Tell us about your current practice. What keeps you motivated?
I am a securities litigation attorney for The Rosen Law Firm, P.A., a plaintiff-side litigation firm that focuses on securities class actions and other forms of shareholder litigation, such as derivative litigation. It is recognized as one of the most successful firms of its type in the country.
I focus almost entirely on securities litigation, and I genuinely love my work. I find meaning in representing shareholders who have been victimized, usually by securities fraud.
As someone who has a longstanding interest in the stock market and business, but who didn’t want to defend large corporations, it really is the perfect job.
What do you like about your firm and location?
The firm is headquartered in New York City. I am based out of the metro Philadelphia office. Philadelphia has been a fantastic place to live and work. It is a pretty cheap place to buy a property and, being such a big city, it has a lot of activities.
Where did you intern for the summers during law school?
I was fortunate to intern at Blue Ridge Legal Services after my 1L year, which had a profound impact on me. Working at a legal aid clinic gave me the idea that I might like to be a litigator, and that I would enjoy representing everyday people instead of corporations. Aside from the personal fulfillment, I learned a lot about litigation and piecing together arguments.
I also interned at a large firm where I principally did legal research on labor and employment issues, and at a small firm where I focused on trademark law. Those were fine experiences, but I realized that defense-side employment law and intellectual property law were not for me and that I wanted to focus on securities. I got my current job right out of law school, and I’ve been here ever since.
What courses would you recommend?
I became interested in being a securities litigator after taking Securities Regulation with Professor Erickson, which was a wonderful course. She taught us about the same types of lawsuits that I work on now, and we even discussed a securities fraud complaint that was filed by my firm, which I found very engaging.
I also recommend Business Associations to get a good background in derivative litigation, M&A, Corporate Finance, Bankruptcy, and Introduction to Business (to learn some accounting principles). Restructuring and any other course that touches on litigation and has corporate defendants or securities at issue, because having as much background knowledge as possible will help.
While trial advocacy related courses can help with showing a genuine interest in litigation, they are not essential, as only a handful of securities actions have ever gone to trial.
What law school extracurriculars were useful in developing your skills and network?
I was on JOLT. Reviewing citations was very useful preparation, and I’d encourage anyone to join a journal. I would recommend any volunteer work with a legal aid clinic that a student can get, as any civil litigation experience will help the student tell if this area might be a fit.
What advice would you give to current law students about the job search process?
My advice is to first, get the best grades you can, and make sure your cover letters indicate that you know about the organization you are applying to. I would also advise student[s] to take as many classes corresponding to a practice area as possible.
I’d tell current law students that interviews go two ways, and are an opportunity to get a sense of what an employer is like. I’d also tell students to trust their gut and, if they’re able, turn down options that they do not feel are going to be a good long-term fit.
For 3Ls with no job lined up, I’d first say not to panic. I didn’t have a job when I graduated and I couldn’t be happier with how the job search turned out, and I know others in similar positions.
Click here to learn more about Ian McDowell and his practice: Ian McDowell of Rosen Law Firm: Experienced Securities Class Action Attorneys