Career Services Office

CSO Information & Announcements

• Access to Practice Legal Externships:  Applications Due March 22
• Makeup Procedures for 3Ls for Mandatory “Recent Graduates Find Success” Program
• Resume Books for Spring Semester - Opt-In TODAY!
• Mandatory Meetings for Current 2Ls and 3Ls
• New CSO Resource: "JD Careers Out There"
• New CSO Resource: Videoconferencing for Video Interviews
• CSO Program Videos Now Available Online!

Fall On-Campus Interviewing Program

• Job Fairs: Please Report Job Offers to the CSO

Programming

• “How to Succeed” Programs Begin in February
• March 21: March Madness Networking Event
• March 26: What's Next for Fall - Mandatory for Current 2Ls
• March 27: Careers in Compliance and Derivatives Law Panel
• March 28:  Legal Ladies Networking Breakfast
• April 2: Post-Graduate Judicial Clerkship Information Program
• April 10: How To Succeed In a Public Interest/Legal Aid Organization
• April 11-13:  Commercial Law League of America Convention:  RSVP Today!
• Video on Managing a Legal Career Transition in Tough Times

Employment Opportunities

• SummerCorps Applications Due March 18
• Justice Entrepreneurs Project:  Applications for Recently Admitted Lawyers Due April 5

Fellowships & Scholarships

• Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund of Illinois 1L Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities
• Fredrikson & Byron Foundation Minority Scholarship Program for 1Ls
• Hogan/Smoger Access To Justice Essay Contest
• Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund for Progressive Social Change
• Zelle Hofmann 2013 Diversity in Law Scholarship
• Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program
• April 2013 Law Student Writing Contest – Tax Law
• DRI Annual Law Student Diversity Scholarship
• College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law – Annual Law Student Writing Competition for 2012-2013

Job Fairs

• Save the Date:  2013 IndyBar Diversity Job Fair August 7-8

Diversity

• Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund of Illinois 1L Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities
• Zelle Hofmann 2013 Diversity in Law Scholarship
• ABA Minority Trial Lawyer committee seeks Law Student Contributors for its Website

Resources

• Updated Vermont Guide to State Judicial Clerkships.
• 2012-13 Government Honors & Internship Handbook.
• 2011-2012 Guide to Internships & Fellowships in Reproductive Rights & Justice
• 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
• Alumni Career Advisor Network
• International Career Employment Weekly Online
• PSLawNet Resource is becoming PSJD
• PSLawNet Fellowship Corner
• Free Membership to Legal Balance

CSO Information & Announcements

Access to Practice Legal Externships:  Applications Due March 22

The Access to Practice “A2P” Legal Externship is a 4-credit hour non-graded program which enables you to extern with a supervising attorney in a wide variety of legal areas – private or public, civil or criminal. Externships are available for the Summer and Fall semesters.  Some public sector externships enable you to obtain a Rule 711 license and appear in court.

Why Extern?
To become a good lawyer and to supplement what you learn in the classroom, you need practical experience in real-world legal work.  The legal externship program presents a unique and important opportunity to gain exposure to an area of the law in which you are interested and helps you significantly broaden your future employment opportunities.

Application Process:
SUMMER 2013:  All positions are posted in Symplicity and labeled as “Access2Practice Legal Externship – Summer”; the position title will be “Summer Extern (For Credit Only)”.  Students must apply for these positions by submitting all requested documents via Symplicity by March 22, 2013.  If you secure a position, you must notify Professor Gross and complete and submit an additional application for credit by April 12, 2013.

Information and application packets for Summer and Fall 2013 are now available on-line at the Law Offices website, as well as in front of the Spakateria, in Career Services Office, and in Room 600 Law Offices reception area.  Applications for Legal Externship Fall 2013 must be submitted to Professor Gross by August 2, 2013; more information about available fall externships will be posted soon. 

If you would like more information, please check the Legal Externship web page.

Makeup Procedures for 3Ls for Mandatory “Recent Graduates Find Success” Program

If you were not able to attend Recent Graduates Find Success on Tuesday, March 5th, we invite you to please view the video online, and access the handouts from the program. We are looking forward to working with you on your post-grad job search, and appreciate you filling out the make-up form so that your career advisor can help you! Please bring completed forms to the CSO in room 360 or send to kentcso@kentlaw.iit.edu.

To access the video, handouts and make-up form, please go to: http://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/career-preparation/programs-and-videos; the user name “videos” and the password “kentlaw.” To view the video, you will need to have the latest version of "real player" installed on your computer. To download the appropriate version for your computer visit the RealPlayer download site.

Resume Books for Spring Semester - Opt-In Today!

Resume Books are back for spring! Spring Semester Resume Books are now available for “opt-in” for all 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls and Recent Graduates (2012 class).  Remember, even if you opted in last semester, you must resubmit your resume to the books of your choices for the Spring Semester.  We notfied employers that resume books are available on February 11, 2013. You may opt-in to a resume book at any time; however, as we receive most the most requests for resume books immediately after notifying employers, we encourage you to submit your resume AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

As a reminder, a Resume Book is 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). Read more about Resume Books here.

Mandatory Meetings for Current 2Ls and 3Ls

Each rising 2L and 3L student is required to meet with his or her assigned career advisor as soon as possible.  For those of you interested in a federal court clerkship, applying to larger federal government agencies with early deadlines (e.g. the Department of Justice), or considering participation in the fall public interest job fair Equal Justice Works, we strongly recommend that you schedule this meeting as soon as possible. Given the difficult market it is more important than ever that you work with your career advisor to formulate a comprehensive strategy to accomplish your career goals and if necessary to adjust them to accommodate a longer-term plan for your success. Before attending your career strategy session with your advisor, we recommend conducting some self-analysis regarding the types of law that interest you, the types of settings in which you would like to practice, etc. In addition please plan on bringing your most recent resume with you.

New CSO Resource: “JD Careers Out There”

JD Careers Out There (JDCOT) is a new web video service that helps you find - and succeed in - a fulfilling career path using your law degree. This new tool is full of real world advice that you won't get in class. Whether you want to land a gig at a law firm, start your own firm, work for the government, or use your legal skills to do something outside of law, you'll hear from accomplished JDs who have been in your shoes and found the right path for them. With each video, you’ll get an “insider’s” look as they describe their fields, how to break in and how to succeed. You'll also get video tips on all kinds of practical skills from interviewing and networking to how to handle a new assignment at work and how to make partner. New video content will be coming to JDCOT 6 times per week.  Watch the videos in the CSO for free! Or check them out on your computer or mobile device for a minimal fee.  www.JDCareersOutThere.com; www.JDCOT.com.

New CSO Resource: Videoconferencing for Video Interviews

The Chicago-Kent Career Services Office now offers videoconferencing (ISDN and IP options) to allow employers to interview students remotely. Videoconferencing is a great option for employers and students who cannot travel to conduct interviews.  This videoconferencing equipment is located in Suite 360A, and it is available for students to use in interviewing or other programs upon request.  Please contact the Career Services Office at kentcso@kentlaw.iit.edu in advance to reserve use of the video equipment.

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.iit.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 "Student Information" and select "Programs and Videos." Or, click here to be taken directly to the page.

On-Campus Interviews

Job Fairs: Please Report Job Offers to the CSO

If you receive callbacks or job offers from job fairs (such as MPILCC), please report this to our office by sending an email to kentcso@kentlaw.iit.edu.  We keep track of job offers in order to determine how students are doing and where our students end up working during the summer/after graduation. 

Programming

“How to Succeed” Programs Begin in February

The career services office is teaming up with the SBA Career Development Committee to bring you a series of “How to Succeed” panel presentations to familiarize students with various work settings and to help prepare students for their summer jobs. The remaining programs in the series will be as follows, with tentative dates listed below:

March 27:  How to Succeed in a Public Interest/Legal Aid Organization

Details on the programs will be included in the Record as the program dates draw closer, so please read the Record regularly!

March 21: March Madness Networking Event

Date: Thursday, March 21, 2013
Time: 6-8pm
Location: 10Pin Bowling Lounge, 330 N. State St., Chicago, IL

Please join the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago (CFRC) for its First Annual “March Madness Networking Event.”  This event will feature a good food and good fun for a great cause! Law students can attend at the discounted price of $20 if they pay ahead of time and $25 if they pay at the door.  Stop by to enjoy a buffet, beer, wine, giant theater screens, bowling and basketball!

For more information, contact LaVerne Mathews at 312-663-9057 or at Mathews@crfc.org.

March 26: What's Next for Fall - Mandatory for Current 2Ls

Date: Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Time: Noon
Location: Auditorium

The summer after your second year of law school is a key time to be thinking about your postgraduate job search.  How might your summer employment lead to a permanent position, and how do you broach this possibility with your supervisor?  What kind of timelines do employers follow when hiring new attorneys?  How early are the earliest deadlines? Most importantly, what should you be doing to make connections that will further your job search now and as you prepare to graduate?  

“The What’s Next for Fall Program – Rising 3Ls” will address these and other important concerns for rising 3L students.  Current 2L students are required to attend this program.

March 27: Careers in Compliance and Derivatives Law Panel

Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Time: 3-4pm Panel, 4-5:30pm Networking Reception
Location: 10th Floor Event Room

Are you interested in compliance work or derivatives law?  The Corporate Law Society and the Career Services Office invite you to attend “Careers in Compliance and Derivatives Law” panel presentation and networking event.  Food and drink will be served at the networking event!  Professor Felice Batlan will be moderate the following panelists:

• William "Hank" Bell, Compliance Auditor, OTC Derivatives -National Futures Association
• Jennifer Tweeton - Investigator, Market Regulation at CME Group
• John Humpherys - Compliance and Regulatory Attorney at Jump Trading
• Reggie Griffith - Compliance Officer at Newedge LLC
• Nicole Kuchera - Attorney at Henderson & Lyman

March 28:  Legal Ladies Networking Breakfast

Date:  Thursday, March 28, 2013
Time: 7:30-9:30am
Location: 10th Floor Event Room

Join the Chicago-Kent alumni group “Legal Ladies” for a networking breakfast on Thursday, March 28th in the 10th floor event room.  Legal Ladies is a group started and run by Chicago-Kent alumni, and focuses on creating a network of successful women graduates and students, offering opportunities to learn from one another and build strong connections. 

At this networking breakfast, you'll have the chance to meet and get to know other members from 7:30am-8am and again from 8:30am-9am.  At 8:00am, alumna Kathleen McDonough '94, managing shareholder of Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney, Ltd. and recipient of the 2012 Chicago-Kent Alumni Professional Achievement Award, will share experiences and insights gained throughout her career.

PLEASE RSVP for this event by Tuesday, March 26th to Meredith Schmitt in the Career Services Office via email, mschmitt@kentlaw.iit.edu.

April 2: Post-Graduate Judicial Clerkship Information Program

Are you interested in working for a judge as a judicial law clerk following graduation?  On Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at Noon in Room TBA, the Faculty Judicial Clerkship Committee in conjunction with the CSO will host an informational panel program regarding this post-grad opportunity.

Chicago-Kent alums who are or have previously served as judicial law clerks with various courts will discuss the details of the work of a judicial clerk and why this post-graduate job is a great stepping stone for any type of legal career.  Information about the application process and timing of applications/interviews will also be discussed.  Because applications for federal clerkships must be sent out very early in the academic year (by the Tuesday after Labor Day), this program is especially important for current 2L students who will be 3Ls in the fall.

April 10: How To Succeed In a Public Interest/Legal Aid Organization

Date: Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Time: 3pm
Location: TBA

Come hear from a panel of attorneys from legal aid and public interest organizations in Chicago as they present their tips for summer job success. Topics will include: handling assignments, working with clients, getting and implementing constructive criticism and edits, and how to make sure that you get the best reviews of your work product this summer. This event is co-sponsored by the SBA Career Development Committee, and FOOD will be provided!

April 11-13:  Commercial Law League of America Convention:  RSVP Today!

The Commercial Law League of America (CLLA) is a leader in providing expertise, insight and results to and for attorneys, credit grantors and their partners in the credit and business communities.  Since 1894, the CLLA has connected attorneys with members of the commercial credit, bankruptcy and finance industry through networking, education, legislative advocacy and specialized legal services.

On April 11-13, 2013, the CLLA will host its 119th National Convention at the Westin Michigan Avenue hotel.  The event features courses on bankruptcy, construction, retail and complex litigation law – in addition to several networking events.  Interested students are invited to attend for a day of education and networking.  Students will be able to learn:

• The pros and cons of working in this field
• How to enter this practice area
• Helpful tips to successfully execute retail, construction and other matters
• Life lessons from seasoned experts in the field
• The benefits that a professional association can provide to help shape an attorney’s career

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 Chicago-Kent's job posting system ("Symplicity") on a regular basis. Check out Symplicity's general instructions for more information.

SummerCorps Applications for 1Ls and 2Ls Now Available

The Equal Justice Works Summer Corps Program provides law students with the chance to spend their summer working on a legal project at a qualifying nonprofit public interest organization of their choosing.  Summer Corps members expand the delivery of critically needed legal assistance in low-income and underserved communities across the country for veterans, homeowners facing foreclosure, disaster victims, and those facing other legal issues. 

The application for the 2013 Summer Corps program will be accepted into the program on a rolling basis until the application closes on Monday, March 18, 2013. 

Summer Corps is an AmeriCorps-funded program that will provide 1L and 2L students with the opportunity to earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award for dedicating their summer to a qualifying legal project at a nonprofit public interest organization.
 For more information on the Summer Corps program and application process, review the FAQs for applicants.

Also, there are several upcoming webinars. Members of the EJW Federal Programs team will discuss in detail the Summer Corps program and how to create a successful application. Viewers will be able to ask questions during the webinar.

Summer Corps Program Overview and Successful Application Tips Webinar:
Wednesday, February 13 at 3 p.m. EST

Justice Entrepreneurs Project:  Applications for Recently Admitted Lawyers Due April 5

Are you a recently admitted lawyer interested in obtaining the skills and resources necessary to build an innovative and successful law practice? Are you interested in making a positive impact on your community as a social entrepreneur? The Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP) is seeking its inaugural class of lawyers. The JEP will foster the development of practices providing affordable legal services to low and moderate-income people and small businesses who find it difficult to obtain such help. Additional information about the JEP, including the JEP’s mission and goals, is available at www.chicagobarfoundation.org/jep.  For more information, contact Taylor Hammond, Director of the JEP, at (312) 554-8303 or thammond@chicagobar.org.

About the JEP Program
The 18-month program is broken into three 6-month modules. The inaugural class will begin in June 2013. The program is designed to help participants develop their ability to provide competent representation (including knowing when they need to refer or co-counsel a case) and to run a successful law practice. During the first module, participants will perform pro bono service for approximately 20 hours per week with partner legal aid organizations. At the same time, participants will receive training, workshops and coaching on business and other issues needed to start a solo/small practice. Participants will establish their own independent practices, begin handling cases in areas traditionally needed by modest income clients and charge reasonable fees for their services. During the second module, participants will develop a fuller caseload and will continue to receive training, mentoring and coaching on business and legal issues. As participants move into the third module, they will continue to develop a fuller caseload but will also prepare to move their practice out of the JEP and will focus more on marketing and business development issues. Participants will pay a modest monthly participation fee during the second and third modules.

Application Process
Please submit a resume, a copy of your law school transcript and a statement of interest: (1) describing your vision for your practice and your participation in the JEP and; (2) describing a circumstance when you have demonstrated entrepreneurial initiative or another experience that demonstrates your ability to be a successful social entrepreneur.
Please submit application materials to jepparticipants@chicagobar.org no later than April 5, 2013.

Fellowships & Scholarships

Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund of Illinois 1L Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities

The Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund of Illinois is accepting applications from 1L students for its annual scholarship award. 

HLSF is also soliciting applications for summer fellowship opportunities with the Cook County State’s Attorneys’ Office, the Cook County Public Defenders’ Office and the Chicago Regional office of the National Labor Relations Board.  Each recipient will be awarded a $5,000 summer stipend.  Hispanic law students of any level may apply. 

Applications for the scholarships and fellowships are due March 29, 2013.  Recipients will be honored at a reception that will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2013 at the law offices of Winston & Strawn LLP, 35 W. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL. 

Please see your Career Counselor for scholarship and fellowship applications.  Additional information can also be found here: www.hlsf.org.   
Information concerning the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, can be found here: www.hlai.org.

Fredrikson & Byron Foundation Minority Scholarship Program for 1Ls

The Fredrikson & Byron Foundation Minority Scholarship Program sponsors educational opportunities for currently enrolled, first-year law students of diverse backgrounds. The Foundation offers one award of $10,000.

The Minority Scholarship Program is jointly sponsored by Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. and the Fredrikson & Byron Foundation.

The deadline for the scholarship is March 31, 2013. For more information and to apply for the scholarship, please click here.

Hogan/Smoger Access To Justice Essay Contest

For 40 years, this competition was known as the "Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law Essay Contest." It was established in 1970 by the late Roscoe B. Hogan of Birmingham, Alabama, a prominent environmental lawyer. The competition provided law students the opportunity to investigate and offer solutions to the many injustices inflicted on the environment.

With additional support from attorney Gerson Smoger — a past president of Public Justice and current board member — the contest was renamed, and, beginning with the 2011 competition, expanded to consider not only environmental but all forms of injustice.

For the 2013 contest, writers should address the question, "Is Democracy for Sale?"

• Have Citizens United's holdings run amok?
• Legal challenges left to Super Pacs?
• Can funding disclosure be required?

Prize: $5000 and free 2013 Public Justice membership.

Any student currently enrolled in an accredited American law school may enroll in the contest. Each entry must be submitted through a faculty advisor. All entrants must fill out and submit an intent-to-enter form by January 31, 2013 e-mail it to Cassandra Goings.  
Essays must be received by March 31, 2013.

For additional information regarding eligibility, general submission requirements, etc., please visit the website.

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund for Progressive Social Change

The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund provides grants to students actively working for peace and justice. These need-based scholarships are awarded to those able to do academic work at the university level and who are part of the progressive movement on the campus and in the community.  The first and most important qualification for a Davis-Putter Scholarship is active participation in struggles for civil rights, economic justice, international solidarity or other progressive issues. Davis-Putter also evaluates the applicant’s financial need and ability to perform academically at the college level. Davis-Putter scholars are both graduate and undergraduate students and must be enrolled in an accredited school and receiving college credit for the time period covered by their grant.

Completed applications must be postmarked by April 1 and will include a short personal statement, transcripts, letters of support from two people able to evaluate the applicant’s current political work, an official financial statement (i.e., FAFSA or SAR), and a passport-like photograph suitable for reproduction.

Although citizenship is not a consideration, applicants must be living in the United States and planning to enroll in school in the US in order to apply. There is a strong preference for grantees who plan on staying in the US and building the movement here.

The maximum grant is $10,000 and may be considerably smaller depending on the applicant’s circumstances and the amount of funding available. 

Zelle Hofmann 2013 Diversity in Law Scholarship

Zelle Hofmann announces a call for applications for its 2013 Diversity in Law Scholarship.  The Diversity in Law Scholarship was created for law students who either (1) are a member of a diverse group (broadly defined to include race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical disability or economic/educational disadvantage) that is historically underrepresented in the private practice of law; or (2) demonstrate a long-standing commitment to diversity that will be furthered by award of the scholarship.
 
The scholarship awards the selected recipient a total of $30,000.00 to be applied towards the selected recipient's law school tuition, fees, and text books, with one half of the scholarship paid for the student's second year of law school and one half of the scholarship paid for the student's third year of law school subject to the following: 
To receive the second installment of the scholarship, the recipient must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA (or its equivalent) through the student's second year of law school. The scholarship recipient will also be offered a paid summer clerkship at one of the firm's offices for the summer following the student's first year of law school.  Finally, in order to help ensure the recipient's successful entry into the legal profession, the firm will assign an attorney to mentor the recipient for the student's remaining law school career.
 
Please see your Career Counselor in the CSO for an application.  The deadline to apply is April 1, 2013.  Completed applications should be submitted to: 

Heidi Keller, Diversity in Law Scholarship Administrator
ZELLE HOFMANN VOELBEL & MASON LLP
500 Washington Avenue South, Suite 4000
Minneapolis, MN 55415
diversity@zelle.com
612-336-9155

For more information about Zelle Hofmann, please visit www.zelle.com.

Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program

April 2013 Law Student Writing Contest – Tax Law

The National Law Review is hosting its April 2013 Law Student Writing Contest with the winner's article to be published on the National Law Review website, the National Law Forum blog, and included in the National Law Review October newsletter.

Submissions are now being accepted, and the suggested topic is Tax Law.  The submission deadline is April 8, 2013.  Please note that although students are encouraged to submit articles pertaining to Tax Law, they may also submit entries covering current issues related to other areas of the law.

How To Submit: Please email all article submissions to: lawschools@natlawreview.com  For complete submission guidelines and accompanying materials go to: Submission Guidelines

DRI Annual Law Student Diversity Scholarship

The Defense Research Institute (DRI) is a leading organization of defense attorneys and in-house counsel.  DRI announces its annual Law Student Diversity Scholarship program open to incoming second- and third-year African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American students. The goal of these scholarships is to provide financial assistance to two worthy law students from ABA accredited law schools in order to promote, in a tangible way, the DRI Diversity Statement of Principle.
 
Incoming second- and third-year female law students are also eligible, regardless of race or ethnicity. Incoming second- and third-year law students who also come from backgrounds that would add to the cause of diversity, regardless of race or gender are eligible to apply.
 
To qualify for this scholarship, candidates must be full-time students. Evening students also qualify for consideration if they have completed one-third or more of the total credit hours required for a degree by the applicant’s law school.
 
Two scholarships in the amount of $10,000 each will be awarded to applicants who best meet the following criteria:
 

• Demonstrated academic excellence
• Service to the profession
• Service to the community
• Service to the cause of diversity

  Please see your Career Counselor for an application, or you may download an application here: http://www.dri.org/  The deadline for all applications is April 19, 2013.
Scholarship winners will be notified in advance and will be officially announced at the DRI Diversity for Success Seminar, May 30-31, 2013 in Chicago.

College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law – Annual Law Student Writing Competition for 2012-2013

The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law are pleased to announce their 2012-2013 writing competition. This competition is open to articles written while the author is a student at an accredited law school in the United States. Authors may not have graduated from law school prior to December 1, 2012. Graduate students in law school (LLM candidates) are not eligible.  Entries may address any aspect of public or private sector labor and/or employment law relevant to the American labor and employment bar. Articles may address U.S. law, international law of relevance to U.S. labor and employment attorneys, or how a legal topic is treated in states across the country, but papers limited to the law of a single state will not be considered.  Students are encouraged to discuss a public policy issue, practical implications of a leading case or doctrine, a statute or the need for statutory modification, or a common law doctrine. Entries will be evaluated on topic selection, analysis, quality of research, grammar, spelling, usage and syntax, clarity, structure, overall appearance, and relevance to the practicing labor and employment law bar.

The following prizes may be awarded by the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers: First Place: $1500, Second Place: $1000, Third Place: $500. The first-place winning article will be published in the ABA Journal of Labor & Employment Law, and its author will be a guest at the annual CLE program of the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law and honored at the Annual Induction Dinner of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. The College and the Section reserve the right not to select any article for publication or award any prizes if, in their judgment, the submissions do not meet their standards for publication.

Job Fairs

Save the Date:  2013 IndyBar Diversity Job Fair August 7-8

The sixth annual IndyBar Diversity Job Fair to be held August 7-8, 2013.  Legal employers will be hiring clerks or interns, not offering permanent placement; they will expect to interview 2Ls or those graduating spring 2014/2015 based on full or part-time status.  Students: Registration will open April 1, 2013.  The IndyBar Diversity Job Fair seeks candidates who represent all aspects of diversity, who are looking for a one-of-a-kind legal community in a Midwestern city that has both cosmopolitan style and small-town charm.  We cordially invite fall 2013 full-time 2L students (graduating May 2015) or part-time 2L and 3L students (graduating Dec 2015/May 2016) to participate.  For more information, click here.

Diversity

Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund of Illinois 1L Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities

Zelle Hofmann 2013 Diversity in Law Scholarship

ABA Minority Trial Lawyer committee seeks Law Student Contributors for its Website

As part of the Minority Trial Lawyer Committee's ongoing efforts to increase the quality of its website while also providing additional platforms for its members to increase their public visibility, the committee is currently seeking contributors for the News and Developments section of our website. Contributors to the News and Developments section would have the opportunity to write brief (between 250–750 words) "blog-like" entries about emerging topics that are relevant to the MTL's broad membership. If you are interested in submitting contributions to the MTL's News and Developments section or would like more information about this exciting opportunity, please contact Brian Josias.

see the Employment Opportunities section for more information

Resources

2011-2012 Guide to Internships & Fellowships in Reproductive Rights & Justice

Back by popular demand, Law Students for Reproductive Justice is pleased to share the latest edition of the 2011-12 Guide to Internships & Fellowships in Reproductive Rights & Justice.  This one-of-a-kind tool can help guide interested law students toward summers, semesters, or careers in reproductive justice advocacy.  The Guide contains listings for legal internships and fellowships at 75 non-profit organizations across the country. The Guide may be accessed in the Symplicity Document Library; please log onto Symplicity, click on the "Documents" tab, and then click on "Document Library."

Updated Vermont Guide to State Judicial Clerkships

The Vermont 2012 Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures is now available and may be accessed online. For username and password information, please log onto Symplicity, click on the "Documents" tab, and then click on "Document Library."

2012-2013 Government Honors and Internship Handbook

The 2012-2013 Government Honors & Internship Handbook is now available and may be accessed online. For username and password information, please log onto Symplicity, click on the "Documents" tab, and then click on "Document Library."

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 access 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.iit.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 "Resources" tab. Within Resources, 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 password recently changed, and frequently changes. 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.iit.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.

Alumni 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 the Office of Career Services at kentcso@kentlaw.iit.edu or visit 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.iit.edu for the username and password.

PSLawNet Resource is becoming PSJD

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.

As of August 27, 2012, PSLawNet is now PSJD, a redesigned website that retains all of PSLawNet's content but that adds easier navigation, enhanced searching, and new tools for job-seekers and employers alike.  PSLawNet users will be able to log in to PSJD with existing PSLawNet login credentials, and our job-seeker "email alerts" will continue uninterrupted.  As of August 27th PSJD will be found at http://www.psjd.org. To register, go to http://www.psjd.org, 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.

PSJD Fellowship Corner

Interested in pursuing a fellowship upon graduation? Then be sure to check out PSJD's "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

Free Membership to the Legal Balance

The Legal Balance, an exclusive online community for women attorneys in Chicago, is offering a free one-year membership to Chicago-Kent students. The Legal Balance offers women attorney-specific benefits tailored to help you succeed, including: access to member-only networking events, an extensive resource library, weekly email digests, and inside information from a community of successful female attorneys.  To request your free membership, email thelegalbalance@thelegalbalance.com and mention that you are a Chicago-Kent student.