Welcome to Our Noble Profession!

Welcome to the new Career Services blog for the University at Buffalo Law School, (SUNY). I hope that it will be a great source of information, news, events and inspiration for you as you continue to discover your career path in and around the legal profession. Our aim on this blog and in the CSO at all times is to provide resources to all of our constituents: prospective applicants, current students, alumni, and visitors. For as you may or may not know, most law graduates continue to grow and develop their careers throughout a lifetime.

Hence, this blog is named with this path of continuous improvement and education in mind. It is a reminder that the search for meaning and fulfillment extends beyond just finding jobs. We are all on a quest for work that fills the working third (or more) of our lives with the satisfying use of our skills, talents, knowledge and passion. Let's look to our roots, shall we?

The following quote is from David T. Link, Dean Emeritus of Notre Dame Law School. I hope it illuminates or demonstrates the basics behind the philosophy that your chosen field is not merely a memorization of rules, or preparation for a standardized exam. It is an honorable and ancient profession, one that is vital to the survival of our just society.

"No one event can be identified as the “beginning” of the legal profession, but it is likely that the development of the legal profession closely paralleled the development of the other ancient professions. As formerly nomadic hunters and gatherers settled into permanent communities, new opportunities arose, but so did new problems. The establishment of communities made a division of labor possible, allowing certain community members to become “experts” in certain subjects and use their expertise to serve the entire community. But the establishment of communities also gave rise to problems that people experience when they live in close proximity for long periods of time.

One ancient profession was medicine. Someone in each village or tribe was designated to treat physical problems - plights of health and of dying. Whether that person worked with herbs or animal parts or “magical” incantations, he or she was sought out to cure problems of the body. This ancient public servant was a predecessor of today’s nurses and doctors.

A second ancient profession was ministry. Someone in each village or tribe was looked to for help in answering spiritual questions. Whether this person was called a shaman, priest, priestess, minister, or some other name, he or she ministered to the spiritual needs of the people. This ancient public servant was a predecessor of today’s priests, pastors, rabbis, and other clergy.

There was a need for a third “professional” in ancient communities. In virtually every tribe, village, or settlement, someone was needed to resolve disputes about property and personal rights - to decide what those rights were, when those rights had been violated, and how violations of those rights would be remedied. In their need, the people of ancient communities turned to a Solomon-like person to heal societal divisions, resolve disputes, and record the rules or “laws” for the future. This ancient public servant was a predecessor of today’s mediators, arbitrators, and judges. "

--David T. Link

So again, I welcome you to our noble profession. Whether you seek to practice law in the private or public sectors, or in law-related or other careers, know that your education will serve you well in your life’s journey. As you navigate your options and callings, we invite you to use the CSO‘s counselors, programs and resources to help guide you.