WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF NEXT SUMMER? TIPS ON RESEARCHING EMPLOYERS
Now is the time to be doing your research on potential employers! In order to keep track of target employers and your progress with applications, the Career Center recommends using an Application Tracking Spreadsheet, or any other system that works for you. The key is to have one running organized list so that you can stay on top of your job search strategy. You do not want to have multiple spreadsheets that are difficult to navigate.
FIRMS
If you are researching law firms, the nalpdirectory.com is a great place to start. After typing in the firm’s name, you will see information like the primary practice areas, number of lawyers, and a narrative about the firm. You can also see the recruiting contact for each individual office and recruitment and hiring trends for each firm.
Martindale.com is also a good resource for identifying firms, and you can filter based on cities, practice areas, firm size, etc. Another site to utilize to learn more about larger law firms is Vault.com where you will find the Vault 100 List.
Chambers Associate is a great resource to get an inside view of working at some of the nation’s leading law firms, gathered from the firms’ junior associates. It also has first-hand accounts of working in over 55 commercial practice areas and quantitative data regarding factors such as number of hires, salary, and diversity statistics.
GOVERNMENT POSITIONS
Arizona Handbook (password: Gooey Butter) pulls summer, externship and post-grad hiring information for federal and state government agencies and policy organizations. Each posting provides a description of the opportunity, an overview of the application process, and links to the employer’s website. Another great site to find government positions is usajobs.com.
PUBLIC INTEREST POSITIONS
PSJD.org offers profiles of more than 10,000 public interest employers, thousands of job postings, information on summer public interest funding, and more. It is a vital career resource for public interest-focused students.
DIVERSITY POSITIONS
PSJD.org is also a great place to learn more about diversity programs. Additionally, the NALP directory also provides a list of firms/organizations that have diversity programs, initiatives and events: https://www.nalp.org/memberdiversityinitiatives. You can also search for diversity programs by searching by specific firm and navigating to the “Diversity and Inclusion” tab where you will find diversity contacts and diversity fellowships/scholarships.
For all types of employers, the employer’s website is likely to provide the most insight. Spend a half hour reading the mission statement, the practice areas, attorney profiles, information about internships and/or summer associate programs, and blog postings. The employer will likely tout its recent successes, and you can learn about significant clients, hot topics, and changes in the law. This information is useful in deciding whether the employer is a place where you want to apply, and will also help you stand out in an interview.
Try also searching Lexis, Westlaw and Bloomberg for representative cases, attorney names and news stories about the employer. You can also use Lexis and Westlaw to research jury verdicts that may reveal the type of cases that the employer handles.
Lastly, informal research and intel from your network can be invaluable. Ask upper classmen, professors, alumni and make an appointment with a Career Strategists.
If you would like any assistance researching employers please reach out to the Career Center at lawcareers@wustl.edu.