Category: Articles

A big reason many people do not stay on the path of becoming a civil rights attorney is simple: money.  And no, I don’t mean that people are both interested in civil rights and yet looking to make the big bucks.

Law school is exorbitantly expensive, so much so that by the time you leave most people are facing crippling debt.  One close friend of mine graduated from law school with a quarter million dollars in debt.  Yep.  That’s right.  A whopping $250,000 to pay off.

For many of us, law school does not leave us that severely in debt.  Yet, the numbers aren’t pretty.  On average, I would say people I know – including myself – have monthly loan payments of somewhere between $1000 and $1500.  Double that amount to account for rent and utility payments, and suddenly we realize we can barely – if at all – subsist off a $45,000-$60,000 per year salary.  And yet, that’s what most civil rights organizations and firms pay as starting salaries.

So, how can you make it work?

Continue reading “Living on a Budget as a Civil Rights Attorney”

For the many people who go to law school to effect change and do good in the world, two distinct paths often arise: public sector and civil rights.  I previously posted about the types of civil rights jobs that exist and how to choose the civil rights job for you.

As I mentioned in the posts, public sector jobs are not necessarily the same as civil rights jobs.  In fact, as a civil rights attorney, a large percentage of my practice entails bringing claims against the government, making my opposing counsel public sector attorneys.

Of course, there is some overlap between the two.  And don’t forget, those in the public sector are there because they chose to serve the public in lieu of a more lucrative career, just like private-side and non-profit civil rights attorneys.  Yet, if you walked into a room full of civil rights attorneys and said you were also applying to the AG’s office, you might be met by some strong skepticism.

I personally applied to both public sector and more traditional civil rights jobs.  And I felt more than comfortable openly doing so.   Here are some tips on how to navigate that divide in your own career search.

Continue reading “Navigating the Divide Between Public Sector and Civil Rights Careers”

If you read my previous post, you learned about the various options of civil rights jobs.  Now, the next step is figuring out which one (or ones) is right for you.

In this instance, the answer is both about process and substance.

Continue reading “How to Choose Between Civil Rights Careers”

When I started law school, I knew nothing about the various types of civil rights careers that exist.  First off, there isn’t any magical or exhaustive list anywhere – at least not that I’m aware of.  So I was left to figure it out through the help of our public interest career office and Google.  Here is my attempt to compile what I know in one place.

Continue reading “What Types of Civil Rights Careers Exist?”

Many of you probably grew up with parents that insisted you send thank you cards for absolutely everything.  Well, I know I did.  Those of you who did not have parents like my mother were spared the hand cramps.

Hand cramps aside, thank goodness this was instilled in me at an early age.  I cannot express how powerful a thank-you card is.  And here are some tips and tricks on how to make them shine.

Continue reading “The Power of the Thank You Card (or Email)”

I was having a conversation with a good friend yesterday who recently landed her dream job: providing free legal services to some of the most vulnerable members of our community.  In addition to being incredibly proud of and happy for her, we started talking about the interview process.

At one point, I shared a story with her about how I was positive I had landed a coveted job solely because I treated my interviewer like a person and not like an untouchable gatekeeper.  Since my friend thought it would be helpful if I shared that story more widely, here you go.

Continue reading “Don’t Forget that Your Interviewer is Also a Person”

As we all know, one particularly difficult thing about becoming a civil rights attorney is that civil rights firms and non-profits don’t hire a year or two in advance like BigLaw.  Once you’re hired, we usually want you to start ASAP.

Of course, some government jobs hire further in advance, like the Honors Program or state AG fellowships.  And Skadden and EJW Fellows are selected before you graduate.  But neither hires as far out as BigLaw.

Meanwhile, you’re being asked left and right, “What are you doing next year?”  As though it’s a given that you should already have your job lined up.  How should you respond?

Continue reading “3Ls, Don’t Shy Away From the “What Are You Doing Next Year” Question”

If you read my post about networking, you probably thought to yourself: but what if I don’t know anyone in the room?  Both extroverts and introverts alike can have a particularly hard time networking when stuck in a room full of strangers.

So, how do you navigate the situation instead of spending the night with one appendage attached to the wall at all times?

Continue reading “How to Network in a Room Full of Strangers”

I absolutely abhor the term “networking.”  So much so I boycotted the entire concept of it when I was in law school.  I even remember getting into a bit of a tiff about it with our Women’s Law Association President who kept insisting that we “network.”

She and I did not see eye-to-eye.  But I have to admit, she was right.  Networking is essential.  Your opportunities are going to come from networking.  It’s incredibly rare you’re going to get a job – let alone build up an entire career – based on your resume alone.

So how do you reconcile the need to network with the fact that it seems incredibly disingenuous?

Continue reading “How to Make Genuine Connections Through Networking”

You may have previously read my post about how to land a job in civil rights.  If you did, then you know it’s less about applying to posted job positions and more about applying for the unposted job by making connections.

If that’s the case, you may be wondering who you’re supposed to reach out to when you send in your resume and ask to go get coffee.  The named partner?  The newer associate?  Someone who went to your law school?  Depending on the circumstances, any of these could be the right answer.  Thought there’s one very important person we’re forgetting.

Continue reading “Who Should You Reach Out To When You Network?”