Job Talk Tuesday: Don't Decide Your Career Before It Starts

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT GETTING THE "DREAM JOB" YOUR FIRST JOB OUT OF LAW SCHOOL."

Lauren Abrams, Class of 2019

Lauren Abrams, a 2019 graduate of the law school, is currently in her dream job practicing legal aid as part of the Family Law Team for the King County Bar Association (KCBA) Pro Bono Services Department. But KCBA is not where Lauren started her career, and it was her willingness to pursue all kinds of opportunities that led her to her ultimate goal. As Lauren shares in this week’s JTT, “…apply to a lot of places and put yourself out there. Everyone needs to get their start.”

When Lauren started her time in law school, she was convinced she knew her path forward. After spending a year serving in the Lutheran Volunteer Corps., Lauren was set on a career in criminal defense and immigration work. When following the rigid path she initially laid for herself didn’t work out, Lauren pivoted and embraced a new mindset that was open to exploration. After utilizing school services by working with Cindy Yeung at the Access to Justice Institute (ATJI), Lauren discovered an unknown interest in family law work. 

Lauren’s open mindset followed her through the rest of law school, including when she discovered her interest in potential post-grad clerkships deep into her final year. While that’s not the typical time to secure such a position, a Division I clerkship opportunity unexpectedly opened and given her flexibility, she was able to start her career in such a position.

While Lauren’s time in private practice following her clerkship didn’t last as long as she had planned for, she refused to let it be viewed as a negative. As she shares, she learned a lot about family law while there and her experience gave her the skillset she needed for her dream job at KCBA. Lauren’s experience goes to show the value of an open mind, the power of a strong network, and the importance of taking your post-grad job search and career development one step at a time. As Lauren shares, “you’ve got this!”

Watch and listen to Lauren’s Job Talk Here