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Was there anything that you wished you'd have done differently in law school that you did not understand until you started to practice?

I went to law school about five years after I graduated from college, so I'd been out in the workforce for some time. I had a fulltime job in a medical insurance provider and went to law school. There are a couple of things I wish I'd done otherwise, and also a couple of things.

What is the most effective means to get a job?

It is essential to convey passion and enthusiasm throughout the job-hunting and networking process. The most common feedback I hear to describe their rejection of particular candidates, is that the lawyer didn't show enthusiasm for your job. Attorneys are generally enthusiastic in their careers and respond to other people who show excitement and the drive.

Would you really have to drive yourself to the ground the first few years of practice to create it?

In actuality, there's every reason they should. Having interests and responsibilities beyond the workplace make you a better-rounded individual, and that is. Our lawyers spend many hours outside the office on things such as but not limited to pro bono or community service projects, research and post writing, board memberships that are nonprofit, and sporting endeavors. While all those activities help make our attorneys' lives more satisfying, they also make us a workforce that is able to fulfill the wants and demands of our client base that is diverse.

What do you enjoy most about your project? Least?

I love writing and my work is heavily oriented in that way. I've managed to write four books and countless articles and book chapters over the years. And writing has helped to set me in my area and make my practice more successful.

Do you see a prejudice against people who attend law school later in life?

Simply put, I do not. Actually, I feel the reverse is true, both but, more importantly law school is over and new graduates are searching for employment. Students and graduates seeking a career in the law after being in the work sector for an extended period have certain benefits over their fellow students who went directly from high school to college after law school: real-world experience and "know-how."

Did any courses prove particularly useful as you started practicing?

To be honest, none of my substantive law courses were very helpful in practice beyond supplying an overall understanding of how to read and examine a situation and an overall understanding of legal principles. Probably the most useful skills courses are those taught by adjunct professors on cutting-edge topics like e-discovery, social media and the law, employment law trends, and the like, where you know about timely issues and, presumably, would retain the knowledge for use when you graduate.