CAREER COUNSELOR'S CORNER
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Gary J. Greener, Assistant Dean for Career Services, Southwestern University School of Law [7-12-04 John J. Barnes] Gary Greener talks with LawCrossing about his school’s efforts to get the students involved with his office and the legal community to realize the quality of the education his students receive in a crowded area for law schools.
On the surface, Gary Greener’s job as Assis-
Services can do for them.”
23 months. Then there are the part-time day and part-time evening programs. About
tant Dean for Career Services at Los Angeles’ Southwestern Law School does not appear
“One trick I’ve learned when trying to pub-
65-70% of our students are in the traditional
to differ much from that of other law school
licize events and workshops is to produce
full-time day program. The others programs
career services professionals. It is when you
a supply of small flyers and leave stacks of
often include second career professionals,
get into extended conversation with him that
them scattered around the campus. What
and these students are very attractive to
you realize his job is unique in many ways.
happens is that individuals pick up the flyer,
employers. They come to law school having
read it while on the way to somewhere else,
succeeded in a previous career, and they
Southwestern Law School has been around
and then leave it on the nearest surface.
bring a maturity and work ethic with them
since 1911 and by now has over 10,000 living
Someone else inevitably picks it up, reads
that benefits employers.”
alumni, many of them famous, including Dan
it, then drops it, and the whole cycle begins
Petrocelli and Marcia Clark, veterans of the
again. I like to think this is a form of ‘manag-
Gary went on to add, “I am so proud of the
O.J. Simpson civil and criminal trials. South-
ing chaos’ to get the word out. The main-
physical changes to our campus. Part of
western alumni sit as judges and partners in
tenance people may not like this approach
our campus includes the historic Bullocks
prestigious law firms all over California and
much, but it works for me! Students keep
Wilshire building, which is considered a his-
the nation.
telling us they’ve read the flyer and that it
toric landmark building. We also house one
made them want to use our services or at-
of most technologically advanced courtrooms
tend our event.”
in the country. Named for one of our famous
Gary himself earned a law degree from
alums, the late Congressman Julian Dixon,
Southwestern and holds an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center and a
We asked about the external focus. “That’s
the Dixon Courtroom is providing superior
B.A. from Brigham Young University. Before
getting the legal community to be more
academic training for the 21st century.”
joining Southwestern, he practiced law for
aware of our students and what they offer,”
almost a decade and eventually became
he said. “There are a lot of law schools in
Gary tells us that he believes he has the best
the hiring partner at a medium-sized firm,
California, and we’re all fighting for a piece
of all possible jobs, since he sees the fruits
Breidenbach Buckley. One evening, while
of the same market. While there are many
of his labors every time a student thanks him
having dinner with friends, Amy Mallow,
things that distinguish our school from oth-
for help on a resume or advice on network-
UCLA’s Assistant Dean of Career Services
ers, one in particular is that we are the only
ing. We asked if he had any advice for attor-
(her profile was published last month in this
ABA-approved law school that offers four dif-
neys entering the job market or in the market
space), mentioned to him that the South-
ferent programs leading to the JD degree. In
but contemplating a change.
western Career Services position was open.
my office, this presents both challenges and
Gary thought about it, and the job seemed
opportunities and requires us to organize the
“Yes, I do,” he said. “Unless you have top
like a good fit. Gary reports, “I was ready for
office with that in mind.”
grades and good personal contacts, getting
a change, so when the offer came, I accepted on the spot.”
a job will not always be easy. It is important We asked about these programs, admitting
to have an overall plan and be flexible in
we knew about night-school programs and
administering that plan. It is important for
“My job here has the traditional interior focus
the traditional three-year programs but were
new lawyers to take charge of their career
on students and the exterior focus on the
not aware there were others.
goals and remember that in order to get from Point A to Point B, there may have to be
employment market,” he says. “As for the interior focus, one of the challenges is to get
“Well, we also offer a two-year program that
some smaller side steps along the way.” He
the word out to students about what Career
permits a student to go straight through in
went on to say, “So many of my law school
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