Given the dismal job market for attorneys, you would think that a law student seeking work as a paralegal would do anything to please a potential employer. This snippy e-mail thread between an actual lawyer and law student looking for a job would prove you wrong. It’s not the function of a law school to polish students’ social skills, but a little career coaching could mean the difference between finding a legal job and working at Best Buy because of unbridled narcissism. The attorney involved in this confrontation also deserves a scolding for not knowing how to disengage while maintaining an air of professionalism.
I have a friend who works with law students on a daily basis. I’m going to suggest that she circulate this link to students at the start of the next school year as a reminder that one thoughtless e-mail can seriously compromise one’s future.
