Students, Recent Graduates Make Connections and Leave Impressions at Career Fair

The 2L Summer and Post-Grad Career Fair drew just over 100 career-seekers Thursday evening.   

Opportunity was in the air at the 2L Summer and Post-Grad Career Fair Thursday, which provided a chance for students and recent graduates to meet with recruiters to discuss open positions and, as part of a new feature this year, to sit down with practicing attorneys for more intimate career strategy sessions.  

The Fair, held in the 4th-floor dining hall, was sponsored by the Career Development Center and the Public Service Law Center as part of their joint mission to provide guidance, resources, and support to current students and alumni every step of the way in their career and professional development journey. Just over 100 people seeking positions attended, including 2L students searching for summer internships, as well as 3Ls and recent graduates preparing to take on full-time attorney roles. 

Along with the 15 firms and organizations that were recruiting for open positions, members of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) were on hand, including 10 corporate counsel attorneys from top companies across New York City who provided one-on-one advice sessions with students that included reviews of their résumés and LinkedIn profiles. More than 50 students pre-registered to meet with the attorneys in 20-minute time slots, according to Val Kapitula, director of recruitment and employer engagement at the Career Development Center. 

“It is an excellent opportunity for students to refine their LinkedIn profiles and résumés with input from practicing attorneys,” Kapitula said. “It’s the first time we’ve done this with ACC, and we look forward to working with them in the future.” 

Many of the employers at the fair have current job openings on Flo Recruit, or were there to network in the hopes of filling future openings, she said.  

The attorneys recruiting at the fair included more than a dozen of the Law School’s alumni, who emphasized the importance of making connections in the field, especially with fellow alumni, and to take advantage of the school’s clinical and student group offerings.  

Recent graduates Sam Caldarone ’23 and Maria Fischer ’24, both associate attorneys at Anderson Law, started out at the firm as interns, working with a partner at the firm, Gregory Byrnes ’18. “I started working for Greg in my 1L summer after meeting him through (retired Associated Professor of Clinical Law Emerita) Debbie Bechtel when I was a member of the Real Estate Society,” Fischer said. That early connection led to a full-time job after graduation, and now, an opportunity to bring more alumni into the fold at the firm. 

Among the four alumni attending on behalf of Aaronson Rappaport Feinstein & Deutsch was Mallory Turk ’15, a partner who joined the firm in 2020 and specializes in medical malpractice litigation. She was inspired to pursue the specialty after her own summer internship.  

“We have a big Brooklyn Law following and we are definitely looking to hire,” Turk said, adding that the team was seeking 2Ls for the firm’s summer program, especially. “For those interested in litigation, there’s an opportunity if you like us and we like you.” 

Another alumna recruiter at the fair was Elizabeth Verillo ’11, the borough director of the Children’s Law Center, Brooklyn. Her own experience at Brooklyn Law School’s hybrid externship, a clinic run by the Children’s Law Center, inspired her to join the nonprofit law firm and devote her career to representing children. Such experiences can guide career paths and leave positive impressions with employers. “The Brooklyn Law interns we work with are so passionate and professional,” said Erin Bistricer, a staff attorney at the center. “We really enjoy working with them.” 

Students at the fair said they appreciated the chance to meet with recruiters and get to know more about the firms and organizations, beyond what a job listing might reveal.  

Christian Santana ’27, who spoke with recruiters at Zumpano Patricios & Popok about opportunities in commercial litigation, is still carefully considering what type of law he would like to practice. “I appreciated that they didn’t just want to talk about what the job is, but also about what the company culture is like, because that’s important,” Santana said.  

Another student, Kaila Chen ’26, arranged an appointment with ACC to look over her LinkedIn profile and her résumé. “I’m very excited about the one-on-one program,” Chen said. “I’m interested in in-house counsel or government positions, so being able to hear firsthand how to break into the field is really valuable.” 

Students were eager to share their work experience with recruiters as well. Sabrina Farahani ’26 plans to work in general litigation and is currently interning at the state Attorney General’s office in Manhattan, experience that she is eager to discuss during her search and utilize after graduation.   

“I have been learning about everything that goes into putting together a motion, for example,” Farahani said. “It’s been great to get real-world experience in litigation.”  

See all the photos on Flickr.