If you haven’t noticed, there’s a glut of unemployed lawyers. Even pro bono projects are being flooded with resumes from laid-off lawyers. As a result, even lawyers with posh law firm experience may find it hard to land plumb pro bono assignments.
Although pro bono has been viewed as a great way to get work experience in a new legal field, as the ABA Journal reports, non-profits are turning down inexperienced lawyers.
And so, good interview skills matter–even for volunteer stints. According to the New York Times’s recent article Even Pro Bono Work Requires Doing Your Homework First, “Sometimes people who come from high-powered jobs have a “you’re lucky to get me free” attitude that doesn’t sit well.” So, whether you’re interviewing with a top global firm or a small pro bono project, polish your people skills and interview well.
