An AUSA With Interview, Job, and Career Tips

                                               AUSA Jennifer May-Parker draws a crowd!

Late last semester, Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer May-Parker participated in one of NCCU Law’s Public Service Attorney Brownbag Spotlight Series presentations. Ms May-Parker is currently in the Appellate Division having also spent time in the Criminal Division. Prior to her work as an AUSA, she was a line attorney at both the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office and the prestigious New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney’s Office. She is a regular visitor to NCCU Law School and again brought motivating career advice that’s useful to all law students, not just those who were privileged to hear her talk.

How to Interview

Ms. May-Parker told the law students to always come into an interview confident, adding that so many students don’t seem to process the fact that they had already been selected for the interview (“so feel good about that!).”Don’t be nervous. I’m looking for people who are confident. I don’t expect you to know everything. I just want you NOT to be afraid.. . . ”

. . . I might add from where I sit in my chair as the Director of Public Service Programs, that a law student (or an attorney set to interview as well) can gain in confidence by doing a mock interview with his/her Career Service Office. The back-and-forth of a pre-interview will help a student work (and repackage, if necessary) their answers that they will be asked during the interview. Moreover, feedback from the Career Service Officer is also key (see if your CSO can video your performance so that you can actually see yourself in action). . . . If it works for candidates running for office, why wouldn’t it work for a law student prior to a job interview?

In fact, I feel so strongly about the mock interview process, that I have told our students that failure to go through a mock interview prior to a scheduled interview is tantamount to law student malpractice.

Learn to Write Well and Be Fearless

Ms. May-Parker stressed that legal writing is a skill that one must learn, and that it’s not intuitive. She advised students to enroll in those courses and clinical programs that will give the student the opportunity to write extensively.

As related to course selection, she urged students to focus on courses that will assist them in developing the practical skills that will be needed post law school. Never be afraid to take anything.”

As a voice of experience in this regard, let me add to Ms. May-Parker’s advice:

I will remind all law students who venture out and into a courtroom post graduation that fostering a “fearless” attitude regarding course selection and professors will help them as litigators. fearless law students will develop the same attitude when it comes to walking into the courtroom of the one judge that all other attorneys have grown to fear. If you are prepared substantively, fear of the judge will be one less thing to worry about!

Don’t Lose Your Reputation

Ms. May-Parker implored our students to always be honest in their dealings with all lawyers, especially opposing counsel. “Your honesty follows you everywhere.” Ms. May-Parker reminded the students that the very first thing an attorney does when he/she knows the name of an opposing counsel is to call around to find out “what is he/she like?” She added that the last thing that she wanted to hear was that opposing counsel was “slippery.” . . all bets were off for a professional relationship with that attorney from that point on.

Be Yourself

Interestingly, Ms May-Parker says that though she has tried umpteen cases, she considers herself an “introvert who becomes an extrovert” in court. She told the students not to try and be the one person who walks into a room and takes “command” of the room if that’s not who they are. “You always get the best results if you are remain who you are.”

In parting, she told our students to remember that what they believe  about themselves and their hopes, desires, will –more times than not – lead to who they become as lawyers.

“It’s so important that you have great expectations.”

Good advice to take to heart.