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Your Law Career in Six Words

Published: Oct 03, 2013

 Law       
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Six words tell a great story. So great, in fact, that last week SMITH Magazine’s Six-Word Memoir project expanded its sphere of influence to reach the legal blog universe. Inspired by the Six-Word Festival on Twitter, held from September 24-26, several legal websites including the ABA Journal and the WSJ Law Blog invited readers to share six-word stories about law school, law careers, or the law in general. Just a week earlier, legal writing professor Lisa Mazzie of Marquette University Law School had solicited six-word stories from students so that they could practice concise writing and spin their creative wheels à la Ernest Hemingway.  What’s up with the six-word storytelling craze? As SMITH Magazine aptly stated, “Writing in Six Words is a simple, creative way to get to the essence of anything -- from the breaking news of the day to your own life and the way you live it.”

What lawyer doesn’t embrace the challenge of being expressive and succinct all at once? Here are some six-word legal career memoirs Vault received from professionals around the country. Thanks to all our contributors for distilling their experiences down to these short yet powerful phrases:

“Pro bono makes billables worth it”
--Litigation Associate, New York City

“Business development with people you like”
--Special Counsel, New York City

“Aimless big law; escaped to tech”
--Startup Founder, San Francisco, CA

“Big law dropout, little law lover”
--Litigation Associate, New York City

“White collar defense, excruciating uphill battle”
--Litigation Associate, New York City

“Had better shoes as litigation associate”
--In-House Counsel, New York City

“Fewer people in cages, healthier communities”
--Policy-to-Practice Consultant, New York City

“Constantly contemplating next job; still here”
--Litigation Associate, New York City

“Graduated with honors, unemployed a year”
--Now Employed Associate, San Francisco, CA (HOPE!)

“Protecting the vulnerable, striving for justice”
--District Attorney, New York City

“Student loan rate ensures indentured servitude”
--In-House Counsel, Columbus, OH 

“Burned out fighting the good fight”
--Litigation Associate, San Francisco, CA

“Tried lawyering but was like nah”
--Commercial Litigator turned Freelance Writer

“Pro bono, only substantive experience received”
--Litigation Associate, New York City

“Paralegal, associate, in-house -- future’s wide open”
--In-House Counsel, New York City

And straight from the center of the (in)action in our nation’s capital…

“Midnight furlough notice? Job security, indeed”
--Federal Government Attorney, Washington, DC

How would you describe your legal career in six words? Tell us in the Comments section! And feel free to share it (or any six-word memoir you like) on www.sixwordmemoirs.com

Read More:

Highlights from the Six-Word Festival on Twitter
Law and Law School in Six Words (Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog)

Write a ‘Six-Word Memoir’ of Your Law Career (ABA Journal)

Describing Law School in Six Words (WSJ Law Blog)

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