I am an attorney in New York City who cannot find a good job. Can anyone help me?

Question

I don't expect someone to hand me a job on a silver platter but good ideas would be appreciated.

I graduated from a top school but it was out of state and thus non-existent to New York lawyers. I had average grades and awards for public service. My school's CSO is useless, can only find jobs in St. Louis, and has not heard of New York City.

I've been working as a temp lawyer for several years to pay the bills but now I feel I've been labeled as a "Temp" and thus untouchable. The work provides no marketable experience.

I'm not looking to be a big firm associate or an ADA. I know that's not likely. I don't expect to get 100 grand a year.
I want a job that allows me to pay my student loans and rent. If I have to I'll try to declare bankruptcy for as much of my other debt as I can. I want to get a job that teaches me something or, in other words, invests in me.

I have no connections in New York. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Okay, take a deep breath. I'm in the same boat so I have an idea of how you feel. The last thing you need to hear after a few years of trying is "cheer up, change your attitude". There is a reason the rate of alcoholism, drug abuse, and suicide is high among lawyers. It's not the golden goose that society seems to think it is.

As you probably know now, you need training and it's hard to come by as a lawyer outside very big firms and public service law (DA, PD, Legal Aid, govt) and those jobs aren't very easy to get.
Without training you are stuck as a temp and will never get any experience, no medical, no retirement, no security. I work as a temp and I'm working now but, yeah, every year I'm out of work for a few months. And then when you work, you are not allowed to make vacation plans unless you want to lose your job. You cann't make weekend plans until 10 PM on Friday!

If you went to school out of state you probably paid full fare and owe a couple of hundred grand. I went to a top school out of state too and I've been told during interviews that I would have been better off going to a third or fourth tier law school locally than going to a top school out of state. Law is that local. And our license is only good in one state and it takes months to get a license out of state. As one of the answers pointed out, you need a network and a crappy local school probably has a great local network while a top out of state school doesn't.

Okay, so those are the bad things! LEts move on to the constructive. You need experience and you are not going to get it as a temp. Of all the places where you can get it (DA, PD, Big firms) you will not get hired unless you are in your 2nd year of school AND in the top ten of your class AND on Law Review AND you're local to NY AND you have some connection with the firm. I'm not telling you something you don't know.

If you don't mind going bankrupt I suggest a legal aid job. In New York legal aid may pay enough to cover rent and two hundred grand in student loans with some money for food. It's a crappy job and everybody knows it but you will get some experience that you can THEN use to get a job in a firm a year down the road. it's a tough road but you'll be in a better place a year from now.

If I think of anything I'll update. I feel for you. No one understands or prepares you for the New York City legal market.

Answer 2

I have never, ever heard of an attorney out of a job. My step daughter graduated from law school in Pittsburgh, passed the bar and was hired pronto as an Assistant DA here in Nashville. She moved on to Miss and joined with some partners and now has her own firm. What friends did you make while you were in school? Usually, people buddy up don't they? And what about submissions to firms? What was your field of law? Why are you in New York without connections or contacts? Go back to where you started from- they know you....You also have too many "I'm not's and I don't expect, it's not likely' excuses to get the really top jobs you might even be qualified for. Change your attitude and get positive. Move to a state where you can clearly get some action with a firm and be on top of your game. You should be expecting more from yourself. Law school is hard and you obviously have made the grade - you deserve the pay and prestige that attends the field. You have obviously worked hard to get this far - now fire it up and get moving. Advertize...move to a smaller town with not so much competition. I wish you the best but you first have to start with a change of ATTITUDE. You don't sound positive or assured at all. Good luck

Answer 3

Ya know, if this is even a real question, not really sure. But you could advertise, since you say you don't have to make a ton of money like most, and be way cheaper than the rest. Like for instance, a BR lawer charges about 800 dollars for one. Go for alot cheaper than that and you will draw in more than you can handle. And on top of that, if you would choose this one, you would not only be helping out alot of people that really need your assistance, but you could be making enough to live pretty good too. I live in the Ft. Wayne IN area and I read that 75 people weekly file for this. Do the math. And if you go "way" cheaper than the rest of them, who do you think they are gonna call? Well, that's just my idea.

Answer 4

Shecky,have you applied for jobs on job websites like Hotjobs,Monster, Careerbuilder and Craigslist? You could also search for jobs on websites like Simply Hired and Indeed. You can find more information at
http://www.pcworkathome.net/jobwebsites.html

Answer 5

If you don't have any ties in NY, pick another state and send resumes.If this dose not work net work neighboring cities.

Answer 6

GET OUT OF NEW YORK AND MOVE TO HAWAII WE NEED ATTORNEYS HERE