The City Bar will close at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22, and will resume regular hours at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, November 27. Happy Thanksgiving!
New Lawyer Institute - NLI
What is the NLI?
The NLI provides new lawyers with a professional home at the New York City Bar Association. Its curriculum is focused on the needs of recent graduates as they transition from student to practitioner and prepare them to be successful in the legal profession in New York. Featuring speakers from government, the judiciary and the rest of the legal community, the program also includes training and experience in professional networking and job interviewing, and access to mentorship opportunities. The NLI offers a connection to the New York legal community.
The NLI works with law schools in an effort to coordinate the program and promote the program among the student body and alumni. Students and alumni of sponsoring law schools receive free registration for NLI programs. To ensure free registration, please remember to update the 'law school' section under Manage My Account prior to registering for an NLI event, or register using your law school email address.
Upcoming Program
Dealing with Law School Debt
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 | 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Format: Virtual
Student loan debt is an albatross around the neck of many lawyers, often delaying home ownership, marriage, children, and fulfilling careers. But there's no one correct way to approach it, especially with all the changes over the past few years. Jessica Medina, former lawyer turned Accredited Financial Counselor, will be walking us through some student loan repayment strategies including those she used to tackle her own overwhelming student loan debt and the framework she applies when helping her own clients approach theirs.
Resume and Cover Letter Workshop
Thursday, November 16, 2023 | 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Format: Virtual
Recent law school graduates, your resume and cover letter are critical marketing tools in your job search. Both should be flawless and thoughtfully drafted to set you apart from the competition. Please attend to learn what employers (both public and private) want you to include (and do not want you to include!) in your application materials.
Alternative Dispute Resolution: What New Lawyers Must Know
Wednesday, December 6, 2023 | 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Format: Virtual
New lawyers hoping to counsel clients through a conflict must know more than standard courtroom advocacy. Lawyers often resolve disputes through negotiation, mediation and arbitration -- subjects that are often overlooked in law school curricula.
During this panel, you will hear from experts in different areas of ADR with the "nuts and bolts" of their practice area. The panel will also touch upon careers within dispute resolution itself, including roles as mediators, ombudspeople, and within government agencies. Finally, we will discuss the ways in which the pandemic has affected the practice of both litigation and dispute resolution.
This panel will discuss how LL.M. students and graduates can thrive in the U.S. The panel will explore topics such as securing externships, networking, the job search, preparing for the bar exam, and tips for beginning a new position and working proactively to receive training, mentorship, and other opportunities at your place of employment.
An essential job of all lawyers is creating professional work product: written work that does not require substantive editing. Lawyers must be able to organize thoughts into cogent and clear written work free of typographical, syntax, and citation errors. So, it is essential that you become a master of the art of self-editing. But editing yourself is very difficult. As the author, you often lack the mental distance necessary to distinguish between what’s on the page and what’s in your head. This program will discuss developing a systematic approach for assessing and editing your own work so that you can find and correct weaknesses and see your work from the reader’s eye.
The art of schmoozing, otherwise known as networking with a purpose, is as important as ever for career and business development. In this engaging and interactive discussion, our panel of experts will teach you how to develop your schmoozing skills, providing tips on how to effectively and professionally speak to new contacts, colleagues, and even potential mentors in the virtual landscape as well as in person. We will cover the "dos and don'ts" of networking, the effective use of social media, and how to develop, maintain, and refresh professional relationships through networking endeavors.
LL.M. Students and Graduates: How to Navigate Your Career
Tuesday, January 16, 2024 | 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Format: Virtual
This panel will discuss how LL.M. students and graduates can thrive in the U.S. The panel will explore topics such as securing externships, networking, the job search, preparing for the bar exam, and tips for beginning a new position and working proactively to receive training, mentorship, and other opportunities at your place of employment.
Legal Writing Primer for New Lawyers
Tuesday, February 7, 2024 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Format: Virtual
An essential job of all lawyers is creating professional work product: written work that does not require substantive editing. Lawyers must be able to organize thoughts into cogent and clear written work free of typographical, syntax, and citation errors. So, it is essential that you become a master of the art of self-editing. But editing yourself is very difficult. As the author, you often lack the mental distance necessary to distinguish between what’s on the page and what’s in your head. This program will discuss developing a systematic approach for assessing and editing your own work so that you can find and correct weaknesses and see your work from the reader’s eye.
The Art of Schmoozing
Tuesday, March 26, 2024 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Format: In-Person
The art of schmoozing, otherwise known as networking with a purpose, is as important as ever for career and business development. In this engaging and interactive discussion, our panel of experts will teach you how to develop your schmoozing skills, providing tips on how to effectively and professionally speak to new contacts, colleagues, and even potential mentors in the virtual landscape as well as in person. We will cover the "dos and don'ts" of networking, the effective use of social media, and how to develop, maintain, and refresh professional relationships through networking endeavors.
Is NLI for me?
The NLI is valuable to all new graduates, whether they are newly employed or will be seeking and obtaining employment during the program year. Today, most lawyers can be expected to change jobs several times over the course of a career. Even young lawyers with jobs in large organizations will find that the NLI provides valuable guidance beyond that which is available at work. Special attention is paid to the needs of new lawyers who have not yet found their first position. Participation is useful to new lawyers’ overall career development, and also signals to potential employers and clients that the participant has gained skills and experience necessary for a successful practice.
City Bar members can view any past NLI programs for free under the Members Only section of the website, and students/alumni from sponsoring schools can contact their Career Services departments for recording links and passwords.
Special Thanks to our Sponsors:
Questions about the NLI
Please email Taylor Ohlheiser, Committee Associate.
Previous 2023-2024 NLI Programs
Careers in Health Law
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 | 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Careers in Real Estate Law
Tuesday, June 27, 2023 | 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Careers in Cybersecurity
Tuesday, August 8, 2023 | 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Making the Most of the New Lawyer Institute
Tuesday, September 26, 2023 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Foundations for a Successful Legal Career
Thursday, October 5, 2023 | 6:00 pm — 7:30 pm
Networking and Interviewing in the Hybrid World
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Career Perspectives on Labor and Employment
Thursday, November 2, 2023 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Previous 2022-2023 NLI Programs
Legal Tech in Modern Law Practice: What New Lawyers Need to Know
Thursday, September 8, 2022 | 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Making the Most of the New Lawyer Institute
Tuesday, September 27, 2022 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
LL.M. Graduates in the New Normal: How to Navigate Your Career
Monday, October 4, 2022 | 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Networking and Interviewing in the Virtual World: Navigating the COVID-19 Landscape
Monday, October 17, 2022 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Career Perspectives on Labor and Employment
Thursday, November 3, 2022 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Resume and Cover Letter Workshop
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
On Ramp to the Profession
Wednesday, January 18, 2023 | 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Legal Writing Primer for New Lawyers
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Get Out of Your Head: Three Essential Social and Emotional Communication Skills to Ace Your Interview Game
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 | 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
The Art of Schmoozing
Tuesday, March 21, 2023 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Emerging Practice Areas: Cannabis, Cryptocurrency, Cybersecurity & Estate Planning
Thursday, March 23, 2023 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Maintaining Your Mental Health as a New Lawyer
Thursday, March 30, 2023 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Careers in Entertainment Law
Monday, April 3, 2023 | 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Exploring Careers in New York State and New York City Government
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 | 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
