Law Grads Advised to Market 'Brand You'; What Will Blagojevich and Kilpatrick Do?
In one of the toughest job markets in decades, law graduates advised that a juris doctor degree would qualify them for a multiplicity of careers are finding that, even with experience, it can be hard to find work of any kind.
“Unfortunately, a law degree does not even guarantee an opportunity in law, let alone an entree into a different field,” reports the National Law Journal.
But attorneys can boost their chances of long-term career success by making time to market themselves, advises author Shai Littlejohn, who serves as general counsel for the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission.
Cultivating “brand you,” in part, depends on a reputation for thoughtful, timely work, she writes. It also requires community involvement and personal networking. “For those young attorneys who dream of becoming top lawyers, the key is to be three parts lawyer and one part marketing agent.”
On the flip side of this coin, at least two law graduates with high profiles now looking for work are going to have a hard time living down their notoriety, yet do not appear to be completely lacking in career options.
Former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose law license is inactive, returned to national television today after his recent impeachment, and is perhaps hoping for a book deal or a job as a future talk show host, reports the Associated Press. The federal criminal corruption case he is facing could make it especially difficult for him to find work right now, though.
Meanwhile, former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been released from jail and has flown to Texas for a job interview with a potential employer in an unknown industry, according to another AP article. He is still on probation and gave up his law license under a plea bargain.
Related ABAJournal.com coverage:
January’s Carnage: 1,487 Law Layoffs
Unable to Find a Job, Law Grads Hang Out a Shingle
Big-Firm Alumni Have Van, Will Practice
Spitzer’s Next Gig: Running Real Estate Vulture Fund?
Law Dean Says Schools ‘Exploiting’ Students Who Don’t Succeed
