What to do, How to do it and What not to do during an internship to ensure a fulfilling experience and make a lasting impression on your Senior Associates.
Beads of Sweat trickle down our young Esquire’s brow as he stands outside of the firm of his dreams. This one-month period could make or break him. Lawyers of all kinds file in and out of the firms, cases in hand while others chatter to their clients on their phones, excitedly. This could be you even in a next couple of months. In order not to falter or blow the opportunity of a life time, tune your ear to my advice and heed my counsel.
Legal Internships are a foreshadowing of the future of every lawyer and most likely a dress rehearsal for your career. It’s like looking into a mirror and seeing the picture of your future. Your interpersonal relationship skills are tested as well as your legal theory. In can be daunting, but as the elders say, in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Quality advice will translate into quality experience.
To succeed on your first time as an intern, your decision-making should be calculated and informed by your passions, desires and your future career prospects. In this piece, I’ll share what to do before your internship, skills you need for this internship and how to succeed during your internship.
Before Choosing your Internship
Choose a legal specialisation that aligns with your long term goals. It is necessary that all circumstances are aligned towards your future practice. Define your long term goals; are you enrolling in the internship to work later in the the firm as an associate or are you enrolling in the internship programme to garner requisite knowledge for your future practice.
It is necessary to do significant research on the firm you want to work in as an intern. Familiarize yourself with the mission and vision of the company you want to intern in. Conduct an internal assessment and decide whether you would want to be a part that mission. It would be painful to spend an entire month with a firm that does nothing to resonate with your vision.
Building a strong resume and a cover letter
Your resume and cover letter are your billboards. You would want to curate a holistic resume and cover letter that highlights your motivation to join the firm and how you got to know of the firm. Displaying a thorough knowledge of the firm’s values, mission and practice areas will give the impression that you are fully acquainted and well-abreast with what the firm stands for.
Do well to market your achievements and the necessary skills you have acquired in the long run in your cover letter. Brand, market, Brand, market, I repeat, brand and market as much as possible. Don’t feel shy to sell your achievements. Failure to do so will not give your employers the very best impression of your credentials and potentials.
Be sure to add extra-curriculars and volunteer experiences as all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Employers don’t just want a brainiac who will wow the other associates with their intellect and intelligence but also a people person who can interact with others and have a life. They would want to be sure that you are not only a intellectually adept at your area of practice but also realizing that the heart office your practice is client- centered.
Gain Experience Through Alternative Avenues
You can decide to divert a little and volunteer at other places. Volunteering at Non-Governmental Organizations and societies can count as a perfect opportunity to put your legal theory to good use. By taking up volunteer work, you build resilience and capability. You learn first-hand how to serve others without being motivated by money but out of a sense of passion for the job.
It will also benefit you to write legal articles and contribute blogs to demonstrate subject knowledge. By embarking on research and updating your internal legal library with information, you establish yourself as a thought leader in diverse subjects areas.
Participate in Debate and Moot Competitions too. Building advocacy and oral presentation skills in the long run will enable you to communicate effectively with clients and put forth your arguments.
Prepare for the interviews
Research common interview questions and practice answering them to yourself. Take note of potential questions and jot down answers to them before-hand.
During the interview, be authentic and true to yourself as possible. Your confidence level should match your competence level. Employers will see through a braggadocio in a split second. Be humble but be forthcoming. Let them know that you’re capable of the role your interning for and do your possible best to present yourself in the most professional way possible.
Arrive early but not too early to exert emotional pressure on the interviewers. Be courteous and polite to the other interviewers. During the interviewing process, ask questions and prod about firm culture. It’s okay to leave when you know that the firm environment will not align with your values.
Persistence
After the interview, do well to follow up and catch up. Make sure you call, send an email and politely follow through with the process.
Internship Etiquette
Composure During critiques.
It is no secret that interns are most likely to be used as the elbow rest for a lot of senior associates. You will be bullied, your patience will be tested and your resilience will be stretched beyond its boundaries. It is tempting to display temper or want to let them know who you are but at the cost of a golden opportunity.
Maintain dignity when being critiqued. Learn to maintain a poker face after facing criticisms and try not to show your frustrations as it will mean looking unprofessional.
Punctuality
Punctuality is important in the legal field and judges have an over abundance of cases to hear. Everything in the court room runs on a tight schedule. Running late on a tight schedule is a sign of lack of dedication to the job . Be on time every day and don’t be in a rush to be the first one out of the door.
Maintain formal office communications
Address emails and greeting signatures with a note of formality. Sounding overly formal will not cost you a recommendation letter but sounding disrespectful and immature will.
Millennials and Gen Z’s are a generation of emojis and abbreviations. Senior Partners and supervising attorneys are not. Do not engage with slangs, jargons and youthful lingua when communicating with your superiors. Refrain from sending “Hahaha”, “sup” and “yo.” Don’t forget to punctuate your sentences with “Please”, and “Thank you” .
You’re not above any piece of work
You’re there to help as much as you’re there to learn. You’re not above any piece of work such as grabbing the coffee, getting the door for someone and stacking files and paper work. You won’t have much to do as you will not have the appropriate credentials. Don’t get frustrated when you are asked to make copies and retrieve documents for WestLaw or Lexis Nexis. You’ll be asked to attend many events as much as possible and never look annoyed or bored at your job.
Rudeness and ego are a dispelling factor. People are most likely to help the nicer, more polite intern that the know it all who snubs each and everyone. You’ll be caught if you’re polite with ulterior motives. Treat every person you encounter with respect and politeness. Bad news travels very fast!
Send thank you and email cards.
Here’s an example of good fashioned manners. Write an email and a thank you card. Don’t over do the thank you notes but be sincere with extending your gratitude. There’s nothing more attractive than an intern who is grateful for an opportunity extended to him or her. Don’t be disingenuous. Show contentment to the one person who helped you with a task earlier that day.
Have Fun
Thus sums the matter. The fact that you’re an intern doesn’t mean you need not go out and experience life. Don’t slag or burnout because of work. Take time to care for yourself as distress and tiredness will cause you to underperform. To all the Esquire’s making a bold move to dive headlong into the warring field of the law, All the Best!
Ewura Nadumi is a Second-Level Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree student at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration. Her interests include Graphic Design, Intellectual property Law and Real Estate Law. She does enjoy other points of the law as well.