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Reviews for How to Get a Legal Job®
Our founder, Shauna C. Bryce, released How to Get a Legal Job: A Guide for New Attorneys and Law School Students in 2011. To research and write the book, she interviewed more than 150 attorneys nationwide about their experiences on both sides of the hiring table. How to Get a Legal Job earned a spot on the shelves of institutions like: The University of Arizona’s James E. Roberts College of Law, University at Buffalo, University of Dayton School of Law, University of Michigan Law School, University of Missouri School of Law, University of North Carolina Law School, St. Mary’s University, Wayne State University, Yale Law School, South Carolina Bar, and the State Bar of Georgia. How to Get a Legal Job® has now been re-developed into a book series.
Below is a sampling of personally held opinions; they’re not intended to represent the views of employers. For feedback from individual clients, please visit Our Client Testimonials.
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Law Schools and Associations
Featured
“[How To Get A Legal Job®] is a splendid guide for those navigating the difficult waters of the legal market. The advice offered is very practical and highly useful. I recommend this book to anyone searching for a legal job.”
– Davison M. Douglas, Esq., Dean, William & Mary School of Law
[I]n addition to putting general industry best practices into context based on her personal experience in the legal field, Bryce gives practical advice from practicing attorneys who have been on both sides of the interview table.
– Harvard Law Bulletin
“[Shauna’s book] is a well-researched, thorough career guide that will meet the unique needs of both law school applicants and current law school students. Author Shauna Bryce has written an experience-based guide to shed light on the legal hiring process based on her own experiences as an attorney and on the interviews she conducted with 150+ hiring lawyers…
Pre-law advisors, law school advisors, and career practitioners will all find How to Get a Legal Job: A Guide for New Attorneys and Law School Students a resource-rich, practical manual that will assist students in finding and landing legal employment. It should be required reading for every student about to apply to or enter law school, especially in light of the less than stellar job market encountered by new lawyers in recent years.”
- National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Journal review excerpt by Marianne Green, University of Delaware
The Bench and the Bar
Featured
“Bryce has written a very informative and practical guide to finding a job as an attorney. She combines her knowledge as a legal résumé writer and career counselor with real advice from hundreds of legal professionals. [How To Get A Legal Job®] is a must-read manual for every graduating law student and a go-to resource for those changing jobs.”
– The Hon. William G. Bassler, U.S.D.J. (Retired)
“I work with attorneys who move every two to three years because they are military spouses. This book [How To Get A Legal Job®] is well suited to assist them with their legal job search no matter where their service sends them. Enjoyable to read, it provides practical advice and real world examples. Even our experienced attorneys find useful information and are more confident in their employment searches.”
- The Hon. Erin Masson Wirth, ALJ and Co-Founder, Military Spouse JD Network
![[A]n exhaustively researched and perfectly tailored manual...](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/599ade906b8f5bbfecb71d68/1531672409614-P102EX5QRJI4I2TZBXUO/Brian-Wong.jpg)
[How To Get A Legal Job®] is an exhaustively researched and perfectly tailored manual on how to advance your career in the law, whether you are still in law school or seeking a mid-career change. Helpful hints from hiring attorneys throughout the book underscore the take-aways from each chapter, bringing the information home and promoting self-reflection. Up-to-date guidance on getting a law job in the age of cell phones, e-mail and social networking is woven in with the face-to-face etiquette that so many applicants in today’s market are sorely lacking.
– Brian M. Wong, Esq., Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
“How To Get A Legal Job® is an excellent resource filled with practical advice for those just entering the legal market or those considering a career move.”
- Marcus Lopez, Esq., Vice President & General Counsel, JBA Diversified Holdings, LLC
“This [How To Get A Legal Job®] book shows how to make your law background to work for you within the traditional legal world—and how to leap outside of it. Real world knowledge direct from the horse’s mouth provides job seekers the tools they need to direct their careers (instead of having their careers directed by somebody else).”
- Glynn Washington, Esq., Host / Executive Producer of NPR’s Snap Judgment
“Shauna is a great strategist and masterful tactician on navigating career choices. Shauna’s book on how to get a legal job is a well thought out, practical guide with excellent suggestions. Her recommendations can and should be followed by attorneys at varying stages of their legal careers.”
- Stephen B. Stern, Esq., Partner, Hyatt & Weber, P.A.
“As a double large law firm survivor, former legal recruiter and executive coach, I find Ms. Bryce’s advice to be spot on. Practical for lawyers at any point of their career, the [How To Get A Legal Job®] Guide is an indispensable tool for the lawyer making both short and long term career decisions. Every newly minted lawyer should be presented with this how-to guide upon graduation from law school.”
- Brooke Goldfarb, President, Peaceful Beach Mediation & Collaboration, Inc.
“This [How To Get A Legal Job®] guide pulls together, in one place, the full gamut of issues legal job seekers face while assessing their options, identifying jobs to apply to, pulling together their materials, going on an interview, and much more! A few things set this book above other similar resources I have seen on the market.
First off, it is clear that this career guide is tailored to JDs, but still broad enough to apply to lawyers looking to find a career applying their degree in many different ways – whether your goals are to land in BigLaw, private practice, non-profit, government, or other settings. The initial focus of really identifying a legal career that will meet your needs and priorities is such an important step, that often gets lost in the shuffle in both job searches, and other job search resources.
Second, the level of detail in research heightens the real-life application of the information provided – quotes from actual hiring partners carry more weight than uncited statistics. Kudos to Shauna for actually picking the brains of the hiring partners, interviewers, recruiters, and colleagues you will be trying to get in front of and impress.
Finally, Shauna’s ability to cover tough topics shows that she really understands what is going through the minds of job candidates and applicants – deciding whether to ‘fudge’ a job title or experience on your résumé, dealing with gaps in employment, determining whether your facial hair is professional, and deciding what to wear to an interview are all topics I have been asked by law students and lawyers.
She nails what is relevant, and pulls together great information for you to help make an educated decision about your questions. As a practicing lawyer, and career coach who works with lawyers and professionals in various phases of their careers, I see this book as a ‘must read’ for any legal job seeker, regardless of when they graduated from law school.”
- Chelsea Callanan, Esq., Of Counsel, Opticliff Law and serial entrepreneur
“A Great Book For Law Students or Lawyers Looking For A Job: How To Get A Legal Job: A Guide for New Attorneys and Law School Students
In this tough economy recent law school graduates need a way to stand out and have to take advantage of every opportunity they can get. Moreover, the age where ‘mistakes’ were overlooked by employers has disappeared and inadvertent errors, a minor faux pas or a poorly constructed job search strategy can cost you the job of your dreams. Even jobs with low compensation and benefits are competitive. Recently, a Boston law firm received 50 résumés for a job that paid $10,000 per year. (For those of you not familiar with Boston, the city has a cost of living similar to New York)
To make sure you are doing every thing you can to ensure your chances of success you should pick up Shauna C. Bryce’s book How To Get A Legal Job: A Guide for New Attorneys and Law School Students. I recently had the opportunity to review the book and it is a great tool for any lawyer or law student looking for a legal job.
How to Get A Legal Job® provides a comprehensive job search strategy and describes the processes and strategies starting right from the on campus law firm recruiting events in law school. The book also covers lateral transfers and recruiting strategies for jobs outside of a law firm. What struck me about the description of the on campus recruitment process in law schools was how much it mirrored my own experience. Ms. Bryce certainly has hit the nail on the head and has captured this experience perfectly. In terms of content, the guide covers a number of different areas including, establishing your career goals, how to find a legal job, benefits & things you should look out for when using a recruiter, how to research an employer, how to make an effective legal résumés & cover letter, how to effectively interview and how to handle offers.
There are a number of reasons this guide stands out and why I highly recommend it. Here are a few of the reasons.
How to Get A Legal Job® Is Different From Other Generic Job Search Guides
I have seen many job search guides on the market but I have not come across many that focus specifically on the legal market. When I started law school I had worked for over 10 years in an investment bank and thought I was a job search expert. I was shocked to find out though that when it came to hiring the legal community did things differently. For example, when I went to see a career counselor at my school with my résumé in hand thinking that it was already perfect, the counselor provided me with excellent suggestions that improved it and made my résumé consistent with a legal résumé. The résumé did not resemble my old résumé at all and I learned the important lesson of how important it is to understand the specific market & conform your materials and strategy to the way people expect to see things. A generic résumé, cover letter or job search guide cannot do this. How to Get A Legal Job® does not just generically talk about topics like how to make an effective résumé or cover letter but instead focuses in on how a lawyer or law student can pull together effective material and an effective strategy.
The Book Contains A Number of Practical Lessons and Words of Wisdom
In every chapter, How to Find A Legal Job contains separately highlighted ‘lessons’ or ‘words of wisdom’ that are practical pieces of advice that you do not see in most guides. The book labels these as ‘sidebars’ and the key thing here is that these quotations and anecdotes are from real attorneys and hiring professionals. I found these sidebars particularly helpful and they are things that often job searchers only find out after they have missed many great opportunities.
The Book Is Written By Someone Who Knows What She is Talking About
The key to good writing and engaging your audience is to write about something you know. Ms. Bryce practiced law in a large top international law firm in New York, worked in a regional law firm, and also worked as in house counsel. During that time, she reviewed résumés, conducted interviews, worked on a firm’s hiring committee, and mentored junior and mid-level associates. She then brought her experience to job hunters becoming a professional legal résumé writer and career advisor. Moreover, Ms. Bryce graduated from Harvard Law School and successfully navigated her way through the on campus recruitment process there. All of this experience shines through in her book and I really felt like I was reading the advice of an expert when I read it.”
- Ian E. Scott, Esq., Scott Legal Services, P.C. and founder of Law School Success Tips
“A must read for all attorneys. The clear and concise explanations of Biglaw [within How To Get A Legal Job®] offer invaluable insight for those embarking on a legal career and the strategic guidance—often bestowed in the form of war stories from experienced attorneys “‘n the trenches’—is both entertaining and enlightening for all attorneys seeking to advance their legal careers.”
- Sharon Bauman, Esq., Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
“Shauna C. Bryce has written a sharp, concise, and insightful book that provides a handy guide for any lawyer contemplating her or his next career move. With plenty of practical advice from practicing attorneys who have been on both sides of the interview table, ‘How to Get a Legal Job: A Guide for New Attorneys and Law School Students’ is an excellent resource for lawyers in search of that ‘more perfect’ job. I highly recommend this book for all lawyers at any stage of their career.”
- Glenn E. Davis, Esq., SVP & Deputy General Counsel, Radian Asset Assurance Inc.
“This comprehensive [How To Get A Legal Job®] Guide is a necessity for any attorney in the job market and all law students. Through her extensive and varied experience, Bryce expertly covers all aspects of the job search and hiring process while providing practical advice with real world examples. She manages to do so while injecting a keen sense of humor.”
- Marc Merriweather, Esq., Vice President-Legal, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
“Kudos to Shauna C. Bryce for her thoughtful and practical text [How To Get A Legal Job®] on seeking a legal job. I only wish that she had written it earlier, when I was entering the profession.”
- Henry Morris, Jr., Esq., Partner, Arent Fox LLP
“I found the [How To Get A Legal Job®] book to be extremely readable, and much more practical and helpful than any other career guide I’ve seen or read. Most authors of career-related (and business-related) books tend to make broad generalizations that fit with their own personal philosophies. Ms. Bryce, however, provides information that not only rings true to me, but is based upon empirical research and on-the-ground expertise. In fact, it is abundantly clear from reading the book that Ms. Bryce is not tied to any dogma or personal philosophy and instead desires to provide a truly honest, report of the facts – from what a résumé or cover letter should look like, to preparing for and conducting an interview, and even networking effectively to line up that next great job. This book also doesn’t shy away from the details. Too often career or job-hunting books gloss over the details, and those details are the very things we need to know – for example, whether and how to include personal references in the application process, acceptable fonts for a résumé, whether an email, letter, or card is most appropriate as follow up to an interview, how to approach ones’ personal references, what not to wear on interview day, how to handle a lunch interview, and so on. Ms. Bryce addresses all these details and provides helpful guidance (and interesting anecdotes) for new and seasoned job seekers alike. Most importantly, this book is geared to the legal professional – based not only on Ms. Bryce’s experience as a lawyer but also as a hiring director in the legal field. I recommend this book as essential reading for any lawyer hoping to land that next great job, whether now or in the future.”
- Firoz Dattu, Esq., Managing Director, AdvanceLaw
“An extremely useful and detailed book with information you won’t find elsewhere. I wish I had [How To Get A Legal Job®] when I began the interview process and I hope the attorneys I interview in the future read it!”
- Debi Neal Alexander, Esq.
“Shauna C. Bryce’s [How To Get A Legal Job®] book on seeking employment is a fascinating must read for anyone looking for employment. She is a brilliant writer who draws in the reader and provides an easy to read informative and practical guide for anyone seeking employment as an attorney. Ms. Bryce provides wonderful insights that will assist job seekers everywhere. She has put together a must have resource for anyone changing jobs or graduating from law school.
Shauna is a brilliant writer. Her book, How to Get a Legal Job®, is a must read for people looking for work. It is incisive and thorough and is a critical book to be added to the library of a person who is job seeking.”
- Ty Hyderally, Esq., Owner, Hyderally & Associates, P.C.
Executive Career Coaches
Featured
“Comprehensive. Practical. Well researched. [How To Get A Legal Job®] will — no doubt — become the new job-search bible for people seeking a legal career, and I will recommend it without reservation. Well done, Shauna. This book needed to be written, and you are the absolute perfect person to have done that.”
Articulate, intelligent, and strategic are the first three words that come to my mind when I think about Shauna. She is, after all, a Harvard-educated attorney, but she’s more than just that. She’s an elegant writer, a trustworthy adviser, a reliable task-master, and someone who is very easy to work with, and I know because we worked together for two full years. She knows her stuff, walks her talk, and whatever you ask her to do gets done brilliantly. And when it comes to writing legal résumés, I don’t know anyone who is more qualified than Shauna. That’s why it’s my pleasure to recommend her without hesitation.
– Robyn Feldberg, Executive Résumé Writer and LinkedIn Bio Writer
“The job search can be challenging for any recent graduate, but even more so for those in the legal profession. Because the industry’s ‘rules’ differ from other fields, it can be hard to find career advice tailored toward the needs of attorneys. Shauna C. Bryce’s [How To Get A Legal Job®] book changes all of this, outlining everything a new attorney needs to know to get hired. This book cuts down the job search learning curve every new graduate goes through; for legal professionals wanting an offer sooner rather than later, it’s a MUST!”
– Charlotte Weeks, President, Weeks Career Services, Inc., Author of “I Want to Work in an Association – Now What???” and executive résumé writer