The COVID-19 pandemic affected the global business world in different ways. While many professionals lost their jobs, others earned more working hours and revenue. The odds favor workers who can remotely provide their services in the face of the pandemic’s several restrictions; therefore, your aspirations to be a public or a corporate lawyer advancing in private practice are valid. Beyond all the career and earning opportunities, becoming a lawyer comes with significant prestige, which you can leverage for more advantages. Here are some tips to help you set yourself up for a successful legal career.
Choose a suitable mentor.
Education statistics reveal the overall college dropout rate in the United States to be 40 percent. And in four-year colleges, like most law schools, the dropout rate shoots up to about 56 percent. To avoid being a statistic, finding a mentor is the best way to inspire yourself, improve your personal growth, and scale your educational goals. Mentors play a vital role when setting yourself up for success in any career. Those in the law profession who have decades of experience and accomplishments can be perfect companions. The first question to ask yourself when choosing a mentor is, “how do our stories relate?” One way to answer this is by choosing a mentor in your legal niche.
For example, if you’re studying to become a human rights lawyer, professionals like Malliha Wilson can help. Malliha has had an impressive career in human rights, complex litigation, labor law. She’s a Tamil Canadian lawyer with extensive experience handling notable cases from Canada to the United Kingdom. She also served as the Assistant Deputy Attorney General of the Government of Ontario from 2008 to 2016 and became the first visible minority to hold an 8-year term. If you’re impressed by Malliha’s achievements, her story and strides can inspire and guide you to success in the legal field.
Earn a law degree.
Lawyers are known to provide knowledge and information to others, and that’s why earning a law degree from a top university is vital. Undoubtedly, the industry even favors selective colleges over others, and Ivy league school choices like Yale, Harvard, MIT, and Stanford appear to be the favorites. If you want to earn a law degree, applying to any top university can be an excellent choice; however, your chances may be slimmer depending on how keenly contested top-tier admissions get in a particular year. What’s more, the success rate is dependent on many factors, including your test score in high school.
The good news is that you can work with a college application consultant who’ll guide you through the process. Admission consultants come in handy since the college application process may vary from one undergraduate institution to the other. A seasoned college counselor can assess your strength, compare a list of school options, and determine which one is the right fit for you.
Establish a professional network.
Becoming successful in the legal profession has a lot to do with visibility. People don’t only need to know you but also your capabilities. That’s why joining professional networks can be beneficial. The more you connect with people, the easier it becomes to vouch for you when opportunities arise. Joining professional networks like alumni groups can also help you access updates like which new law firm is hiring.
Develop your skills.
Getting a top GPA from an Ivy League school can be enough to begin your legal career, but you need on-the-job learning to rise through the ranks and establish yourself for the long haul. That’s why capacity building is important. Develop enough skills to specialize in a specific area like environmental law. Specializing increases your reliability and value in your company, opening up new doors for higher strides.
All in all, lawyers are essential to civilization worldwide, and ramping up your success as a lawyer can be the best choice. Balancing legal work and leisure can be the perfect way to go.
