“I am the first person in my family to attend college, let alone law school, and I knew my career would be very dependent on my network,” said Carson Kuck (J.D. ’24), a rising third-year student and the incoming president of the Georgia State University College of Law Student Bar Association.
Kuck began developing his networking skills at the Center for Professional Development & Career Strategies' (CPD) annual fall Speed Networking event, where College of Law alumni and friends are invited to make connections with current students. Much like speed dating, students rotate through five-minute conversations with attorneys to learn more about different types of law practice, what it’s like at various law firms and different career paths available.
Kuck met with CPD multiple times during his first semester of law school and credits his first job to their services.
“Toward the end of my first year, I was actually interviewed by an attorney I met at the speed-networking event,” Kuck recalled. “I ended up receiving an offer and accepting that job. I owe a lot of my success to Career Services.”
The center is a one-stop shop for professional development, career counseling, resume and cover letter reviews, networking opportunities and more for College of Law students.
Much of their work is designed to proactively give first-year law students a strong foundation for career success to build on over time, beginning with a professional development course over their first two semesters. Over time, CPD has added components of personal discovery, incorporating insights from the Clifton Strengths assessment to help students capitalize on their abilities.
Amy McCarthy (J.D. '02), Director of the Center for Professional Development & Career Strategies
The result of this foundation is a student who is better prepared to succeed both in law school and beyond. “We aren’t only here to work with the top students,” said Amy McCarthy (J.D. ’02), the director of CPD. “Our services are here to help everyone level the playing field.”
The influence of their support in students’ academic careers is evident by the number of graduates who land jobs in their respective fields.
“One of our biggest wins of last year was seeing the Class of 2022 achieve a 95 percent employment rate within 10 months of their graduation,” McCarthy said. “The highest rate in many years.”
This is no small feat for the Class of 2022, who entered law school in the fall of 2019 and transitioned to fully remote learning during the COVID pandemic in their second semester.
Current and former students praise the efforts of the CPD team, recounting personal successes both large and small.
McCarthy also wants students to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in “Think Outside the Firm,” info sessions where students can learn about career paths in government, public interest or fellowships. “Not everything is ‘Big Law,’” she says, referring to the large law firms with long hours and multiple offices across the country.
Rising second-year student Ian Reyes (J.D. ’25) found a connection with the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, an organization offering free civil legal aid for low-income people across metro Atlanta, while working with CPD Associate Director Sarah Mahmood.
“Sarah helped by introducing me to their Health Law Unit summer internship,” he said. “I gained so much experience this summer and connected with many clients, law students and mentors.”
Alumni Turn College Experiences into Careers
Countless College of Law alumni can trace the skills they developed and the support they received from the Center to the careers they’ve built after graduation.
As a second-year law student, Julia Martin (J.D. ’22) struggled to develop a job-hunting plan for a post-graduation career outside of Atlanta. “When I approached the professional development team, they knew just how to direct my search and connected me with attorney mentors in other markets,” she said. Now an associate with Greenberg Traurig, LLP in Miami, she credits those relationships with her success. “Their guidance and encouragement made all the difference for me.”
Paul Joseph Spina IV (J.D. ’22) pointed to the annual spring mock interview event as a critical component of his professional development. During the event, which also draws on experienced alumni and friends of the college, CPD pairs one practicing attorney with up to four students. Students participate in a 20-minute mock interview and receive detailed feedback on how to best present themselves and their accomplishments. The event helps to demonstrate the interview process and gives students practice and insight in a low stakes learning environment.
“The mock interview program was, without question, the most beneficial experience in terms of my career development,” Spina said. He attributed his opportunities to evaluate different career paths to the valuable input he received from CPD Associate Director Rachel Miller. “Ms. Miller had a tremendous impact on my law school career. It was wonderful to have a constant during the course of my legal education, especially during many times of uncertainty.”
Looking Ahead
The Center for Professional Development & Career Strategies kicks off a new year of opportunities for all students to deepen their professional development experience with programs slated for the fall and spring semesters. Current students can look forward to:
- Think Outside the Firm: Thursday, Aug. 31 at noon, students can attend to learn more information about legal jobs aside from a traditional law firm practice.
- Finding Your Fit: Tuesday, Sept. 19 at noon, students will learn job search strategies for finding jobs at small and mid-sized firms as well as other employers.
- Speed Networking: Thursday, Nov. 9 from 5-7 p.m., students and alumni can participate in this event in person.
To stay current with all of the events and programs CPD has to offer, visit https://law.gsu.edu/student-experience/career-development/#calendar.
Written by Lauren Allred