Looking: Legal (or other) Portland (or anywhere)

[MakeFast]

Looking for pretty much any kind of work.

Working history: Retail, Assistant Manager of small Restaurant, Information Architect (high level website design). I did construction and lawn maintenance in High School as well.

Legal history: focused on Environmental/Natural Resource law and Corporate law in school, previously licensed as a mediator in Georgia (currently inactive). Did research/memo writing as a summer associate, did a lot of work with practicums in school, etc. Licensed in Oregon.

Currently in Portland, OR - willing to relocate for the right job (just need enough warning to pack up and move). Heck, willing to take another bar exam for a legal job near the mountains.

[LightRanger]

Matt, more background on my hiring:

Guy I knew in law school just messaged me out of blue and said they were hiring and it was just the right fit (other than relocating, but whatever). I think another friend tipped him off that I was still looking. It was the only legit interview I've had pretty much the whole time.

Keep up the search. I was pretty much despairing until a month ago.

Free bump.

[MakeFast]

Interview with the Bureau of Reclamation in Boise in a couple of weeks.

Position is kinda vague (I think it may be a new position) - ESA Policy Specialist - but sounds right up my alley.

[HellgateBasement]

MF - do you have access to the BYU jobbank-aggregator-thing? They've got listings from probably 100 different law schools including Oregon, L&C, and Williamette.

Shoot me a PM.

[MakeFast]

Short answer, yes - also have access to the L&C job list. PM sent.

[MakeFast]

That was the worst interview of my life.

4 interviewers in 4 different states (CO, ID, WA, Wash DC) all had me on speaker phone all asking questions. For the 10% of questions I heard, I felt like I answered them well - but each question had to be repeated 2-3 times because of all the static from the connection, background noise from 4 different speaker phones, and difficulty in hearing them.

If you do phone interviews - please don't do them like that.

[Art Shirk]

Good luck, ya never know.

[MakeFast]

They said they were going to be getting back to folks in a week - that was a couple of weeks ago. Though the job would have rocked, after the interview I didn't expect to have a chance.

Finishing up another round of JAG applications and seriously considering relocating/retaking the bar in a place where the legal market might be less insular and a bit easier to break into (probably a smaller town).

[Crystal_Mt_Dreamin]

In my experience thus far in Portland there's room for QUALITY lawyers! Good luck in your search.

[HellgateBasement]

Makefast, any interest?

https://jobs-vestas.icims.com/jobs/1742/job

not mine, obviously.

[MakeFast]

Thanks for the heads up. With the new baby, I have been lax on searching - I will definitely put in an app though.

[Yeti]

For what it's worth, Vestas is a solid wind turbine manufacturer. I've seen a lot of new renewable energy projects using their turbines. I am inclined to think they'll do well in coming years -- and it's right in your city.

[MakeFast]

Still looking. Have picked up some super-menial contract work here and there, but nothing meaningful or full-time. Only promising lead I have had was for the Coast Guard legal, but it is a waiting game at this point.

Anyone have tips on leveraging a legal degree into a different field? Or lawyer-type that wouldn't mind taking a look at my resume?

[Fish Rider]

Lots of fed govt jobs that you can start at GS-9 or GS-11 depending on the position that a JD qualifies you for, also you can easily become a real estate broker. Just my two cents.

[Sirshredalot]

Yes, there are some federal jobs out there that you can walk into with a JD at a 9, but you are better off looking for something that starts at a 7 and has a built in ladder to 11 or 12. The pay will blow for the first year or two, but that's working for the gubment.

[MakeFast]

I have tried to apply to...I dunno maybe 200 federal jobs now. I have actually gotten through the application process for about 70 of them. Heard back from maybe 3? 4?

The application process is unreal for federal jobs, taking at least 6 hours most of the time and having to manually enter all your data at least 2 times, up to 5 (well 5 was the worst I had - and at the end of the fifth time it told me I wasn't qualified and kicked me out of the system).

Heck, I have applied to federal positions that just require a GED/diploma and have never heard a peep back from them.

I just want to get out of doing contract work. Waiting to hear back from the Coast Guard about their JAG program. If it's a no...maybe I will open a bar.

[RegCT]

If you open a bar holler. I'll relocate with the promise of a job.

I don't have a law degree but my background is public policy/legislative related. In two weeks I'll have been in the market for a YEAR. I've applied to hundreds of jobs, moved 2,200 miles across the country and I've landed TWO interviews. One pending, fingers crossed. It's tough out there mang. Good luck.

[Socialist]

you have to tailor your resume down to the job. if they think you are over qualified they will assume you are just looking for temporary work and will leave the moment something better comes along.

[Art Shirk]

Yo MakeFast, I think my wife's company will have much more work this time around. I'll be helpin out too.

[MakeFast]

@Socialist - I'm well aware of tailoring my resume, but I do have a 'generic' resume that I start from.

@commonlaw - Awesome, that was actually fun once I got into a groove.

[MakeFast]

Just heard back from the CG, it was a 'No' - which means I am done looking for a legal job. I figure 1200 rejections including 3 branches of the service is enough to be a strong indicator that this is not going to happen. Just trying to figure out what else I can do - of course the realization that having a law degree nets you no marketable job skill is rough (apparently 'I think good' is not getting jobs these days).

Who knows what I will do - I am just doubting that it will be anything lawyerly.

[reganized]

As much as you don't want to, why not get into real estate? Hang a shingle somewhere. You can offer more value than a standard RE agent cause you 1) have a law degree, 2) can include legal review of LOI/P&S/closing docs in your commission so you are saving people money. There's no reason why you couldn't offer other legal/estate planning services on the side.

I bet you could even strike a deal with a very active RE Agent where you do the firms legal work and they help you get listings and give you free office space to run your law office.

[bern43]

I know several people that have gone the solo route after having a tough time finding a job. They take criminal and probate cases off the various "lists" that are available and try to supplement that with other cases they bring in. Doesn't seem like too bad of a gig.

Another thing, which you're probably already doing is to join the local bar association. Often times they have "new lawyers" groups for people who have been practicing up to 10 years. It's a good way to network, meet people, and set up "informational interviews."

And don't give up too easily. I have a buddy who was doing contract work for several years before he found a full time government job that he loves. Sometimes it just takes a lot of time. Good luck!

[jsantaularia]

Just my 2 cents. I graduated from New York Law School in '08 and passed the NY bar that summer. I worked on a contract job for a year and a half in NYC. Couldn't find any work after that. I moved out to Denver and worked as a liftie at Copper Mountain last season making $9/hour. Now I moved out to Park City and work at Glenwild Country Club for $9/hour and am happy I have the opportunity to do so. F Law. I'm taking my $200k in loans to the grave.

[MakeFast]

So 2 years after graduating I finally got steady employ. It is pretty ideal for me (working at a land trust - some legal work, some ecology, some non-profitty stuff), but it happens to be across the country (Georgia) from where we were living (Portland) and away from skiing.

I will be buying a WW Kayak soon to get outdoors and get my adrenaline fix that way - but we are in the bowels of South Georgia so not really near any rivers currently (although the river in town will be a WW park in the next few years). Maybe take up falconry or something, who knows.