The Chetson Firm is a Raleigh criminal law firm based in downtown Raleigh at 19 W. Hargett Street, Suite 920, Raleigh 27601 ((919) 352-9411) and serving people accused of crimes in Wake County, the Research Triangle, and throughout North Carolina. We are licensed to practice in North Carolina’s state courts, and in the federal courts of the Eastern District of North Carolina. We also practice bankruptcy law with an emphasis on consumer bankruptcy and on Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings under the United States Bankruptcy Code.
We frequently receive inquiries about openings at our firm.
At this time, we are not hiring. Advice for Job Seekers
Criminal Law Internships
We may be willing to take on unpaid interns who have an interest in learning criminal or bankruptcy law. Mr. Chetson received the best training of his legal career while working as an unpaid intern for the Wake County Public Defender’s Office (414 Fayetteville Street, Ph: 919-792-5400). He highly recommends that those seeking professional training in criminal defense law seek out internships at a Public Defender’s office since the volume of cases is high, and the lawyers are in need of competent help.
Internships ought to be treated as if they are jobs. Clients – whether they are clients of The Chetson Firm or clients of a Public Defender – depend on the lawyers and staff to provide aggressive and vigorous defense work.
Interns who work for The Chetson Firm are required to commit to regular part-time or full-time hours, be professional at all times, and maintain the strictest confidentiality with respect to the matters handled by the Firm. Indeed, at the discretion of the client or the attorney, interns may be excluded from handling certain matters that are of a sensitive nature.
Interns can expect that they will not try cases. However, interns will be treated as assistants and, in that capacity, can expect real world exposure to the actual practice of criminal law, including participating, where appropriate, in client meetings, reviewing discovery, making general purpose court appearances, interviewing witnesses, and performing the more mundane tasks required to make an office function: filing, copying, etc.
The qualities we expect:
- Professionalism in dress, behavior, and courtroom demeanor
- Commitment to the highest ethical standards
- An interest in criminal defense law
- Something beyond or instead of good grades in law school. Real world experience is much more important to us than good grades.
Click here to see how to apply.
Advice for Associates and Recent Graduates
Every week we receive inquiries about job openings. At this time, we are not hiring.
We would like to offer a perspective and some advice to potential job seekers.
Since 2008, the legal job market has gone from bad, to worse, to downright terrible. Still, law schools insist on creating the myth of the highly-paid associate in order to encourage people to chase a JD. In addition, too few law schools focus on the actual practice of law. Two notable local exceptions: Campbell Law School seems to produce graduates who have practical legal skills. North Carolina Central is an excellent value, and a school that produces students who have real world skills. In general, however, most graduates are untrained in the actual practice of law, or the actual business of law, leaving that job to law firms. If you’ve recognized that fact, and begun to correct for it, you’re making yourself much more valuable as a potential associate, or as a solo practitioner.
The actual economic conditions for lawyers are poor, and your prospects of becoming wealthy from the practice of law are statistically not good. While there will always be a number of high-end BigLaw firms, those firms, which cater to corporations and the extremely wealthy, are merging, shrinking, and dissolving. As the general economy goes, so goes the legal economy, which is essentially a parasitic presence on the real economy.
That doesn’t mean lawyering can’t be a wonderfully rewarding career. Helping people resolve their problems – whether they face criminal charges, seek bankruptcy protection, are purchasing property, or suffer from injuries as a result of an accident – is a noble pursuit.
If you want to simply “practice the law,” then you will need to find a job in an established mid to large-sized law firm, or in government (state, federal, or local).
If you want to go solo, or work at a small law firm, then you will need to understand that your job is only partly the practice of law. You need to bring to bear other skills: marketing, accounting, technology, and customer-service skills that are essential to any business, including the business of practicing law.
When we have openings, we seek candidates who have:
- Experience with the actual practice of law
- A proven record of providing excellent customer service
- A track record of generating business, whether through marketing, contacts, your network, etc.
- An ability to support the office in one of the following ways:
- Technology
- Accounting & Budgeting
- Strategic Planning
Potential candidates should be prepared to explain how they will add value to the firm. The practice of law is the result of, and benefit of, the value added.
Applying for an Internship or Position at The Chetson Firm
We are not hiring for a permanent position. (If we are not hiring, we do not keep resumes or applications. Please do not apply for a permanent position unless we are hiring.)
We may be seeking interns. Internships are always unpaid. The benefit of the internship is your opportunity learn about the real, day-to-day practice of criminal law (or bankruptcy law).
If you are applying for an internship, please send a cover letter and resume in Adobe Acrobat PDF format only. Please: No phone calls.
Interns should be prepared to commit at least 20 hours a week on a regular schedule.
