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Volume 3 | Fall 2016

Our goal with the Baylor Law School Career Development Office (CDO) Employer Quarterly Newsletter is to serve as a resource for you as you make decisions related to recruitment and hiring, and in that spirit I encourage you to email me with topics and questions for future newsletters. - Daniel Hare, Director of Employer Relations

In the Post-Recession Era, You May Be Able to Hire a Clerk After All

As I travel around the state visiting legal employers, I often ask about their history of and willingness to hire summer clerks or interns. If the answer is no, the most common explanation given is they aren’t like the big firms and can’t afford to hire summer clerks. Also since they are most likely not going to hire the student at the conclusion of the clerkship, they don’t want to waste everyone’s time.

I’m not sure that logic was ever entirely sound, but even if it was, in the post-recession era, it simply doesn’t hold up. If you are a legal employer in 2016, there is no longer any expectation (outside the large law firm context, and even that has some caveats) that you pay what large firms do, nor that you guarantee a job at the end of the clerkship. Students today are looking for something different: an opportunity to work, gain experience, and make connections.

The fact is, the majority of law students will get their job through some means other than the traditional On-Campus Interview model. They will get their job through a referral, someone in their personal network, a faculty recommendation, or a reference from a supervisor at their summer internship.

Therefore, students know the value of experience, even if the money is a bit more modest and there isn’t the guarantee of a job. They are doing the work necessary to put themselves in position to get hired closer to graduation (or even after), when most of the students will get their full-time job.

Further, I have spoken with a number of students who worked in one of these "working clerkships," and nearly every time, the student raved about their experience.

Often students in those clerkships drafted motions which their supervising attorneys actually filed (with some minor edits) in court. They sat in on depositions, and assisted in hearings and trials. They loved it! Not only that, the employer got some valuable work product out of it as well.

The last item I should mention on this is the evolution of the clerkship schedules in Texas. Large law firms have shifted almost entirely to conducting clerkships in the first half of the summer (i.e. mid-May through June). That leaves many great candidates without a second half opportunity (i.e. July 1 through mid-August) and available to other employers. (One further trend is firms going to a 10 week or full-summer model, which would of course not allow a student to split summers).

So before you quickly dismiss the idea of hiring a summer law clerk, either because you don’t think you can afford it, you don’t want to waste their time when you can’t offer a full-time job, or any other reason, we would love to have a conversation with you about it and see if it is something that might be mutually beneficial to both you and the student. Many times it is!

Strategies to Deliver Feedback Fairly and Constructively
Providing criticism is an unavoidable aspect of leadership. The Canadian legal magazine Slaw talks about how those who do it well build firm cultures where people feel safe to speak up and feel motivated to improve, all for the sake of their clients. (Click here for full story).

Technology Proves Vital Force in the Future of Law Firm Business
The author comments that he subscribes to a large number of legal news publications, but hasn't received a British legal news article since the summer that doesn't mention a new law firm embracing Artificial Intelligence. (Click here for full story).

For Midsize Firms, Salary Hikes Raise Rate Dilemma
In 2015, millennials—the largest generation in history—moved ahead of Generation X to become the largest group in the American workforce. In the e-discovery and legal industries, where rule changes and evolving technology are the name of the game, this generational shift promises to play its own role in pushing the envelope on traditional ways of working. (Click here for the full story).

‘Character’ Is Essential for New Attorneys, Legal Skills Not so Much, Survey Finds
A new report based on survey responses from more than 24,000 attorneys across the country concludes that character—including integrity, resilience, work ethic and common sense—is valued most highly in new lawyers. Legal skills are important too, but more survey respondents said that the nuts and bolts of practicing law could be learned along the way, whereas new lawyers need a strong character from the get-go. (Click here for full story).

Baylor Law School Ranks 21st in Federal Judicial Clerks Placed
Baylor Law is ranked 21 out of the 24 Best Law Schools for Securing Federal Clerkships according to Business Insider. Click here for more.

Baylor Law School to Host Inaugural Ultimate Writer Competition
The Writing Center at Baylor Law School is proud to introduce a new type of legal writing competition. The format and the prize pool distinguish this competition from all comparable legal writing competitions. Click here for more.

Baylor Law School Veterans Clinic Makes Real Differences in the Lives of Vets
Since its inception, the Baylor Law School Veterans Clinic has provided free legal advice to hundreds of local veterans. Click here for more.

Career Development
Office Events

November 5

Fall Commencement
Another fantastic group of graduates is now available! If you're in need of a recent or soon-to-be Baylor graduate, click here to post a position today!

December 1

1Ls on the Market Soon!
December 1st is the first day 1L students can speak with employers about summer 2017 opportunities. If you have interest in our 1L students, please contact us today at Daniel_Hare@Baylor.edu, or 254.710.7617.

Want more information? Visit our website or contact Daniel Hare, Director of Employer Relations, at Daniel_Hare@Baylor.edu or 254.710.7617 to get more information on how Baylor Law School's Career Development Office can assist you with all your hiring needs.

Employer Quarterly is an e-newsletter created by Baylor Law School's Career Development Office. Designed for the benefit of you, the employer, we welcome story ideas and comments. Please contact Daniel Hare to submit suggestions or for any hiring questions or needs.

Baylor Law School, Career Development Office, One Bear Place #97288, Waco, Texas 76798
254.710.1210 | baylor.edu/law/cd
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