UBC Law Career Services

The Career Services Office is one of the most valuable resources at UBC Law. Not only are they dedicated to their work (helping you find a job) and compassionate, they are also hilarious.  This post is written by Elise Everest, 2012-2013 Career Services Office Student Assistant. She'll be in the office all year, so feel free to stop by and ask her questions!

The Career Services Team (missing: Chiara Woods, Lance Sy and Elise Everest)



I love all types of cheese, especially the figurative kind, so indulge me when I say that your career after law school is limited by your imagination alone. 

Some of you have been thinking about law school since you were 8 years old, some of you knew you wanted to be a lawyer the moment you engaged with social justice, some of you watched every single episode of Law & Order and said: “I can do that!”  Whatever your career goals the Career Services Office is here to help you. Even if you haven’t developed career goals yet, the Career Services Office can help you with that too.

Law school is like a dense forest with your future on the other side.  Every student will forge their path differently (and sometimes change directions dramatically), but it is important to remember to reach out to people who will provide you with a machete, a match or a compass - tools you will need to ensure your personal success. 

The Career Services Team – Acting Director, Jennifer Lau, Acting Associate Director, Chiara Woods, Public Interest Coordinator, Tracy Wachmann, and Pam Cyr who is currently Acting Assistant Dean, but will return to the office in January 2013 - are previously practicing lawyers who have worked for national law firms, boutique firms, as a sole practitioner and with public interest organizations.  They have a wealth of experience and can give you new perspective.  These are people who will make sure you do not get lost in the dark wood.  Think FernGully, not Mirkwood.

Entering first year law, you should not work yourself up into a panicked frenzy about your future, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care about it.   The one thing I wish I had known in September was that legal employers are looking for completely different styles of resumes and cover letters than other sectors.  And there are jobs available after first year - not with large downtown Vancouver law firms - but with public interest organizations, Worksafe BC, as research assistants, with the Law Students Legal Advice Program (LSLAP), with UBC Law and with student-run programs like Pro Bono Students Canada.  There are lots of opportunities for personal and professional development, and if you are interested in one of those opportunities you need to be ready to apply. 

The Career Services Office offers:

·         Resume & Cover Letter writing workshops (keep your eyes peeled for them in the Fall);

·         dozens of sample legal resumes and cover letters, targeted at a variety legal of positions, available in the Resume & Cover Letter Guide available online or at the Career Services Office;

·         one-on-one counseling appointments for resume and cover letter review, mock interviews and help with developing strategies for attaining your goals; and

·         bi-weekly drop-in sessions to facilitate peer review and collegial discussion about career-related issues that matter to all students. 

It’s important to start thinking about how you are going to revise and restructure your resume early.  Because the universe has a fantastic sense of irony, it is highly probable that an ideal opportunity for you will crop up around a time when you are busy with assignment deadlines.  I know many of my colleagues let deadlines for jobs pass by because their resume was not in order and they did not have the time to update it, or think about how they were going to market their transferable skills.  There is absolutely no pressure to find a legal job after 1L or even 2L, but it is always good to keep your options open.

Elise Everest is an incoming 2L, UBC Law Ambassador and Student Assistant at the Career Services Office.  Depending on what day of the week you ask her “What type of law would you like to practice?” you will get a different answer.  Watch for more posts regarding the famous “Wine & Cheese” events, our online resource library (Symplicity) and reasons why you should sign up for a CBA mentor.  Be sure to say hi at Orientation!