What Do Lawyers Do?
10 Tips for Selecting What Do Lawyers Do Panelists
- Select diverse panelists. One of the purposes of the program is to expose attendees to lawyers who look like them. Consider race/ethnicity, gender, disability status, sexual orientation and gender identity when selecting panelists.
- Select panelists from diverse practice areas. Consider litigation, transactional, family law, civil rights, administrative law, health law, business law, intellectual property, etc.
- Ensure panelists are from various practice settings. For example, large firm, small firm, solo, government, in-house, nonprofit, etc.
- Chose panelists with different levels of practice experience.
- Consider panelists who are humorous or personable and can keep attendees engaged.
- Try to have at least one panelist who clerked for a judge.
- Choose at least one panelist who had a different career before becoming a lawyer.
- Select panelists who took different paths to law school.
- Find a moderator who can keep the discussion flowing and allow all speakers an opportunity to speak and contribute to the panel.
- Try to get one panelist who is an alumnus/alumna of the host college or university.