Legal Profession

We’re nearing the end of summer, which is traditionally the time of year teens are out in droves, looking for part time jobs that will allow them spending money and gas money in those warm summer months. Now, though, teens are preparing for the new school year, football games and cheerleader tryouts. That can only mean one thing: the holidays are nearing and soon, those same teens are going to be looking for part time work so that they can have their own money to spend over the holiday breaks.

Our own Hound.com founder and career coach, A. Harrison Barnes, has a few tips that teens can use this season, but that will serve them well throughout their adult lives.

Appearances Count! Contrary to what your buddies are telling you, a bit of an extra effort is often the deciding factor for those looking to hire temporary help. “They want to know a teen is mature enough to recognize the importance of the job interview”, says the Hound.com founder. If you don’t appreciate the interview for what it is, the business owner will assume you’re not going to appreciate the job. Just because you’re interviewing for a holiday warehouse job doesn’t mean you have to show up looking like you just left a warehouse after a long day unloading trucks.

Ask for Help! Ask Mom or Dad to help you put together a resume. It may not be required to fill out an application, but it’s a good way to understand how important your resume will be later on. Plus, it makes a great impression. Even if you are looking for your first job, it’s good to allow a resume to sort of “introduce” you. Have you hit the honor roll every year? Include it – it shows dedication. The star quarterback? Include it – it shows ability to work as a team and desire to succeed. Volunteer at the human society? Include it – it shows compassion.

Think Past the Money! Remember you’re gaining far more than the money. If you think about it, this might be one of the first “adult” responsibilities you take on. Show everyone you’re up for the challenge – and who knows, you just might learn a thing or two about yourself, says A. Harrison Barnes.

Mind Your Manners! Be gracious, use your manners and don’t forget to thank the interviewer for his time. You’re not the only one looking for a temporary job, after all. The little things make a huge difference – even after you finish school and begin building your career. These are all things you would be told if you were sitting in front of A. Harrison Barnes and he was counseling you in your career.

Finally, Barnes recommends you be honest. If you can’t commit to five evenings a week because of your academic responsibilities, tell the business owner. It might be a deal breaker, but then again, it might not. Regardless, painting yourself into a corner is not beneficial for anyone, especially yourself.

Monday, August 9th was no doubt a difficult day for the California democrat Maxine Walters. The Ethics Committee made the accusations formal and have charged her with three counts of ethics wrongdoing. Among those charges, she’s being accused of accepting favors for a family member. The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct means a trial will likely be held and will include eight members of that make up the ethics committee, says A. Harrison Barnes, lawyer and LegalAuthority.com founder.

For the past ten terms, Waters, a Los Angeles native, holds a powerful position. She’s a part of the Financial Services Committee, which promptly denied her request to dismiss those charges she now faces. She’s denied any wrongdoing. The committee has determined there is “substantial reason to believe that a violation of the Code of Official Conduct, or a law, rule, regulation or other standard of conduct applicable to the performance of official duties or the discharge of official responsibilities has occurred”.

One of the charges has to do with her husband’s employer. She is accused of requesting federal help for the bank her husband owned stock in and was a member of the board. This is definitely not good news for Democrats, says A. Harrison Barnes. Another representative, Charles Rangel of New York is currently facing at least 13 charges. They include a failure to disclose income and other assets as well as accusations of delaying federal tax payments and improver use of a subsidized New York apartment that was used for his campaign office. He too has denied any wrongdoing.

An advocate of assisting Haiti’s recovery after a devastating tsunami earlier this year, it appears she will continue to focus her energies on the Six Month Review, currently being held with the Congressional Black Caucus. She is also focusing much of her attention on the Haitian elections.

On her website, she released a statement that reads in part:

“No benefit, no improper action, no failure to disclose, no one influenced: no case”.

“I have not violated any House rules. Therefore, I simply will not be forced to admit something I did not do and instead have chosen to respond to charges made the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct in a public hearing…the record will show that in advocating on behalf of minority banks, neither my office nor I benefited in any way, engaged in improper action or influenced anyone…”

She concludes with:

Although I am not convinced that the process for investigating and examining House ethics cases is fair, I welcome the opportunity to show my constituents and the American public that the accusations…are frivolous and unfounded”.

This will surely be a political battle that will continue through the fall months as all legal and political eyes will remain focused on the investigation, says A. Harrison Barnes. If she is found guilty, it could potentially further eradicate public confidence in a political system some say is already broken. She has not stated whether she will be paying for legal counsel from her own funds of if taxpayer dollars will foot the bill.

Few, if any of us, haven’t found ourselves looking for hilarious videos on YouTube. From bridal parties doing a jig down the aisle to friends filming unsuspecting buddies dancing and singing to the radio in front of a mirror, there are times when YouTube is good for the soul. That said, there are certain things you can post that can cost you a job. A. Harrison Barnes, attorney and founder of LawCrossing.com, says there are a few misconceptions about what freedom of speech rights actually cover and filming yourself doing something illegal or unethical might not fall under your Constitutional rights.

As incredible as technology is in contemporary day, that’s not license to disregard the law or common sense in an effort to make your mark. Filming yourself, or having someone else film you, as you participate in bad behavior can easily get you hauled in front of your personnel department’s head honcho. And, says the LawCrossing.com founder, if you think it’ll never land on the boss’s laptop, think again. All it takes is for one person to have ulterior motives and before you know it, the very one you impressed at last week’s staff meeting is now the one wondering why he ever even hired you.

While we value the freedom to support any political party and practice any religion we choose in this country, the fact is, you can easily get a video flagged as inappropriate. If you think a video is bad enough landing in the wrong hands, try sensing the difference in a flagged video landing in the wrong hands. Any over the top stances you have are fine, but putting it all out there for speculation is inviting trouble. It’s true it’s a fine line with employers and what they can and can’t use for just cause; however, employment lawyers across the country are staying busy these days with these kinds of cases. One case is all it takes for a new pattern to be established in a court of law.

Remember, your employer has stockholders and clients to answer to and if you’re viewed as dead weight by one single client or shareholder, you can easily become the “has been that never really quite was”. It’s a huge gamble, says A. Harrison Barnes. So what’s best left off the internet? Sexual videos, racist, animal abuse and those that portray radical views that can be construed as dangerous, among others. Finally, the last thing you ever want to do is become the star of your very own video at the neighbor’s party where you make fun of the boss or the company you work for. Your employer could easily – and rightfully – cite confidentiality issues as the reason for your termination.

Barnes suggests keeping the uploaded YouTube videos to catching life’s funny and unpredictable moments that don’t target anything politically incorrect or certainly, anything that can cause problems for you at work. No joke’s worth losing your stock options and position.

Ask any lawyer, and specifically, a criminal lawyer, if he has many uneventful days and odds are, you’ll hear something along the lines of, “Absolutely not!” A. Harrison Barnes, a renowned attorney and also the founder of LawCrossing.com says one of the best aspects of practicing law in America is the unpredictability of each day. “It’s definitely one of the reasons people attain their degrees, so that they may practice law in an unpredictable world and the icing on the cake is when they are able to use their skills and education to make positive changes in their communities”, says Barnes. If it’s true that life is an ever evolving series of lessons, then a lawyer has many opportunities to expand his world. Such as the case with the lawyers who will attempt to represent a neo-Nazi accused of killing a prison guard during an escape attempt are now discovering.

The accused has several offensive tattoos, including swastikas and the words “skin head” tattooed on different areas of his face. The attorneys, concerned about their client not receiving a fair trial, are attempting to ensure those tattoos splayed across this man remain covered during his trial slated to begin soon in Salt Lake City. The LawCrossing.com founder says this is one way an attorney will attempt to protect his client from preconceived ideas of guilt or innocence from the jury. No mention has been made on how the lawyers will attempt to cover the ink.

Not many attorneys could have anticipated dynamics such as these when they graduated with their law degree, eager to make their mark on the world, says A. Harrison Barnes. And, too, a young attorney isn’t likely to discover a job opening that requires an ability to get creative with a client’s aggressive and difficult to understand thought processes, yet that’s exactly what the best attorneys can successfully pull off.

This prisoner was already serving time for another crime when he took advantage of a split second when a guard was unshackling him so that he could receive medical attention. He shot and killed the guard, Stephen Anderson. The prisoner then attempted to escape, but failed.

If you’ve ever wondered what life as an attorney would be like and are considering choosing the legal profession, there are many avenues you can pursue. Whether it’s criminal law, tax law or family law, there will always be job opportunities within the legal field. As Barnes says, “It’s definitely a rewarding career choice and the sacrifices you’ll make will be worth it once you’ve received that license to practice and are sitting across the desk from your first client”.

Visit LawCrossing.com for more information on all things related to the legal world. You’ll discover job openings, article databases and even help with creating the perfect legal resume.

Many are re-entering the job market after having taken several years off. The reasons are varied; some wanted to raise a family while others wanted to travel the world. Still, here it is a decade later and you’re wanting to get back into your chosen career. If you’re like most, says A. Harrison Barnes, founder of LegalAuthority, you’re struggling on what that first step should be. No worries, though. The laws have changed probably many times over so you will have some catching up to do, but it’s certainly manageable, even in a less than ideal job market.

As always, first things first – what this means is you’ll want to test the waters. Ask former colleagues if you’re still in contact with them what the latest trends are and which law specialties seem to be thriving. Just as importantly, you’ll want to discover which ones are not as active these days. One hint: employment law is red hot these days. Another tip A. Harrison Barnes suggests is to consider allowing a professional resume team put together a revised resume that will effectively show your entire career – even if it means a long term leave of absence. Too many times, people feel that leaving their careers for any length of time is a weakness and that’s just not always true, says the LegalAuthority founder. Everyone has other responsibilities besides their careers. Many lawyers leave their careers to travel or further their educations. It’s part of life.

That said, it’s important to not apologize for the choices you made. If you don’t treat it as though it’s some kind of strike against you, potential employers won’t either. In fact, if an interviewer asks you about it, a simple, “I had several options at that time and I felt it was important for me to…” be with my family, raise my children or whatever the case may be. Even if your leave was something like traveling the world, a simple, “It was an extraordinary opportunity and I was in a position to take advantage of it” will more than serve its purpose, says Barnes.

The rules are the same as if you were a recent law school grad: remain confident, do your homework and be prepared to answer the tough questions you’re likely to be asked:

Why did you choose criminal law?

What are your long term intentions?

Can you sacrifice fifty or sixty hours a week to your career?

Once you’ve made up your mind to approach your leave of absence with a positive attitude and with no “but” added on to your sentences, you’ll realize that employers aren’t going to hold it against you. And if you’re wondering where to start, consider LegalAuthority. This job aggregate site has the most current information on all things related to one’s law career, including an incredible team of professionals who stand ready to make your resume shine. You’ll also be able to re-familiarize yourself with different law specialties and see which ones are best suited for you now at this stage of your life.

Individuals who decide to plunge into a legal career usually make that decision relatively early, usually after high school, before the start of their undergraduate program. An undergraduate program could be selected on the basis of variety of reasons, some of which could be advice from friends or family, current trends, or just a random choice. However, a professional course selection is a decision that needs to be taken considering what you are good at and what stimulates you the most. Choosing a legal career is one such decision. A natural instinct, though an added incentive, can also be harvested with determination. The ability to think critically and exceptional interpersonal skills are very important for achieving success in law schools. A. Harrison Barnes has pointed out to the courses that one is required to undertake in a law school.

• Business finance
• Public speaking courses
• Subjects based on general knowledge and history
• Logic and/ or philosophy
• Expository writing

The recent survey researches conducted revealed that it is not very easy to get into law schools. Several surveys and studies where it was revealed that the quality of applicants in the law schools is improving every year and there is amazingly strong competition with regards to bagging a seat in the best law schools in state.

A. Harrison Barnes the CEO of Bcgsearch.com says that it is advisable that you send applications to 5 or 6 schools to the minimum and 8 to the maximum (An application to a law school costs $50). Make sure that the schools that you have sent applications to represent all strata of law schools. You can apply to 2 to 3 schools that are definitely within or below your range with regards to your LSAT score, another couple of schools whose median line of entry is a couple of points above your score and finally some to schools that you do not see a vague chance of entering. It is very important that you do this as selection criteria could depend on quite a few variables that pop up at the last minute and it is imperative that your application is available for the opportunity.

A. Harrison Barnes further points out that the law schools mainly adhere to two types of criteria while making admissions. The GPA score and the LSLAT score. However, LSAT and GPA tests are not the only criteria that a law school will take into consideration for admission. There are factors that are looked into by a law school that are as important as the LSAT and GPA tests such as your background, the standard of your undergraduate program, your grades in the undergraduate program, any volunteer work and such.

A. Harrison Barnes states the following points that may be helpful for getting admitted to a law school.

The quality of the admission profile can be enhanced by adding a personal statement to it. It must be a concise, well written statement conveying a story that is convincing. Your personal statement could be a crucial factor that could determine your entry into a law school after your LSAT would be your personal essay. This reflects the character and strengths of an aspiring student of law. When working on your personal essay, a lot of introspection and thought needs to be done. What is to be reflected in your essay is your sharp acumen in locating a problem, analyzing it, and fixing it. This is basically what you will be doing throughout your study in law school and career.

The law schools prefer students who actively participate in the extracurricular activities says A. Harrison Barnes. A lawyer must possess qualities like leadership skills, self motivation, support, advocacy, and communication skills. Integrity, intellectual curiosity and self discipline are some more traits an individual must possess before entering the career of law.

Most law schools also require a letter of recommendation. Others require two. You could ask the principal of your school or college to write you such a letter. If you have a good record, this could go a long way and your principal would only be too happy to do this for you. If you are already working, a letter of recommendation could be written by your boss. This is highly regarded by the evaluators and could boost up your chances of landing you that seat.

Work experience of course gives you an extra edge over others. You can demonstrate your commitment towards the career of law, if you have law related experience. A relatively long stint of 2 to 3 years in a law firm could earn you brownie points. You may have functioned in various positions previously that could be related to your legal career. You are required to aggressively take advantage of all the previous experience you have got to improve your profile.

Course works or advanced degrees can accentuate academic success in law schools up to a considerable degree. Community services and commitment towards the civilians could also play a role in getting you admission in good law schools. The sense of social responsibility shows your concern towards the society and your endeavor to bring about positive changes in the society.

Identify your weaknesses says A. Harrison Barnes, and try to overcome them. Try to overcome the social, cultural, financial, and physical limitations. These may help you to achieve success in your legal career and also better comprehend the past academic hurdles.

The past achievements and talents such as awards and certificates can enhance your chances of getting into good law schools. This in the long run will help you to pursue a bright legal career.

The Law School Admissions Council has stipulated that the law schools must emphasize on the minority sections of the society while selecting candidates for admission in law schools. The council aims to bring into the forefront the minority sections of the society. Thus the students who belong to the minority sections have an added advantage when it comes to the admission in the law schools. Such individuals need to take advantage of the situation and reach up for the opportunity at hand. This process ensures that there are sufficient numbers of attorneys even from the backward communities.

Another underrated criteria for choosing your law school is its location points out A. Harrison Barnes. It is an observed fact that academic performance of many students depends on where the institution is located. Some show improved performances in urban set-ups, whereas others are comfortable in the rural areas. Moreover it might so happen that the weather of the area is not very suitable for you. Though it is not necessary that the weather in your school environment needs to make your soul sing, it should definitely not be a factor that bogs it down.

Reputation of the school is an influencing factor in your career at some points says A. Harrison Barnes. The governmental agencies do not bother about the law schools attended by the attorneys or associates; however, this is particularly important if you are studying in an institution away from your area of practice. This is because coming from a school in a remote area which nobody has heard of could damage your chances while hunting for a top job.

Attorneys for Biogen and Roche announced in March, 2010 that its latest arthritis drug testing was suspended due to safety concerns.  While the company would have preferred another solution, it and its lawyers recognized the potential harm and made the right call. A. Harrison Barnes, LegalAuthority.com founder, says “The company made the right decision, even as it recognized the potential long term effects on the bottom line”.

The drug, ocrelizumab, had been suspended from the testing procedure once before when it was being considered as a viable treatment for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Sales were expected to be close to $2 billion had it been approved. This latest pullback will surely have unwanted repercussions on the company’s profits, but Hal Barron, Roche’s chief medical officer, agreed with the company’s legal team. In comments released to the media, he says, “Patient safety is of the utmost importance in all our drug development programs. In light of the DSMB recommendations, we have decided to suspend ocrelizumab treatment in the rheumatoid arthritis clinical development program”.

For now, the two companies are debating whether to continue the testing once safety issues have been addressed. Currently, the team of lawyers and medical professionals are awaiting detailed analyses of the data and are not expected to make a final decision for the next few weeks, at least. In a time when companies are ruled by profit expectations, seeing one do the right thing – time and again – highlights the absence of ethics in so many other companies. A. Harrison Barnes points out that while the news is disappointing, it wasn’t unexpected. “The company has placed on hold other trials for the drug’s safety.” The LegalAuthority.com founder continues, “…with so many suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis, ideally, the company will be able to address the safety issues and continue to develop a drug that will help the 1.3 million Americans who suffer from the debilitating disease. Regardless, their legal team is certainly providing exceptional leadership and advice as the company continues to make wise decisions”.

Many recent graduates are considering going into corporate law that specializes in the medical field. There are those who often work exclusively for drug companies while others prefer to represent medical facilities, hospitals and physicians. Regardless of which specialty a lawyer chooses as his life’s work, this particular field is especially rewarding and quite lucrative, too. Visit LegalAuthority.com and see for yourself why lawyers across the country trust their careers to the employment experts. View the open positions in law firms of every size and located throughout the country, read the article database or allow the team of resume experts assist you in your resume preparations. There’s no better way of combining the legal system and the medical system.

Are you looking for a job change? Are you currently unemployed and looking around for a job? In any of the two circumstances one category that you may consider is that of exploring the employment opportunities in and around your locality. One of the latest options available rather easily that can help you in this context is that of the job posting websites or career search websites. These online websites that have surfaced in the last decade are considered to be one of the best ways of finding and applying to jobs.

In case you are considering applying for a new job, you must look at various career search websites or job posting websites and check job categories according to your priorities. In these circumstances, a reliable Paid Job Search Engine will help you come face to face with various matching job opportunities that are in sync with your job requirements and qualification. The search returns are numerous giving you a chance to choose from various job options.

A Harrison Barnes, CEO of paid job search engine Hound.com says their Paid Job Search Engine also make available a number of other services to you. These are all optional services like getting a professionally edged resume written for you. He further says gone are the days of general job searching. These days there is no point in applying to the same jobs that hundreds of other people are applying to as that really won’t make any difference other than making the odds a little more harder for you. He also says that if you are serious about finding a good job, you must put 20 hours a week into the job search.

What would be actually fruitful for a job seeker is to check out the job search engine Hound.com where you will come across authentic job postings coming straight from the employer sites and each one of these are the latest updated ones. Further there is no mediating medium in between you and the employer, it is straight to the employer that you are applying and in case of a reverting back it is the employer who will contact you and not any recruiter. In such circumstances you are assured of the fact that your efforts are not actually going down the drains by running after advertised jobs that the entire world knows about and is running after.

A Harrison Barnes also says the registering with a paid search job engine like Hound is going to be fruitful for you because here you get to see the jobs that rest of the worlds doesn’t know about. And that is where you win 99 percent of the battle and cut out on the immense competition in the open job market. That is what gives you the edge and the advantage over a lot of the others. So why should you even consider to waste your time with any other site when you have an immensely well performing site like Hound available at your service. Look for your dream job at Hound and make all your dreams come true. A Harrison Barnes further says that it is important for the job seeker to be very organized and must keep the information of all jobs applied for to follow up after an interview.

A. Harrison Barnes suggests that if you don’t have any clear plan to get a job, you won’t succeed. If possible meet with a recruiter or discuss the job responsibilities and possible interview questions with a person already doing a similar job.

Hound is one Paid Job Search engine that is highly rated and gets immense traffic. It is one of the most easy to use websites. You can actually find a number of career search or job posting websites by just conducting a search. Yes it is that simple.

Hound allows you to do a lot more than just searching job opportunities. It is necessary to mention that all paid job search engines are not the same. But most of these sites do actually allow you to, in fact ask you to copy paste or upload your resume in their online form so that it would be easier for the employers to take a closer look at you as an applicant. Isn’t that great? That is what Harrison Barnes wants you to focus on i.e. your resume.