Brandon Archuleta was recently featured in Colorado Law School’s newsletter as a “Promising Start,” a series that recognizes recent alumni who have found satisfying, meaningful employment in their first five years after graduation. While Archuleta did not expect to leave Colorado after graduation, his open-mindedness, which has been the key to his success, led to his current role with Lane Powell.
How did you find your job?
It was truly a serendipitous series of events that brought me to Seattle, but to take a step back, I spent my first two years of practice with Molson Coors Brewing Company (MCBC) as one of their two “legal residents” (think of it as a corporate clerkship). That job provided a unique start to my career and gave me great experience and opportunities to hone my skills. That position is term-limited to two years, but once I started looking for my next opportunity, I was able to leverage the experiences and skills I gained at MCBC, as well as my connections, into my current position at Lane Powell, which is a midsized Pacific Northwest law firm.
I think it’s important to mention that I was not looking to leave Colorado when I was searching for my next job after MCBC. I was truly seeking the best opportunity for me, and while I knew (for various reasons) that I wanted my next step to be in a law firm setting, I approached my search with an open mind about what my next role might look like. Another thing that’s important to mention is that I received a number of rejections before landing a number of offers, including the one here at Lane Powell. And it’s a good thing I did! If one of those firms had hired me earlier, I never would have found what turned out to be the perfect opportunity and role for me. Sometimes you just have to appreciate the struggle.