[blindlaw] Need Help

Tue Dec 4 21:02:46 CST 2007

Hi Michelle,

I've been where you are, and it hasn't been that long.  One of the  things 
that I tried was going to _www.nalpdirectory.com_ (http://www.nalpdirectory.com) 
 to search for  firms that practiced in my areas of interest.  I then called 
them (cold  called) and asked whether they had any open positions.  Another 
avenue you  might try is idealist.org, which has a listing of nonprofit jobs.  I 
also  suggest you join the Young Lawyers section of your State and City Bar  
Associations.  Those sorts of social events are great networking  tools.

While I was job hunting, I made up some business cards on my printer at  home 
and took them to law offices of people I knew casually or maybe opposed  when 
I was clerking during law school.  I asked them if they'd refer me any  cases 
they didn't want or couldn't handle.  I got a decent amount of work  that way 
- attorneys would call me if they had a scheduling conflict, and they  either 
referred the client to me or we split the fee.  It's a good  tide-over tool 
while you're finding the right fit.  But I'll warn you that  most of that kind 
of referral work is litigation oriented, and a big percentage  of that is 
criminal defense.

Finally, perhaps you might consider calling the village halls neighboring  
where you live and asking for the contact information of the attorney or firm  
that represents them.  Then call them and convey your interest in school  law 
or perhaps a more generalized practice and ask if they're hiring.  You  might 
luck out.

Hope this helps you and others.  In the meantime, keep a positive  outlook.  
You'll find something that suits you, whether it happens tomorrow  or it takes 
a little more time.  

Regards,
Ronza

In a message dated 12/4/2007 7:20:58 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
DFrye at nfb.org writes:

Michelle:

Please don't misunderstand my following comments. I am  absolutely
empathetic with the frustration, desperation, and discrimination  we as
blind people often experience when searching for employment. Many of  us
who are blind, though, spend months, if not years, looking for work.  It
remains the rare exception--justifiable or not--that a blind  graduate
from any program walks right out of school and steps into a  position. I
doubt that anybody on this list can offer you much more help  than to
lend a supportive ear and encourage you to take responsibility  for
accessing all of the avenues for employment that any graduate of  law
school would ordinarily tap, job Websites, classified adds,  career
counseling centers associated with your law school,  internship
opportunities that may ultimately turn into fulltime employment  chances,
personal and professional networking, etc. I've known two  significant
spans of unemployment in my life. One lasted for three years  immediately
after law school; the second consumed almost five months. My  job
searching exercise became a more than eight-hour a day process.  It's
tough, but yours is not an isolated experience. Anybody who tells  you
otherwise is being either disingenuous or has known a truly  exceptional
experience. Other than moral support, your inquiry will be  best
acknowledged on the NFB employment listserv where job opportunities  are
advertised. People here will only be able to offer these types  of
general suggestions, presumably all of which you know and have  tried
already. If you haven't tried these suggestions already, you're  probably
not ready to find work. Finally, as chafing and unjust as it may  seem,
my one suggestion for your consideration is that you may have to aim  for
more modest professional goals than you originally expected to  realize
Simply as a means of getting your foot in the paid employment door.  Of
course, this advice also must be balanced as agreeing to take  something
too diminished may harm your chances for upward  mobility.
Congratulations on passing the Georgia  Bar.

*******************
Daniel B. Frye, JD.
Manager of  Affiliate Action--Advocacy and Training
National Federation of the  Blind
Department of Affiliate Action
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore,  Maryland 21230
Telephone: (410) 659-9314 Ext. 2208
Cell: (410)  241-7006
Fax: (410) 659-6893
Email: dfrye at nfb.org
Website Address:  www.nfb.org
"Voice of the Nation's Blind" 

-----Original  Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org  [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of M T
Sent: Monday,  December 03, 2007 3:11 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
Subject:  [blindlaw] Need Help

Hi All,
I hope everyone had a safe and  wonderful Thanksgiving. I need some help.
I am still looking for a job. I  have passed the Georgia Bar and I was
sworn in about 2 weeks ago. I thought  that potential employers would
begin to take me seriously, but some still  have there doubts as to
whether a blind person can make it practicing law.  If anyone has any
contacts that I could talk to I would greatly appreciate  it. I just want
a chance to show people that I can do it. I am interested  in the areas
of Disability Law, Special Education and Civil  Rights.
Please, if any one knows someone that might be willing to give me  a
chance I will be so grateful. I just want to help others  navigate
through some of the hurdles that I have overcome, if there is some  one
out there that can assist me please contact me. Thanks. Have a  wonderful
Holiday Season.

Best,
Michelle

--
Michelle  Tarley, J.D., University of Georgia School of Law

"Life is either a  daring adventure or nothing"
-- Helen  Keller
_______________________________________________
blindlaw mailing  list
blindlaw at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw
_______________________________________________
blindlaw  mailing  list
blindlaw at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw

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-------------- next part --------------
Hi Michelle,

I've been where you are, and it hasn't been that long.  One of the things that I tried was going to http://www.nalpdirectory.com www.nalpdirectory.com
to search for firms that practiced in my areas of interest.  I then called them (cold called) and asked whether they had any open positions.  Another avenue you might try is idealist.org, which has a listing of nonprofit jobs.  I also suggest you join the Young Lawyers section of your State and City Bar Associations.  Those sorts of social events are great networking tools.

While I was job hunting, I made up some business cards on my printer at home and took them to law offices of people I knew casually or maybe opposed when I was clerking during law school.  I asked them if they'd refer me any cases they didn't want or couldn't handle.  I got a decent amount of work that way - attorneys would call me if they had a scheduling conflict, and they either referred the client to me or we split the fee.  It's a good tide-over tool while you're finding the right fit.  But I'll warn you that most of that kind of referral work is litigation oriented, and a big percentage of that is criminal defense.

Finally, perhaps you might consider calling the village halls neighboring where you live and asking for the contact information of the attorney or firm that represents them.  Then call them and convey your interest in school law or perhaps a more generalized practice and ask if they're hiring.  You might luck out.

Hope this helps you and others.  In the meantime, keep a positive outlook.  You'll find something that suits you, whether it happens tomorrow or it takes a little more time. 

Regards,
Ronza

In a message dated 12/4/2007 7:20:58 A.M. Central Standard Time, DFrye at nfb.org writes:
Michelle:
Please don't misunderstand my following comments. I am absolutely
empathetic with the frustration, desperation, and discrimination we as
blind people often experience when searching for employment. Many of us
who are blind, though, spend months, if not years, looking for work. It
remains the rare exception--justifiable or not--that a blind graduate
from any program walks right out of school and steps into a position. I
doubt that anybody on this list can offer you much more help than to
lend a supportive ear and encourage you to take responsibility for
accessing all of the avenues for employment that any graduate of law
school would ordinarily tap, job Websites, classified adds, career
counseling centers associated with your law school, internship
opportunities that may ultimately turn into fulltime employment chances,
personal and professional networking, etc. I've known two significant
spans of unemployment in my life. One lasted for three years immediately
after law school; the second consumed almost five months. My job
searching exercise became a more than eight-hour a day process. It's
tough, but yours is not an isolated experience. Anybody who tells you
otherwise is being either disingenuous or has known a truly exceptional
experience. Other than moral support, your inquiry will be best
acknowledged on the NFB employment listserv where job opportunities are
advertised. People here will only be able to offer these types of
general suggestions, presumably all of which you know and have tried
already. If you haven't tried these suggestions already, you're probably
not ready to find work. Finally, as chafing and unjust as it may seem,
my one suggestion for your consideration is that you may have to aim for
more modest professional goals than you originally expected to realize
Simply as a means of getting your foot in the paid employment door. Of
course, this advice also must be balanced as agreeing to take something
too diminished may harm your chances for upward mobility.
Congratulations on passing the Georgia Bar.
*******************
Daniel B. Frye, JD.
Manager of Affiliate Action--Advocacy and Training
National Federation of the Blind
Department of Affiliate Action
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Telephone: (410) 659-9314 Ext. 2208
Cell: (410) 241-7006
Fax: (410) 659-6893
Email: dfrye at nfb.org
Website Address: www.nfb.org
"Voice of the Nation's Blind"
-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of M T
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 3:11 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
Subject: [blindlaw] Need Help
Hi All,
I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. I need some help.
I am still looking for a job. I have passed the Georgia Bar and I was
sworn in about 2 weeks ago. I thought that potential employers would
begin to take me seriously, but some still have there doubts as to
whether a blind person can make it practicing law. If anyone has any
contacts that I could talk to I would greatly appreciate it. I just want
a chance to show people that I can do it. I am interested in the areas
of Disability Law, Special Education and Civil Rights.
Please, if any one knows someone that might be willing to give me a
chance I will be so grateful. I just want to help others navigate
through some of the hurdles that I have overcome, if there is some one
out there that can assist me please contact me. Thanks. Have a wonderful
Holiday Season.
Best,
Michelle
--
Michelle Tarley, J.D., University of Georgia School of Law
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing"
                                               -- Helen Keller
_______________________________________________
blindlaw mailing list
blindlaw at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw
_______________________________________________
blindlaw mailing list
blindlaw at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw
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