Career Path Of A Partner At An Amlaw 200 Law Firm
Mindy's career journey began at UC Berkeley, followed by Yale Law School, where early internships solidified their career path. After initially finding corporate law "not cut out" for them, Mindy discovered their passion for litigation during a summer at Kale Gordon, a stark contrast to their first job as a 16-year-old swimsuit store clerk and the TV portrayals of legal work.
Career Exploration, Job Search, Networking, Overcoming Challenges, Legal Profession
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mindy Morton
Partner
Amlaw 200 law firm
UC Berkeley
Yale Law School, J.D.
Political Science, American Studies
Law
Legal
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. Mindy's career path demonstrates that it's okay to change course. Her initial corporate internship solidified her preference for litigation.
2. Summer internships are invaluable; Mindy's experiences helped her discover her passion for litigation and provided practical legal experience.
3. Mindy's background highlights the value of extracurricular activities (e.g., Honor Society, Glee Club) and diverse experiences (e.g., swimsuit store clerk) alongside legal internships in shaping a fulfilling career path.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
I went to UC Berkeley and graduated in 1994 with a political science degree. During my time there, I was involved with the Honor Student Society, the Glee Club, and several other choirs and musical groups.
After graduating in '94, I went to law school and graduated from Yale Law School in 1997. During law school, I completed internships at law firms. For two of my three summers, I worked in law.
My first summer, I worked at Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York City, doing corporate work. I quickly realized I wasn't suited to be a corporate attorney and was more of a litigator. The following summer, I interned at Kaye Scholer in New York.
There, I truly enjoyed my work and felt I had found my passion. While in law school, I also tutored for the LSAT. I didn't have any jobs during undergrad. My very first job, at 16, was as a clerk in a swimsuit store.
Honestly, that didn't prepare me to be a lawyer, but my summer internships certainly did. Being a lawyer is very different from what you see on legal TV shows, but it is extremely rewarding.