Related Posts
New ARK merchandise!
Any Muslim moms here?
Need Likes !
Rising Star
Additional Posts in Law
Rising Star
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
Sign Up to see all discussions
- Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
- Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
- Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
"" is an unusual email domain. If correct, please proceed to the next step
Messaging rates may apply
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Share
Embed this post
Copy and paste embed code on your site
Preview
Download the
Fishbowl app
Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile
Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl
Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl
Messaging rates may apply
First of all, as a suggestion, you should consider removing the year of law school graduation from your resume so that you’re not advertising how long it took you to pass the bar exam.
Regarding your job search, I think there are a handful of jobs/practice areas where you’ll have the best shot of being hired, considering your situation. Pick one or two to focus on and create tailored resumes and cover letters accordingly. Some of your options, in my view, are:
- Part time junior associate positions with small firms (sometimes solo practitioners will hire someone part time to help them out; often they are open to someone with no experience so they can pay less)
- Junior associate at a firm focusing on “creditor’s rights,” injury, or SSDI
- My state judiciary has “temporary assistant clerk” jobs which are primarily clerical work but require a JD; perhaps your state has something similar
- JD preferred jobs (particularly in an industry where you have prior non-legal experience)
- Document review
Best of luck with your search. You’re in a tough spot, frankly, but all you need is one employer to take a chance on you and then you should be able to climb your way up. Keep casting your line and someone will bite eventually.
I’m really glad to hear it. Thanks for following up.
Reach out to your law school’s career services department.
they won’t respond but I’ll keep trying, thank you!
6 tries???
We listen and we don’t judge. The bar exam isn’t an indication of being able to be an effective lawyer.
Because nowadays AI is doing entry level jobs and they don’t want to train
Someone commented on Glassdoor said those training AI jobs are actually fake jobs- they find every excuse not paying you…
Apply anyway! I’m not sure whether you are a male or female, but it’s common for women to click past job applications if they don’t hit every single criteria listed, whereas male applicants will “stretch” and apply to a job even if they don’t quite meet everything listed. When I learned that fact, it made me much more confident in applying to jobs, even if I was lacking the requisite experience. Try to channel your inner BDE. It has worked well for me so far!
Great point!!! Always remember!
I passed my road test at my seventh try. That’s why DMV will never hire me.
Congrats on passing the bar! I graduated during an economic downturn 20+ years ago. I worked as a temp doing document review and gained experience, and I volunteered at pro bono clinics and made connections. This kept me financially afloat and I talked to people about my career aspirations. The volunteering also gave me something to discuss in cover letters and interviews. Someone will see your value as you find ways to navigate opportunities. Wishing you the best of luck.
What if you open your own law firm?
spending all my money on the bar exam and keeping up with my student loan payments has left me unable to do this haha
What have you been doing career-wise to make yourself marketable in the time between graduation and bar passage?
If you’ve been working somewhere put that experience to use. Try to find an industry or open role that pertains to your expertise even if you don’t have all the YOE post-bar qualification. If you have some experience use it.
If you haven’t been working or have been doing work that doesn’t have the best transferable skills, maybe you can look into some certifications like CIPP (privacy), Crypto/blockchain, Tax, or other regulatory related certs that can bolster your resume.
Whatever it is you’re doing isn’t working so it’s time to do something different. Don’t be afraid to pivot. If you were dead set on transactional work maybe you need to shift to litigation. Look for JD-preferred roles that have a lot of upside potential and opportunities to work directly with legal departments & network like crazy.
to answer the question—I worked in title insurance before and during law school and when I didn’t pass the bar immediately, I went back to pay the bills. I keep applying as underwriting counsel in that field. I also had an interest in privacy so I think I’ll try for my CIPP/US in the meantime until I find a job. this is really helpful again thank you.
Following. I graduated in 2023, became licensed in 2024, and all I can find is sporadic gig work, not even legal related.
It truly is about who you know. Target firms/places with people you know.