American University Launches Lawyer Re-entry Program

This fall, the 1-Ls won’t be the only ones at American University’s Washington College of Law trying something new. While they’re just getting started down their legal career paths, others will come to campus to break back into the world of law.

The school is launching a re-entry program designed to help lawyers return to a legal career after taking leave to, say, raise a family. The courses will run for six days in late October and early November.

Executive director Linda Mercurio says the curriculum is broken into four parts. Participants will focus first on self-assessment and goal setting. They will then work on resume and cover-letter writing and other practical skills necessary to land a job. Thirdly, they will focus on getting up to speed on the latest technology used in the workplace. And finally, they will receive one-on-one career coaching from Mercurio herself.

Mercurio says the ultimate objectives are to get the lapsed lawyers to “regain a sense of self as a professional” and to “successfully prepare the participants to cross that bridge” back into the workplace. Washington College of Law faculty will teach the program, and guest speakers and career development professionals will also assist.

The program is co-sponsored by the Women’s Bar Association of D.C. and the National Association of Women Lawyers. Mercurio, though, says that it is not intended exclusively for women and that some men have already shown interest.