ABA Career Counsel
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Attorney By Attorney Career Profiles of the Profession Who? Rosemary Shiels Editor-in-Chief, ALA Management Encyclopedia rshiels@alanet.org What? Primary Practice Area & Subspecialty Fields: When? Years in the Legal Profession: Since 1988 Where? Employer: Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) http://www.alanet.org City/State: Lincolnshire, IL Law School: Chicago-Kent College of Law Other Post-Graduate Education: M.A. in Education Undergraduate School/Degree: B.A. in French Why? Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area: Core Skills/Key Knowledge Needed in Your Practice Area: You need very strong people skills, patience, attention to detail, organization and patience to work with so many individuals on many varied projects. Advice to Lawyers and Law Students Interested in Your Practice Area: Join organizations, legal and business. Get to know how things get done. Meet the other volunteers and the staff. There are so many interesting and novel associations for just about every group. How? Career Path to Current Position: Elementary school teacher; computer sales to school districts; private law practice in a large firm; advocacy and policy analysis in a federally funded agency; law school teaching; the ABA. Influences and Mentors: Numerous supervisors over many years. Suggested Reading About Your Practice Area: Job Search Techniques Used in Finding Your Position: Meet people, ask questions, keep options open. Talk with friends and acquaintances about what they do, how they like it, how they got into their work, etc. Bar Affiliations and Activities: American Bar Association Chicago Bar Association Illinois State Bar Association Women’s Bar Association of Illinois Recent Professional Presentations: I give periodic presentations on law practice management topics, such as marketing for the solo and small practitioner in our own Section educational programs, most recently at our Spring meeting in Portsmouth, NH. Intriguing Interests: Choral singing.