Hitting Professors up for introductions, networking, jobs... Forum

[lolschool2011]

Does this happen at all in law school? Are professors solicited for contacts by students, or even a quick introduction that might help secure an interview? How much, if any, of this goes on?

[amyraydun]

It goes on but obviously you have to be tactful and careful about the professor you are talking to. I had one professor who offered lots of help to me out of the blue and I have another professor who I really respect and want to impress but it seems like it's hard to cut through to any sort of casual conversation, no less a convo about connections.
So it depends. Just keep dropping your interests when you speak with professors and see if any of them pick up on them. GL

[lolschool2011]

It goes on but obviously you have to be tactful and careful about the professor you are talking to. I had one professor who offered lots of help to me out of the blue and I have another professor who I really respect and want to impress but it seems like it's hard to cut through to any sort of casual conversation, no less a convo about connections.
So it depends. Just keep dropping your interests when you speak with professors and see if any of them pick up on them. GL

Word.

[Nicholas Nickleby]

Depends on the professor. Adjuncts tend to run the gamut from those who really want to help students get jobs and will really put themselves out in order to do so and those who are basically just teaching to hear themselves talk for 3 hours a week. Tenured professors tend to have less connections in the "real world" outside of academia, but this really depends on the individual professor.

If you like a professor you've had for a class, or if you've had a class in an area of law you'd really like to practice, just go in and shoot the shit with them about your career plan, etc. You never know what kinds of connections professors have or how willing they are to help students until you ask them.