marketing position at law firm Forum

[isaywhoa]

I'm a recent grad (ug) and have been interviewing at different law firms within the bay area to see whether or not I'd like to pursue a paralegal career, or go into law school, etc. Most of these interviews have been for Legal/Project Assistant positions, but I also came across a Marketing Assistant position at a mid-sized law firm (I have a marketing background as well, which is what prompted me to apply for this position), and I'm curious as to whether or not this experience will enable me to get a clear picture of what law as a career looks like. Additionally, I'm a bit concerned regarding the perception law school admissions committees will have towards such a position. Simply put, will I be wasting my time with this position if I choose to apply to a law school?

I appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

[MattThiessen]

Will this allow you to get a clear picture of what a law career looks like? Probably not. Is this a good opportunity for you if considering pursuing a career in law and are going to take 1-2 years off? IMHO, yes.

You probably won't be doing anything actually involving "legal work" in a marketing position, but no doubt you still learn a bit about the legal field and in particular firm administration. I think this will be helpful, but won't be THAT incredible for you. If you work there 1-2 years I think you will walk away with a thorough understanding of how law firms work, but not necessarily how the work gets done.

The best part of this is the potential for networking. This could literally be GOLD. Depending on exactly what the job duties are/what kind of firm you are working for/and a lot of other factors as well, you will likely be involved/working with a lot of different firms and will have the opportunity to meet and develop relationships with a LOT of attorneys. That has the potential to be the most valuable thing you could get out of the job opportunity.

Law schools will NOT care about this position. It shouldn't hurt you and could potentially help you since you would have some real world experience in the legal field and a relatively unique perspective.

FWIW, this is coming from a Paralegal/Legal Assistant's personal observations from the mid-sized firm that he works in right now (there are a couple of Marketing people at the firm). Feel free to PM me with any questions.

[isaywhoa]

Thank you much! I appreciate your insight.

[alumniguy]

Agree for the most part with the previous poster. You will likely NOT gain an understanding of the work that lawyers do. You may be involved from an outside perspective, i.e. you'll become familiar with the types of work that the firm does and the capabilities of the firm's various practice groups. As a marketing assistant you won't be working on anything legal though - you're likely putting together materials to "sell" the firm to potential clients.

The hours will be much more standard than as a paralegal - paralegals at my firm are treated much the same way as first years. If a deal is closing or a major court appearance is coming up for a case, the paralegal is likely pulling long hours aside the first year. You'll get a much great sense of both the work and lifestyle of a law firm working as a paralegal.

That being said, you may be more interested in the marketing position. If you take the marketing position and really focus on experiencing the firm culture and making friends with some of the paralegals, you'll get a good understanding of the lifestyle regardless. But I don't think the marketing position will allow you to see what the work of a lawyer actually entails.