Moving from Ohio! (Chicago, Lincoln, Bridgeport: 2014, apartment, for rent)

[kyrae04]

Hello everyone! I have been scouring these threads and have found similar questions to mine, but none that gave me the info I needed.

I currently live in Columbus, OH having just graduated from Ohio State with a degree in Biology. Now, however I want to go to law school. So, I have two questions for you all.

1. How would I go about finding a job in a law firm? I have been hounding LinkedIn profiles and emailing every firm I can find. I am willing to do anything in the firm, I am just trying to be exposed to the environment and gain some insight to the profession.

2. Where should I live? I will be starting to repay loans and am completely financially independent so my budget is going to be around $600-700/month for rent. Not a lot, I know! I will also have a large dog, a Goldendoodle, so the place must be dog friendly.

I am looking to relocate this August. I know it is probably too early (most definitely, since it's only February) to start looking, I am just the type of person who likes to have everything planned out!

Since I am moving out to the Windy City by myself and don't have connections, how would you suggest I continue my job search and my apartment search? I have been using resources such as Craigslist, Apartment People, and the Chicago Reader to find an apartment so far.

Thank you so much in advance and stay warm out there!

[kyrae04]

Also, when should I start looking for employment? To start in August, should I wait until June to find a job?

Thank you!

[chet everett]

Wow.

Have you heard that many / most law firms are in dire straits? Dozens of partners have been "de-equitized", a fancy way of saying that they are no longer considered to be valuable enough to share in whatever profits the firms might have.

There have been firms that have done no hiring of new attorneys let alone someone with a biology degree for many years now. {even if you were to be in law school the odds of any undergrad biology degreed individual being attractive to even a firm that does business with firms in health care / biotech / pharmaceutical sectors are remote. There are people that have MS or PhD degrees AND law degrees that are not fully employed!}

The profession has changed and without something very valuable to contribute / personal connection your emails directed at random law firms are just a waste of time.

Unless you have some unique skills I would strongly suggest reconsidering your strategy. It is almost certainly wiser to try to get some kind of position that would expose you to the regulatory / legal aspects of health care / biotech / pharmaceutical and THEN maybe try for law school.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Wow.

Have you heard that law firms are in dire straits? Dozens of partners have been "de-equitized", a fancy way of saying that they are no longer considered to be valuable.

There have been firms that have done no hiring of new attorneys let alone someone with a biology degree. {even if you were to be in law school the odds of any undergrad biology degree individual being attractive to even a firm that does business with firms in health care / biotech / pharmaceutical sectors are remote. There are people that have MS or PhD degrees AND law degrees that are not fully employed!}

The profession has changed and without something very valuable to contribute / personal connection your emails directed at random law firms are just a waste of time.

Unless you have some unique skills I would strongly suggest reconsidering your strategy. It is almost certainly wiser to try to get some kind of position that would expose you to the regulatory / legal aspects of health care / biotech / pharmaceutical and THEN maybe try for law school.

Good advice. This, and add to the equation the fact that you'll need to find roommates, since your budget is not nearly enough for your own place..

[SmartGXL]

I am originally from Ohio (Dayton) and I first moved to Chicago in 1998.

Chicago is a VERY expensive, and VERY competitive place.

What I would recommend, is spend a year out of college getting experience, while looking for a job in Chicago.

Also - I am sure that there is a place there for someone with a Biology degree, but most of the employment options in the Loop, or in the City, tend to be banking/financial/trading, IT, healthcare, and yes, legal, and most of these jobs require degrees that are suited to that area, or at least somewhat related. You can probably get some type of job in the healthcare field with the Biology degree. And yes, like others said, legal field is tough right now.

But yeah, I would try to get a year or two of solid experience before going there.

[kyrae04]

I appreciate all of your advice! I have been working already during my year off in a hospital just to pay bills, get "real world" work experience, etc. I graduated with a medical career path May 2014 but have since realized my passion is with law, more specifically IP or international law. Since then I have taken various courses pertaining to Logic/Philosophy, Legal Writing and Communication.

I am mainly seeking out a legal secretary, assistant, "low-on-the-totem-pole" position with a firm that can (obviously) afford to have me. While working at a firm is ideal I am willing to work anywhere that will give me good experience and a decent paycheck (sans a serving, retail, or tech job at a hospital, all of which I have already experienced!). I know this is what every person in the world is looking for as well. I just don't have experience in Chicago other than visiting, so I am trying to gauge my options, as I am moving there in August.

As for my housing situation and budget I am fully prepared to live with roommates, that is actually preferred. My qualm lies in that I don't know how to find them, other than Craigslist and other miscellaneous classifieds sites.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by MassVt

Good advice. This, and add to the equation the fact that you'll need to find roommates, since your budget is not nearly enough for your own place..

Yes it is, but a studio in areas like Edgewater, Avondale, Lincoln Square (maybe), etc. Possibly even some in Lakeview, Logan Square, etc. Could also live in areas like Bridgeport, Pilsen, maybe even Hyde Park too alone. With roommates yes it's easier in more neighborhoods, but $700 max could get you a studio in some north side neighborhoods. I've seen 2 bedroom places in areas like Pilsen and Bridgeport for that amount too.

[reneeh63]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Yes it is, but a studio in areas like Edgewater, Avondale, Lincoln Square (maybe), etc. Possibly even some in Lakeview, Logan Square, etc. Could also live in areas like Bridgeport, Pilsen, maybe even Hyde Park too alone. With roommates yes it's easier in more neighborhoods, but $700 max could get you a studio in some north side neighborhoods. I've seen 2 bedroom places in areas like Pilsen and Bridgeport for that amount too.

Yes - you can get SMALL studios for $700 in E. Lakeview....small as in 400 sq. feet - at least that is my personal experience.

[jonnynonos]

LOL. Yeah, moving to Chicago and getting an administrative position at a law firm is IMPOSSIBLE!!!

I don't know where you look for jobs like that, but just keep applying, networking and don't give up and you'll be fine.

That rent is tricky. The above listed neighborhoods for a studio are not unreasonable, though.

[chet everett]

I don't know if jonnynonos is trying to be sarcastic or what but I do know folks that are lawyers in different firms of all sizes in Chicago, as well as some of the people that are senior members of the administrative staff and I can state, with no humor of irony, that there is literally NO WAY that some one with the described background / degree to EVER get a call for any such generic job in a Chicago law firm. Really.

There are NO FIRMS in the habit of hiring people from two states away to fill a role that is EXCEEDINGLY IMPORTANT. It just does not happen. Even extremely low level sounding positions are VERY demanding -- there is just too much risk that somebody "that thinks they want to do something like IP law or international law" will be insufficiently focused on what really matters -- making the highly paid attorneys as productive as possible. The rare opening caused by the retirement of valuable member of the administrative staff is often filled by promoting someone that has proved themself in the "pool" of even lower level employees that themselves often have relatives that "got them an in" years earlier.

The fact is that law firms are not like technology firms -- they are NOT growing! There is no reason for senior firm members, either lawyers or administrative staff to seek out any opportunities to "network" as they literally do not have any expected openings. The OP should try to utilize any connections they have with professors at the current school to try to line up either an internship or entry level job. That very likely will be Ohio but is possible that the professors have leads that MAY reach to Chicago. Similarly the OP absolutely should be ALL OVER the campus placement office / recruiting options -- if there are any Chicago based firms scheduled to do on-campus even it would REALLY be smart for the OP to maximize any connections. Often alumni LOVE to hire kids from the school they went to!