This week, I had the pleasure of presenting a Resume Workshop at the 3rd Annual Georgia Latino Law Foundation’s Law Day. The attendees were Latino Law Students at Emory University, Georgia State University College of Law, Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University, and Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. The students ranged from incoming 1Ls to LL.M. candidates with prior legal careers in Latin American countries as well as second career professionals transitioning into law.

We had a lively discussion about planning for your legal career and how to market yourself – beginning with the resume.  We discussed the various types of opportunities in the Atlanta legal market – including public interest roles, clerkships, private practice (small to big law firms), in-house positions and how to tailor one’s resume to the position sought.  A lively discussion ensued about the “resume myths” regarding length – “must it be limited to 1 page?” and the true importance of proofreading, verifying dates, formatting and fonts.

Following the discussion, the students paired off to discuss their backgrounds and varied experiences as well as review each other resumes to see if it provided a thorough professional snapshot.  Several Atlanta Latino lawyers also volunteered to review the students’ resumes and provide further guidance in what they seek as employers.

The rest of the day included various panel discussions with Atlanta lawyers on the importance of Community Service and Pro Bono work, Networking, and Interviewing and ending with a Reception with several prominent attorneys, including Justice David Nahmias of the Georgia Supreme Court and State Court Judge Dax López.

Kudos to the Georgia Latino Law Foundation for sponsoring another fantastic Law Day and best wishes to the student participants in their legal studies!