Top Executives Share Advice for Aspiring Attorneys
In an environment where some law schools have slashed their enrollment, and some law graduates have sued their alma maters for allegedly misrepresenting their job prospects, what’s a liberal arts graduate talented in argument and skilled in analysis to do?
Aspiring attorneys at Wagner got some solid advice this spring from executives of prominent law firm Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney: Laurie Lenigan, director of legal recruiting, and Richard Morgan, managing director (and parent of Ricky Morgan ’12).
The panel’s organizer, Tyler Seling ’12, summarized Lenigan and Morgan’s key tips:
1. Be diverse in your coursework and extracurricular activities. “I told them that Intro to Acting was my favorite class, and they thought that was fantastic,” says Seling, a Spanish major and a football player. Firms are looking for well-rounded, team-oriented workers.
2. “Don’t fret about not going to a top-tier school,” but make sure you graduate at the top of your class.
3. Secure summer apprenticeships and make yourself indispensable. “If you perform well, you can continue on to a job,” Seling recounts.
