Evening Students

1. How can I get some legal experience on my resume while I am working full-time and going to school and perhaps taking care of a family?

There are many ways you can gain practical legal experience - choose what works for you and your schedule, and don’t feel pressure to take on more than you can handle. Check out Creating Legal Experiences for Evening Students for ideas to help you get started thinking about your options. Then schedule an appointment with a member of the Career Services team to discuss how to create a plan based on your needs and resources.

2. How can I make connections with lawyers when I am working all day and going to school all night?

There are many ways you can network. One option is to participate in the Career Services Mentor Program. We do our best to match you with a lawyer mentor who shares your interests; you can even state a preference for someone who attended law school as an evening student. Ask Career Services for help in creating networking opportunities that works for you. 

3. I want to attend some of the Career Services Panels, but I am unable to attend in person - how can I get the information and interact with the presenters?

Many of the Career Service panels are recorded and/or available over Zoom. In addition, if you are interested in talking to any of the presenters, we are happy to help connect you with that person, so you don’t miss out on the human interaction part of the experience.

4. When should I start thinking about the transition from my non-legal job to a legal job?

Every career path is unique, so there is no “right time” to make this transition. To assist you in career planning and help you prepare to make this transition when you are ready, schedule an appointment with one of our career advisors. We encourage to you speak to one of our advisors as you start your law school journey, to allow yourself more time for planning and exploring during law school, when many opportunities are open to you.

5. Do employers consider those who attend the evening program to be in a “second tier” or somehow inferior to day division students?

There are some schools around the country that do admit evening students on a different “tier” than day division students. That is not the case here at Lewis & Clark. Because Lewis & Clark started out as an evening-only school, and has a strong reputation in that regard in the Pacific Northwest, virtually none of the employers in this region consider creating a distinction between the two divisions. If you are concerned about employers outside the Pacific Northwest, or you have encountered an employer who asks you those questions, please feel free to call us so that we can talk with the employer. In addition, we have information on our web site and in print form to give employers who have questions about the school.

6. What kind of age discrimination is out there in the legal world? I am a second-career person and I am worried about finding a legal job as an “older person.”

Our experience has been that our students who come to law school with more professional experience or as a second career have not had additional difficulty in finding jobs after graduation. Many lawyers greatly value the maturity and expertise that more experienced, second-career people bring to their firms. One area where it might be a factor is in very large firms, which traditionally have sought younger students fresh out of law school to “start at the bottom.” For the most part, our second-career students choose not to work in large firms (mainly due to the perception of long hours in the office), and choose small firms, government employers, nonprofits or business, where they are able to have greater freedom of choice as to how they spend their free time, and where they are able to have earlier, more comprehensive contact with clients.

7. Can I participate in On Campus Interviews?

Yes. Evening students enjoy the same privileges as day division students in every regard. Each on campus recruitment event has a variety of participating employers hiring for roles that may include full-time summer employment, part-time employment continuing during the school year, and post-graduate attorney roles. 
Please be sure to review the time commitment of each posted job carefully to ensure that it would work with your schedule and availability before applying. While networking is certainly a part of the recruitment events, these interviews are for students and alumni who are genuinely interested in the roles they apply for; if you would like practice interviewing you can schedule a mock interview with Career Services at any time. If you are interested in networking and chatting one-on-one with attorneys, Career Services can also help provide guidance about scheduling “informational interviews” as a networking tool. Reach out to Career Services if you have any questions about whether a posted job might be a good fit for you and we can provide additional guidance. 

8. What are my chances of legal employment after law school if I am not able to get any legal experience on my resume while in law school?

Most evening students working full-time during law school at a non-legal job have quite a number of transferable skills that will carry over into the legal market. Establishing personal connections in the legal community will also be very important, especially if you are not able to gain much practical legal experience during law school. Please schedule a counseling appointment with Career Services so that we can help you most effectively highlight your most marketable transferable skills. We can also review your resume and cover letter to make sure you are putting your best foot forward when applying for legal positions.

9. What if I don’t want to practice law right away after graduation, but want to keep my job for awhile; will I be at a disadvantage? What if I decide not to take the Bar Exam right away?

It is very important that you establish and maintain connections in the legal community, whether you go into practice right after graduation or not. This can include building ongoing relationships with practicing attorneys and corporate counsel, getting involved in professional legal organizations and activities, and participating in pro bono projects or other law-related volunteer work. Some people who have found that once they graduate and continue with their “old” jobs, they more opportunities with their employer now that they have a JD, so there is no reason to move on.

If you are interested in practicing law someday, it is advisable to take the bar exam shortly after graduation. Much of the information you learned in law school will not stay fresh in your mind if you are not using it regularly, so taking the bar exam sooner rather than later is generally a good idea. Additionally, you never know when you will come across an opportunity that requires an active law license (be it a job or pro bono activity), and with the bar exam only offered twice a year and requiring significant preparation, you want to be ready to pursue those opportunities when they arise.

10. How much time off do I need to study for the Bar? Do I really have to take off two months to study?

By the time you graduate from law school, you will have had plenty of experience juggling full-time work with studying for finals. A good rule of thumb for evening students is this: think of the Bar Exam as a long set of final exams and double the time you need to study. If you began studying three weeks before finals each time, then six weeks should be sufficient. We advise that you take no less than two weeks off completely in order to study, and preferably four full weeks. We also advise that you take a bar review course, which you can do in the evening so it does not interfere with work.
At least 6 months to a year prior to graduation, depending upon where you work, you should begin talking to your supervisor about the exam (and racking up your vacation time), with the ideal goal of taking six weeks off, but knowing that your boss may allow you less. Although there are people who work full-time and successfully take the bar exam the first time around, they are few and far between. With the investment of time and money you will put into studying for the bar, you want to give yourself the best opportunity possible to pass the exam the first time.