I passed the bar!

[panda08]

Date: 10/15/2008 12:10:44 AM
Author: kittybean

Date: 10/10/2008 7:10:33 PM

Author: panda08

CONGRATS!

Welcome to the club, counselor! We''re happy to have you! I was in criminal defense too and I hope you find your career to be challenging, exciting and fulfilling.

Thank you so much. I hope my career is all of those things, too! What kind of cases did you defend? Were you a public or private attorney? Are you still practicing law?

I was a federal public defender, specializing in appeals before the 9th Circuit. My cases ran the gamut of federal offenses. I gather from your response to DancingFire that you''re going to be a public defender as well. Good for you! Public defending can be a frustrating uphill battle but one that can be very rewarding. Now, I work for judges as a research attorney. I think about going back to public defending in the future, as I miss it.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

 

[kittybean]

Thanks again for the congratulatory wishes, everyone.

Some bad news came for me today. As it turns out, due to a budget crisis in my state and a statewide hiring freeze, I will probably not be able to start my public defender job until the new year, if I get to do so at all. I am so disappointed, as this was a job that I was incredibly excited for and passionate about (excuse the dangling prepositions there). I''m really afraid that they won''t give me a job at all at this point.

I worked without pay for the PD for an entire year in law school, taking on a lot of cases and putting in a ton of hours on top of my full load at school. I thought I was finally being rewarded for all my hard work when I passed the bar, and I expected to be assigned immediately to a branch office, as was promised to me ten months ago when I was interviewed and "hired."

I have totally run out of money, and I know that I need to find another job to pay the bills for the next few months at the very least, but I really don''t want to look right now. The legal job market was already tight in my city, and now it''s almost impossible to get a lawyer job. Firms, corporations, and the government have all instituted hiring freezes and are hunkering down for a bad couple years, economically speaking. I feel like I''ve been punched in the stomach since I believed I had a guaranteed position. I passed up many other opportunities, and now I''m suffering the consequences. It''s hard for me to imagine taking a minimum wage or entry-level position after obtaining a BA and a JD and passing the bar exam, but I''m increasingly worried that that is what I''ll have to do as I have no other work experience (all of my jobs have been law-related, even in college). I''m planning on looking around in the legal market, but my initial forays into job research haven''t been particularly fruitful.

I''m not totally sure what to do (maybe I''ll start another thread about that), but I just wanted to express my frustration and disappointment.

 

[Harriet]

Congratulations on your big achievement! I''m sorry about your job postponement. You don''t happen to be in MI, do you?

 

[kittybean]

Date: 10/15/2008 11:15:57 PM
Author: Harriet
Congratulations on your big achievement! I''m sorry about your job postponement. You don''t happen to be in MI, do you?

Thanks, Harriet. No, I''m in CO.

 

[panda08]

Oh, Kittybean, I''m SO sorry to hear about the news regarding your position with the PD''s. I hope those circumstances will change soon.

In the mean time, have you considered going through a legal recruiting agency for temporary or contract positions?

 

[kittybean]

Date: 10/16/2008 1:32:44 AM
Author: panda08
Oh, Kittybean, I''m SO sorry to hear about the news regarding your position with the PD''s. I hope those circumstances will change soon.

In the mean time, have you considered going through a legal recruiting agency for temporary or contract positions?

Thanks, Panda. I am praying for a change in circumstances soon, too. At the least, I hope I get a chance to do this job, even if it''s a lot later than I was hoping to start. The scariest thing right now is thinking that the opportunity might be evaporating altogether as tax revenues continue to take a dive.

I am considering doing temporary or contract work, but there''s nothing I hate like doc review, and I know that''s what most of it is. My FI''s firm hires a ton of contract attorneys to do their most tedious work, for very little pay (well, relatively speaking). I might have to just grin and bear it if it looks like my job will eventually come through. Otherwise . . . I don''t know. Maybe I''ll need to check out a career change. Ugh. I''m so bummed about this whole thing.

By the way, your FPD job sounds like it was pretty awesome. Do you clerk for an appellate or trial judge?

 

[panda08]

Date: 10/16/2008 1:46:17 AM
Author: kittybean

Date: 10/16/2008 1:32:44 AM

Author: panda08

Oh, Kittybean, I''m SO sorry to hear about the news regarding your position with the PD''s. I hope those circumstances will change soon.


In the mean time, have you considered going through a legal recruiting agency for temporary or contract positions?

Thanks, Panda. I am praying for a change in circumstances soon, too. At the least, I hope I get a chance to do this job, even if it''s a lot later than I was hoping to start. The scariest thing right now is thinking that the opportunity might be evaporating altogether as tax revenues continue to take a dive.


I am considering doing temporary or contract work, but there''s nothing I hate like doc review, and I know that''s what most of it is. My FI''s firm hires a ton of contract attorneys to do their most tedious work, for very little pay (well, relatively speaking). I might have to just grin and bear it if it looks like my job will eventually come through. Otherwise . . . I don''t know. Maybe I''ll need to check out a career change. Ugh. I''m so bummed about this whole thing.


By the way, your FPD job sounds like it was pretty awesome. Do you clerk for an appellate or trial judge?

I''ll keep my fingers crossed that your PD''s office will call you soon. I know times are trying but keep your spirits up! And please, don''t think of a career change yet, you just passed the bar! We need people like you to fight the good fight for indigent folks who cannot afford quality representation.

I know doc review sucks, I was in private practice on and off. If it''ll hold you over until the PD''s opens up, just remind yourself it''s only temporary.

I enjoyed my time at the FPD. Met some really smart and dedicated people there. Of the lawyers I know in private and public practice, my FPD friends are definitely among the happiest. I work for trial judges now, on civil law and motion matters. I like being in an objective role, at least in civil. I loved being an advocate as a public defender but loathed the contentiousness of civil litigation.

 

[akw94]

Date: 10/15/2008 11:00:08 PM
Author: kittybean
Thanks again for the congratulatory wishes, everyone.


Some bad news came for me today. As it turns out, due to a budget crisis in my state and a statewide hiring freeze, I will probably not be able to start my public defender job until the new year, if I get to do so at all. I am so disappointed, as this was a job that I was incredibly excited for and passionate about (excuse the dangling prepositions there). I''m really afraid that they won''t give me a job at all at this point.


I worked without pay for the PD for an entire year in law school, taking on a lot of cases and putting in a ton of hours on top of my full load at school. I thought I was finally being rewarded for all my hard work when I passed the bar, and I expected to be assigned immediately to a branch office, as was promised to me ten months ago when I was interviewed and ''hired.''


I have totally run out of money, and I know that I need to find another job to pay the bills for the next few months at the very least, but I really don''t want to look right now. The legal job market was already tight in my city, and now it''s almost impossible to get a lawyer job. Firms, corporations, and the government have all instituted hiring freezes and are hunkering down for a bad couple years, economically speaking. I feel like I''ve been punched in the stomach since I believed I had a guaranteed position. I passed up many other opportunities, and now I''m suffering the consequences. It''s hard for me to imagine taking a minimum wage or entry-level position after obtaining a BA and a JD and passing the bar exam, but I''m increasingly worried that that is what I''ll have to do as I have no other work experience (all of my jobs have been law-related, even in college). I''m planning on looking around in the legal market, but my initial forays into job research haven''t been particularly fruitful.


I''m not totally sure what to do (maybe I''ll start another thread about that), but I just wanted to express my frustration and disappointment.

Hi,
So sorry to hear about your upcoming job. When I applied to the PD''s office, it took me a year to get hired due to freezes. I wouldn''t count out the job but it certainly can take awhile. In the meantime, how about looking about other related offices. I was a Manager in the Clerk''s office before getting the PD job. There''s also Probation, Public Guardian, DCFS, State''s Attorney, US Attorney, Fed. PD and many non-profit groups. Don''t give up! You may not enjoy your temporary job but just think of it as temporary. I HATED working in the Clerk''s office but it gave me a lot of experience and I came to the PD w/a wealth of info. that I wouldn''t have had. Unfortunately, law school doesn''t give you much practical experience so these other jobs can provide you with that until you get your chance in the PD''s office.
Good luck!

 

[moremoremore]

First of all, congrats on passing...I know how incredibly stressful and draining it is....

Second, I would clarify the odds of them hiring you in the new year. If they say it's most likely, I'd think about doing document review work (basically reviewing discovery) at a big firm for now. They pay $20-30 an hour and it will keep you afloat. The big firms will use their first years for this or contract out...these are positions listed a lot of time on career builder...best of luck!