DOES YOUR GPA REALLY MATTER?
WHERE IT REALLY COUNTS
Keeping your grade point average (GPA) up can be vital to your academic success. Slacking off could land you on academic probation, or the law school could yank your scholarship. Plus, maintaining a high GPA is crucial to those who dream of working at a large law firm.
THE REALITIES OF THE JOB MARKET
Thankfully though, most employers don't enforce extreme academic standards on their applicants. All other factors being equal, an employer is more likely to choose the candidate with stellar grades, but that doesn't mean a so-so student can't land the perfect job.
Employers understand that students have different circumstances. Employers take a school's reputation into consideration, but they also understand working to pay your way through school, extracurricular involvement and extenuating circumstances can lower your academic marks.
Having relevant experience, such as externships, is key to getting ahead in today's cutthroat job market. Luckily, a superior GPA from atop-ranked law school isn't required to get an externship. Externship site supervisors look for candidates with a go-getter attitude, something that can be expressed in a cover letter and interview - not a transcript.
DON'T BE DECEPTIVE
Despite the fact that employers may not automatically cut you for your low grades, it should go without saying that you should never lie and tell an employer you have better grades than you really do. In fact, you should always have your GPA calculated by the registrar in order to be most accurate.
RESUME REMEDIES
If your GPA falls below your standards, you do have options. First, make sure your perspective is realistic. Students come to law school after being at the very top of their respective undergraduate schools. So getting a 3.04 in law school might feel like a crushing blow. We recommend that if your GPA is a 3.0 or above, you list it numerically. If it is below a 3.0 but still a B, list it as a letter grade. Another strategy: focus on courses, such as legal writing, pleadings drafting, trial advocacy, and relevant substantive subjects. Or, focus on tremendous improvements (list your Fall 1L grades and your Spring 1L grades to indicate your ability to identify and resolve problem areas.)
Remember, only 10% of all practicing attorneys were in the top 10% of their law school classes. The other 90% managed to stay positive, engage in focused job searches and now, have great careers.
CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS: WHO, WHY AND HOW
John P. Gismondi Civil Litigation Certificate Program
Program Director: Prof. Martha Mannix, Mannix@pitt.edu
Are you drawn to the real life drama of the courtroom? Do you have dreams of becoming a trial attorney? If so, then the Civil Litigation Certificate Program can provide you with a unique curriculum devoted exclusively to training the trial lawyers of tomorrow. The minimum total credits required in order to earn the certificate is 24.
Requirements: 3 core courses • 1 clinic/practicum • 4 specialized skills courses • Trial/Appellate Moot Court • Writing Requirement
Health Law Certificate Program
Program Director: Prof. Alan Meisel,
Meisel@pitt.edu
This innovative program is a path for practice in any health care institution,organization, agency, or law firm that specializes in health care matters. You will pour over complex business and legal transactions, bioethics, patient care issues and a host of other legal topics. Course offerings include antitrust,fraud and abuse, business transactions, disabilities and non-profit organizations. Real-world externship experience is plentiful within Pittsburgh's extensive medical community. Students can also keep pace with hot topics by attending the PBI's two-day Health Law Forum.
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Requirements: 4 core courses • 2 required electives • 1 clinical experience • 3 electives ▫writing requirement
Pitt Law Environmental, Science and Policy Certificate Program
Program Director: Jennifer L. Poller, Esq.,
poller@pitt.edu
Students enrolled in the certificate program will not only learn environmental law as it exists in statutes, regulations, and cases, but also will be involved in its practical application whether that takes the form of litigating and negotiating cases in courts or administrative tribunals, participating in federal and state rule making efforts, drafting agreements, or working in the numerous other contexts which constitute the practice of environmental law and policy-making. Upon graduation,certificate students will be prepared to pursue a variety of career paths including private practice, work as a governmental attorney at the local, state or federal level, a staff position with a non-profit environmental advocacy group or research institution, or become part of a multidisciplinary environmental consulting firm. The minimum total credits required in order to earn the certificate is 22.
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Requirements: 4 core courses ▫ 2 electives ▫ 1 environmental practice ▫ Writing requirement
Intellectual Property & Technology Law Certificate
Program Director: Prof. Janice Mueller, Mueller@pitt.edu
The Certificate Program in Intellectual Property and Technology Law is intended to provide students with a basic grounding in the field of intellectual property law, relevant clinical and/or other practical experience, and more in‐ depth study of advanced topics in intellectual property law and in related areas of law and legal practice involving technology‐driven issues and clients.
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Requirements: Three core courses in IP • Two advanced IP or technology law courses • Two corporate, commercial, advanced constitutional, or administrative law courses • One IP or technology law seminar/writing project • One "practical lawyering" course or for-credit project • A B+ grade average in certificate-related courses
International and Comparative Law Certificate
Program Director, Prof. Ron Brand,
brand@pitt.edu
The International and Comparative Law Certificate Program is intended to provide a foundation for careers and further study in the application of legal regimes to transnational and international relationships.
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Requirements: International Law • International Business transactions • Comparative Legal Cultures • Upper Level Writing Requirement • Nine Credits of Electives
Enrollment in Certificate Programs takes place through the Registrar's Office, at the end of your first year, using the Course Selection form in your registration materials. This can be done on-line or in person. Please refer to the Registrar's Certificate Program Registration Information for additional information.
MARKETING YOUR "HIDDEN" JOB SKILLS
Let's say you are a recent college graduate with a communications degree. You worked as a restaurant server, and held an internship at a marketing firm. Now that you are enrolled in law school, you are looking for a summer position. But with limited experience, you doubt many employers are interested in hiring you.
Many job seekers wrestle with the same doubts: They're unsure if they are skilled or experienced enough to land a job in today's market. If you are among this group, the good news is you likely have more to offer organizations than you think. In fact, you may have dozens of "hidden" abilities that employers seek. The trick is to identify and successfully market them. Here's how:
Identifying your skills
The first step is to distinguish your duties from your skills. Duties are the activities you perform on the job: generating reports,coordinating a national advertising campaign, providing desktop support. Skills are the tools and techniques you use to accomplish these tasks: knowledge of certain software, communication abilities, leadership.
For example, if you've worked as a paralegal, you may have arranged meetings, drafted pleadings and filed documents in court. As a result,you likely developed strong planning skills to ensure deadlines were met,strong communication abilities to accurately convey arguments in briefs to the court, and solid customer service skills to successfully interact with Prothonotary staff. And that says nothing of your technical skills, such as research abilities and writing.
Before compiling your résumé, write down all of your previous duties. Then list the skills that were necessary to accomplish each task. Don't limit yourself to full-time jobs. Also include part-time work,volunteer positions and even hobbies. Perhaps you served as the president of your fraternity, thereby developing leadership skills, negotiation abilities and knowledge of budgeting processes. Chances are you'll uncover a number of talents you hadn't considered.
Marketing your skills
Of course, identifying your skills is only half the battle. You also must successfully market them to interested employers if you are to land a job. The key is to find out what skills prospective employers are looking for and ensure your cover letter highlights these abilities.
Start by asking yourself what type of organization you hope to work for: Is it large or small? In the public or private sector? What's the work environment like? Your answers can help you determine which of your skills your ideal organization may seek. For example, if you'd like to work for a firm and you founded a student group while an undergrad, consider targeting small firms who are looking for self-starters who don't need a lot of supervision. Or if you'd like to work for a legal aid organization's domestic violence division, even if you have never held this specific job before, the knowledge of court procedures and advocacy you obtained by volunteering for the Juvenile Court Project may help you get the job.
Conducting informational interviews and consulting The Official Guide to Legal Specialties also can help you align the skills on your résumé and in your cover letter with the requirements of the position.
One note of caution: Although it may be tempting to include all of your skills, throwing everything against the wall in hopes that something will stick is rarely an effective strategy. Employers are only interested in one thing: whether, based on what they read, you are a good fit. Information that does not contribute to a positive response, such as your expertise with outdated software, or the fact that you were high school valedictorian, should be omitted.
No matter how much or how little work experience you possess, you likely have a number of skills that will impress employers. Before launching your next job search, take some time to uncover your hidden talents. Doing so will make you a more attractive candidate and increase your chance of success.
