8. Do Pro Bono.
There are a variety of opportunities
for you to use your new lawyering
skills to improve lives and meet
other practitioners. You will receive
FREE training that you may be able
to use on behalf of non pro bono
clients. Jerico Phillips (Lazega
and Johanson), a 2018 Emory Law
Graduate, volunteered at Atlanta
Volunteer Lawyers Foundation
while awaiting his bar results, and
instantly benefited from the guid-
ance of his supervising attorney, a
Holland and Knight partner. Phillips
still meets regularly with the partner
to seek advice and mentorship.
The Atlanta Bar has compiled a
list of pro bono resources here:
https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.at-
lantabar.org/resource/resmgr/pro_
no/2019octprobonosheetupdated.
pdf
9. Be methodical (like an English
Setter) and follow up.
Make a list of all of your favorite
attorneys and get on the calendar
with them. Phillips suggests reach-
ing out to one distinct subgroup
(your law school’s alumni), as they
are a year or two into their careers.
“They remember all too well what
it is like to be in your shoes. They
looked for a job in a legal market
similar to the one you plan to enter
and may be more familiar with the
latest job posting websites, market
needs and contacts,” observes
Phillips. Your favorite attorney
may be your next friend, colleague,
reference, fellow bar leader, judge,
opposing counsel, or co-counsel.
Lyn Rogers Knapp (Senior Director
of the Center for Professional De-
velopment and Career Strategies
16
April/May 2019
at Georgia State University College
of Law) recommends that you ask
friends if they know of anyone who
is looking for someone with your
experience. You will be amazed
by how willing other people are
to help and the leads you will be
given from this simple question.
If the response is ‘yes’ be sure to
follow up with asking if you can use
their name as a reference. You will
be surprised by the generosity of
others.
Knapp emphasizes that you should
have a system to keep track of con-
tacts and communications, such as
a job search/networking spread-
sheet. She points out the con-
tinued value of such a document,
and reports that, “this resource will
provide structure to your daily job
search actions as far as follow ups
and tracking goes and hopefully
prevent missed opportunities. As
an added bonus, when done well,
the job search spreadsheet can
transition post-employment into
a networking spreadsheet that, if
maintained will be of great value
throughout your career.”
position. You will be amazed at the
introductions a simple conversation
during the course of your normal
day can lead to. These types of
engagements often result in an
even broader source of jobs that
might otherwise remain untapped.”
Networking should not be a chore.
It should be enjoyable, and an ef-
ficient use of your time. Follow the
suggestions above, and experi-
ment to find out what works best for
you. If you heed Kodish’s advice
to “add value to the conversation,”
it’ll be a win for you and everyone
you encounter.
10. Network organically.
In Knapp’s view, “living your au-
thentic life post-bar” introduces
great opportunity for networking
and job search. “Actively engage
with the people you encounter
on a daily basis. You should feel
comfortable during regular conver-
sations sharing that you are in the
job market. For example, if you see
someone on the elliptical machine
at the gym, don’t be afraid to ask
them about their work and then
share with them that you recently
graduated from law school, took the
bar exam, and are now looking for a
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association THE ATLANTA LAWYER
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