When I first came to law school, I had no idea how anything in the legal field worked. I knew I needed to secure an internship for my summer after 1L, but I didn’t know where to start to get one and wasn’t completely sure which area of law I wanted to practice. Luckily, organizations on campus and the Career Development Office have so many events to help students with this problem.
My favorite event I attended so far was a student-run panel for the Criminal Law Society. At this event, Loyola students who have worked in the criminal law field answered questions and gave advice to the attendees to help us secure an internship. They gave tips on how to apply, who to talk to, what working at specific offices will be like, and how to do well in an interview. Before I went to this event, I had scheduled an interview with the Los Angeles Public Defenders Office. This was my first real job interview, and I was so nervous. The students on the panel answered my questions and gave me tips on how the interview would do and eased the concerns I had. They also sent us their emails so we could connect with them should we have any more questions. It was a wonderful way to learn more about the field and internships as well as get in touch with students who will be working in the field in the future.
Almost every day there is some event going on during the lunch hour that involves networking or learning about the different areas of law. There are also events where guest speakers like practicing lawyers or even judges will talk to students about their experiences. The career development office also puts on events to help with resume building, looking for internships, how to network, and more. Going to these events has really helped ease my concerns about both getting an internship as well as a job after law school.