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Career Services Office

Career Services Office home page
Week of October 17, 2005

Fall Office Hours

The Career Services Office regular hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Evening appointments with career counselors are available by appointment only on Wednesdays, from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Please call the office at (312) 906-5200 to arrange a time or email, stating the times that you are available, to kentcso@kentlaw.edu.

Please let us know how we can assist you--whether it is a current transition, preparing for graduation, or just a "quick question." Individual appointments, programming, and a wealth of resources are all available through our office. Please read the Record weekly and frequent the bulletin board outside our office for information on upcoming programs, employment opportunities, and articles of interest.

Callbacks and Offers

Please keep us informed about callbacks and offers as well as any concerns you may have regarding the interviews. E-mail our office about callbacks or offers you receive from on-campus interviews or job fairs. If you accept an offer, please let us know so we can cancel the remainder of your on-campus interviews.

Programs

Alternatives to Fall On-Campus: Alternative Careers
October 18, noon, Room 370

Join us on October 18th to hear from a panel of lawyers who have pursued alternative careers. Learn how to sell your law school experience/JD to a non-legal employer and discover how former lawyers/law students broke into a non-legal field. 1Ls are welcome to attend this program. Lunch will be provided!

Meet the Public Interest Employers Reception
Tuesday, October 18, 4:30pm - 6:30pm

Law students are welcomed to come to Loyola University School of Law, Kasbeer Hall, 25 E. Pearson, 15th floor, and learn about the rich array of public service legal activity in the Chicago area, including employment and volunteer opportunities.

YLS 12th Annual Pro Bono and Community Service Fair
Oct. 20th

The Chicago Bar Association YLS will host its 12th Annual Pro Bono and Community Service Volunteer Fair at the law firm of Jenner & Block, LLP - 330 N. Wabash Ave., 40th floor - on October 20, 2005 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Come and learn how to make a difference with just a small time commitment, perhaps just one or two hours a month! This free event will be a great opportunity for attorneys and law students of all ages to meet representatives from many of the Chicago area legal aid and non-legal public service organizations.  Attendees will have the opportunity to visit the information tables of over 40 organizations to learn about available volunteer opportunities while networking with other attorneys and law students and enjoying complimentary appetizers and cocktails.

Co-sponsors of this year’s event include The Chicago Bar Foundation, the Public Interest Law Initiative, Jenner & Block, LLP and Exelon.
To rsvp for this complimentary event, contact the YLS Hotline at 312/554-2032 or yls@chicagobar.org.

First Year Students: Orientation and Resume Workshop

The Career Services Office will hold an orientation for first year students on Tuesday, October 25th at noon in the Auditorium and 5:15 p.m. in room 590. This program will provide you with information about the job posting system, options and opportunities for summer employment, and discuss the typical hiring timeline for first year students. You only need to attend one session.

A workshop on writing cover letters and developing a legal resume will be presented on Tuesday, November 1st at noon and 5:15 p.m in the Auditorium.  You must attend this program if you want to have your resume or cover letter reviewed by a career counselor.

NYU Foreign LL.M. Law Student Job Fair

Attention Foreign LL.M. Students!  On Wednesday, October 19th during the regular IALS class meeting time and room (room 270, 10:40 am – 11:35 am) a representative from the Career Services Office will be explaining what you need to know and what you need to do to apply to the NYU International LL..M. Student Job Fair. If you are not taking this class you are nonetheless encouraged to come to the meeting so you will be informed about this opportunity.  Additionally, we will go over how to write an Americanized resume.  If you have questions, please contact Elizabeth Pohlman at epohlman@kentlaw.edu in the Career Services Office.

Navigating a Real Estate Transaction
October 29 at Chicago-Kent

Navigating a Real Estate Transaction , an educational program geared to law students and new attorneys hosted by Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. (ATG), will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2005, at Chicago-Kent College of Law, auditorium, 565 W. Adams, in Chicago. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by the program from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Experienced real estate practitioners will navigate a typical real estate transaction, and discuss how to establish a real estate practice, representing the buyer/seller, mortgage financing, and more.

There is no charge for students and attorneys admitted less than three years; cost is $25 for attorneys who have been in practice for three years or more. Continental breakfast and lunch are included. For information or reservations, call Kristanna Roper at 312-752-1470, or visit www.atgf.com.

Lavender Law Conference
October 27-29

Sponsored by the National Lesbian and Gay Law Foundation, the Lavender Law Conference will be held in San Diego, California on October 27-29. For more information and to register, go to www.LavenderLaw.org. A reduced registration fee is offered until Monday, September 26th.

2005 Pro Bono Week: Hope and Justice in Action

Members of Chicago's legal community are coming together to develop the CBA & CBF's innagural "Pro Bono Week" during the week of October 17, 2005. The special week of activities aims to educate both the public and the legal community as to how lawyers are improving the lives of the less fortunate and to explain how lawyers can get involved in pro bono. The planning committee will host pro bono training events for lawyers, the Young Lawyers Section Pro Bono & Community Service Fair, spotlight the CBF's "Meet the Need" campaign, and reach out to local media on the positive contributions of pro bono lawyers. Visit www.chicagobar.org/probonoweek for more information.

Employment Related Opportunities

Please check the job posting system on a regular basis.  If you do not have a password, please e-mail kentcso@kentlaw.edu.

Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP)

The JIOP is a full-time, six-week minimum, summer internship program open to all first- or second-year minority or financially disadvantaged law students who want to do legal research and writing for state or federal judges in Illinois, Texas, Miami, FL and Phoenix, AZ. For more information about the program, please visit the ABA Website, or contact Gail Howard (312-988-6348). The application for the 2005-06 program is now available and will be accepted starting November 1st. Applications must be received by January 31, 2006 (postmark). Click here for some reasons to consider a judicial internship. See also Handout #9.

ABA Public Service Summer Internship

The American Bar Association’s Division for Public Service sponsors an annual Public Service Summer Internship. The internship is a unique program designed for 2nd and 3rd year law students to engage in an individualized public interest legal research and writing project over a 10-week summer period. In concert with Division attorneys and law school faculty reviewer, students will develop and complete a substantive legal monograph with the opportunity to be published. The project must involve one of the following areas of law: Bioethics and the Law, Disability Law, Election Law, Environmental Law, Homelessness and Poverty, Immigration Law, Law Library of Congress and Access to Legal Resources, National Security Law, Substance Abuse, Public Interest in Law School and as a Career.

This internship is unpaid and students are encouraged to incorporate the Internship into an externship/internship program. See Professor Gross for more information about externships. For more information and to apply see the ABA website, and click on ABA Public Service Summer Internship. Applications must be postmarked by February 15, 2006.

US Securities and Exchange Commission Internships
Summer Honors Law Program: Applications online only!

Compensated summer positions for law students who are in their first or second year or entering judicial clerkships or continued education post-internship.
The open application period for 2L law students is from August 8th through October 17th, 2005. The open application period for 1L's is from December 1st, 2005 through February 1st, 2006.
Please note that applications may not be sent to the Commission via US Mail, as in previous years. For more information, check out the SEC website.

Applications are accepted via the following link: https://www.avuedigitalservices.com/casting/agencyspecific/sec-sp/eligQuest/summerPrograms.jsp


Equal Justice Works Conference
Washington D.C., October 27-28, 2005

Over 120 government and public interest employers attend this conference and interview 2L's and 3L's for internships and attorney positions. As a 1L, you can learn about the organizations that attend through "tabletalk" sessions, but you are not able to interview.In addition, there are 14 workshop sessions that will include training on Legal Issues, Skills, and Organizing involving public service issues. If interested in interviewing with employers at the Conference it is strongly suggested that you send materials to employers by Wednesday, September 28. It is also suggested that you check the list of employers often because new employers are still being added. The employers will then decide who they want to interview and communicate that information to you. All students who plan to attend must register online by October 21.

Go to: http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/careerfair/students/ to learn more about the conference and how to participate. Be sure to click the link "Frequently asked questions by law students" in order to learn all of the information you need to know. If you have questions, please contact Michelle Mohr Vodenik.

Please do not apply for an externship unless you intend to accept an offer to extern. And just as important, after you accept a judicial externship with one of the participating federal judges, you have committed yourself to that judge for the coming semester. For the sake of the continued success of the Judicial Externship Program and the ability of Kent students to be able to continue to have the privilege of externing with these judges, you cannot withdraw from or drop Judicial Externship as you can other law school courses. Breaching your promise to a federal judge to extern is the equivalent of ethical misconduct. So bottom line: if you are entertaining the possibility of transferring or visiting at another law school for the coming semester, do not apply for a judicial externship that semester. 

iBIO Career Links
November 1st

Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization, iBIO, is holding, in conjunction with its annual conference, a Career Fair, “iBIO Career Links”, November 1st, Navy Pier. This year, area law schools are invited to attend since a large part of our membership is comprised of the top Law Firms in Chicago, including, Bell Boyd, Kirkland & Ellis, Barnes & Thornburg, Holland & Knight, Brinks Hofer, Marshal Gernstein & Borun, and many more. Steve Burrill from Burrill & Company http://www.burrillandco.com/bio/team_bios, will be the closing keynote. He will give his famous, State of the Industry, and talk about how it impacts the students. The Career Website, a free service to students and job seekers, will also be launched. This is will be the only career website dedicated to Illinois Life Science Community. Registrants will have the opportunity to upload their resumes when they register, and there will be computer kiosks on site.

How much:
$25 with on-line registration before Tuesday, October 25 ($40 at the door). This nominal
student-only fee includes a Navy Pier parking voucher when you attend iBIO Career Links, as well as access to The Midwest Life Sciences Meeting at the iBIO Marketplace, taking place from 8:00am - 6:00pm on Wednesday, November 2, including star keynote speakers and exhibits—a $400 value!

How do I sign up?
Just visit http://www.ibio.org/PrivateEventsDetail.asp?ContentID=1741 to register.

Please review the following website, it will provide some background and information on the iBIO Marketplace, our annual trade show. http://www.ibio.org/marketplace2005/

 

Fellowship & Scholarship Information

Latham & Watkins 2L Diversity Scholarship Program

Latham & Watkins is pleased to announce the Latham Diversity Scholars Program which will award a $10,000 non-renewable scholarship to each of four second year law students for use during their third year of law school (2006-07). Factors considered in choosing the Latham Diversity Scholars will include a candidate’s:

  • Ability to contribute to the diversity objectives of global law firms;
  • Success in overcoming any obstacles or challenges faced in deciding to choose law as a profession;
  • Academic and/or leadership achievements; and
  • Desire to practice in a global law firm environment.

Applications are due by December 1, 2005 and are not contingent upon receiving or accepting an offer at Latham & Watkins. The applications can be found on the Latham & Watkins Recruiting webpage, at the bottom of the page under “Diversity Scholars Program.”

Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) 
Summer Internship Program 
For FIRST and SECOND Year Law Students

The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) sponsors a Summer Internship Program for first and second year law students.  Each summer, PILI funds dozens of internships at public interest law agencies in the Chicago metropolitan area.  The program is open to law students from across the country.  The stipend for 10 weeks work is $4,500.

PILI ensures quality supervision by experienced lawyers at the agencies, and provides a lunch-time educational program.  The program seeks to have law students work at and learn about legal institutions serving the public interest, and to engender a life-long participation in public interest law.

For more information, please see the PILI website. Applications are available in the Career Services Office, marked Handout #11.

HIRING IS HANDLED DIFFERENTLY AT EACH AGENCY.  THE EARLIER YOU APPLY, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES.  APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY MARCH 31.  FIRST YEARS MUST WAIT UNTIL DECEMBER 1.

 

The Jack Carey Scholarship for the Cook County
Public Defender's Office

The Jack Carey Scholarship provides a law clerk a scholarship within the Cook County Public Defender’s Office, which defends indigent clients in civil cases as well as criminal misdemeanor and felony cases. Selected applicants will assist a supervising attorney(s) in investigations, case preparation, client visits, legal research and writing, motion drafting and trial advocacy. One new applicant will be selected for each Fall Spring, and Summer semester. Scholarships are available to students eligible for a 711 license. Applications for Winter 2006 are due October 24, 2005. For more information and to pick up an application, please see Handout #10 in the Career Services Office.

National Litigation Fellowships
Pacific Legal Foundation

EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND LITIGATE ISSUES OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
**$52,000 NATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS**

Pacific Legal Foundation's College of Public Interest Law is offering a limited number of national litigation fellowships to top graduates interested in rapidly gaining experience in the litigation of major cases. The fellowships are open to all graduating individuals of demonstrated high achievement and offer an exceptional opportunity as a stepping stone to private practice, public agency law, an academic career in the teaching of law, or a permanent position with Pacific Legal Foundation.

Positions in this program are expected to be available in the Sacramento, California, headquarters of Pacific Legal Foundation, the largest and oldest national public interest law foundation litigating in support of private property rights, individual liberties, limited government, and the free enterprise system. As a participant in this program, you will receive concentrated litigation and writing experience in the areas of the Foundation's legal practice.

Additional information and applications are available on the Pacific Legal Foundation website. See also Job Listing # 1896.



STIPENDS FOR PUBLIC INTEREST INTERNSHIPS
IN THE CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREA: SPRING SEMESTER

The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) offers a limited School-Year Internship Program. PILI recruits law students from area law schools for internships with one of seven public interest law agencies in the Chicago metropolitan area. Selected interns receive a stipend of $2,250 for 200 hours of work during the spring term.
In order to apply for a school-year internship, an applicant must prepare the PILI pplication Form, and a cover letter and resume for each agency to which you are applying (up to seven sets, collated and stapled). The application and additional information may be found on the PILI website.

The application materials should be submitted before mid-January. However, since each agency hires at a different time, it is advisable to apply early.

Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowship in Nonprofit Law

The Fellowship, funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, permits one Fellow each year to spend one year in residence at the Vera Institute of Justice in New York City, working closely with Vera's General Counsel and Special Counsel on legal issues faced by Vera. In addition, the Fellow will be deployed to Vera's various projects and programs to address the legal, business, and organizational issues confronted by these programs and projects.

A Fellowship at Vera will provide a law school graduate with exposure to an unusually wide variety of legal and organizational issues encountered by nonprofit organizations. It also will provide the opportunity to identify an emerging or changing area of law with particular significance for nonprofits, and to explore that area in depth, examining it in the real-life context of a complex, legally-sophisticated organization.

To apply, download the PDF application or apply online at http://www.law.nyu.edu/ncpl/. Informational brochures can be found in the CSO, marked Handout # 2. Applications are due December 9, 2005.

PSLawNet Fellowship Corner

Interested in pursuing a fellowship upon graduation? Then be sure to check out PSLawNet's new "Fellowship Corner" which includes the full text of Yale's Fellowship Application Tips for 2002-2003, along with the expanded Appendix listing print and online fellowship resources. The site also contains a Fellowship Calendar with a chronological listing of application deadlines--a big help for potential applicants in planning and preparing their materials. Students can access the Fellowship Corner at the top of the left sidebar menu on the PSLawNet home page.

Resources

NOTE: This section is for highlighting new resources or existing sources that have been updated, or as a reminder of existing resources that are especially useful at certain times during the year. To view the list of available resources go to http://www.kentlaw.edu/depts/cso/book-inv.pdf

New Books!

  • Navigating Detours on the Road to Success, by Kathleen Brady
  • Vault Guide to Law Firm Pro Bono Firms
  • Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms

Chicago Area Law Firm List
Updated and On-line!

The Chicago Area Law Firm List of firms with four or more attorneys is available on-line in a password protected searchable database. Use this resource to identify local law firms that practice in the area(s) and then create a mail merge by using the spreadsheet tool. Although every attempt is made at keeping the database current, information may become out of date due to firm mergers, contact people leaving their firms, etc. Therefore, it's suggested that all information be double-checked prior to sending out any cover letters and resumes. If you should learn of any changes, please notify our office via e-mail so we can update the database accordingly. Please contact kentcso@kentlaw.edu for the password to access the list.

Job Bulletins

We receive job bulletins from the federal government and other law schools for opportunities in Illinois as well as other states. They are only available in hard copy in the Career Services Office.

 

CALENDARS

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