CAREER COUNSELOR'S CORNER
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David Montoya, Asst. Dean for Career Services, The University of Texas School of Law [ by Barry Perlman ] Students at The University of Texas School of Law have another valuable resource at their disposal now that David Montoya has left private practice and joined the staff at his alma mater as Assistant Dean for Career Services. Montoya knows first hand the unexpected turns a career path can take, and that’s great knowledge for a career counselor to have.
Montoya graduated from Notre Dame with a
firm was taking. Some of the older, more
law, judicial clerkship, public service, and
degree in accounting and began his profes-
experienced attorneys wanted to stay their
alternative non-practicing career paths to
sional life at Arthur Andersen & Co. in Dal-
independent course, while many of the young
serve their students’ broad interests. “The
las. He then moved to Burlington Resources,
up-and-coming members of management
one-on-one counseling assists students to
a Fortune 200 company, where he spent
felt they’d be best served by joining up with a
develop personalized career-search plans.
about five years as a C.P.A. He had initially
larger firm.” That internal division led Mon-
We direct them to the extensive resources we
planned to continue his education by pursu-
toya to leave the firm and return to Austin,
have, such as our mentor directory and job
ing an M.B.A., but his mentors at Burlington
where he worked at Bracewell & Patterson
bulletins. We help them to prepare resumes
steered him in a different direction. “They
for a couple of years before joining Jackson
and cover letters, and we conduct mock
suggested that, coupled with the business
Walker, where he spent six years and be-
interviews.”
background and C.P.A. experience I’d already
came a partner in commercial litigation and
accumulated, a law degree might be more
corporate reorganization.
versatile and more valued,” Montoya recalls.
The on-campus interviewing program gives students access to the kinds of employ-
Because Montoya enjoyed his colleagues at
ers “that have the resources and economic
Montoya ended up at UT Law School, with the
Jackson Walker so much, it was a tough call
model that allow them to know what kind of
intention of returning to corporate America
when the opportunity to lead UT’s Career
new-attorney demand they will have several
upon receiving his degree. But like so many
Services department presented itself earlier
months into the future,” though, Montoya
students, his vision expanded once he began
this year. Ultimately, he couldn’t resist
adds, these interviews are not the only things
his studies. “Law school opens up so many
coming back to his alma mater to share his
students should concentrate on. The staff
more opportunities and alternatives you
remarkable professional experience while
also organizes a number of programs and
might not have considered before,” Montoya
assisting eager law students intent on mak-
workshops “designed to teach students about
explains. “Not uncommonly, students com-
ing their own distinct career mark. “The
various practice areas and career paths
ing into law school have previous careers and
chance to come work for this great school,
available to them and to begin putting them
a notion that in order to build on what they’ve
counseling exceptional students, and being
in contact with practitioners who can assist
already done, they need to go a particular
part of an outstanding staff was enough for
them in finding jobs down the road,” in ad-
route.” In Montoya’s own case, he’d done
me to decide to retire early from the practice
dition to sponsoring job fairs in major cities
well in the corporate world and began law
of law.” There were other appealing aspects
around the country.
school as “a sort of accumulation of more
of the job switch. Montoya appreciates the
credentials to continue along that same
“kinder and gentler” atmosphere of an aca-
Though his time in Career Services has
corporate path.” He eventually realized that
demic environment, a contrast to the rigidity
been relatively short so far, Montoya has
branching off into work at a private practice
required when practicing in a litigation set-
already had his preconceived notions about
would provide a breadth to his experience
ting. “And of course,” Montoya jokingly adds,
the students he deals with proven incorrect.
that corporate employers value highly.
“the thought of no longer living my life in
“For whatever reason, I might have assumed
one-tenth-of-an-hour increments contrib-
that students wouldn’t be as realistic as they
uted to my decision.”
need to be. But in fact, we have, for the most
Montoya’s first job after law school was at a
part, very sophisticated students who seem
mid-sized firm in San Antonio, when “merger mania” was sweeping the legal community.
Montoya is fortunate to be part of an excel-
to clearly understand the job market, even
“That firm,” Montoya recounts, “experienced
lent, multi-talented staff at UT, which in-
what they need to do in order to get where
what a lot of mid-sized firms were experi-
cludes individual counselors with specialized
they want to be; so that’s helpful.”
encing, an internal split in the direction the
knowledge in private practice, international
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CAREER COUNSELOR'S CORNER
That job market, Montoya is happy to report,
1. 800. 973. 1177
“I think academia is one of a few alterna-
is beginning to show an uptick in transaction-
tives that could tempt attorneys practicing
al work, though highly sought after positions
in firms to leave, to join their alma mater, if
such as sports agents and entertainment
they have that kind of loyalty and interest, to
lawyers continue to be scarce. “Both Dallas
assist students to go on and do the kinds of
and Houston are hotbeds nationally, with
things they want to do with their law degree.”
some encouraging increases in job opportu-
Montoya, it appears, has happily given in to
nities for new lawyers,” Montoya adds. This
this temptation — to the benefit of UT’s job-
is a particularly encouraging trend for UT
seeking students.
students, about 75% of whom find post-grad placement within Texas. The advice Montoya has for students is similar to what he offered the young lawyers he mentored at the firm. “I used to counsel first-year associates to conduct themselves as sole proprietors, viewing partners and senior associates as clients,” Montoya recalls. “They’d succeed at the firm if they ran their own office as a stand-alone shop, ‘selling’ their services to the attorneys, who had more work than they could do on their own. If the new associates made themselves available and did top-quality work on everything they were assigned, they could foster a reputation that would sustain a constant flow of stimulating work for themselves.” For students, the corollary is to view the first day of law school as the start of their legal career. “Students should view themselves as their own advocate,” Montoya advises, “representing themselves as professionally as they would a client, which means working hard and always being thoroughly prepared. They must remember they’re being considered to represent the clients of the firms they’re targeting. An attorney’s main asset is his reputation among peers and clients.” For a short time after making the transition, Montoya wondered what his peers in the legal community would think of his decision to leave practice and come back to UT. But the responses he got quickly proved he’d landed well. “The most common feedback I got was, ‘How did you go about the transition?’ and ‘Please let me know if there are any opportunities at UT.’” He explains this reaction.
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