The Florida State College of Law Research Center Blog

The Mommy Track

Does the alarm bell on your biological clock signal an end to your legal career?   If you're contemplating an addition to the family, take a look at a book recently acquired by the Law Research Center.  In "Staying at Home, Staying in the Law," Julie Tower-Pierce summarizes the angst:

"You've got to be kidding, right?  You want to trade in your legal career and all you've worked for over the years for diaper duty and competitive soccer mom banter?  Have you lost your mind? ... Don't you still owe money on that degree?  How is the legal profession ever going to change if women like you leave the workplace?   What a waste.  Oh, by the way, thanks a lot for standing up for feminism."          (p. 16)

If any of this sounds familiar, Tower-Pierce  offers support and practical advice on topics including the transition from practicing law to staying home (and transitioning back again), money matters, how to keep your foot in the door, alternatives to the traditional track, alternative careers, and staying marketable.

For example, from a list of 84 ways to stay in the law (p. 75-79):  Become a freelance legal researcher -- offer to teach a seminar -- join a bar association committee and run for a leadership position -- volunteer at a legal aid clinic -- become a freelance writer on legal topics -- sign up for law-related listservs -- volunteer to be a moot court judge at your local law school -- enter legal writing contests -- listen to law-related podcasts -- mentor a law student -- borrow CLE videos from your local law library -- read a legal book and write a review -- start your own legal blog -- stay connected with your former colleagues and law school classmates --  become a bar exam proctor  -- mentor a law student --   seek out pro bono opportunities -- become a guardian ad litem -- do projects at home for past employers -- organize a community event for a legal-related charity -- hang out with lawyers.

You'll find Tower-Pierce's book in the Jobs/Career section of the Law Research Center at KF299.W6T68 2008, and other books concerning women in the legal profession under KF299.W6... upstairs.  Check them out!

Posted by Patricia Bingham-Harper

Sports Agency 101

                                                                                                                                          

            

Do you aspire to be a sports agent, or have a student who does?  Darren Heitner and his team of Blogging All-Stars have put together a lot of good information at SportsAgentBlog.com, a nifty Website subtitled "I Want to be a Sports Agent."

Tops on the list is a feature called "Interview with the Agent," a series of conversations with industry pros exploring topics such as:

•   Getting started as a sports agent 
•   Recruiting clients
•   Negotiating that first contract
•   Issues involved in starting your own agency
•   Advice for those wanting to break into the profession
•   The future of the athletic representation industry 
•   Internships available at their agencies   

Recent interviewees include Peter Webb, an agent in the golf division of Gaylord Sports Management;  Mark Steinberg, Director of Global Golf Business at IMG; and Angelo Wright, founder of SportsWest Football. 

Other features of special interest:            

      --  "Nightmare Clients of the Week" --  reports on and discusses "newsworthy egregious acts by a client or agent" and explores the ramifications to the agent/athlete relationship.

     --    "The Wash Up" -- issues in international sports agent news.

     --    "What Would You Do?" -- a column that presents hypothetical situations related to athlete representation.  Current and aspiring agents are invited to respond, creating a lively and interesting dialogue.

There are sections of the site devoted to links to "Sports Agencies Listed by State," and "Sports Agency Internships."  Other areas aggregate links to:

• Books on Sports Agency and Sports Business
• Law School programs in Sports Law
• Business School programs in Sports Marketing and Management
• Websites devoted to Sports Law, Sports Business, Baseball, Basketball, Football, Sports in General, and Sports Statistics

So whether you'd like to break into the business, or just spend some time learning from the pros,  click on by and see what sports agency is all about.

Posted by Patricia Bingham-Harper

Path to Legal Academia

This is a good review of a Harvard lunch time presentation by Prof. Daryl Levinson to students interested in entering legal academia.  An excerpt:

Instead of fancy grades, clerkships, and practical experience, the modern credential of choice for law school hiring committees is a graduate degree in an allied field such as economics, political science, and even English or psychology. Approximately twenty-five percent of entry-level professors hired last year had Ph.D.'s, and a large number had Master's degrees. While this is the biggest credential a candidate can have, don't despair if you haven't found the spare five to ten years to earn a terminal degree in molecular biophysics to help you compete for that intellectual property professorship you have your eye on. Levinson reassured the attendees that fewer than half of last year's hires had any graduate training. Law schools value Ph.D.'s because they indicate that candidates have certain qualities. If a candidate lacks the credential, he or she can still present those qualities independently.

Read the whole article here.

Posted by Jon Lutz

Obstacles to Career Advancement for Women Lawyers

A study by the MIT Workplace Center of the career paths of women lawyers in large Massachusetts firms 2001-2005 indicates that family responsibilities still form a major obstacle to advancement.  While firms may not hesitate to hire women, the time demands placed on those who seek to advance to partnership make it difficult for women who choose to have children.  The study, Women Lawyers and Obstacles to Leadership, determined that most women who leave large firms because of family needs do not "opt out" of law practice but rather chose a form of practice that allows more time for family life.

Posted by Robin Gault

What makes a great reference librarian?

What makes a reference librarian great?  Two things are crucial:  the will, which is almost an obsession, to find the right answer, and a love of helping others find the materials they need.  For insight into the minds of five superb reference librarians, listen to a discussion with Mary McCormick, Margaret Clark, Marin Dell, Pat Bingham-Harper and Jon Lutz of the Florida State University Law Library.  The discussion was prepared for students of Professor Lorri Mon, Florida State University, College of Information in fall 2006.

Posted by Faye Jones