CAREER SERVICES HANDBOOK(rev. 06/29/10)

I. ABOUT CAREER SERVICES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1A. Mission of Career Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1B. Career Services Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1C. Office Hours.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

II. CAREER COUNSELING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1A. Career Assistance for 1Ls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1B. Mandatory Career Services Orientation and Appointments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2C. Individual Career Counseling for Students and Graduates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2D. Required Exit Interviews for Graduating Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

III. PROGRAMS, RESOURCES AND INFORMATION PORTALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3A. Symplicity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3B. Facebook, Twitter, eNews!, Webpage, Etc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3C. Career Panels and Workshops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3D. Handouts and Library Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

IV. OPPORTUNITIES FOR GAINING LEGAL EXPERIENCE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A. Online Job Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4B. Interviewing / Job Fair Programs.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4C. Interview Policies.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5D. Externships, Pro Bono Work, and Federal Work-Study Opportunities. . . . . . . . . . 5E. Obtaining Certified Law Clerk Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5F. Employment Restrictions.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6G. Non-Discrimination Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6H. Reciprocity with Other Law Schools’ Career Services Offices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

V. APPLICATION MATERIALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6A. Creating Targeted Documents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6B. Rules for Content (the fine print!). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7C. Resumes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7D. Cover Letters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9E. Writing Samples.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

VI. INTERVIEWING AND NETWORKING SUCCESS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13A. Networking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13B. Interviewing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

VII. BAR EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

APPENDIX A: Timeline for 1LS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18APPENDIX B: Timeline for 2LS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19APPENDIX C: Timeline for 3LS/4LS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22APPENDIX D: Tips for Part-time Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

I. ABOUT CAREER SERVICES

A. Mission of Career Services The goal of the Career Services Office at TJSL is to provide all students with thetools and resources necessary to assure that they gain meaningful legal experiencethroughout law school and land post-graduation jobs that will help put them onthe path to reaching their long-term career goals. Career Services is alsocommitted to working to assure ongoing career success and smooth careertransitions to all alumni.

B. Career Services Staff

General Information:careerservices@tjsl.edu619-297-9700 ext. 1490

Frank R. Mead, Assistant Dean for Career Services:fmead@tjsl.edu619-297-9700 ext. 1498

Beverly K. Bracker, Director of Career Services:bbracker@tjsl.edu619-297-9700 ext. 1496

Nikki H. Love, Associate Director of Career Services:nlove@tjsl.edu619-297-9700 ext. 1495

Dovie Y. King, Associate Director of Career Services:dking@tjsl.edu619-297-9700 ext. 1494

Gita M. Varughese, Associate Director of Career Services:gitav@tjsl.edu619-297-9700 ext. 1489

Erica M. Llamas, Career Services Coordinator:ellamas@tjsl.edu619-297-9700 ext. 1490

C. Office Hours Career Services is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.,and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Appointments outside our regular hoursare available to accommodate part-time students.

II. CAREER COUNSELING

A. Career Assistance for 1LsABA and NALP (the National Association for Law Placement) restrictionsprohibit full-time first semester law students from actively focusing on job search

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during the first few months of law school. For that reason, full-time students whostart law school in the fall semester may first receive individual career counselingbeginning November 1 and full-time students who start in the spring semestermay first meet with a counselor beginning April 1. Part-time students may meetwith a career counselor at any time.

B. Mandatory Career Services Orientation and AppointmentsAll first year students attend a mandatory Career Services Orientation held inearly November for fall entering students and in early April for spring enteringstudents. Around the time of Career Services Orientation, first year students willbe assigned to a member of the Career Services staff who will act as that student’sprimary career counselor.

Once they have been assigned a career counselor, students will have a mandatoryfirst appointment and then should meet with their assigned counselor at least onceper semester to develop and refine their long-term career goals and make plans toreach those goals.

C. Individual Career Counseling for Students and Graduates

Appointments for career counseling may be made by emailing, calling or stoppingby the Career Services Office. Drop in appointments for quick questions will beaccommodated where possible. Scheduled appointments are recommended formore involved questions.

Services include:# resume and cover letter reviews# tips for choosing writing samples# strategies for references and letters of recommendation# interview preparation, including mock interviews # job search strategies# tips for successful networking# advice for increasing marketability to target employers# suggestions for part-time students on how to gain legal experience# resources for salary negotiation# and much more!

Counseling advice may also cover issues such as selecting elective courses,choosing student groups or teams to become involved in, and study abroadprograms or visiting at another law school. The impact of such choices on careerobjectives can be explored with your career counselor.

The services offered by the Career Services staff are for the exclusive use of TJSLstudents and graduates. Students or graduates of other law schools may only useCareer Services resources by reciprocal arrangement. Those utilizing CareerServices may on occasion be asked to produce proper identification.

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D. Required Exit Interviews for Graduating StudentsEach student is required to attend an exit interview with a career counselor,generally in the final semester of law school. The purpose of this graduationrequirement is to advise students of the wide range of assistance offered by CareerServices to all graduates, and specifically to recent graduates, as well as to discusspreparing for the bar and the post-bar job search.

III. PROGRAMS, RESOURCES AND INFORMATION PORTALS

A. SymplicitySymplicity is our top-notch online system for obtaining information about theschool’s recruiting programs, job listings, deadlines, job fairs, programs,presentations, networking events, and other activities. Symplicity is accessedfrom the tab on the Career Services page of the TJSL website. Students shouldcheck Symplicity at least once per day.

All students will be assigned a username and password near the end of their firstsemester. From then on, students are required at all times to maintain an updatedprofile including a current e-mail address and assure that they have their mostcurrent resume uploaded.

B. Facebook, Twitter, eNews!, Webpage, Etc.All students, alumni and professors can follow Career Services on Facebook andTwitter. We constantly post or tweet most job openings, internships, networkingevents, announcements and other Career Services related news that you need toknow.

Those with Facebook accounts should join the group “Thomas Jefferson Schoolof Law Career Services” and those with Twitter accounts should follow CareerServices at www.Twitter.com/TJSL_Careers. By following Career Services onTwitter and Facebook, you will learn about career-related opportunities almostinstantly.

The Career Services page of the TJSL website also contains up-to-the-minuteannouncements and information about jobs, internships and career-related newsand events. New content is added on a daily basis, so you should check thehomepage daily.

Career Services’ weekly eNews! publication will also help you stay on top ofimportant events and opportunities. We also post announcements on thetouchscreens and on flyers around campus.

C. Career Panels and WorkshopsThroughout the year, Career Services puts together events to provide skills-based

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information such as legal resume and cover letter writing, interviewing,networking and job search. We also bring in TJSL alumni and other attorneys tospeak about specific areas of legal practice and varied ways of using one’s lawdegree. Career Services also works collaboratively with TJSL student groups, theTJSL Centers, other southern California law schools and local bar associations onco-sponsored career programs.

D. Handouts and Library ResourcesCareer Services has handouts available on a wide range of topics including: legalresumes, cover letters, interviewing, networking, writing samples, job search tips,business cards, judicial clerkships, government jobs, public interest, loanrepayment assistance, alternative legal careers, self-assessment, and many others.

Our handouts are available online in the Symplicity Document Library and also inthe Career Services Office.

Additionally, Career Services maintains a reference library including informationon particular employers, salary statistics, career information on a range of practiceareas, market conditions and trends, self-assessment, and more. The office alsosubscribes to magazines and newspapers that are helpful job search resource tools.The TJSL Law Library also has a wealth of career-related reference materials.

IV. OPPORTUNITIES FOR GAINING LEGAL EXPERIENCEPursuing legal positions requires careful planning as applications must often be made oneor two semesters ahead of time, and sometimes as much as one to two years ahead oftime. We urge you to start early and plan ahead!

A. Online Job ListingsTJSL job listings are accessible by current students and graduates online viaSymplicity.

Students will also be provided with passwords to access numerous other sitesincluding Internships USA, the Government Honors & Internship Handbook,Attorney Jobs Online, and the Non-Traditional Legal Careers Report. Currentweb addresses and passwords are contained in our Job Search Tips handout series.

B. Interviewing /Job Fair ProgramsCareer Services sponsors numerous on-campus recruiting programs and employerfairs. The Office also collaborates with the TJSL Public Interest Law Foundationon an annual summer internship fair for positions with local public interestemployers.

In addition, we co-sponsor numerous regional career fairs with other SouthernCalifornia law schools including the Intellectual Property Associate Search,

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Government Careers Information Day, Public Interest Career Day, andEntertainment Law Career Day. Career Services also publicizes a wide range ofjob fairs around the country in which TJSL students regularly participate.

C. Interview PoliciesDuring the on-campus interview season, a student must maintain an updatedSymplicity profile with current contact information and must upload a currentresume. Students participating in on-campus recruiting must check Symplicity atleast once a day for updates to their interview schedule.

Cancellation of any interview coordinated by Career Services must be given inwriting at least 48 business hours prior to the interview date and should only bemade in case of emergency. This policy applies to on-campus and off-campusinterviews, including job fairs.

Students who violate this policy are subject to suspension from future interviewprograms. At the very minimum, students who cancel interviews will be requiredto send a written note of apology to the affected employer(s) within 24 hours.

D. Externships, Pro Bono Work, and Federal Work-Study Opportunities Career Services works closely with the Externship and Pro Bono Office to assiststudents in pursuing positions with government agencies, nonprofits, law firmsand corporations where students who have completed at least 30 units may earnacademic credit for their work.

Alternatively, students may earn a Pro Bono Honors Award for at least 50 hoursof unpaid work for a nonprofit entity (see the Externship and Pro Bono Office formore information), or may pursue the possibility of getting paid via the FederalWork-Study Program (see Career Services and/or the Financial AssistanceOffice).

E. Obtaining Certified Law Clerk StatusThe State Bar of California’s Practical Training of Law Students program certifieslaw students to provide legal services under certain circumstances. Certified lawstudents may have the opportunity to appear in court, at arbitrations anddepositions, and to conduct negotiations on behalf of clients, under the directsupervision of an attorney.

Eligibility requirements include completion of one full year of law school, beingin good academic standing, and successful completion of or current enrollment inEvidence and Civil Procedure. To obtain certification, you must complete a briefapplication and submit declarations by the attorney who will supervise you and bythe law school’s dean, along with a small application fee ($55.00 as of March2010).

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For the application form and additional information, including the full text ofCalifornia Rules of Court, Rule 9.42, go to calbar.ca.gov, scroll down to AttorneyResources, then Special Services, then Practical Training of Law Students.

F. Employment RestrictionsFull-time first year students are not permitted to work during their first year of lawschool. After the first year, full-time students may not work more than 20 hoursper week during any semester (except during the summer).

Students may not engage in legal work on behalf of another unless it is under thesupervision of an attorney licensed in the state in which the work is beingperformed.

G. Non-Discrimination PolicyThomas Jefferson School of Law is committed to a policy of non-discriminationboth in educational and employment opportunities. The school’s policy is toprohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or age. An exception to ourpolicy of non-discrimination is granted to representatives of the U.S. Departmentof Defense who discriminate on a basis not permitted by our policy. Thisexception is made in order to avoid the loss of federal funds that would otherwisebe imposed by the 1996 Solomon Amendment.

H. Reciprocity with Other Law Schools’ Career Services’ OfficesWe offer access to our Career Services library and job listings to graduates andstudents of other law schools around the country in exchange for like servicesbeing made available to our alumni and students. Students who are seekingemployment outside the Southern California area may ask Career Services torequest a reciprocal arrangement with a law school in that area. Reciprocitypolicies vary from school to school, but they usually provide for access to careerresource libraries and job postings. NOTE: Most law schools suspendreciprocity privileges during particularly busy times of the year.

V. APPLICATION MATERIALS

A. Creating Targeted DocumentsWhat to include or not include in your resume, whether you should have morethan one version of your resume, how to most effectively market yourself in yourcover letter, and which document to use as your writing sample – the answers willbe very personalized to you and what you are applying for.

Please use the tips in this Handbook to get you started, and also take a look at ourmore detailed handouts on each of these topics. Once you have begun preparingyour documents, you will want to meet with your career counselor to help you fine

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tune and make them as targeted as possible to each employer you are pursuing.

B. Rules for Content (the fine print!)All information on resumes, cover letters, and any other application materialsmust be completely accurate and presented without misrepresentation. Grades, grade point averages and class ranks may not in any case berounded to reflect a better grade, GPA or rank (i.e., a class rank of anythingfrom 10.1 percent to 10.9 percent must be reported as 11 percent and is in no caseto be reported as 10 percent). Grades, grade point averages and ranks may not beestimated and must be verifiable through the Registrar. TJSL honors and awardsmust also be verifiable through the Registrar or the Director of AcademicAdministration.

Any listing of GPA should indicate whether it is cumulative or whether it relatesonly to a specific semester, and if it is not a cumulative GPA, the semester termand year should be named (i.e., Fall 2010).

Individual final course grades may be listed on the resume. Grades received onmidterms may be displayed on the resume prior to the issuance of the final gradefor that class, and must be designated as midterm grades.

Students must comply with these policies regardless of whether their resumes,cover letters and other application materials are submitted through CareerServices or transmitted directly to potential employers, and regardless of whetherinformation about the opportunity comes through Career Services or othersources.

Any questions regarding these content policies should be directed to the CareerServices staff before transmitting your application documents to an employer.

In the event of any inaccuracies or errors in application materials, the CareerServices Office may make the determination not to submit application materials toemployers, and any violations of this policy may be referred to the Dean’sOffice and may result in disciplinary action.

C. ResumesYour legal resume should be a concise summary of your relevant credentials,accomplishments and skills. It should contain factual, objective, verifiableinformation about you. It should not contain editorial comments or flashysuperlatives. It should just be the facts, presented in the strongest way possible,without any exaggerated or opinion-based language.

For additional tips, review our Resume handout and resume samples available inthe Symplicity Document Library and in the Career Services Office.

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A prospective employer frequently receives hundreds of resumes that will bescanned quickly to select very few people to interview. You may not have morethan 30 seconds of this reader's attention, so you must use it well and arrange yourresume so that the high points can be absorbed within those 30 seconds.

RESUME QUICK TIPS

# Avoid resume templates generated by a computer program - they don’t allowfor individualizing very well and will not allow you to present yourself in the bestlight.

# One page is generally best unless you have many years of relevant professionalexperience.

# Make it easy to read. Create an organized, consistent format, and avoid fontsmaller than 11 point.

# List both your school address and a permanent address if you are seeking a job inthat geographic area.

# Put the Education section first.

# Use reverse chronological order for listing schools and employers (beginningwith current or most recent and working back to oldest).

# For law school, list the degree which you are pursuing (Juris Doctor, NOTDoctorate) and your expected date of graduation.

# Include your class rank if you are in the top half of your class. (If you don’tinclude it employers may assume that you are in the bottom half.)

# If your cumulative grade point average is not outstanding, but your grades in a fewrelevant courses are, list them.

# Be clear about timing. If, for example, you have been the Honor Roll only onesemester, you must be sure to list the semester, rather than just using the generalstatement "Honor Roll.” The latter is generally interpreted as an achievement forall semesters.

# Describe your job responsibilities and accomplishments briefly, using actionwords; e.g., supervised, interviewed, analyzed, researched, drafted, organized.

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# Avoid using extraneous phrases like "responsibilities (or duties) included..." These excess words do not add anything and take up valuable space.

# Include non-legal professional work experience. Be concise and focus on therelevant skills that you have developed that will transferable to the legal field.

# Include other non-professional jobs, especially if you don’t have much legal orprofessional experience. Including these jobs can help demonstrate your workethic. The jobs can be included simply by listing the employers, job titles anddates, without descriptions. Or a simple sentence such as "Various summer andpart-time jobs to finance education, including...." may also suffice.

# Proofread very carefully to be sure that there are no spelling, grammatical ortypographical errors. It is always beneficial to have someone else proofreadyour resume because most individuals overlook their own errors.

# Significant community involvement/volunteer work, particularly if it is legal orotherwise relevant to what you are applying for, can be included underExperience, or under a separate category such as "Community Involvement" or"Professional Activities".

# Language or other skills, unusual or interesting hobbies, athletic abilities, and/orcommunity organizations in which you actively participate, may be included.These items can be listed consecutively so that they do not take up more than acouple of lines.

What NOT to Include:# Personal information such as birth date, marital status, children, health, or a

photo. This information is not relevant for a job application.

# Education, jobs or activities prior to college.

# An objective statement. This tends to be so general that it ends up addingnothing to the resume. The exception is when you are precluded from submittinga cover letter.

# Statements that references or writing samples are available upon request. Thesephrases just take up space, and of course you’ll provide them to a potentialemployer if asked.

D. Cover LettersIf you see your resume as the objective factual version of your accomplishments,then your cover letter is your chance to tell your story by pulling the pertinentthings together and putting your subjective spin on those accomplishments. Takea look at our Cover Letters handout and samples available in the Symplicity

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Document Library and the Career Services Office.

Drafting cover letters is the thing many job seekers dread the most. However,writing a cover letter well will set you apart from other applicants and may be thething that lands you an interview. Your cover letter is really your first writingsample. If it is clear, concise and convincing, you will pique the interest of theperson reading it, and he or she will want to learn more about you.

COVER LETTER QUICK TIPS

# Answer two critical questions: Why do you want to work for this employerand why should they hire you? Reflect a significant degree of thought as to whyyou are seeking the position and make it obvious that you are sincere andenthusiastic.

# Remember your audience. What is important to this particular employer? Whatis their mission? Are they motivated by a desire to increase their revenue, or istheir goal to pursue justice? Who are their clients? What skills are they likelylooking for?

# Your letter should generally not be longer than one page. Pick out what will beimportant to the employer, say enough to generate interest, and leave themwanting more – this will help you get the interview.

# Address your letter to a specific individual. No one likes form letters; makesure each cover letter is personalized and tailored to each employer.

# Use either Mr. or Ms. in the greeting. Do not include the person’s first name ormiddle initial; just say “Dear Ms. Smith” not “Dear Ms. Kelly A. Smith.” Use acolon after the name, not a comma.

# If you have been referred by someone mention that in the first sentence.

# Avoid writing “your firm” or “your organization” multiple times. Wherepossible, use the name of the employer in the body of your letter.

# If the employer has set out specific requirements or preferences, be sure toaddress how you meet their desired qualifications.

# Be absolutely positive. Do not be defensive or make excuses. If, for example,your grades are not your strong suit, then use your letter to talk about the otherimportant things that you do excel at, or emphasize the high marks you haveearned in classes which are pertinent to the work the employer does.

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# Be humble and unpretentiously confident. Beware of the sometimes finedistinction between confident and arrogant. Keep in mind that you are new to thisprofession and still have a lot to learn.

# Rather than just saying you possess a certain skill, your letter will be moreeffective if you can tell a brief story which shows that you have that skill.

# Be persuasive, but don’t resort to inflated language or hype. Avoid sayingthings like “yours is the perfect job for me”, “I am the perfect candidate for you”,or even worse “you can’t afford not to hire me.”

# Mention the position you are applying for; there may be more than one positionopen.

# If you have geographic ties to the area mention that in the first paragraph.

# Demonstrate competence and interest in the areas that are important to theemployer. Discuss your internships or other important experiences (this mayinclude a discussion of valuable relevant skills gained from non-legal workexperience), your involvement in activities (Moot Court or other school groups,volunteer work, professional associations), and or the relevant courses you havetaken.

# Don’t depend on your computer’s spell check. Carefully read your letter toensure that if you meant to write “trial” it didn’t accidentally come out “trail.” Proofread your letter multiple times, and then ask someone you trust to proofreadit again. If there is a single typo or grammatical error, an employer will likelydiscard your application.

# Don’t overuse “I”. If most of your paragraphs and sentences start with “I”consider reworking the structure of your sentences so that the reader believes thatyour letter is not just about you, but also about their organization and why youbelong there.

E. Writing SamplesYour writing sample should highlight your legal research and writing abilities,along with your legal reasoning, analytical and organizational skills.

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WRITING SAMPLE QUICK TIPS

# Your writing sample should include legal analysis, citations, and application of

law to an issue or set of facts. For most positions a persuasive sample is best. Choose the sample that best reveals your legal writing style, ability toorganize, succinctness, clarity, and legal reasoning.

# Generally, your most recent work will best reflect your abilities.

# Submit a writing sample only if requested.

# It may be helpful to include a cover page for your writing sample with yourcontact information and a simple title of “Writing Sample.” You should use thesame style header as your resume and cover letter.

# Avoid using a work that deals with an obscure area of the law, or a topic that isoverly controversial and may shock or distract the reader.

# If you shorten your writing sample, be sure to include on your cover page anynecessary introductory remarks to add context or clarification.

# If possible, submit a writing sample that pertains to the same field of law that thefirm or organization practices.

# It is preferable to use work product written for an internship or law clerk positionrather than something written for class. Be sure to adequately mask the writing topreserve client confidentiality. To maintain the flow, it is generally better toinsert fictitious names (i.e., Smith and Jones or Doe and Roe) than to redact withblack or white out. You must also be sure to obtain permission to use the workproduct from your supervising attorney.

# If you do not have any real world writings, you can submit your Legal Writing I orII paper. Be sure to incorporate any suggestions made by your professor.

# The submission should be a practical piece of writing that exhibits your ability toproduce the kind of work required by the employer. As such, a scholarly articlegenerally is not appropriate due to the extensive time and outside editinginvolved.

# Your writing sample should be entirely your own work. Do not submit a lawreview article, a co-authored work, or something that has been heavily edited by asupervising attorney or editor. If you do submit a writing sample that raisesquestions as to authorship (for example, a judicial opinion or a brief signed byyour supervising attorney), excise anything that is not your writing and explainin the cover page that it is substantially your own work.

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# If the employer has not specified a page limit for your writing sample, it shouldgenerally be between 8 and 12 pages.

# If you want to use a portion of a longer paper, use something from your argumentor other analytical section where you are applying the law to the facts of yourcase.

# If your writing sample requires an introduction to provide context for an excerpt,or explanation of the work, include that in the cover sheet. You may want toinclude when and for whom the piece was written and the purpose of it. If you areusing something prepared for a former employer, explain that you obtained theemployer’s permission and made all necessary modifications (including changingnames, if applicable).

# Use a standardized font in a legible size (11 or 12 point).

# Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. There should be no errors in your writingsample – typographical, grammatical, or spelling.

# Although the writing sample must be your own work, you can ask others for input. Good input can come from your professors, your supervisors, the TJSLWriting Lab, your friends, or upperclassmen. Incorporate any feedback and learnfrom it. But, do not have someone else rewrite your writing sample.

V. INTERVIEWING AND NETWORKING SUCCESS

A. NetworkingNetworking is crucial to your professional success. As many as 75 percent of alljobs are obtained as a result of networking. Not only does networking help youland a job, it helps you continue to develop a solid professional base to furtheryour future success.

Networking is not about collecting the biggest handful of business cards you can. It is about building relationships of trust and following through with promises.Enter into the realm of networking with a spirit of generosity, not expectinganything in return.

Remember your reaction the last time someone helped you with something. Ashuman beings, we have a healthy need to reciprocate anytime someone doessomething of value for us. This is the real key to effective networking - helpingothers to get what is important to them. In addition, by focusing completely onothers when networking, you will take the pressure off yourself and won’t feellike you are “asking for favors.” This, in turn, will make you feel morecomfortable initiating these professional relationships.

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NETWORKING QUICK TIPS

Arriving at the EventArrive within 15 minutes of the designated start time for the event. Immediately find theevent’s organizers and thank them for the invitation. Then, visit the bar, request abeverage (limit yourself to no more than one alcoholic beverage; you’ll need your witsabout you), and carry the beverage in your left hand. (Toting a beverage will give yousomething to do with your hands, making you appear much more comfortable.)

Throughout the event, carry either a beverage OR food. Do not make the mistake ofcarrying both. Keep your right hand free to shake the hands of other attendees.

Use the Buddy SystemWhen possible, attend networking events with someone else who you know. When youarrive, you and your buddy should “divide and conquer”—your buddy should work halfof the room while you work the other half. Midway through the event, you shouldreconnect and compare notes. You may be able to recommend someone your buddyshould connect with.

Name TagsAlways wear your name tag on your right side. By doing so, whenever you extend yourright hand to shake another’s hand, you will place your name tag directly in the otherperson’s line of vision.

Remembering NamesListening is the real key to becoming effective at remembering names. Whenever you aremeeting someone for the first time, try to shut out everything else and give the otherperson 100 percent of your attention. Quickly repeating the other person’s name innormal conversation may also increase the likelihood of you remembering that name.

Put Others at EaseWhenever you attend an event alone, and if you don’t immediately recognize any of theother guests, look for an “approachable,” the person who is usually standing bythemselves along the perimeter of the room. That individual will likely welcome theopportunity to have you approach him or her and begin a conversation.

Introducing YourselfWhen you introduce yourself, state your name and provide a descriptor - two or threesentences that tell the other person something about you. View your descriptor as a 30-second commercial. Your goal is to introduce yourself in a way that makes youmemorable.

Introducing OthersWhen two people are standing in front of you, and you wish to introduce one person to

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the other, begin by silently asking yourself, “Who is the most important person in thisbusiness setting?” State the most important person’s name first and then present the lessimportant person to the most important person, giving a brief descriptor of the person tohelp facilitate conversation.

Introduce contacts to each other throughout the event, even if they are just people you’vemet that evening. If people are standing on the edge of a group you are in, welcome themin, acting much like a host. Your kindness and attention will not go unnoticed.

Starting ConversationsBefore you attend a networking event, have at least three conversation starters. Theseice-breakers can include comments on current news and business events. Be creative andsteer clear of matters such as the weather, which don’t lead to a meaningful dialogue.

Entering ConversationsTo enter a group conversation, simply approach the group, take a few moments and listen.Make eye contact with the participants. After another member of the group asks aquestion, feel free to take half a step forward, introduce yourself, and ask a follow-upquestion.

Developing ConversationsTry to find two things you have in common with the person you are talking to. Ask open-ended questions and then make sure to really listen to their responses. Focus onunderstanding the contact’s needs. As you listen, you will find ways to help by offeringinformation, resources, and referrals to other people who can address your contact’sneeds.

Exiting ConversationsNetworking events are created in part to provide participants the opportunity to meet andmingle. If you have been in a conversation for 10 or 15 minutes, feel free to tell the otherperson how much you enjoyed meeting them and request their business card. This willhelp you bring the conversation to a close. If you are in a group conversation, look at thepeople on either side of you and do the same. (You do not need to tell the entire groupthat you are moving on.) Or as a new person joins you introduce them and then excuseyourself.

Thank You Notes and Follow UpSending a follow up email or thank you note is an easy way to become memorable in afavorable light. Within 48 hours after an event, send a short email or handwritten notethanking the person, expressing pleasure at having met them, following up on yourconversation, and/or offering your assistance with something discussed.

Reconnect periodically by sending articles or information, calling for advice orinformation, asking the person to speak at a forum, quoting them in an article, introducingpeople who can help them achieve their goals, sending notes on non-business occasions

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(births, marriages, etc.) and congratulations for business promotions or changes. And endeach message or conversation by asking how you can help your contact.

Find an excuse to stay in touch with your key contacts about once every six months. Nurture these relationships when you do not need them, so they are there for you whenyou do.

B. InterviewingA legal interview is likely to be different than other interviews you may have hadin the past. It will be more challenging. Lawyers love to ask tough questions. You’ll be asked about all the things you really don’t want to have to talk about –poor grades, lack of experience, etc. There may be off-the-wall questions to seehow well you think on your feet. There may be confrontational or seeminglyaggressive questions to test whether you will get defensive or angry, or willinstead give a calm, well-reasoned, positive response. You may even gethypothetical questions in your interview. Doing well will require carefulpreparation and practice.

INTERVIEWING QUICK TIPS

# Preparation is the key to interview success. Utilize our Interviewing handoutwhich is filled with sample questions and schedule at least one mock interviewwith Career Services.

# Thoroughly research the employer and your interviewer(s) in advance. Knowing you took the time to do this research demonstrates your sincere interestin the position.

# A firm, confident handshake is crucial to first impressions. Practice with yourcareer counselor to make sure your handshake portrays the right image.

# Always wear a full business suit unless you are specifically told not to do so bythe prospective employer. Dark colored suits are best – consider charcoal gray ornavy.

# Avoid heavy cologne or any strongly scented hair or body products.

# Keep hair, jewelry, and makeup subtle and conservative.

# Pay attention to everything from making sure your shoes are clean and shined tochecking that your nails are clean and well-groomed.

# Bring extra copies of your resume, transcript and writing sample with you to theinterview whether you have previously provided them or not. If there is a need for

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one of these items and you can provide it on the spot you will look well-preparedand professional.

# Be strictly positive in everything you say. Do not bad mouth former employersor speak negatively about your prior work. When addressing issues that you feelare primarily negative, answer briefly with what you are able to say that ispositive, and then steer the conversation in another direction.

# When addressing something you feel is a weakness, be honest but be sure to endyour response by talking about what you are doing to work on the problem.

# Where possible, respond by telling stories and giving examples. These aretypically more interesting, stick in the interviewers mind, and allow you toconvincingly show you have certain qualities (rather than just saying you havethem without giving evidence).

# Be ready to talk about anything on your resume. Think about this in advanceso that you have some ideas ready – consider everything you’ve done: what youare most proud of, what were your biggest accomplishments, what would youwant the employer to know about this job or activity?

# Smile, be enthusiastic and make it clear that you really want the job.

# Maintain good eye contact.

# Listen well and answer the question being asked.

# Tailor responses to what you know is important to this employer.

# Do not ask questions that could easily have been answered from the employer’swebsite.

# Send a thank you note within 24 hours of the interview.

VII. BAR EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTSRequirements for admission to the bar vary from state to state. In addition to successfullypassing the Bar Examination, requirements also typically include success on the Multi-State Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE), completion of an application (which istypically very lengthy and often requires details on current and past employers and placesof residence, disclosure of legal violations, contact information for numerous references,documentation from all schools attended, and other details requiring a substantial amountof time to complete.) Students should consult the National Conference of Bar Examinerswebsite at www.ncbex.org for links to the Bar Admissions Offices of all states andterritories, as well as a Comprehensive Guide to Bar Examination requirements.

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Familiarize yourself with the bar admission requirements of the state in which you plan totake the bar during your second summer of law school, and begin completion of the moralcharacter/background check documents at that time. Discuss questions and concernsabout bar admission requirements with your career counselor or the Student Servicesstaff.

APPENDIX A

TIMELINE FOR 1LS

First Semester

Focus on your studies, adjust to law school, and earn the best grades possible.

Attend networking and informational events (monitor Facebook, Twitter, the Career Services’webpage, eNews!, and Career Services’ emails for details).

Attend Mandatory Career Services Orientation in November or April. Afterwards:# Meet individually with your career counselor# Develop your strategy for your summer job search with your counselor# Begin familiarizing yourself with Symplicity (our online job listing system) by

attending one of our training sessions# Pick up our Job Search Tips for 1Ls handout which includes passwords needed to

access a wealth of other job search sites# Create your legal resume, and begin working on cover letters, your writing

sample, and other application materials with the help of your counselor# Upload your resume to Symplicity and complete your career profile# Begin applying for summer jobs

Second Semester

Continue applying for summer jobs. Meet often with your career counselor to refine yourstrategy.

Apply for Externships (for academic credit) with law firms, judges, corporations,government agencies and nonprofits.

Participate in job fairs, networking and informational events.

Participate in On-Campus Recruiting Program for summer positions.

Continue to network! Don’t forget to include other students, professors and staff as part

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of your network.

Join and begin getting involved in a student organization related to your career goals.

Register to participate in job fairs.

Winter Break

Research potential employers. Continue applying for summer jobs. Consider a volunteerposition.

Prepare for participation in spring job fairs, the Spring Recruiting program, and theexternship application process.

Work on building your job search network: identify and contact relatives, friends, TJSLalumni, alumni of your undergraduate institution, neighbors, former business colleagues,and other acquaintances you can contact to learn more about various legal jobopportunities and for referrals to others who may be able to help.

Conduct informational interviews, shadow an attorney, visit the courthouse to observetrials, and attend bar association events.

Summer Break

Gain legal work experience! (If you plan to do a study abroad program, you should getexperience before, during and/or after the program.)

Network!

June/July: Register to participate in fall job fairs.

Meet with your career counselor. Prepare updated resume and other application materialsto be ready for applying for jobs for next summer starting in August.

APPENDIX B

TIMELINE FOR 2LS

Bar Exam Preparation

Prepare for taking the bar:# Plan ahead and research deadlines for applying to take the state bar

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examination(s) you are considering# Plan to take the MPRE in November, March or August – you’ll want to complete

this requirement well before you sit for the bar exam# Begin working on your moral character application well in advance – try to have

this finalized and submitted about one semester before you graduate

Late Summer - Fall Semester

Participate in job fairs, networking and informational events

Take charge of your job search ASAP:# Meet early and often with your career counselor to develop and refine your

job search strategy for summer positions# Update your resume and other application materials # Upload your updated resume to Symplicity and update your career profile# Utilize our Job Search Tips for 2Ls handout which includes passwords needed

to access a wealth of job search sites# Research potential employers on your own and create your list of who you

wish to apply to# Apply for summer jobs throughout the semester# Brush up on your interview skills by doing a mock interview

August – October:# If you have not already secured a way to get legal experience this semester, then

apply for fall externships, law clerk positions, volunteer opportunities, researchassistant jobs, and work-study positions that are still available

# Participate in Fall Recruiting for summer positions with firms and agencies

September - October: Apply for Spring Externships.

Late November: If you are looking for work outside the Southern California area for thesummer, ask Career Services to request reciprocity for you at a law school in the area you aretargeting so that you can access their services over Winter Break.

Investigate and begin applying for post-graduation judicial clerkships with StateCourts: Some deadlines will be during your 2L year for positions after graduation!

Sign up for a mentor: Information on TJSL alumni mentors is available on Symplicity.

Get involved in competition teams and student organizations related to your careergoals. And register for electives related to your career goals.

Join and get involved in a bar association in San Diego and in the city you plan topractice in: The San Diego County Bar Association, Lawyers Club and many other bar

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groups have mentoring opportunities and a wide range of events where you can meetlawyers.

Continue to build your network: Identify and contact relatives, friends, TJSL alumni,alumni of your undergraduate institution, neighbors, former colleagues, and otheracquaintances you can contact to learn more about various legal job opportunities and forreferrals to others who may be able to help.

Winter Break

Continue applying for summer and spring semester jobs.

Prepare for spring job fairs, the Spring Recruiting program, and externship applications.

Network, conduct informational interviews, shadow an attorney, visit the courthouse toobserve trials, and attend bar association events.

Spring Semester

Get legal experience! If you haven’t already secured a legal position for this semester,meet with your counselor and keep applying until you do.

Continue applying for summer jobs. Meet often with your career counselor to refine yourjob search strategy.

Participate in Spring Recruiting Program for summer positions with small and mid-sizefirms.

Participate in job fairs, networking and informational events.

January - February: Apply for Summer Externships with law firms, judges, corporations,government agencies and nonprofits.

March/April: Apply for Fall Externships.

April/May: Register to participate in summer job fairs (for jobs for next summer).

Apply for post-graduation judicial clerkships with State Courts with deadlines in your 2Lyear.

Continue to network! Don’t forget to students, professors and staff as part of yournetwork.

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Summer

Gain legal work experience!

Network!

June/July: Register to participate in fall job fairs.

Meet with your career counselor. Prepare updated resume and other application materialsto be ready for applying for post-graduation jobs beginning in August.

Apply for post-graduate judicial clerkship positions with State and Federal Courts.

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APPENDIX C

TIMELINE FOR 3LS/4LS

Bar Exam Preparation

Prepare for taking the February or July bar:# Determine which state bar you will take and register for it# Decide which bar preparation course(s) you will take and register # Work on your moral character application, and plan to finalize and submit it at

least four months before you plan to take the bar exam# If necessary, plan to take the MPRE in November or March – if at all possible,

complete this requirement BEFORE you sit for the bar exam

Late Summer - Fall Semester

Participate in job fairs, networking and informational events

Take charge of your job search ASAP:# Meet early and often with your career counselor to develop and refine your job

search strategy # Update your resume and other application materials # Upload your updated resume to Symplicity and update your career profile# Utilize our Job Search Tips for 3Ls and 4Ls handout which includes passwords

needed to access a wealth of job search sites# Research potential employers on your own and create your list of who you wish to

apply to# Apply for post-graduation jobs throughout the semester# Brush up on your interview skills by doing a mock interview

August – October: # If you have not already secured a way to get legal experience this semester, then

apply for externships, law clerk positions, volunteer opportunities, researchassistant jobs, and work-study positions that are still available

# Participate in Fall Recruiting for post-bar positions with firms and agencies# Apply for post-graduation judicial clerkships, federal government honors

programs, public interest fellowships and Presidential ManagementFellowships

September - October: Apply for Spring Externships.

Late November: If you are looking for work outside the Southern California area, ask CareerServices to seek reciprocity for you at a law school in the area you are targeting so that you canaccess their services over Winter Break.

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Sign up for a mentor: Information on TJSL alumni mentors is available on Symplicity.

Join a bar association in San Diego and in the city you plan to practice in: The SanDiego County Bar Association, Lawyers Club and many other bar groups have mentoringopportunities and a wide range of events where you can meet lawyers.

Continue to build your network: Identify and contact relatives, friends, TJSL alumni,alumni of your undergraduate institution, neighbors, former business colleagues, andother acquaintances you can contact to learn more about various legal job opportunitiesand for referrals to others who may be able to help.

If you are graduating this semester:# Apply for post-bar law clerk positions# Attend your Mandatory Exit Interview with Career Services#

Winter Break

If you are graduating in May:# Continue applying for post-graduation and spring semester jobs # Prepare for participation in spring job fairs, the Spring Recruiting program, and

the externship application process# Network, conduct informational interviews, shadow an attorney, visit the

courthouse to observe trials, and attend bar association events

If you just graduated and are taking the bar in February:# Turn your complete focus to the bar and put the job search on hold

Spring Semester

Get legal experience! If you haven’t already secured a legal position for this semester,meet with your counselor and keep applying until you do.

Continue applying for post-graduation jobs. Meet often with your career counselor torefine your strategy.

Participate in job fairs, networking and informational events.

Participate in Spring Recruiting Program for post-bar positions with small and mid-sizefirms.

Continue to network! Don’t forget to include other students, professors and staff as partof your network.

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If you are graduating this semester:# Apply for post-bar law clerk positions# Attend your Mandatory Exit Interview with Career Services

Summer

Meet with your career counselor. Prepare updated resume and other application materialsas you continue to apply for short-term positions while you await bar results and/orpermanent entry level positions.

Appendix D

TIPS FOR PART-TIME STUDENTS

We understand that most of you are working full-time during the day and attending law school atnight, and are thus left will little free time. We urge you, however, to start thinking of ways to fitsome legal experience into your schedule, and to find ways to increase your contacts in the legalcommunity. Legal experience can—and will—increase your marketability.

Consider the following options:# Join attorney groups such as the San Diego County Bar Association or Lawyers

Club. Many meetings and programs are held over lunch, and some have earlymorning meetings. (Contact our office for a list of these groups.) Join the sectionrelated to your practice area of interest, become active on a committee, orvolunteer to assist with a special event. Also, get into the habit of attending CLEs(continuing legal education seminars) in your interest areas, and use the occasionsto meet attorneys practicing in those areas. (Note: many groups offer CLEs at nocost to law students.)

# Write articles for the San Diego Lawyer Magazine, California Lawyer, The BarReport, the newsletter of the bar group you just joined, or other legal publications. This will demonstrate your sincere interest in a particular field of law, and willshowcase your excellent writing skills.

# Volunteer for a public interest group or government agency. Even a few hoursper week will allow you to start gaining practical experience, and evening orweekend hours may be available. (Our Volunteer Opportunities handout listsorganizations that regularly accept law students as volunteers.

# Work as a research assistant for a faculty member. These positions will help youdevelop your research and writing skills, and if you do well, the professor will beable to give you a good reference. Often much of the work can be done wheneveryou are able to fit it into your schedule.

# Do project work for a law firm. Ask a contact in the legal profession if you canhelp them with a particular project, or check online for postings from firmslooking for a law student to do project work. This type of work can often be done

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on your own time. # Work in the legal department of your current employer. Consider cutting your

hours in your current department and working 10 or 20 hours per week for thelegal department for a couple of months. If your employer will not pay you foryour time in the legal department, course credit may be available. See theExternship Office.

# Participate in the Clinical Education or Judicial Externship Program. Theseprograms give you the chance to gain practical skills while getting course credit. Daytime hours are required, so you might consider cutting down your work hours,or shifting your hours to the evenings for a semester.

# Consider using vacation time or taking a leave of absence to allow time forlegal work. Getting legal experience and expanding your network of contacts arecrucial to your long-term success.

# Think creatively and determine how you can best fit some experience andnetworking into your schedule. Please schedule a time to talk with a member ofthe Career Services staff to gain assistance with brainstorming alternatives.

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