Corp. Litigation Paralegal: Next Step - Law School

Rebecca Shankman majored in African American Studies at Bates and has now gone on to pursue a career in the field of law. As a paralegal with Sullivan and Cromwell in New York City, Shankman learned that: "In corporate litigation, it's important to go in with your eyes open and to take in as much as you possibly can while you are there."

With the help of a friend's father, Shankman attained a position as a summer legal assistant for two years in a row. This experience helped Shankman secure her current job at Sullivan and Cromwell just a year after leaving Bates. A lawyer from her summer job sent her name to a friend who, in turn, passed her resume around his office. Her soon-to-be boss perused this document and eventually called to inquire whether she knew of another Bates graduate. Fortunately, this Bates alumnus had been Shankman's squash captain at Bates. Today, she feels that this mutual acquaintance helped her obtain the paralegal job at Sullivan and Cromwell.

What is a typical day like for Shankman? She responds, "Every day is very dependent on what case you're on and what lawyer is on the case....You never know what's going to be thrown onto your plate." Indexing, organizing, managing documents, and meeting with clients are all duties which Shankman might be asked to perform. At first, Shankman felt overwhelmed by everything she had to do, but over time she learned the ropes of the office and was able to take on more responsibilities with less supervision.

Shankman found many of her Bates experiences to be helpful in developing many invaluable skills needed in the field of law. She states, "Bates taught me how to organize myself, and being organized is such an important part of being a paralegal." Shankman also feels her position as President of the Jewish Cultural Community and writing her thesis invested her with some great credentials for her current job. She claims that the professors within her major, along with her political activism on campus, all had an impact on her choice of career.

In most cases, attaining a position in the paralegal field does not require graduate work, although some professionals find a paralegal certificate to be helpful in securing gainful employment. Shankman states that no particular major is valued over another in corporate litigation, but knowledge of any foreign language will give a candidate an advantage over competition. In an interview situation, Shankman feels that articulation, confidence, good, concise writing abilities, and self-motivation are all important skills to sell to potential employers. She encourages anyone interested in corporate litigation to contact her with any questions.

The downsides of a paralegal job often include long hours, a stressful environment, and not being able to predict your schedule, whether it be during the week or on the weekend. However, Shankman's work has taught her a lot about herself. As she says, "You learn that you can do a lot more than you ever thought was mentally or physically possible." Shankman also points out that she now knows how to work with other people in an office setting. She claims that the longer you stay with a certain firm, the more likely it is that they will offer you a chance to travel. In fact, Shankman was actually offered a chance to move to her law firm's London office!

After leaving Bates, Shankman's job search forced her to make a very difficult decision - she had to choose between two excellent job offers. Although Shankman's main interest lies in human rights law, she accepted a position at Sullivan and Cromwell, a large, corporate office, rather than a proposal from the Administration for Children's Services, a public legal office. She picked this route as "a means to an end to get into law school and to be able to pay the rent." As a paralegal at Sullivan and Cromwell, Shankman took advantage of pro bono opportunities like working on prisoner rights cases, which furthered her experience and interest in the human rights field. All of her hard work has paid off, for Shankman will be starting her first year of law school at American University this fall!

Julie Pelan '01