As we all know, many people who go to law school interested in a career in civil rights end up leaving the field before they even enter it. Whether it’s because their student loan debt was too crushing, the stress of waiting to apply to jobs was too great to handle, or they just could not land a civil rights job straight out of law school, there are many valid reasons why someone does not immediately enter the civil rights field.
The hard part, however, is transitioning from a non-civil-rights career into the profession. Especially considering that you will be competing against “lifers” for that coveted position. The key to ensuring success is taking certain steps now that will pay off down the road.
I need to be clear: there are some people in the civil rights profession who will never hire someone who began their career in BigLaw, the DA’s office, or anything similarly non-civil-justice oriented. Many of us, on the other hand, are open to embracing those attorneys who choose to transition to civil rights. So long as they have demonstrated a commitment to such.
How to Demonstrate Commitment to the Community
I cannot tell you how many attorneys I have seen apply to my firm from BigLaw or other defense-side and corporate practice areas whose big pitch is: “I went to law school to help people.”
If that’s the case, you had better be able to show your commitment to that goal. No, you don’t get a free pass that because you needed to pay off your debt, you spent the last 3-5 years focused solely on your job.
How about all of those volunteer nights the local bars throw once a month? What about all of the tenants facing eviction who need someone to represent them pro bono? For the transactional attorneys, what about the clinics that help middle-income workers fill out their taxes?
Perhaps you’re worried about conflicts. Have you ever run a conflicts check? Trust me, there is enough pro bono work out there that most of it will never come close to a conflict.
And what about all of the amazing pro bono work BigLaw law firms tout to prospective applicants? How much of that have you done? Once your firm has taken the case, that means it has passed the conflicts check.
Still, you’re not bound to only offering legal help. Another option is to volunteer for a high school mock trial team. No legal advice there.
Or perhaps you can volunteer with grassroots organizations in your community. Like the ones working to get fresh food to communities that live in food deserts.
In sum, if you want to transition from defense-side or corporate practice into civil rights, then you need to show a real commitment to the community. The best part is, by volunteering regularly with an organization or legal clinic, you will make a name for yourself with precisely the right people.
They are the ones who will be interviewing you down the road. Or they will have a connection to the people interviewing you. Or your interviewers will know and respect the organization. Trust me, the relationship will pay off.
How to Show Your Commitment to Civil Rights Through Specific Organizations and Their Goals
Another way to show your commitment to the civil rights community is to join a nonprofit’s Board of Directors. Look for a nonprofit whose mission and work really speak to you. Apply for a Board of Directors position and, if you get it, be active and reliable.
By sitting as a Board member, you will develop a relationship with the organization’s Executive Director. You will learn more about the work the organization does and how it gets the work done. You will volunteer your time and donate money to ensure the organization is successful.
You will also demonstrate to those around you – i.e. the ED and your fellow Board members – just how much you care about the cause. That’s why I say to be both active and reliable, because this is the time to build your reputation within the community.
Joining a Board only to be inactive or unreliable can have the opposite effect. It will become clear that you took the position to cushion your resume.
I’ll caution that joining a Board should not replace the community-based work I suggest above. If the only thing on your resume speaking to civil rights is your membership on a Board, there is little chance that will cut it.
You need to do more to demonstrate how much serving your community means to you. Especially if you’re going to ask a civil rights firm or organization to offer you a job. Don’t forget: you are competing with applicants who have been in the civil rights field their entire careers.
Getting Involved in the Civil Rights Profession By Joining Local Bar Sections or Diversity Bars
Another way to get your name out there is by joining your local bar sections or diversity bars that are committed to civil rights issues. For example, here in Colorado we have the Civil Rights Section of the Colorado Bar Association, and we are always looking for active members.
A friend of mine who used to work in BigLaw joined the Civil Rights Section while still at his firm. Total cost: $25.
His second year in, he ran for a leadership position. I was the Section Chair at the time, and I was having a hard time relying on the Vice Chair. My friend really stepped it up as Secretary to help me manage and lead the section.
While we had been friends in the past, what really stood out to me was how reliable and committed he was to the role. That spoke volumes.
Lo and behold, when he wanted to transition into civil rights, I was one of his biggest advocates. We worked on his cover letter together, I introduced him to people in the community, and I vouched for him as a “true believer.”
Soon thereafter, he had secured a job with a plaintiff-side employment discrimination firm and had left BigLaw.
If your bar association does not have a civil rights section, another option is to join the diversity bars. Become involved in their civil rights efforts.
We have bar associations for quite a number of diverse groups, including the Colorado Women’s Bar Association, the LGBT Bar Association, the South Asian Bar Association, the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, and on and on.
Given that these bar associations represent diverse voices, they often have ways of getting involved to work with marginalized communities. By joining them, you will surely meet people involved in the civil rights community. And you will get your name out there as someone who is committed.
But again, commitment is not demonstrated in your having volunteered at the annual pro bono clinic event. It requires hard work. Consistency. It might feel like a sacrifice. It is not meant to be convenient.
By showing true commitment, and by forging connections through the process, you will set the stage to later transition from corporate law or defense-side practice into civil rights.