Career Strategy

Myths

Misconceptions may distort law your view about working in the public interest field. To ensure that you get an accurate perspective on public interest law, the following "myths" need to be dispelled.

"The job search itself is impossible."

Finding a job in the public interest sector may require more time, effort and dedication than the On-Campus Interview Program. However, many private sector jobs also require additional effort, so the public interest job search is no different. Indeed, most legal employment opportunities are found outside On-Campus Interviews. If you are committed to public interest work, the goal is achievable. Public interest jobs do exist and many graduates of Villanova do get them.

Public interest attorneys do not receive lower quality training; their training is just different. One of the greatest benefits of public interest work is that it provides immediate hands-on experience and a substantial amount of responsibility. In many public interest jobs new attorneys are needed to act as advocates as soon as they step on the job. While large private firms may provide more classroom seminars and in-house training programs than public interest organizations, the training process of a new public interest attorney involves actual experience, learning by doing. For example, many litigators at firms rarely see the inside of a courtroom, whereas public interest litigators are there regularly. The same is also true for attorneys providing counseling or transactional work. Public service work provides tremendous opportunity for professional growth and achievement early in your legal career.

Career changes occur all the time and just as private attorneys can move to the public interest sector, public interest attorneys can move to the private sector. Examples of transitions from public interest to the private sector commonly occur in areas such as litigation, immigration, environmental and family law. Many other public service fields provide valuable skills and expertise for transition anywhere in the private sector. Private law firms often value the direct experience that public interest lawyering provides when considering an applicant in the field. Remember: much of what new attorneys learn in their first years as lawyers is lawyering skills more than substance. The lawyering skills you will learn are transferable to other legal job settings.

In our society, unfortunately, a high salary is often equated with success. Success, however, is personally defined and one must feel success from within. Many attorneys are considered successful if they change an unjust law or help someone in need and/or without any representation. You must determine what success means to you in terms of your professional and personal life. If work satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment, autonomy, responsibility, and intellectual stimulation (all of which are elements that many public interest attorneys find in their work) are among your standards for success, then public interest law may be an option for you to explore. Before determining what type of law you want to practice and whether you want to be in the public or private sector, it is imperative that you figure out what is best for you and what will give you the greatest personal satisfaction.

There's no doubt that public interest organizations and government agencies have very tight budgets and limited funding for salaries, bonuses, and other financial perks. However, many public interest jobs-particularly those in government-offer salaries comparable to small law firms, which is where most private practioners in this country work. Moreover, public interest agencies do reward experience over time, and experience can mean more compensation. Finally, there are ways to manage your debts and expenses so that you can follow your goals and serve the public. Talk with your lenders, create a financial budget, and put your money where your heart is-by taking charge of your own spending and expenses. Public interest lawyers raise children, buy houses, and enjoy life-just like other financially stable individuals! Before you turn away from public interest work, talk with public interest lawyers to find out how they balanced their dreams and their checkbooks.

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