Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWire) -- 12/02/2013 --Rifkin Consulting's Diane Rifkin is an advocate of the new third-year internship option offered by some law schools for one very good reason: she believes that real work experience helps attorneys get hired and succeed long-term.

"The hiring climate for new lawyers is arid," says Rifkin, who has helped hundreds of attorneys find work that suits their particular career goals and preferences. "For new law school graduates with no work experience, finding a job can be a major challenge."

Currently, about 55 percent of law school graduates go to work as attorneys. The rest are forced to take jobs at lower salaries or jobs for which they could have prepared without the expense of a law degree. Considering that most law school students graduate with more than $100,000 in debt, this can be a crippling financial reality for nearly half of all law school students.

Rifkin, whose firm is located on the web at www.rifkinconsulting.com , has been matching attorneys with jobs for nearly twenty years and has seen trends come and go in hiring practices. "The candidates with real experience and skills always stand out in the hiring process," says Rifkin.

"Gaining work experience is one of the most valuable things any attorney can do to bolster his or her chances of landing and keeping the best legal job possible."

While Rifkin Consulting does not work with new law school graduates, Rifkin approves of the new movement toward third-year internships. Summer programs with law firms serve the purpose of gaining experience in a "real life" situation. However, they sometimes turn into a situation in which a candidate works for two months at a firm in the hope of getting an offer. In contrast, a third year of law school spent with the sole focus of learning valuable skills can be very productive and benefit future employers immediately.

"Giving law school students work histories to put on resumes is one of the best things law schools can do for their graduates," notes Rifkin. "In today's competitive job market, it helps to have experience to which a graduate can point and claim that he or she actually learned practical things about the practice of law."

About Rifkin Consulting
Rifkin Consulting is an attorney recruitment firm serving attorneys and law firms in California and throughout the country. Rifkin Consulting matches lawyers with positions that make the most of their particular skills and also helps law firms find talent to grow their practices successfully.

For More Information: www.rifkinconsulting.com