Associate Attorney
(Female, Age 30) from Elgin, IL
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 30 who works as a Associate Attorney in Elgin, IL. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Associate Attorney |
|---|---|
| Salary | $83,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 60 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Elgin, IL |
| Years Experience | 3 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work for a immigration plus general practice law firm. It is a small firm composed of 6 lawyers.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I write legal motions and pleadings. I also prepare memorandum for firm use. I attend court hearings such as obtaining orders of protections. I prepare and review immigration documents for change of status applicants.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
I have health insurance
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
undercompensated
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
I go to court a lot which I like. However, sometimes my superior will give me a court appearance I don’t know anything about. It is utterly embarrassing to go unprepared in front of a judge.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
I like the location…I wish I had a better kitchen
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 3
Benefits: 4
Hours: 5
Co-Workers: 2
Supervisors: 1
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 7
The Actual Work: 6
A day in the life of…
Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:
| 5am to 6am | |
| 6am to 7am | |
| 7am to 8am | Get ready for work |
| 8am to 9am | Get to work |
| 9am to 10am | Look at the calendar for court hearings. Get all my paperwork together to take along. Go to the hearing. |
| 10am to 11am | Present a motion to continue…get it approved….file the paperwork with the clerk…come back to the office… |
| 11am to 12pm | Meet with a client regarding a past conviction….obtain the police report and trial documents…discuss ways to obtain relief and go forward with the immigration petition. |
| 12pm to 1pm | Lunch Break |
| 1pm to 2pm | Start working on summary judgment motion…conduct research and take notes…Prepare a brief summary of applicable law…talk with client on the phone |
| 2pm to 3pm | Prepare to go to the order of protection for a client being harassed by her husband…Talk to her on the phone…Get the necessary documents together… |
| 3pm to 4pm | Went to court…consulted with client…presented the motion…judge asks questions to me and the client regarding the abuse…Judge approves…I talk to client about when she has to come back… |
| 4pm to 5pm | Come back to office….Continue to work on the summary judgment motion…speak briefly to the client to clarify details… |
| 5pm to 6pm | Meet with new client about adjusting immigration status…explain the steps to obtaining a green card….case is based on marriage so I advise to bring in his wife next time so she also understands what is involved in the petition and how to prepare for the future interview…Obtain personal details and the retainer for the initial consultation |
| 6pm to 7pm | Make a few phone calls to different clients updating them on the status of their cases…Talk to the legal secretary about filing paper at the Daley center tomorrow. |
| 7pm to 8pm | Go Home |
| 8pm to 9pm | |
| 9pm to 10pm | |
| 10pm to 11pm | |
| 11pm to 12am |
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
Internet
What was the application process?
Email Resume
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
Yes, there were two interviews, first with a partner, second with a group of partners
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
Why did you become a lawyer? What Salary are you expecting?
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
I started off just writing motions and then moved to attending court hearings.
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
No, not really.
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
No, I wish, there was more hands-on work in law school instead of sitting in a class listening
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
n/a
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
I would make contacts within your local bar association. Of course, they have to go to law school and pass the bar.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
You have to be a good writer and a good speaker. You should be organized and be prepared to take criticism.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes, you need a JD
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
I would say that you should be prepared to spend a few years at the bottom ladder working long hours
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
No, only because I’m a bit burned out and I don’t see things getting better
What are your current career goals?
I would like to be senior level sooner than later
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | Associate | 3 years | 80000 | To practice law |
| Prior Job 2 | Extern | 6 months | 0 | Write appellate memorandum and read appellate briefs. |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:3.8
| GPA | School | Degree | |
| College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
3.7 | UIC | Political Science/BA |
| Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
3.3 | DePaul | juris doctor/law degree |
Ask a Question of this Mentor
This mentor has opted to receive questions from people interested in this career or job position. Please be respectful of their time and willingness to help. Include some basic relevant background so they can intelligently answer your question.