Commercial litigation firms are among the nation’s most prestigious. They manage some of the most significant cases and compensate their attorneys generously. However, commercial litigation is also a highly competitive profession, so it’s not surprising that these firms prefer to recruit from prestigious law schools, according to attorney Jeremy Schulman. If you are interested in pursuing a career in commercial litigation, here are some strategies for obtaining scholarships from these firms.
Be Proactive
The most important thing you can do is to get involved in the community. Don’t just sit on your hands and wait for a scholarship opportunity to come knocking at your door. Instead, actively look for ways to volunteer and make yourself more visible as an applicant by presenting yourself as someone who cares about others.
Know The Right People
The first step to getting a commercial litigation scholarship is to know the right people. As with any other type of scholarship, you will need to be proactive and get involved in your community. Volunteering experience will also be helpful too.
Volunteer At A Local Law Firm
Volunteer at a local court, where you can help answer questions from people who need legal services but cannot afford them, or assist with other projects like organizing files or cleaning up paperwork for cases that have been closed. If you have time and interest, volunteer with non-profit organizations in your area that provide free legal services to those who cannot afford them.
Have A Strong Academic Record
You should have a strong academic record. Your GPA, test scores, and extracurriculars are all factors that will be considered by scholarship committees.
You should also register for the scholarships for which you qualify based on these criteria. For instance, if you have a bachelor’s degree in law and want to pursue a master’s degree in commercial litigation, you should apply for lawyer-specific scholarships rather than general business graduate school scholarships because they don’t meet your specific needs as an applicant with prior legal training.
Volunteer Experience Will Be Helpful Too
Volunteering is a great way to gain expertise, especially if you’re unsure if you’ll like it. It can also help you decide if you want to work for that firm and its employees, making scholarship applications easier in Jeremy Schulman the future. Volunteering at a legal aid clinic that handles business disputes or contract violations is especially helpful for commercial litigation.