Career Path Of An Associate At Morrison And Foerster LLP
Michael's career path wasn't linear; after a business management degree and playing basketball at Santa Clara University, "no real specific legal touch points," Michael decided on law school, gaining legal experience through internships only after starting law school and then joining Morrison & Foerster LLP directly afterward. This highlights that a traditional, early exposure to law isn't a prerequisite for all legal careers.
Law School, Career Change, Internships, Legal Profession, Post-College Career Paths
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michael Santos
Associate
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Santa Clara University
Georgetown University - JD
Business Management & Admin
Law
Legal
Took Out Loans, Transfer Student, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Many successful lawyers don't have prior legal experience before law school.
2. A business management background can be a valuable asset in a law career.
3. Taking a break between college and law school is a viable option.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I didn't have much legal experience before going to law school. In college, I attended Santa Clara University. I played basketball and majored in business management, so there were no specific legal touch points.
I fell into the category of people who, after college, decided law school might be a good path. I took two years off and did some more non-legal work. Then I went to law school, and that's where I was first introduced to legal experience.
I did some internships during law school before going to a firm immediately afterward. So, I really had no prior legal experience. Some people I knew did internships during college that exposed them to law. Those individuals seemed to know their path at the time.
However, I found that a lot of people decided on law school without any prior legal experience.