Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Lawyers
Peter, a Partner at Lagarias, Napell & Dillon, LLP, suggests that undergraduates interested in law can explore options like "a day in the life with a lawyer" or externships assisting with discovery. A "full-time job" as a paralegal, requiring certification, offers valuable experience, allowing one to determine if a legal career is a good fit, with the work involving both "drudgery" and important tasks similar to a lawyer's.
Entry-Level Jobs, Legal Careers, Paralegal, Career Exploration, Law Firm
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Peter Lagarias
Partner
Lagarias, Napell & Dillon, LLP
UC Berkeley
UC San Francisco - Law (formerly Hastings)
Political Science, American Studies
Law
Legal
Honors Student, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Consider a "day in the life" experience with a lawyer.
2. Seek an externship to assist with legal discovery.
3. Explore a paralegal position to gain experience and assess interest in the field before committing to law school
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
You could probably get a "day in the life" with a lawyer where you see what they're actually doing for a day. You might be able to get an externship with a law firm and help out on discovery in some cases.
There's a position short of becoming a lawyer called a paralegal, which is a full-time job. There are requirements to get certified as a paralegal, but you can work for a year or so to see if you like the field and want to do it as a paralegal.
There's lots of work for that. Some of the paralegal work is drudgery, but some of it you have to do as a lawyer too. This includes working up a file and going through what we call discovery.
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