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Career Services Office

Career Services Office home page
November 8, 2010

CSO Information & Announcements

  • Make-up Procedures for Mandatory 1L Orientation and Resume/Cover Letter Programs
  • 1L Mandatory Resume and Cover Letter Program: November 9
  • Summer Experience Surveys
  • Resume Books Sign-ups Continue
  • CSO Program Videos Now Available Online!

Fall On-Campus Interviewing Program

  • Don't Forget to Report Callbacks and Offers!

Programming

  • 1L Mandatory Resume and Cover Letter Program: November 9
  • November 8: Careers in Legislative Advocacy
  • November 9: Preparing Your Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) Application
  • November 9: American Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Lunch & Learn Program
  • November 10: The Out-of-State Job Search
  • November 10: Meet the Public Service Organizations Reception
  • J French Personal Branding Presents: Rise Up In A Down Economy
  • November 15: International Summer Opportunities
  • November 16: Judicial Internship Opportunity Program (JIOP) and Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Minority Law Student Panel
  • November 16: Corporate Counsel Panel & Reception
  • Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms: Law Student Preparedness Series: November Resume and Interview Workshop
  • November 30: The Job Search Over Winter Break
  • December 9: Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference (MPILCC) Registration Deadline
  • American Bar Association Mentoring Program
  • Video on Managing a Legal Career Transition in Tough Times

Employment Opportunities

  • Attention 2Ls: 2011 Summer PILI Student Internship Application Now Open
  • Summer 2011 Judicial Intern Opportunity Program
  • SEC Summer Honors Program

Fellowships & Scholarships

  • Vedder Price Diversity Scholarship for 1Ls

Job Fairs

  • December 9: Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference (MPILCC) Registration Deadline

Resources

  • 2010-2011 Government Honors & Internship Handbook
  • LexisNexis ASPIRE Program for Deferred Law Firm Hires and Law Students Engaged in Public Interest Work
  • Web Access for Policy, Political and Human Rights Jobs
  • Access the BYU Intercollegiate Job Bank
  • Password Protected Sites Now Available on Symplicity
  • Law Bulletin Weekly On-line Employment Bulletin
  • Career Advisor Network
  • International Career Employment Weekly Online
  • PSLawNet Fellowship Corner
  • PSLawNet

CSO Information & Announcements

 

Make-up Procedures for Mandatory 1L Orientation and Resume/Cover Letter Programs

The make-up procedures for the Mandatory 1L Career Services Orientation program are now available. A video of this week’s program, along with all accompanying handouts, is posted on-line here: http://www.kentlaw.edu/depts/cso/videos/videos.html. To watch the video, the user name is “videos” and the password is “kentlaw.” One of the handouts is a survey form – please make sure that you fill out the correct form (for 2012 or 2013 graduates) and fill it out as completely as possible. We use this forms to assign your career counselor.  If at all possible we ask that you return a completed form to the Career Services Office (Suite 360) by Tuesday evening (November 2). (If you do not have time to watch the video first, it’s not necessary to turning the form in). Survey forms are also available in the Career Services Office.

 

1L Mandatory Resume and Cover Letter Programs

If you did not attend the previous two programs for 1L students on resumes and cover letters, you have one more chance to do so.

Tuesday, November 9, 6-7pm, Room 510

If you have any questions, please email Kentcso@kentlaw.edu or come by Suite 360. 1Ls must attend this program if you want to have your resume or cover letter reviewed by a career counselor, but you only need to attend one session.

 

Summer Experience Surveys

The best way for students to make an informed choice about where they would like to work is to hear from those who have worked there in the past. The Career Services Office offers all students the chance to evaluate their summer experiences. In order for this to be a valuable resource for students, WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please take a few minutes to complete a brief survey about your summer experience at: https://law-kent-csm.symplicity.com/students/.

Once you have logged on, please click on "Summer Experience Survey" on the right-hand side under the "Career Tools and Advising" section. Then click "Add New" to complete the survey. You must click "Submit" when you are finished.

The information you provide helps our office better understand the different types of summer legal opportunities our students are experiencing. Also, by completing the survey, you are given the option of being a resource for other students by making your contact information visible on your survey. If you choose to allow students to contact you for further information about your summer experience, you may receive emails with additional questions about the method through which you obtained your position (i.e., fall OCI program, job fairs, networking, direct mailing, etc.) and specific information about the firm/organization where you worked. However, if you would like your evaluation to remain anonymous, simply select "No" to the following question: "May students contact you for further information about your summer experience?"

We greatly appreciate your assistance in making sure this is a valuable resource for students.

 

Resume Books Sign-ups Continue

The Career Services Office is kicking off a new job search program this fall – Resume Books!

A Resume Book is exactly what it sounds like, a collection of resumes that can be distributed to employers on request. Our resume books will collect the resumes of students and recent graduates in a particular class (e.g. 2Ls) with similar interests (e.g. immigration law, real estate law, or working in the northern suburbs), and then notify employers who fit those criteria that the books are available for review. These books can also be used when an employer calls up our office looking for a particular type of student to clerk for them (“We are looking for a 3L interested in litigation who has worked as a 711 clerk.”), so that we can respond quickly and efficiently to employer requests (in that case by looking at the 3L Litigation Resume Book for students who have been 711 clerks).

Here are a few FAQs about Resume Books:

  1. Do I have to participate?
    No, the Resume Books are “opt-in.” Only students who choose to participate will be included in Resume Books.
    If you do participate, you are authorizing our office to make your resume available to any employer who requests the Resume Books into which you have placed your resume, and you have given our office permission to send your resume in response to a telephone or email request for students interested in a particular practice area or geographic region. However, you are not obligated to accept interviews or offers resulting from your participation.
  2. How do I participate? In Symplicity, click on the “Documents” tab, then “Opt-In Resume Book.” At the far right, click on “Select Resume Books.” You will see your resume listed and under that a drop down list of Resume Books for your class year. Select the correct Resume Books and then click on “Submit.”
    Please Note: If you have not had your resume reviewed since last spring, you will need to have your career adviser review it before you can opt-in to a Resume Book. Your resume can be emailed to your career adviser for this purpose.
  3. When does this start? You can upload your resume into Symplicity and begin choosing Resume Books today. Resume Books will be available to employers beginning September 1.
  4. How many Resume Books can I join? You can opt in to only 3 practice area Resume Books, but you are not limited as to geographic Resume Books (we do ask that you only opt in to a geographic Resume Book if you are serious about moving to that area). Any student who self-identifies as diverse is also welcome to opt in to the “Diversity Resume Book” for their class.
  5. Are the Resume Books indefinite? Resume Books will expire at the end of each semester and will be recreated for the following semester. You will need to opt-in again at the beginning of each semester. This is to prevent resumes from getting stale and to remind students to consider whether they are still interested in the same practice areas and/or geographic areas that they were 3 months prior. Reminders will be sent when new Resume Books are created.
  6. What if I find a job? If you find a job, and are no longer seeking new employment for the foreseeable future, you must remove your resume from the Resume Books you have selected, until such time that you begin seeking employment again.
  7. What if I change my mind about the type of law that interests me? As above, if you change your mind about the areas of law or geographic areas where you would like to work, we ask that you remove your resume from those Resume Books. Once you have done so, you can opt in to new Resume Books that fit your changed interests.
  8. Can I upload other job application documents to a Resume Book?Unfortunately, no. Cover letters and other documents can help paint a well-rounded picture of an applicant, but it would simply make the Resume Books too cumbersome for the employers, and it would be hard to manage and maintain. If an employer wants additional documents, they will contact you to ask.
  9. How will employers know about Resume Books? The Career Services Office will be sending emails to all employers in our Symplicity database telling them about our Resume Books in early September. We will do this every semester as new Resume Books are created. We have also been mentioning Resume Books in our outreach efforts this summer as something to watch for.
  10. Now that Resume Books exist, can I stop looking for a job? Definitely not! Resume Books are just one tool in your job search. We are not guaranteeing that Resume Books will lead to a job for everyone. However, we are trying to get as many student resumes in front of as many employers as possible, and we hope that Resume Books will accomplish that.

If you have additional questions about Resume Books, or would like your resume reviewed prior to opting in to a Resume Book, please contact your Career Services Adviser.

 

CSO Program Videos Now Available Online!

The Career Services Office is pleased to announce that videos of our programming are now available to be viewed online. Most of our programming will be available on our website within 1-2 days of the original program date and will remain available for viewing for 2-3 weeks, due to limited server space. Program videotapes will still be available in our office. A password is required to view these programs. Please call our office at 312-906-5200 or email kentcso@kentlaw.edu for the username and password. To watch videos of our programming, go to the CSO's web page, click on the right hand navigation bar "For Students" and select "Watch Program Videos." Or, click here to be taken directly to the page.

 

On-Campus Interviews

 

Don't Forget to Report Callbacks and Offers!

If you receive callbacks/offers during the fall interview season, please report this to our office by sending an email to kentcso@kentlaw.edu every couple weeks or so.  Please include from what source you obtained the interview/offer (OCI, resume collect, CCBA job fair, Loyola Patent Fair, etc.).  We keep track of these in order to determine how students are doing and where our students end up working during the summer/after graduation.  Also, if you have any concerns about how your interviews are progressing or questions about the interview process, please make an appointment to talk with a career counselor.   

 

Programming

 

1L Mandatory Resume and Cover Letter Programs

If you did not attend the previous two programs for 1L students on resumes and cover letters, you have one more chance to do so.

Tuesday, November 9, 6-7pm, Room 510

If you have any questions, please email Kentcso@kentlaw.edu or come by Suite 360. 1Ls must attend this program if you want to have your resume or cover letter reviewed by a career counselor, but you only need to attend one session.

 

Careers in Legislative Advocacy

Date: Monday. November 8, 2010
Time: 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Location: Room 510

The American Constitution Society, the Labor & Employment Law Society & the Career Services Office present: a Panel of Chicago-Kent alumni who have engaging careers in legislative advocacy. They will offer advice and ideas to students regarding how to pursue a legislative advocacy career. Featuring:

  • Eric Madiar (’00), Chief Legal Counsel, The Office of the Illinois Senate President, John J. Cullerton
  • Lindsay Anderson (’05), Legislative Director, Office of Governor Quinn
  • Marc Poulos (’04), Executive Director, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting
  • Dan Johnson-Weinberger, founder and president of Progressive Public Affairs

Please RSVP via the Events section of Symplicity for this program.

Preparing Your Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) Application

Date: Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Location: Room 270

The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) offers $5,000 internships for students who spend their summer at one of their designated Chicago-area legal aid organizations. As many as 12 Chicago-Kent students in one summer have received PILI internships! Hear from an employer who reviews PILI applications and several students who were successful at obtaining a PILI internship. For more information, visit the PILI website at www.pili-law.org. This program is sponsored by the Career Services Office and the Kent Justice Foundation. Food will be provided! Please RSVP via the Events section of Symplicity for this program.

November 9: ABA Intellectual Property Law Lunch & Learn Program

Date: Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Time: Noon - 1:00pm

Place: Room 510

Interested in a Career in Intellectual Property Law? 

Learn more, and enjoy free pizza and soft drinks, at a lunch-and-learn program from noon to 1 p.m., on Tuesday, Nov. 9, in Room 510.  By attending this program, you may sign up for complimentary one-year membership to the ABA and ABA Intellectual Property Law Section--a valuable networking and educational opportunity. 

Trademark and copyright attorneys Jonathan S. Jennings and Ashly A. Iacullo (Class of 2004) of Pattishall, McAuliffe, and patent attorney Richard Beem of Beem Patent Law, will answer your questions and fill you in on what it is like to practice IP law and the benefits of bar association membership. 

This event is sponsored by the American Bar Association's Section of Intellectual Property Law (ABA-IPL).  Please RSVP by Nov. 5 to behlandt@staff.abanet.org

 

The Out-of-State Job Search

Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Room 270

Are you considering moving out of the Chicago area either for this summer or after graduation? This program will give you tips and ideas for conducting a long distance job search. Please RSVP via the Events section of Symplicity for this program.

 

Meet the Public Service Organizations Reception

Meet public interest and government agency employers at this reception. Wednesday, November 10th, 5:30-7:00pm at Loyola University Chicago, 25 East Pearson, 15th Floor, Kasbeer Hall (please note this is the downtown campus of Loyola University, located at "Chicago" on the red line). You do not need to RSVP, just come and experience this amazing opportunity to talk to public service employers directly. This reception is a project of the Chicago Area Law School Consortium (CALSC), which includes Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Organizations Confirmed to Attend as Of 10/20/2010 (More To Be Added) -
Cabrini Green Legal Aid
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) - Chicago
Center for Disability & Elder Law
Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellowship Program
Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
Chicago Park District
Chicago Transit Authority
Citizen Advocacy Project
Cook County Office of the Public Guardian
Cook County Treasurer’s Office
Domestic Violence Legal Clinic
DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office
Equip for Equality
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Federal Trace Commission (FTC)
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
Illinois Attorney General’s Office
Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
Illinois Department of Children & Family Services
Illinois Department of Revenue
Illinois Human Rights Commission
Illinois Legal Aid Online
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
The Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago
Midwest Workers’ Association
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, U.S. Department of Treasury
Office of the State Appellate Defender
Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI)
Prairie State Legal Services
Special Education Advocacy Center  
U.S. Dept. of Education, Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development, Office of Regional Counsel
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission
U.S. Trustee's Office

Rise Up In A Down Economy: Get Noticed &
Be Remembered With A Powerful Personal Brand

Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Location: J Bar - 610 N. Rush Street

J FRENCH personal branding presents:
Enjoy a workshop, networking and onsite professional head shots courtesy of Errol Dunlap Photography onWednesday, November 10, 6-8 pm at J Bar, 610 N. Rush Street $35 (cash only at the door)

For $35, join us for:

  • Complimentary drinks at an amazing downtown venue
  • Tips on how to create an elevator pitch, make a great first impression in person & on-line from Jasmin French, founder of personal brandingconsulting firm J FRENCH
  • An on-site headshot photo taken by professional photographer Errol Dunlap
  • Chances to win prizes from J Bar, Errol Dunlap Photography & more!

RSVP: jasmin.french@jfrenchstyle.com

 

International Summer Opportunities

Date: Monday. November 15, 2010
Time: 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Location: Room 510

This program is sponsored by the United Nations Law Student Association, the International Law Society & the Career Services Office. A panel of Chicago-Kent students and staff will discuss International Summer Opportunities. Please RSVP via the Events section of Symplicity for this program.

 

Judicial internship Opportunity Program (JIOP) and Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Minority Law Student Panel

Date: Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Location: Room 270

Chicago-Kent students who have participated in the Judicial Internship Opportunity Program and Association of Corporate Counsel Minority Law Student Summer Program will discuss their experiences applying, interviewing and working with a judge or corporation over the summer. This program will be on Tuesday, November 16th from Noon to 1:00pm in Room 270 and is sponsored by the Career Services Office, Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, Black Law Student Association, the Chicago-Kent Lambdas, the Hispanic Latino Law Students Association and the South Asian Law Student Association.  Food will be available. Please RSVP via the Events section of Symplicity for this program. More information on JIOP and ACC is below.

The Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP) is a 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, Washington DC, Miami, Phoenix, and California. Interns will receive an award of $1,500. The time commitment can vary by student, subject to a six-week minimum. Students will be expected to coordinate their schedule with their individual judges and to work the hours required by each judge. Students are asked to submit a completed application, legal writing sample and a statement of interest. Detailed program information and applications are available at the program website http://www.abanet.org/litigation/jiop/. Applications will be accepted beginning October 1st for second year students and December 1st for first year students. APPLICATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED BY January 7, 2011.

The Association of Corporate Counsel internship program places top minority law students in internships in corporate legal departments in the Chicagoland area. Examples of corporations that have participated in this program in the past are: Accenture, Alliant Credit Union, Career Education, Empire, Illinois Tool Works, McDonald's Corporation, Navistar, Square D, Kraft, Verizon Wireless and Walgreens. Students in the program received a stipend in the summer of 2010 of $6000. The deadline to apply last year was February 1, 2010, and is subject to change this year. For more information on the internship program and for an application please see http://www.acc.com/chapters/chic/InternshipProgramInfo.cfm.

If you have questions about either program, please contact Michelle Vodenik in the Career Services Office.

 

Corporate Counsel Panel & Reception

Date: Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Panel: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Reception: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: 10th Floor Event Room

Panelists who work in-house at Corporations will discuss their careers, followed by a reception with panelist and other Chicago-Kent alumni who work in-house. Presented by the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association & the Career Services Office, and co-sponosred by the Black Law Student Association, the Chicago-Kent Lambdas, the Hispanic Latino Law Students Association and the South Asian Law Student Association. You must RSVP using Symplicity or by sending an email to kentcso@kentlaw.edu.

 

Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms -
Preparedness Series: November Resume & Interview Workshop

Date: Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Location: Goldberg Kohn
55 East Monroe Street, Suite 3300
Chicago, IL 60603


Click here to RSVP

This workshop provides law students with information about how to prepare a professional résumé and excel in a legal interview. Attorneys from member firms and corporations will work with small groups of students to conduct mock interviews and provide feedback on their performance as well as their résumés. *Please note that each session is only open to 12 students max.  There will be an additional Resume & Interview Workshop in December.

 

The Job search over Winter Break

Date: Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Location: Room 580

The Career Services Office and Lexis are teaming up to give you some great new ideas for using your winter break to jumpstart your summer or permanent job search. Pizza will be served! Please RSVP to Lexis if you are attending this program. Please RSVP via the Events section of Symplicity for this program.

 

December 9: Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference (MPILCC) Registration Deadline

The Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference is an opportunity for students to interview and meet with government agencies and public interest employers for paid and unpaid legal positions next summer or for after graduation. Last year 100 Chicago-Kent students and 40 employers participated. 1Ls, 2Ls and 3Ls can all participate. The job fair will take place at Northwestern University School of Law on Saturday, February 5, 2011. To register, contact Meredith Schmitt mschmitt@kentlaw.edu in the Career Services Office with your first name, last name, middle initial, year of graduation and an email address that you regularly check by Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 12 noon. Registered students will receive a login and password and will be able to upload their resume and bid on employers beginning on December 13. Students will have until January 7, 2011 to upload their resume online and select employers they would like to interview with. In addition, table talk is available at the job fair where you can meet with many of the employers, even if you do not receive an interview in advance. More information is available in this article and online at www.mpilcc.org.

 

American Bar Association Mentoring Program

While most mentoring programs are based on occasional meetings between seasoned practitioners and young lawyers, GP|Solo’s Law Student Mentoring Program does more. The program, aimed to fill some of the gaps of traditional law school education, focuses on introducing law students to the practical aspects of being a lawyer through real world activities and the mentor’s insight and guidance. Further, the program is flexible, enabling the law student to pick his or her own mentor and tailor the program’s criteria to his or her own interests.

By completing the law student mentoring program, students will have established a strong relationship with their mentors, witnessed several legal proceedings of their choosing, and gained valuable insight to the things law school doesn’t teach. Each student who successfully completes the program earns an acknowledgement as a token of his or her accomplishment.

All law students are eligible to participate in the program, so long as you’re a member of the ABA and GP|Solo. The ABA’s annual dues for law students is $25.00. Law student membership in GP|Solo is free. You can join GP|Solo when you join the ABA.

Program requirements include:

  • Attending several court activities, alternative dispute resolution meetings, or other legal proceedings;
  • Receiving guidance and advice from an experienced practitioner of your choosing; and
  • Practicing interview techniques and developing a resume and cover letter with your mentor.
Click here to learn more and register for the program.

 

Video on Managing a Legal Career Transition in Tough Times

As a public service, NALP and ALI-ABA are pleased to offer Managing a Legal Career Transition in Tough Times — a 75-minute presentation by Marcia Pennington Shannon and Susan G. Manch of Shannon & Manch LLP, who generously donated their time and talent to this special project to assist lawyers and 3Ls who are currently seeking employment.

To watch the video, please click here.

 

Employment Opportunities

Please check the new job posting system ("Symplicity") on a regular basis. Check out Symplicity's general instructions for more information.

Attention 2Ls: 2011 Summer PILI Student Internship Application Period Now Open!

PILI’s Summer 2011 application period for the Law Student Internship Program opened on October 15th for 2Ls and will open on December 1st for 1Ls.  As in years past, the application process is online through www.IllinoisProBono.org.  Applicants must first register as a user on this site and it typically takes 24 hours for the user to be approved.  PILI Summer Interns are required to work 400 hours at one of 21 agencies in the Chicagoland area and receive a $5,000 stipend for their work.  There are also six School-Year Internship spots at five agencies for the 2011 Spring Semester, requiring 200 hours of work for a $2,500 stipend.  The Spring 2011 application process will also be online and opens on November 1st.  Information about PILI’s Law Student Internship Program can be found on our website at www.pili-law.org/internships.htm

Contact your career counselor or kentcso@kentlaw.edu if you have any questions.

 

Summer 2011 Judicial Intern Opportunity Program

The Judicial Intern Opportunity Program is a 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, Washington DC, Miami, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Seattle, and California. Interns will receive an award of $1,500. The time commitment can vary by student, subject to a six-week minimum. Students will be expected to coordinate their schedule with their individual judges and to work the hours required by each judge. Students are asked to submit a completed application, resume, transcript (second-year students), legal writing sample and a statement of interest. Detailed program information and applications are available at the program website. Applications will be accepted beginning October 4th for second year students and December 1st for first year students. The deadline for applications is January 7, 2011. Questions about the program should be directed to Gail Howard at howardg@staff.abanet.org or 312-988-6348.

 

SEC Summer Honors Program

Applications for the SEC's Summer Honors Program are being accepted online between September 13, 2010 and November 15, 2010. The Summer Honors Law Program gives law and JD/MBA students the opportunity to become acquainted with the regulation of the securities markets and careers within the Commission. Students have the opportunity to work for ten weeks during the summer at the Commission's Washington, DC headquarters or in one of its 11 regional offices nationwide including: New York, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco.

Applicants must attend/have attended an accredited law school and must have completed their full second year of law school by May 2011 to be eligible for this position: Evening students must have completed the equivalent of the second year for full-time students. Students graduating in May 2011 are not eligible.

Students are selected based on merit. Selection criteria include: a demonstrated interest in public service and the SEC's mission; strong academic performance; excellent writing skills; previous employment and internships; law review and other publication work; and extracurricular activities such as moot court competition, legal aid, and clinical experience. Undergraduate securities course work is not a prerequisite.

How to Apply:

Applicants apply online between September 13 and November 15, 2010 (midnight, Eastern Time).

Before you begin the application process, you should assemble the following (if applicable):

  • create a unique password for accessing your application (no more than 10 characters) and make a note of it; you will be prompted by the system for this password. You will use this password to access your application in the future.
  • a permanent e-mail address that will not change during the course of the application and hiring process (September 2010 - January 2011)
  • your cover letter, resume, most recent (unofficial) law school transcript, and a writing sample
  • information about your undergraduate degree (e.g, type of degree, major, year received, name of school)
  • information about your non-legal graduate degree(s) (e.g, type of degree, major, year received or will receive, name of school)
  • information about any unique qualifications, training, special skills or competencies relevant to your application for employment

Click here for additional information and to apply.

 

Fellowships & Scholarships

 

Vedder Price Diversity Scholarship for 1Ls

Vedder Price is accepting applications for its 2011 Diversity Scholarship for 1L students. Eligible candidates are first-year law students enrolled at various Illinois law schools, including Chicago-Kent. The application form specifies additional eligibility requirements.

The Vedder Price Diversity Scholarship includes a monetary award (in the past it has been for $5,000) for law school-related expenses for each year that the recipient remains in good standing at one of the qualified Illinois law schools, as well as a summer internship position after their first year of law school.

For an application, please click here. Applications must be postmarked by December 15, 2010. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Bo Kim at bkim@vedderprice.com.

 

 

Job Fairs

 

December 9: Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference (MPILCC) Registration Deadline

The Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference is an opportunity for students to interview and meet with government agencies and public interest employers for paid and unpaid legal positions next summer or for after graduation. Last year 100 Chicago-Kent students and 40 employers participated. 1Ls, 2Ls and 3Ls can all participate. The job fair will take place at Northwestern University School of Law on Saturday, February 5, 2011. To register, contact Meredith Schmitt mschmitt@kentlaw.edu in the Career Services Office with your first name, last name, middle initial, year of graduation and an email address that you regularly check by Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 12 noon. Registered students will receive a login and password and will be able to upload their resume and bid on employers beginning on December 13. Students will have until January 7, 2011 to upload their resume online and select employers they would like to interview with. In addition, table talk is available at the job fair where you can meet with many of the employers, even if you do not receive an interview in advance. More information is available in this article and online at www.mpilcc.org.

 

 

Resources

2010-2011 Government Honors & Internship Handbook

The 2010-2011 Government Honors & Internship Handbook is now available. It may be accessed online or there is a printed copy available in our office. For the password information to the online edition, please log onto Symplicity, click on the "Documents" tab, and then click on "Document Library."

LexisNexis ASPIRE Program For Law Students &
Deferred Law Firm Hires

Since summer is drawing near, we want to make you aware of ASPIRE, a program for students who pursue public interest work during the summer or after they graduate from law school. LexisNexis, your partner in legal education, provides qualified law students and recent law school graduates with free access to some of the most popular sources available within our research system. Students face a heightened challenge securing internships and launching their legal careers in a tough economy. For this reason, LexisNexis has expanded the ASPIRE program to include non-profit summer positions for current students, as well as graduates who pursue public interest legal work as a career. You may learn details of the program on the ASPIRE information page.

Web Access for Policy, Political and Human Rights Jobs

Chicago-Kent students can access Policy Jobs (www.policyjobs.net), Political Jobs (www.politicaljobs.net), Human Rights Jobs (www.humanrightsjobs.com), Ethical Jobs (www.ethicaljobs.net), and Journalist Jobs (www.journalistjobs.net) by using the Login details that can be obtained through Symplicity. Please see the instructions in the entry directly below for details on how to acess password information via Symplicity. Please note that the passwords for these sites are case sensitive.

Password Protected Sites Now Available through Symplicity

To access password protected sites including:

  • The Federal Government Honors & Internship Handbook; The Vermont Guide to State Judicial Clerkships; The BYU Intercollegiate Job Bank; and
  • The Four or More List of Chicago Employers

Log into Symplicity and select the “Documents” tab. Within Documents, select “Document Library.” The links for the sites listed above will be listed there. Clicking on each link will take you to a page with a username and password, which you should write down before clicking the link on the page. If you have any difficulties accessing Symplicity or the individual sites, please contact the Career Services Office by emailing kentcso@kentlaw.edu.

Access the BYU Intercollegiate Job Bank

Kent students and alumni now have an additional resource for their job searches. The BYU Intercollegiate Job Bank compiles entry level job postings from schools throughout the country. This resource will be especially useful for students and alumni conducting an out-of-town job search, but through this service you can also access the postings of other Illinois and Chicago area schools. To access this resource, log into Symplicity and select the “Documents” tab. Within Documents, select “Document Library.” The link for the Job Bank will be listed there. Clicking on the link will take you to a page with a username and password, which you should write down before clicking the link. The link takes you to the BYU Alumni page, and the Job Bank is about halfway down the page. After clicking that link you will be prompted to enter the user name and password. Then you will have access to a drop list of all 50 states. Picking a state will give you access to the job postings from the schools in that state. If you have any difficulties accessing the Job Bank, please contact the Career Services Office by emailing kentcso@kentlaw.edu.

Law Bulletin Weekly On-line Employment Bulletin

The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin is now offering a free on-line Legal Employment Weekly e-blast of open jobs in the Chicago area. Every issue contains up-to-date job postings, an article and sign-up sheet from the Illinois Paralegal Association, and an Ask an Expert column. You can view each week's installment at http://jobs.lawbulletin.com/ELEW.pdf or you can sign up to receive the "E-LEW" in your own inbox. To receive the weekly email, go to http://jobs.lawbulletin.com and select the "E-LEW" tab at the top of the page. At the bottom of the page, click on the link and complete the resulting form.

Career Advisor Network

In an effort to help you connect with a strong network of Chicago-Kent alumni, the Office of Alumni Relations and Office of Career Services are happy to announce a new Alumni Career Advisor Network.Alumni from around the world are available to discuss issues such as practice trends, legal markets in specific geographic areas, and other career-related topics. This is an excellent opportunity to start building your personal network with Chicago-Kent alumni!To search for an Alumni Career Advisor, all you have to do is log-in to the Chicago-Kent Alumni Online Community:First Time Login Instructions:

  1. Go to www.alumni.kentlaw.edu/firstlogin In the Constituent ID field, enter your Banner CWID.
    To find your Banner CWID login to http://my.iit.edu. Once you are logged, on the right side of your screen you should see a box called IIT Personal ID numbers. The Banner CWID is the number beginning with “A.”
  2. In the Class Year Field:
    1. If you are an LLM student, enter LLM If you are a Visiting student, enter LV
    2. If you are a JD student your Class Year will be three characters. The first letter for all class years will be L. The second letter is your division. The third is your year number.
      Examples: A 2nd year night student’s class year is LN2. A 1st  year day student’s class year is LD1.

During your first time login you will create a username and password. Afterwards, you may log in directly at www.alumni.kentlaw.edu/advisorsearch using the username and password you created. If you need assistance with your first time login, please contact Celeste Addyman in the Office of Career Services at kentcso@kentlaw.edu or visit her in Suite 360.

International Career Employment Weekly Online

International Career Employment Weekly's goal is to make it easy for international professionals to keep abreast of all current job opportunities in their field. They collect information on current international job openings with governments, government contractors, United Nations agencies and other intergovernmental organizations, private voluntary organizations working overseas, corporations involved in international trade and finance, engineering firms, associations, foundations, student exchange organizations, universities, and state governments and present that information to job seekers in a clear and concise format. The Career Services Office subscribes to this resource in an online format. Contact kentcso@kentlaw.edu for the username and password.

PSLawNet

PSLawNet is a premier resource for career-related information in legal and law-related public interest work. Students and alumni from over 170 law schools search our site every day to find internships, fellowships, pro bono opportunities, and jobs in public service. Chicago-Kent College of Law is a member school, therefore you have unlimited access to search the database for FREE. The PSLawNet website is filled with useful resources for public interest-minded law students and graduates, as well as those who may simply be exploring their options. Students can access PSLawNet here: PSLawNet home page. On the home page, click on "sign-up now" to create an account using your email address and your own password. List Chicago-Kent College of Law as your school.

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. Visit the Fellowship Corner at: http://pslawnet.org/postgraduatefellowships

CALENDARS

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