A Practical Start to Your Legal Career

Antitrust lawyers encounter many situations – from civil and criminal litigation to transactional work. So, attorneys practicing in this area must be versatile. Christian Lorenz, a Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law’s Antitrust service, discusses what it’s like to practice antitrust law and what skills are required to succeed as an antitrust practitioner. Before Practical Law, Christian was a senior associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

With data breaches regularly making headlines, privacy and security is a concern for many companies. Lindsey Gillespie, a Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law’s Privacy and Data Security service, discusses what students can expect in this field, in-demand skills and the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) certification process. Before joining Practical Law, Lindsey was of counsel with Potomac Law Group, LLC. Lindsey also worked as a senior associate at Baker McKenzie.

Every company starts somewhere. In the development stages, businesses rely on legal expertise to drive business growth. Joe Green, a Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law's Capital Markets and Corporate Governance, explains the quarterback role junior attorneys often play in the start-up space, and what students can expect in this practice area. Before joining Practical Law, Joe worked as a senior attorney at Gunderson Dettmer. Joe was also an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.

Did you know that more than 40 percent of all Americans work with a trust and estates lawyer during their lifetime? Samantha Brinn Merel, Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law’s Trusts and Estates service, discusses how she ended up practicing in this area and recommends resources that can help attorneys starting out in this field. Before joining Practical Law, Samantha was an associate at Sidley Austin LLP. She also worked as an associate at Lazard Wealth Management.

What does a career in patent litigation look like? As a previous patent litigation associate, Zach Summers, a Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law's Intellectual Property and Technology service, discusses life as an “expert handler” and the science behind the practice. Zach also explains the patent bar and how law students can leverage their skills.

As technology advances, there’s a growing need for businesses to develop, protect, and monetize technology and intellectual property (IP) assets. Rakiya Diggs, a Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law's IP and Technology service, explains technology transactions, including transitioning to an in-house position. Rakiya also recommends courses students should take if interested in this practice. Rakiya joined Practical Law from DLA Piper LLP then worked as an associate at King & Spalding LLP.

The bankruptcy practice area covers issues involving debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, and other stakeholders with an interest in the debtor's reorganization. Ira Levee, a Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law’s Bankruptcy service, explores the world of a bankruptcy attorney. Ira also discusses industry players and the link with other practices. With more than 30 years of experience, Ira joined Practical Law from Lowenstein Sandler LLP. He was also a partner in a bankruptcy boutique.

The employee benefits and executive compensation (EBEC) practice area covers topics such as retirement plans and health and welfare plans. Jessica Cherry, a Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law's EBEC service, discusses her experiences working in two different law firms and offers advice she wishes she had received at the start of her legal career. Before joining Practical Law, Jessica was a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Previously, she was an associate at Baker & McKenzie.

Where there are employees, there are employment violations. In the #MeToo era, labor and employment (L&E) law is more vital than ever. L&E covers workplace harassment, discrimination, payment of wages, and more. Kate Bally, Director of Practical Law’s Labor and Employment service addresses the everyday chaos, fun and success of being a L&E lawyer. Before joining Practical Law, Kate clerked for the federal courts and practiced employment law at Littler Mendelson P.C. and Day Pitney LLP.

Securities law involves the regulation of the capital markets and capital formation. As a result, a securities attorney can be involved in transactional, regulatory and advisory matters. Christopher Roehrig, a Senior Legal Editor with the Capital Markets and Corporate Governance group at Practical Law, discusses the practice and issues that may arise during a junior attorney’s career. Chris started as an associate at Shearman & Sterling LLP. He later became a senior associate at Torys LLP.

Corporate lawyers are involved in major decisions, including public mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Barbara Oikle, a Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law’s Corporate and M&A service, has knowledge of this practice. Barbara discusses tips for succeeding as a corporate attorney, the role of junior associates and the transition from law school to the corporate world. Before joining Practical Law, Barbara was a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig. She also worked at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.

Litigation is a common practice area for many new associates. In this podcast, Jessica Brand, a Senior Legal Editor with Practical Law’s Litigation service, shares her experiences working as a litigation associate. Jessica also offers suggestions for upcoming projects and recommends helpful resources for junior attorneys. Before joining Practical Law, Jessica was a senior associate at Sills Cummis & Gross PC. Jessica was named a New York Super Lawyers Rising Star for several consecutive years.

In addition to substantive expertise, "soft skills" are crucial for attorneys. Soft skills are non-legal skills that help people interact effectively. In this podcast, Jessica Cherry, a Senior Legal Editor at Practical Law, discusses essential soft skills for career advancement and common mistakes lawyers make at the beginning of their careers. Before joining Practical Law, Jessica was a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Previously, she was an associate at Baker & McKenzie.