Introduction
Hi, my name is Joo Hee Park, and I am from South Korea. I came to the United States in 2020 to attend law school. I have an interesting background growing up, as I lived in India for nine years until I graduated high school and lived in Hong Kong for a while before I moved back to Korea, where I got my bachelor’s degree. I now work at a private law firm, practicing bankruptcy law, more specifically, preferences.
During my first summer as a law student, I got lucky to be selected in a program which allowed students to do a dual internship at a private law firm and an affiliated corporation. This was an exceptional opportunity as it allowed me to experience what it is like to be an attorney at a law firm and to be an in-house attorney. Getting a hand-on experience is always better than just listening to people describe what it is like. I learned the daily works of attorneys and got exposed to a variety of legal matters. One day, I would be reviewing contracts or memos, the other, I was in long calls that went from 2 to 6 hours with defense counsels. I would also draft the company’s compliance guidelines and be on call with the in-house legal teams in Europe.
Then in my second-year summer, I returned to Korea to work for a Korean law firm. I was curious to know what it is like to work for a firm in Korea as a U.S. licensed attorney, and how it differs compared to working for a firm in America. I participated in the Intellectual Property (IP) clinic, representing entrepreneurs who were interested in filing patents, and designers and artists interested in protecting their IPs. I also worked as a certified student attorney at the County Attorney’s Office, Civil Division during the school year, primarily working for the Tax sub-division. Then in may last semester, I externed for a Bankruptcy Judge, which ultimately led me to be where I am at now.
As a recent graduate, every day is another challenge. Many people say the first three years as an attorney is the time as an apprentice. You learn from your colleagues and partners by assisting them. But this was not so much the case for me. I now work as an associate attorney at a bankruptcy law firm. Because of the work our firm handles, I was assigned to handle cases by myself just 3 months after starting work. I received guidance and help from other attorneys (and still am) but I still had to personally deal with all the email communications and phone calls with defense counsel who have years more of experience than I do. I spend most of my days going through the Bankruptcy Code, case laws, and negotiating with the opposing counsel to reach a mutually agreeable resolution before incurring further legal expenses. It is not an easy job, but when I successfully advocate for my client’s position, I get a great feeling of accomplishment.
Law Fellow
career options
The legal industry has various practice areas and positions in the field, and you do not necessarily need a license to work in the legal industry.
Law Fellow
skills
What are the main hard skills you use on a daily basis in your current job?
The ability to find and evaluate legal information either written in the black letter law or in case laws. This skill will help solve the legal problem by comparing the laws and facts to the case at hand.
Legal writing is not quite like other types of writing, and legal writing skills is one of the most important skills to have as a person working in the legal profession. It requires analytical thinking, the ability to point out factual issues, and apply the law and case laws to support one’s position.
Negotiation is important whether you are a litigator or a transactional lawyer. As a practicing attorney, you will find yourself negotiating with the opposing counsel to resolve a lawsuit, enter into business deals, and/or drafting contracts or settlement agreements.
What are the main soft skills you use on a daily basis in your current job?
Whether written or verbal, whether communicating with your colleagues or the defense counsel, communications skills are important in this industry. You can make or break a deal based on your communication skills and it will also enhance your ability to network.
You are in the industry where one single typo can become a big problem. You are representing your client, and it is important that you do not make mistakes that could put your client to disadvantage. Focus on the tasks and issues carefully and thoroughly. Always proofread, proofread twice, have your colleague proofread your work.
In the legal profession, there are many times when you are dealing with multiple different matters in a similar time frame. You should be able to organize what is urgent to what is less urgent and be able to plan out how you will use your time efficiently to complete things on time. Remember, failure to meet court deadlines or due dates to execute a deal may end up costing your client thousands of dollars.
Joo Hee
’s personal path
Tell us about your personal journey in
Law Fellow
:
Those who have known me for a long time are surprised to know where I am and what I do now, because it was unexpected. I had always been interested in other things, such as marketing, content development, or whatever related media or arts. But I was slowly introduced to the world of legal affairs through works that do not seem to relate to the legal industry.
Growing up, I had wanted to become a project manager at a big entertainment company. I loved music, movies, animations, and indeed did a 6-month long internship in one of Korea’s biggest entertainment companies. But the more I got involved in various aspects of the business, I came to learn how legal issues are tightly intertwined with the business dealings in the industry. Creating tv shows based on a best-seller novel, using music for movies or musicals, using a character for an event or to develop games – every part of the project run by the company required addressing legal issues, more specifically intellectual property. My interest in the legal industry sprouted from another industry that I was passionate about, and the more I learned the more I wanted to understand the law. Regulations, contracts, rights – it’s impossible to be involved in any business without understanding the legal issues involved.
This thought led me to enroll in law school, and that opened me up to explore various areas of the legal industry. As evident from the above, my experience was not solely focused on bankruptcy or becoming an attorney. But here I am now, as an associate attorney at a private law firm practicing bankruptcy law. I never took a single class related to bankruptcy until I started my externship in the Bankruptcy Court, during my last semester of law school. The judge I worked for was impressed by me, and she introduced me to the firm that I work for now.
You never know what other areas of law you will find interesting until you experience it. I remember feeling anxious, looking at law students around me who have always been planning on becoming a lawyer and knew right away what they wanted to practice. I thought I was too late in deciding the area of law I wanted to pursue; I thought I was too unprepared. But I was open to exploring many different areas of the law, to finally land on the field that I was interested in pursuing. I am still in my early years of career, so who knows what I will end up doing in the next couple of years. I hope this article convinces readers that there is no one path in achieving your goal.
What would you tell your younger you regarding building your current career?
I would tell my younger self to take advantage of what is available online for free. Preparing for law school and enrolling in law school is tough. I wish I made better use of the resources offered by the school or whatever that was offered for free online. I put it aside with excuses that I have no time to look at them, etc. Also, I would tell myself to reach out to professors and ask for help. I used to be good at that before going to law school, but for some reason I found speaking with law professors intimidating. If I were to go back in time, I would go to office hours and build good relationships with them to not only excel in school but also for networking purposes.
Final thoughts & tips
Stay motivated and optimistic. Be open to learning new things to broaden your sight. There is no one way to reach your goal, whatever it may be. There may be an “ideal” way, but that is not the only way. Just because you fall off of that track, doesn’t mean you have failed it. Don’t wait until opportunity finds you, proactively look for the opportunity. Pave your own way to reach the goal, with grit and perseverance, you will eventually find yourself at the goal without you even realizing it.
Resources to dig in more
FindLaw.com
A great source to get free legal information in different areas of law. From “Explore Legal Issues” section, you can read and learn about the basics of the law.
SCOTUSblog
This is a great blog that publishes up-to-date news and analysis on the recent Supreme Court decisions. It is great to keep up with recent legal issues without having to read a full and complex order since the reporters summarize the decision and put it in simple words for you.
ABA Journal – Asked and Answered
If you would rather listen to podcasts than to read words, this is your go to. You get free access to podcasts which answer popular questions from anything related to law school to other current legal issues.
