So, You Want To Be A Tech Lawyer?

As Assistant Program Director for the Cornell Law School and Cornell Tech LL.M. program in Law, Technology & Entrepreneurship, I’m embedded in an institution with deep ties to the technology field. I see every day how lawyers engage with the flourishing tech industry — and with old industries that are increasingly tech dependent.

Law firms and businesses pursue lawyers who understand the varied needs of tech companies and even more importantly, who understand technology and the development process.  Building on my 15 years as an attorney recruiter and career coach, I help Cornell Tech graduates and alumni pursue careers in tech law.

Our graduates are lawyers who have committed nine months to expanding their knowledge in this area while working alongside their colleagues in business and tech to solve real world problems. From that experience, I’ve seen a number of ways lawyers can find and excel in tech-related careers.

There’s not one answer to what a “tech lawyer” is.  There are data privacy lawyers, tech transactions lawyers, IP specialists, corporate or in-house lawyers working with high-growth startups, product counsel, employment lawyers navigating a newly remote workplace, digital media lawyers, legal technologists using new tools to enhance legal practice, and many others.  What do you want to be, and where do you start?

Become a tech specialist in your practice

“Tech lawyers” exist in every specialty.  Build your experience within your existing domain by being the lawyer who can help your clients meet these needs.

• Spend time with your clients to learn their business. This is always good client development advice; here, it’s helping you to understand how clients interact with technology and to identify how that interaction with technology impacts their legal needs.
• Volunteer for the work. Once you’ve identified your client’s needs, how do you meet them?  You’re not (yet) an expert, so you need to learn from others.  Seize opportunities to stay involved even if others are doing the work. You may have to spend days on due diligence or other projects, but it is an investment that will increase your understanding of the work you hope to do.
• Consider legal technology. Every law firm is also a client of tech-related services. Many of our graduates have found legal tech careers that permit them to engage with technology and practice in a whole new way.

Get the information and training you need to serve a tech-centric world

Cornell Tech LL.M. students engage in active and experiential learning, and they also do a lot of reading. You should do the same.

• Comb the internet for free, reputable sources of practicums, lectures, etc. in areas of interest. (Check out Cornell Tech’s Digital Life Initiative seminars!)
• Subscribe to newsletters, feeds, and podcasts, like ATL’s Evolve the Law and Cornell Tech’s “Good Code” podcast.  Many law firms also have news feeds featuring top practitioners writing on the latest practice developments.
• Build your privacy skills. Every client with employees or customers has potential privacy issues, and we are at a historic moment where privacy law is about as complicated as it could possibly be. The US has a fragmented state law system, while the EU has a complex system of its own.  To make yourself a strong candidate for privacy lawyer jobs, data privacy CIPP certifications issued by the IAPP are valued by law firms and industry players alike.
• To really accelerate your capabilities, consider advanced degrees like Cornell Tech’s LLM in Law, Technology & Entrepreneurship which provide a deep dive into technology law.

Track your progress like no one is watching

Keep a master list of everything you do no matter how small. It will become the foundation of your annual review discussion and your new, focused, resume. You are helping your firm to comprehensively serve existing clients and to appeal to new clients (and new employers). Show that you are serious and make your case for a change.

At the end of the day, it’s your career. You are in control and have to decide for yourself what opportunities to pursue, what training to get, and what experiences to build. There are many paths.

At the Cornell Tech LL.M. program, students embark on a two-semester intensive study of technology, law and business, learning the legal fields and skills to extend their practice into a variety of tech-related disciplines. They also build relationships with future entrepreneurs (or become entrepreneurs themselves), thus opening up a wide-range of possibilities.

If you are ready to commit the time to pivot toward those opportunities, we invite you to visit the Cornell Tech LL.M. website and sign up for information on upcoming webinars for more program info.