A Long-Range Job Search

CAREER COUNSELOR'S CORNER

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A Long-Range Job Search [by J. Murray Elwood] We offer tips to help you discover out-of-town resources and find new career opportunities when moving to a new geographical location.

AFTER HER DIVORCE, Julia Grant fulfilled a

relocation.

This service is called reciprocity, which means that you may be able to use the research and

life-long ambition and enrolled in law school.

Summer vacations at the University of Virgin-

A long-range job search is obviously more

job-listing services of a local law school in the

ia, Julia clerked for Longstreet & Lee, a small,

difficult than one closer to home, but many, if

area where you are relocating.

general-practice firm in Atlanta. When she

not most, of the same job-search techniques

completed her legal studies, Julia was offered

apply, and work equally as well thousands of

Here is how to obtain reciprocity: The National

a position with the firm and over the past eight

miles away.

Association of Law Placement’s (NALP) Web has excellent links to the reciprocity policies

years her work has been in a general civil practice with an emphasis on estate planning.

Some Suggestions

Now in her early 50s, Ms. Grant is seriously

1. Do Your Homework. If you are not familiar

considering a move to San Francisco. For one

with the area where you are relocating, then

Unfortunately, some law schools have not

reason, she would like to be geographically

your first step is to do some research. The

yet linked to this NALP list. As a result, you

closer to a son and daughter who live with

Internet can provide you with good back-

will find that a good secondary source for law

their families in the area. For another, Julia

ground information of what life is like in most

school information is Cornell University’s

believes that since she had begun her legal

American urban areas. All over the internet,

Legal Information Institute. They publish

career as a student law clerk with the firm,

she can find a lot of general information about

an Internet “Directory of Legal Academia”

and has stayed so long with Longstreet &

the community: real estate, educational insti-

(www.law.cornell.edu/dla/). With the help of

Lee, that her abilities are taken for granted,

tutions, neighborhood profiles, restaurants,

either the NALP or the Cornell directory, you

undervalued. Some days she feels that senior

and so on.

can easily identify the name and address of

of member law schools: www.nalp.org/ schools/reciprocity/index.htm

the law school most accessible to your new

members of the firm still treat her as a law 2. Connect with People. For all job seekers,

location. Next, with this information in hand,

but especially for a relocating lawyer, the

contact the director of career services at your

Julia wants very much to move to the Bay

answer is the same - the key to a successful

own law school and request a letter of reci-

area, but not without the prospects of a new

job search in any location, but especially one

procity to the law school in your geographical

job. The thought of a long-distance job search

beyond the horizon, is contacts, contacts and

area of interest.

seems intimidating, since she lacks any legal

more contacts. To discover legal job opportu-

contacts in California, far less a sense of the

nities in a far-off site, you need to find a way

Your law school’s letter will ask that you be

San Francisco legal market. Julia also worries

to plug into the experience and expertise - and

extended the courtesies of the distant law

that her age might be a hindrance.

especially the networks - of lawyers already

school’s career placement office. In that way,

working in the area. There are several easily

after you move into your new area, you should

Julia Grant’s job long-distance job search

available sources for identifying contacts in

be able to gain access, not only to the area

illustrates the task often faced by lawyers in

an unfamiliar territory:

directories, newspapers, and other resources

clerk, rather than as a professional colleague.

similarly situated life-situations. For example, new lawyers sometimes look for work in a

provided by the career office, but you will also • Your Law School Career Office

distant area right after law school, military

be able to browse the local legal job listings posted there.

lawyers move to another part of the country

Even though you may have avoided it during

after several years with the JAG, or lawyers

your law school days, the career development

Two caveats: Reciprocity is almost never

take up residence in a new geographical area

office has a particular service that can be of

granted between law schools within the same

because of marriage or a spouse’s corporate

enormous benefit to a long-range job seeker.

city or close geographic area. So before you

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CAREER COUNSELOR'S CORNER

1. 800. 973. 1177

seek reciprocity, check the Webs of all local

legal climate of the area you are considering.

called the others, they said they were expect-

law schools and select the school that would

Your next step, if at all possible, should

ing her call and would be happy to see her.

seem to be the one whose resources would

be to take a week’s “vacation” to visit your

Four invited her to lunch.

be most beneficial to the goals of your job

geographical area of interest. If this visit

search.

coincides with some CLE program, so much

Although none of the these lawyers practiced

the better. Next, about three weeks before

law in Julia’s particular legal area, they were

Also be aware that a few law school career

the time of your visit, introduce yourself with

more than willing to share their perceptions of

offices, for reasons best known to the schools

a letter to an alumnus living in your targeted

San Francisco. Most mentioned the high cost

themselves, do not grant reciprocity to alumni

area, briefly describe your plans, say that you

of living and all described the California Bar

from other law schools. In addition, most law

will be in town at a particular period of time,

exam as a challenge. But all were encourag-

schools that do grant the courtesies of their

and ask for a few minutes to gain some much

ing and three even suggested names of other

career office to out-of-town job seekers will

needed advice about the local legal climate.

lawyers she should meet.

restrict the use of the reciprocity privilege

Very few lawyers will turn down such an ap-

during the hectic days of law firm on-cam-

peal from a fellow law alumnus.

• The Bar Association in Your Targeted Area

Julia Grant discovered that there were about

Do not overlook the directories and job-finder

12 University of Virginia Law School alumni

resources that are available for relocating

Reciprocity practice varies from law school

working in the San Francisco Bay area. To be

lawyers in state, county or city bar associa-

to law school, so it makes sense, after you

doubly sure, she checked this list against the

tions throughout the country. Hieros Gamos

introduce yourself, to ask the career office

Martindale & Hubbell listings. She was able

(www.hg.org), the law portal, under “Bar

about times and terms of usage. Finally, be

to verify nine of the lawyers’ names - six men

Associations” has comprehensive state and

advised that for most law career offices reci-

and three women. With this information in

local listings.

procity does not include career counseling. It

hand, and the dates for her West Coast visit

pus interviews, usually from August through November.

also goes without saying that unemployed law

settled, she wrote each of these lawyers a let-

When Julia clicked on the San Francisco

school graduates are not permitted to partici-

ter that explained her intention to relocate to

Bar Association Web site, www.sfbar.org,

pate in on-campus law firm recruiting.

the West Coast and requested a brief meeting

she could do searches on the names of firm

to introduce herself and obtain some friendly

and corporate attorneys, and could identify

advice on the Bay area’s legal climate and

lawyers who practiced in her particular area

opportunities.

of expertise. Affiliate membership in the San

• Your Law School Alumni Office Most major law schools publish some form

Francisco Bar is available to out-of-state

of a law alumni directory - hard copy, CD, or

A sample of Julia’s letter is on the follow-

on-line - that lists information about their

ing page. This letter is similar to Calista

Association’s office resources, and additional-

law alumni: their names, addresses, firms or

Kent’s request for an informational interview

ly provides access to job listings. Bar services

agencies, and the kind of law they practice.

exampled in Chapter 5. Note how a lawyer

are generally the same throughout the coun-

This law alumni directory, if used discreetely,

relocating out-of-town can easily adapt the

try, but if in doubt, a call to a particular office

can also be a particularly useful resource for

same format. Like its counterpart, this alumni

will provide information on specific services to

the long-range job seeker.

request letter also contains a “Disclaimer”

relocating lawyers.

lawyers. This membership offers use of the

in the third paragraph. These or approximate • Local Newspapers and Publications

If your law alumni directory is reasonably

words are essential to one’s request for a

up to date, then use the directory to identify

meeting. The disclaimer wording removes any

the names of your law school’s alumni who

pressure the reader might feel to provide the

Another Web site, www.palidan.com/legal6.

are currently practicing law in your targeted

sender with instant job leads.

htm, has a comprehensive listing of legal periodicals, local and national. Most of these

geographical area. If you’re not sure that the alumni information is current, then verify its

Julia received a positive reply from seven

can be browsed for employment opportunities.

listings through Martindale-Hubbell. It re-

of her nine letters. One lawyer said that he

If not, consider a short-term subscription to

ally doesn’t matter whether or not these law

expected to be in a major trial the week of May

a local mass-market newspaper and to the

alumni are practicing law in your particular

12th, but asked her to call the next time she

regional or local legal paper.

area of specialization because your prelimi-

was in the area. Of the remaining six contacts,

nary research will be focused on the general

three wrote or e-mailed back. When Julia

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3. Consult the Cost-of-Living Index

continued

CAREER COUNSELOR'S CORNER

A critical task for out-of-town career movers

1. 800. 973. 1177

$75,000.

is to determine salary requirements for their

tance involved in holiday and vacation travel, and so on.

new geographical area. You can easily make

For the mathematically challenged, ACCRA

a cost-of-living comparison between your old

has a cost-of-living calculator at its own web

and new locations. The Cost-of-Living Index

site: www.coli.org. This service uses ACCRA’s

is produced by the American Chamber of

most recent quarterly Index statistics; the

If you have initiated your-of-town move, then it

Commerce Researchers Association (AC-

charge is $ 5.00 per search. Purdue Universi-

may not be possible to expect moving expense

CRA). These Index numbers, with 100.0 as the

ty’s placement office has a free cost-of-living

reimbursement from your new employer.

national average, are based on the composite

calculator, using slightly earlier Index data

But you may be able to include some of these

prices of groceries, housing, utilities, trans-

(from 1999), although with a larger number

costs as a one-time benefit when negotiating

portation, health care, clothing and entertain-

of city Index numbers than those listed at the

your compensation package. See Chapter 10.

ment for each of its listed cities. The Index

Holland, MI site. http://purdue.placement-

for major metropolitan areas is published

manual.com. For comparison with another

quarterly.

cost-of-living calculator, you might try: www. homefair.com.

A sample ACCRA Cost-of-Living Index can

• Moving Expenses

Journey’s End After her meetings with University of Virginia law alumni and cost-of-living comparisons,

be found at the Holland, MI, Web site: www.

A note about cost-of-living figures: Remem-

Julia decided to shift the focus of her job-

holland-chamber.org/hcccstlv.htm. This site

ber, when using a Web cost-of-living calcula-

search from San Francisco to the Sacramento

uses ACCRA data for the first quarter, 2001.

tor, that Index numbers cited for a particular

area. Her daughter and family lived in Sacra-

With simple math, Julia Grant can come up

city may vary significantly from one Web site

mento, a drive of only about an hour and a half

with an estimate of the level of compensation

to another. These variables in Index ratings

away from San Francisco, but the cost of living

she would require in the San Francisco area,

appear to be due to the date of the Index

in Sacramento seemed more in line with that

with a cost-of-living index of 179.8, to at least

figures on which the individual calculators are

of Atlanta.

match the buying power of her present salary,

derived.

Over the next month, Julia’s follow-up efforts

in the Atlanta area, where the Index is 101.8.

4. Special Considerations of a $52,000 Atlanta area salary, Julia would

resulted in an offer from a Sacramento law firm (contingent on her passing the California

To calculate the San Francisco Bay equivalent • Bar Admission

bar) and two offers from investment companies to work with their clients in estate

use this simple formula: An out-of-state legal employer will normally

planning services. She accepted one of the

require admission to the bar of that state. Bar

investment firms’ offers. This position did not

exams vary from state to state in their dif-

require bar membership, but her law degree

ficulty and requirements. Information on state

would be an excellent credential. Julia’s re-

Cost-of-living comparisons between some

bar admissions may be obtained online from

muneration, factoring in benefits, anticipated

cities are surprising. Suppose that Julia

the ABA’s Guide to Bar Admissions at: www.

commissions, and cost-of-living, would be

receives an impressive offer of $75,000 from

abanet/legaled/bar.html

substantially higher than her salary with the

San Francisco: Atlanta

(179.8 x $52,000) /

101.8 = $ 91,842

Atlanta law firm. Her long-range job search

a San Francisco firm. To evaluate that offer in Atlanta dollars, she would reverse the order

• Interviewing

of the cities in the formula and come up with the buying power of the San Francisco offer:

In your out-of-town marketing meetings,

Atlanta: San Francisco

ployers, in areas with large transient popula-

make your reasons for relocation clear. Em(101.8 x $ 75,000) /

179.8 = $ 42, 464

tions, can be suspicious of the stability of job applicants, unless assured of the legitimacy

In terms of buying power, she would obvi-

of their motives. In her marketing meetings

ously be taking a cut in salary, even though a

and job interviews, Julia should explain in very

quick glance at the raw figures would suggest

positive language her reasons for deciding to

a generous salary increase of $52,000 to

move from Atlanta - her family ties, the dis-

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