First Year Students Dive in to the Legal Profession
It takes a lot to get law students up at 8:00 on a Saturday morning, but on the cool, drizzly morning of September 13th, virtually the entire 1L class shuffled into the Westin, grabbed some coffee, and took a seat. They were there for the second annual Career Immersion day, a special program designed to get the new students thinking professionally early in their law school careers. In her opening remarks, Dean Janet Hutchinson explained that there were several goals for the day: to explore career paths, to look towards goals, to learn how to present professionally and communicate effectively, and to engage with alumni. "We want to help students understand that their professional career starts when they start law school," explained Dean Hutchinson. "It's not the end of their education, but the beginning of their career from the first day."
The engagement with alumni started right away, as the day began with a keynote address from Virginia Bar President-Elect Ed Weiner (L'80). "We can do what no one else can do," Mr. Weiner told the 1L class. "Everything in society is built and defined by law." Mr. Weiner went on to explain to the students that the profession of law is a long and challenging, but wonderful, journey, before regaling the group with some of his greatest case stories.
Next on the agenda was the "Law 101" panel, which provided a chance for the students to hear from practitioners in different fields and at different places in their careers. These practitioners ranged from partners at major firms, in Wendell Taylor (L'98) from Hunton & Williams and Greg Bishop (L'99) from Williams Mullen, to a federal public defender in Elizabeth Hanes ('00, L'07), to an associate attorney in Sara Heisler (L'08) at McCandlish Holton. The lively panel discussion made the hour fly by, as all of the panelists were happy to answer any questions the students asked. The discussion was free-flowing and the answers were often funny, but they didn't sugarcoat anything. The practitioners were frank and upfront with the students and honestly answered questions on economic pressures and meeting the expectations of colleagues and clients. "My clients are the partners I work for," explained Ms. Heisler. Many students expressed their enjoyment of the panel, and especially appreciated the chance to see practitioners across a wide range of areas of the law.
At this point, the group split between men and women for two separate sessions on how to Dress for Success. While the tips for each group were wildly different on the surface, at the core the message was the same: dress in a way that projects trust and confidence, err on the side of dressing conservatively, and get clothes tailored to fit you.
Even lunch time provided a chance for learning. While the 1Ls tucked in to a delicious lunch, consultant Mary Crane gave tips and pointers on how the students could become their best professional selves at a meal. After explaining many rules of etiquette throughout the meal, Ms. Crane revealed her most important lesson for the students: while good etiquette is important, good manners are what really count. She explained that etiquette can be seen as exclusive whereas manners are inclusive, and that it's all about making companions comfortable. Ms. Crane emphasized that students need to always treat wait staff with respect, as many potential employers take a very negative view of someone who treats staff poorly.
The afternoon consisted of several breakout sessions for the 1Ls to attend and further refine their skills. At the end of the day, the students had very positive things to say about Career Immersion Day. Micaylee Noreen (L'17) said that the day was "very informative. I learned a lot about the ins and outs of social activities." Michelle Sonntag (L'17) echoed that sentiment, saying "it's a good opportunity to bring yourself up to a professional level of social life." Sean Livesey (L'17) summed it all up, saying "everything here is essential and important."