style events. Starting next semester, the number of these events will increase substantially.