In this article, we invited lawyer Dong Yue from Guangdong Ying Jin Law Firm to joint interview lawyer Connor from Beijing Zhong Lun Law Firm.Connor shared with us his education experience, career path and work content, and gave his own views on the career planning of young legal professionals.
Lexloong: Please introduce yourself briefly.
Connor: I graduated from Northeastern University with a bachelors degree. In 2022, I went to Cornell University Law School and obtained a masters degree in Law (LL.M.). Currently, I am working as a lawyer in Beijing Zhong Lun Law Firm. Mainly responsible for the compliance and dispute resolution of the government, public institutions and administrative agencies.
Study Chapter
Lexloong: Why did you choose to go to study LLM in the United States?
Connor: There are about four aspects:
The LLM in the United States has a long schooling system, which can better study of law.
It is very meaningful to attend classes with JD students, and to experience the classroom of the American law school and the traditional American teaching methods.
The classroom environment and academic rigor in the United States are very good.
LLM in the United States can take the New York Bar, which is more suitable for my career development.
Lexloong: Why did you choose Cornell University to study for LLM? Could you please share your study experience with us?
Connor: Firstly, Cornell University is a very famous traditional university in the United States, which is also well known in China. Secondly, it has a fixed campus campus, very beautiful. In the meantime, law school and other majors are studying in the same place, and I can also know friends in different fields. In the end, Cornell is not in the city and costs a little less.
Lexloong: How many legal resources does Cornell University provide?
Connor: In terms of employment, it is similar to other schools, with job fairs, law firm resources and so on. Much of the information is now posted online and advertised by the school's career services. There are plenty of job opportunities, such as in the big local offices in the United States. However, due to the bad environment, it still needs to be evaluated according to the specific situation.
Lexloong: We all know that the study pressure of LLM is very great. You have to study many courses in one year. Could you describe your study and life last year? How does it adjust it?
Connor: It is main the pressure of classes and studying. In the beginning, I can not understand the lecture, and the talk,which of other students with the professor. This is due to the lack of knowledge background. At the same time, there are too many Reading in the course, and there are homework before class every day. At the beginning, I have a lot of pressure, and I have to adapt to life, read the materials, and review what I have learned today. LLM also requires both normal courses and Bar exams. From my heart, this year can feel like two years. However, making efforts can catch up, basically after half a semester of exercise can adapt to.
Lexloong: LLM is very busy. What else do you think needs to develop besides study?
Connor:
I think there are three aspects:
Social interaction and opportunity. The school provides law firm visits such as: big law, the world-renowned large multinational law firm. To experience the unique atmosphere of the long-honored law firm. Secondly, Cornells alumni resources in the United States are also very good. At the same time, Cornells geographical location really does not affect, but the employment resources, the list ranking are very good. Finally, you can socialize with other students of other majors. Different from the development opportunities of different careers, everyones ideas and ideas will collide with new sparks.
Enjoy your life. New York is one of the more traditional American states. And every state has some cultural differences. You can travel, experience the local customs, and experience the social culture.
Discover your own interests and goals."Do I fit it or not?"You can find it out by choosing some courses, or by communicating with people in the relevant field.
Lexloong: Did you prepare for New York Bar? How did you prepare for New York Bar? Did you study for the exam on campus or just prepare for the exam after graduation? And can you teach you some test skills?
Connor: I took the NY Bar exam in July, but I have no results yet.
LLM is the third grade of American JD students. At the same time, my course selection design is “a hobby + test bar”. Contact with tutoring materials, tutoring agencies, such as Barbri, Taiwan, China’ point and other tutoring agencies. Comparing the differences between them and whether you can get used to them earlier. The basic learning direction had been prepared, and by the time I started to review, I had already got most of the things ready.
After graduation, I reviewed my life in school for two months, at three points. I think it is very important to do the class may forget, or may not have time to review. But NY Bar question answer is very long, so to review, analysis is need to spend a lot of time, do the question to be more important, the analysis of multiple choice its basis, for your paper is helpful. At the same time, the Bar requires a high amount of doing exercises.
Lexloong: Have you ever thought of staying in the United States? Are there so many students studying in the US? How to stay beautiful?
Connor: I have considered it, but I have decided to return to China after comprehensive consideration. Friends around also stay, in the Chinese law firm, local legal affairs; also to attend the interview, communication, etc.
Work Chapter
LEXLOONG: Can you briefly introduce your job-hunting experience after graduation? And some advice for your classmates who are looking for jobs?
Connor: In general, the economic situation this year is not good, but everyone himself is different, so some people have made very good offers. You can pay more attention to the employment platform and information to improve your ability. I am not afraid of good opportunities. I have work experience, mainly in Beijing, so I choose to return to Zhong Lun. It is suggested that partners pay more attention to some opportunities that are highly compatible with their basic situation, to distinguish which information is effective or useful, and also to have a full understanding of the legal market.
Lexloong: Why do you choose dispute resolution and litigation compliance? Is chance or a purpose?
Connor: Yes, during the university internship is basically in the court, contact are civil and commercial disputes; after graduation from university, also do this kind of related business. In general, it is because of their own experience and the field of expertise.
After completing the study of LLM, I will also consider some related foreign business as a long-term development goal, such as foreign arbitration.
Lexloong: What do you think are the most interesting places and the most difficult places in your work?
Connor: When daily docking, to understand the customers mind very importantly. Contact the place for a long time, you will also find the value of the lawyers unique existence."The purpose of the company consultation? What does the whole process mean?"Long-term learning experience and accumulation are very important.
In practice, it requires an in-depth understanding of a certain Angle and a certain material, and it also tests the ability of communication and expression. Domestic judicial links, how to face the judge's questions, according to the authority of the judge's inquiry system, how to calmly reply, protect our parties, how to attack the weakness of the other side.
Advice for Young Legal Professionals
Lexloong: Looking back at your student days from work, you would remind yourself in your student days what skills and qualities must you master?
Connor:
On the one hand, it is the output. First of all, we must ask more, understand more and communicate more. As a legal person, your weapon is your mouth, and your language expression is an important way to test your ability to learn. At the same time, language communication is also the most important way of learning. Through asking questions and answering questions, we can enhance the understanding and understanding with others, which is also the process of learning. Of course, I also want to understand to put forward some deep questions, force yourself to say more and ask more questions process, will slowly find their own progress!
On the other hand, it is the continuous input. Increase the chance to exercise your abilities. To have an understanding of the whole legal industry, the wider the better, moot court, related lectures, you can participate. Listen to people in different industries, grasp different opportunities, see what is the content they share, what is the forefront of the industry, what is in mind in this business field, these will be of great help to themselves!
Lexloong: What advice would you give to the legal students who are studying in college?
Connor: Do the right thing at the right time.
I think it is mainly divided into four stages:
Freshman year: the time to learn and adapt. Take the time to think about what career you want to do? Clear goals, career development plans, and match what you learn and what you want to do? And for the development of other hobbies.
Sophomore year: pay attention to their own study. The basic framework, civil law, criminal law, administrative law and other departments should be deeply cultivated and invested in the study to pave the way for the law examination. And find out what areas are you more interested in? Whether it is scientific research, study, or research papers, etc., it will be better to find your favorite field. You can also ask more questions to the professor in class!
Junior year: internship, mock court, to cultivate the ability of professional knowledge. The law school of each school is different, should go to other schools to see. Opportunities, platforms, people, meetings (even volunteer, assistants, internships), these will benefit you a lot.
Senior year: prepare for the law examination, employment.
Lexloong: Some students are in a dilemma, whether to join the work or continue to study first?
Connor: Cut both ways.
I myself is to work first and then study, I feel benefited a lot. It is similar to many other countries who go to the United States to study in LLM students, or some local JD students in the United States all work first. Moreover, studying in American law school is not small (this is different from China, Chinese parents are generous about education and may support their children to study), so many American students need to save their own money to study. So when you attend law school, you will have your own career development goals.
Of course, if you plan to study abroad before graduating from domestic universities, then save time and go out directly. If they are still confused near graduation, not knowing what they like or what they can do, these students can work first. Work first can see the social and market environment first, and then consider whether to go out.
In general, we should combine their own financial situation, family status, personal career planning and other comprehensive consideration.
Lexloong: What do you think to choose different professional fields in non-litigation and litigation? And the recent popular e people and i people, will there be a more suitable direction?
Connor: I do not think there is an absolute difference between “e” and “i”. “E” people may have the desire to communicate with the social environment and want to do this. For work, litigation is really very "e", need to be good at, willing to communicate. In fact, “I”people can also be changed at work, and some “i” people will have a strong desire to communicate with others at work.
Lexloong: Finally, do you have any other supplementary information that you want to share with your readers?
Connor: Do not worry about employment, it is more important to choose what is for you. Afraid of the students are too anxious, choose to do not like, the fresh year really want to be very careful to choose the first job. Eighty percent of the first job determines the resume, process and planning. In fact, the real legal needs lie in the team, partners and lawyers, so do not worry at the beginning, you can try more. Now the family pressure will not be too big, so you can wait, choose their own appropriate opportunity, can not judge with the exclusion method. In short, ask more, do not worry, grasp the judgment of the target area. I hope everyone can engage in their favorite and suitable work!
LEXLOONG: Thank you Connor!
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