General Job Search Resources
Please bring this list with you when visiting the OCS’s Career Library and ask the receptionist for assistance in locating these materials if needed.
America’s Greatest Places to Work with a Law Degree, Kimm Alayne Walton. Walton talked to numerous law school administrators and lawyers all over the country. The individual chapters on law firms, corporations, government agencies, and public interest organizations are valuable resources and are strongly recommended to individuals pursuing work in these legal environments and interested in how to get hired and succeed on the job. Topics covered include the advantages of working in-house, the type of experience sought by corporations, how to do research on companies, and selected corporate profiles.
Beyond L.A. Law: Break the Traditional “Lawyer” Mold, Janet Smith. Profiles of 47 law graduates in a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional careers. Rethink your own ideas of what it means to “use your law degree.”
Full Disclosure: Do You Really Want to Be a Lawyer?, Susan J. Bell. Presents the collected experiences of more than two dozen lawyers, judges and law professors in informative essays. Presented by the American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division
Guerilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, Kimm Alayne Walton. A very popular book which features tips from law career counseling experts (including Gail Cutter!) from around the U.S. and guides readers step-by-step through the job search process.
How to Start and Build a Law Practice, Jay G. Foonberg. A basic primer for planning and developing a successful practice. 128 chapters filled with techniques for getting started, finding clients and the right location, setting fees, managing your office, and maintaining an ethical and responsible practice.
Jobs for Lawyers: Effective Techniques for Getting Hired in Today’s Legal Marketplace, Hillary Jane Mantis & Kathleen Brady. Two experienced law school career counselors provide wide-ranging advice on understanding the job search process, creating a plan of action, self-assessment, analyzing the market, networking, resumes and cover letters, and negotiating job offers.
My First Year as a Lawyer, edited by Mark Simenhoff. Eighteen lawyers shares stories from their first year of practice, revealing both the challenges and the rewards of the day-to-day life of a novice attorney.
What Color Is Your Parachute?, Richard Nelson Bolles. The best-selling jobhunting book, a practical manual for job hunters and career changers with a new section on job hunting on the internet. Fun to read, with illustrations, sidebars, resources, and career advice and questions.