2 answers
Samantha
Student
Hopewell, Virginia
5
Questions
Asked
375 views
What types of skills are employers looking for when applying for a part-time job in law?
I'm in 9th grade and finding a job to soon work at to give me experience in law
Login to comment
2 answers
Sadia Joya
Recruiter
2
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Sadia’s Answer
From my understanding, people in the law field come into heavy interaction with their community members. As a result, I'd suggest looking for volunteer opportunities that directly impact the community you're in and something that also lies within your interests. For example, do you want to support immigrant families? If so, then you can look into projects that directly support them, such as being an English Conversation Partner so that they can practice their English skills or you could be a Mock Citizenship Interviewer so that they can practice for their naturalization test. If you speak a language other than English, then you could volunteer as a Translator or an Interpreter. These are just some ideas to start with, of course if your passion/interest lies somewhere else, feel free to explore that area.
Other ideas: Maybe you want to advocate for children's literacy? Or maybe you want to advocate for the homeless community? Definitely research and make a list of the ways you can contribute - make sure it matches with your schedule. You're only in ninth grade, so don't worry much about starting right away, but it's good to have some sense of what you may want to do.
Other ideas: Maybe you want to advocate for children's literacy? Or maybe you want to advocate for the homeless community? Definitely research and make a list of the ways you can contribute - make sure it matches with your schedule. You're only in ninth grade, so don't worry much about starting right away, but it's good to have some sense of what you may want to do.
Amber Lee
Tax Associate
33
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Amber’s Answer
Hi again!
Employers for law-related positions (e.g., legal assistants, paralegals, etc.) often look for folks with great communication skills, attention to detail, and organization skills. These positions are also typically client-facing roles, so a candidate would often need to be able to foster good client relations and be able to handle situations involving difficult clients. A good candidate would probably also need to have good drafting skills, since legal assistants are often tasked with writing letters and other correspondences.
Part-time positions for high school students may be challenging to come by since firms typically hire people who are working towards an undergraduate degree or a law degree, but it doesn't hurt to look around and see if any local law firms might be open to hosting a high school intern. You may end up doing less substantive work and more administrative-type work (e.g., scanning, organizing documents, data entry, etc.), but that's not a terrible thing either since you get to learn the ins and outs of how law firms work.
Since you're only in 9th grade, I would encourage you to not worry too much if you aren't able to find any legal opportunities at the moment. Instead, take this time to develop your reading and writing skills and learn about the area(s) of law you're interested in. Participate in extracurricular activities and take on leadership roles. You will have plenty of opportunities to gain actual legal experience once you're a little more advance in your studies. Good luck!
Employers for law-related positions (e.g., legal assistants, paralegals, etc.) often look for folks with great communication skills, attention to detail, and organization skills. These positions are also typically client-facing roles, so a candidate would often need to be able to foster good client relations and be able to handle situations involving difficult clients. A good candidate would probably also need to have good drafting skills, since legal assistants are often tasked with writing letters and other correspondences.
Part-time positions for high school students may be challenging to come by since firms typically hire people who are working towards an undergraduate degree or a law degree, but it doesn't hurt to look around and see if any local law firms might be open to hosting a high school intern. You may end up doing less substantive work and more administrative-type work (e.g., scanning, organizing documents, data entry, etc.), but that's not a terrible thing either since you get to learn the ins and outs of how law firms work.
Since you're only in 9th grade, I would encourage you to not worry too much if you aren't able to find any legal opportunities at the moment. Instead, take this time to develop your reading and writing skills and learn about the area(s) of law you're interested in. Participate in extracurricular activities and take on leadership roles. You will have plenty of opportunities to gain actual legal experience once you're a little more advance in your studies. Good luck!