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Career Services Office

Career Services Office home page
Week of February 9, 2015

Information & Announcements

  • 1L Cover Letter Workshop
  • Mandatory 1L Legal Resume Workshop
  • Lawcountability, J.D. iOS Mobile App Now Available for Download!
  • Resume Books Now Open!
  • February 16- 20: ASCK (Alumni Student ConnecKtions) Week - Mark Your Calendars Now!

On-Campus Interviewing

Programming

  • February 10: Chicago Estate Planning Council Panel: Why Estate Planning is an Exciting Career Choice
  • February 10: Judicial Externships Informational Meeting
  • February 11: Judicial Clerkship Informational Meeting
  • February 11: Opportunities with the City of Chicago Department of Law
  • February 11: Career Advice/Speed Counseling Sessions at the CBA - Complimentary!
  • February 12: DuPage County Bar Association Pizza Party!
  • February 18: Practising Law Institute (PLI) Presentation on the Patent Bar Exam
  • February 20-21: 2015 Midwest LGBTQ Law Conference | After Marriage Equality 
  • February 20-21: Rebellious Lawyering Conference at Yale Law
  • February 24: How to Succeed in Your Summer Job: Large Law Firm Panel
  • February 27-March 1: Norman Amaker Midwest Public Interest Law & Social Justice Retreat - REGISTER BY JANUARY 21
  • March 10: Skadden Fellowship Program

Employment Opportunities

  • City of Chicago, Department of Law Summer 2015 Law Clerk Program - Applications due March 1, 2015
  • Illinois Attorney General's Office Summer 2015 Intern Program - Applications due March 1, 2015
  • Judicial Externships: Summer 2015/Fall 2015 - Applications due February 25 (for Summer 2015) and March 23 (for Fall 2015)

Fellowships & Scholarships

  • 2015-2016 Finnegan Diversity Scholarship - Applications due February 13, 2015
  • 2015 1L LCLD Scholars Program
  • 2015 Ms. JD Fellowship - Applications due March 15, 2015
  • Zelle Hoffman 2015 Diversity in Law Scholarship - Applications due April 1, 2015
  • McGuire Woods Diversity Scholarship - Applications due May 29, 2015

Job Fairs

Diversity

  • The LCLD Success in Law School Mentoring Program - Registration opens October 15th
  • 2015-2016 Finnegan Diversity Scholarship - Applications due February 13, 2015
  • 2015 1L LCLD Scholars Program
  • Zelle Hoffman 2015 Diversity in Law Scholarship - Applications due April 1, 2015
  • McGuire Woods Diversity Scholarship - Applications due May 29, 2015

Resources

  • Career Resources available in Symplicity's "Document Library"

CSO Information & Announcements

1L Cover Letter Workshop

The 1L Cover Letter Workshop video is now available to view.

All first-year law students should watch this brief video. This workshop includes detailed instructions for how to draft a cover letter. Watch the CSO: 1L Cover Letter Workshop online here.  Sign in to Panopto using your kentlaw username and password.

Mandatory 1L Legal Resume Workshop

The MANDATORY 1L Legal Resume Workshop video is now available to view.

All first-year law students must watch this brief video. This workshop includes detailed instructions for how to draft your legal resume.

First-year law students may begin meeting with a Career Advisor on Wednesday, October 15. Before your first career advising appointment, you must upload a legal resume to Symplicity. Please also bring a copy of your legal resume to your first appointment.

Watch the CSO: 1L Legal Resume Workshop online here.  Sign in to Panopto using your kentlaw username and password.

Lawcountability, J.D. iOS Mobile App Now Available for Download!

LawAccountability, J.D. is now up and running! This service gives  you access to weekly videos that give you step-by-step instructions on how to create significant communications with existing and new contacts, how to engage prospective employers, how to reduce networking anxiety, and, best of all, how to incorporate all of this into your busy schedule. 

If you could use a refresher or missed out on last semester’s videos you can check out the “video archive” for videos that were released in Fall 2014. We hope you take advantage of this incredible resource. 

NEW to Law Accountability is their iPhone app. You can now access the services from the convenience of your iPhone. Search “Lawcountability, J.D. in the Apple app store, or follow this link to get your app today!

Resume Books Now Open!

Spring Resume Books are now available for “opt-in” for all 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls and Recent Graduates (2013 and 2014 classes). Employers will be notified that resume books are available soon thereafter, but because employers may request a resume book at any time (both before and after that date), students are encouraged to opt-in to desired resume books as soon as possible or at any time thereafter. Even if you have secured employment for this Spring, keep in mind that Spring resume books may be used by employers for hiring for Summer 2015.

As a reminder, 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). For more information about Resume Books, click here.

February 16- 20: ASCK (Alumni Student ConnecKtions) Week - Mark Your Calendars Now!

Alumni-Student Connections Week will take place Feburary 16-20, 2015. The week will feature two days of informational interviews, one day of mock interviews, two days of "coffee connections," an alumni panel, opportunities to job shadow, and a student/alumni networking reception.   Registration is now open for Alumni-Student ConneKtions Week! Watch for emails from Katie Aune on how to sign up.

Informational Interviews: Monday, February 16 and Tuesday, February 17, 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. each day at the law school. Interviews consist of a 30 minute meeting with alumni to learn about their area of practice. Be prepared with questions to ask as you will really lead the conversation.  Please sign up for no more than two interviews with alumni who practice in areas of interest to you. 

Mock Interviews: Wednesday, February 18, 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the law school. These consist of a 30 minute period that will be 20 minutes interview and 10 minutes feedback from the alum. Please sign up for no more than one interview. If you sign up for a Mock Interview, you should also email your current resume to the Career Services Office no later than Friday, February 13(kentcso@kentlaw.iit.edu). 

Coffee ConneKtions: Thursday, February 19 and Friday, February 20. Alumni will be hosting groups of 2-6 students for informal networking over coffee throughout these two days at locations outside of the law school building. Please sign up for no more than one Coffee ConneKtions. 

Job Shadowing: Several alumni have offered to host students at their place of business for a half or full day to give students the opportunity to see firsthand what the practice of law may be like. The specific date and time will be arranged with the alum once you sign up. Please only sign up for one opportunity and only for one that is of serious interest to you.

ASCK Week Networking Reception: Thursday, February 19, 6:00-8:00 p.m. More details coming soon!

On-Campus Interview

 

Programming

Chicago Estate Planning Council Panel: Why Estate Planning is an Exciting Career Choice

Date: February 10, 2015
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Location: Room 520

Join members of the Chicago Estate Planning Council (“CEPC”) for a panel discussion on why you should consider an estate planning practice as a career option and how the CEPC can help. Hear from lawyers and other industry professionals about their own experiences in the private clients, trusts and estates field. Save the date - more information to come! Lunch will be provided!

Panelists include:

  • Shelley Walters-Walker, Senior Vice President, Estate Settlement Services at Northern Trust
  • Jeanine Friedman, Sole Practitioner

Judicial Externships Informational Meeting

Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Location: Room 170

On Tuesday, February 10th, Prof. Vivien Gross will conduct an informational meeting on Summer and/or Fall 2015 Judicial Externships for all interested students. Prof. Gross will describe the kinds of experiences a judicial extern will have in the course of a semester, as well as how to apply for a judicial externship.

Judicial Externship Program (JEP) is a 4-credit hour Pass/Low Pass/Fail program that enables Kent students to do legal research and writing for federal appellate, district or magistrate judges as well as designated Illinois appellate and circuit court judges included in our participating panel of judges.

Being a judicial extern is a unique and important learning experience which is recognized as a significant achievement by the legal community and will benefit you in pursuing your future career goals.

Judicial externs work with a judge and/or the judge's law clerks researching law, writing memoranda and participating in drafting opinions. Externs also have the opportunity to observe the day-to-day routine of the courtroom. In addition, there is an accompanying classroom component which focuses on various aspects of judicial decision-making, and how those aspects affect the extern's work product.

Judicial Clerkship Informational Meeting

Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Time: 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Location: Room C50

On Wednesday, February 11, the Faculty Judicial Clerkship Committee will host an informational session on post-grad Judicial Clerkship positions and the application process.1Ls and 2Ls interested in this type of post-grad position should attend this important meeting where, among other things, application timing will be discussed (applications for Federal clerkships should be done during the second year of law school). Panelists will be alums Rachel Brady ('13), Staff Attorney with the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit; Frank Bieszczat ('08), former elbow clerk and research/staff attorney with the Illinois Appellate Court; and Dan Hantman ('13), judicial law clerk to the Honorable Diane J. Larsen with the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chancery Division.  Professor Mark Rosen will moderate the panel.

Opportunities with the City of Chicago Department of Law

Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Time: 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Location: Room 270

The City of Chicago Department of Law serves the Mayor, City Departments, Boards and Commissioners and the City Council administering policies and programs to benefit Chicago residents.  Come to this program to meet the city’s top attorney, Stephen R. Patton, Corporation Counsel, and to learn about the City of Chicago Department of Law’s Externship Program, Summer Volunteer Program, Law Clerk Program (paid and volunteer), and Entry-Level Attorney Program.  Learn about Law Department opportunities and what it is like to manage and practice law at one of the premier government law firms in the country from a panel of presenters to include:

  • Elizabeth Simek, Director of Legal Recruitment and Professional Development
  • Judy Frydland, Deputy Corporation Counsel of Building License and Enforcement Division (1990 alumna)
  • Orijit Ghoshal, Assistant Corporation Counsel, Aviation, Environmental, Regulatory and Contracts Division (2011 alumnus)
  • Tamara Starks, Assistant Corporation Counsel, Labor Division (2010 alumna)

Space is Limited: Please RSVP by February 10 to kentcso@kentlaw.iit.edu with "City of Chicago" in the subject line.

Career Advice/Speed Counseling Sessions at the CBA - Complimentary!

Date: February 11, 2015
Time:  7:00am – 7:00 pm

Get resume feedback or answers to other job search issues at exclusive 20-minute, one-on-one sessions with Career Counselor Kathy Morris at the CBA. Members can choose one of the following topics to discuss: resume, cover letters, networking tactics, interviewing, negotiating a salary or raise, or alternative careers. Click here to schedule an appointment between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Questions? Contact Kayla Bryan at 312-554-2135.

DuPage County Bar Association Pizza Party!

Date: February 12th
Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Location: Pizza Villa, DeKalb (February 5th) and Freeborn & Peters, LLP(February 12)

Join the DuPage County Bar Association (the “DCBA”) for a pizza party taking place February 12th, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm at Freeborn & Peters, LLP, 311 S. Wacker Dr, 31st Floor, Chicago, Illinois  60606.

This event will include free pizza, beer, wine and drinks, and will allow law students to connect with DuPage County judges and attorneys, learn more about DCBA membership, and network with other Chicago law students. Click here for more information and to register.

Practising Law Institute (PLI) Presentation on the Patent Bar Exam

Date: February 18, 2015
Time: 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Location: Room 345

If you are a student with an undergrad or graduate degree in engineering, computer sciences or the hard sciences (chemistry, biology, physics, some related fields), and are interested in becoming a Patent Attorney, Practising Law Institute (PLI) invites you to a presentation by John White, Academic Director of PLI's Patent Bar Review Course. Topics for discussion include: the latest info on the Patent Bar Exam; who can take it; how it works, now that it's on computer; when you should take it (you don't need to…and probably shouldn't…wait until you graduate); how the American Invents Act has impacted the Exam, and; recommendations on when and how to study for this Exam.  Scholarships to PLI's other IP programs will also be discussed. For more information, please visit: www.patentbarreview.com/www.pli.edu

2015 Midwest LGBTQ Law Conference | After Marriage Equality

Date: February 20-21, 2015
Location: Washington University School of Law in St. Louis

Come join law students, faculty, practitioners, and community members from the greater Midwest at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis to discuss contemporary legal issues affecting the LGBTQ community. The 2015 Midwest LGBTQ Law Conference will explore LGBTQ rights after the success of marriage equality movements nationwide.

The Midwest LGBTQ Law Conference is always free and open to the public?, and includes an employer networking reception on Friday, February 20. We also offer free CLE credit for Missouri and Illinois. Register online at http://law.wustl.edu/blogs/outlaw/ and click on the conference page.

Want more information? Visit our website at http://law.wustl.edu/blogs/outlaw/ or send us an email through the contact us section or at outlaw@wulaw.wustl.edu.

Rebellious Lawyering Conference at Yale Law

Date: February 20-21, 2015
Location: Yale Law School, New Haven, Connecticut

Attend RebLaw2015 on February 20-21, 2015, at the Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut. Registration is now open here.

The Rebellious Lawyering Conference is an annual gathering of students, activists and legal practitioners dedicated to legal work in the service of communities and social change movements and to challenging hierarchies of race, wealth, gender, and expertise within legal practice and education. Grounded in the spirit of Gerald Lopez's Rebellious Lawyering, the conference is in its twenty first year and the largest student-run public interest law conference in the U.S.

Registration is $30 and includes a happy hour on Friday and lunch on Saturday. For law students wishing to attend who may otherwise find hotel costs prohibitive, we do our best to coordinate hoursing with Yale law studens and volunteerings. The deadline for housing elibilility is January 31. 

Questions? rebellious.law.questions@gmail.com

How to Succeed in Your Summer Job: Large Law Firm Panel

Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Location: Room 270

Come hear from a panel of young attorneys at large law firms as well as fellow students who have has summer associate positions at large law firms as they present their tips for summer job success. Panelists will describe what to expect from your position as a summer associate. Topics will include: how to get work and how to turn down assignments, how to manage your time, how to work with support staff, how to handle constructive criticism and edits, and how to make sure that you get the best reviews of your work product this summer.

Norman Amaker Midwest Public Interest Law & Social Justice Retreat - REGISTER BY JANUARY 21

Date: February 27-March 1
Location: Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus, Woodstock, Illinois

Register Today for the Norman Amaker Midwest Public Interest Law & Social Justice RetreatBulldozing the Road to Change: Law Students As Architects of Social Justice

What is the Amaker Retreat?
The Amaker Retreat is a three-day event wherein students meet with social justice leaders to learn about, and contribute to, forward-thinking legal reform and social change in various public interest fields including international human rights, LGBTQ issues, human trafficking, reproductive rights, and more!

When is the Amaker Retreat?
The Amaker Retreat will be February 27- March 1, 2015

Where is the Amaker Retreat?
The Amaker Retreat is held at the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus located in Woodstock, Illinois. Bus transportation is included for all interested students.

What is the Cost of the Amaker Retreat?
The Retreat includes all meals and lodging. Please contact Michelle Vodenik for information about securing funding for the event. 

How Do I Register for the Amaker Retreat?
Registration is now open nowPlease registrar here to reserve your spot! If you have any questions, please email: amakerlawretreat@luc.edu. For more information, please visit www.luc.edu/law/amaker/ 

Skadden Fellowship Program

Date: March 10, 2015
Time: 12:15pm - 1:15pm
Location: Rubloff 140 at Northwestern Law (375 E. Chicago Ave.)

Want to design your dream public interest job for after graduation?  The Skadden Foundation Fellowships allow you to pick the type of work you will do and the organization with which you will do it.  Come hear Susan Plum, who directs the program and the application process, talk about how to win one of these coveted fellowships. Lunch will be served.

3Ls who will be clerking: You may apply for a fellowship to begin after you complete a clerkship

2Ls: If you are considering public interest after graduation, this program is a crucial resource for you

1Ls: Now is a good time to start thinking about fellowships if you plan on working in public interest after graduation

Please RSVP to mvodenik@kentlaw.iit.edu by February 27th

Employment Opportunities

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

City of Chicago, Department of Law Summer 2015 Law Clerk Program - Applications due March 1, 2015

The City of Chicago Department of Law invites law students to apply for its 2015 Summer Law Clerk Program. Usually, the program begins June 1st and is for a minimum of 10 weeks; however, the start date and duration of a law clerk’s summer will be determined by the law clerk and his/her direct supervisor. The Summer Program is designed to provide current law students with a challenging unpaid clerkship that reflects the demands and rewards of public service, as well as a realistic picture of what it is like to practice law for the City of Chicago. Participants in the Summer Program are not compensated. Some schools may offer students grants or allow for academic credit.

During the Summer Program, the law clerks will be assigned to work in one of the practice divisions in the law department and participate in a wide variety of activities including:

· assisting in trial preparation; attending depositions; observing real estate closings; attending client meetings and court proceedings; researching legal issues; and drafting memoranda, briefs and contracts.

Also, law clerks that have finished their second year of law school and qualify for an Illinois Supreme Court Rule 711 license may represent the City in:

· mandatory tort arbitrations in the Circuit Court of Cook County; disciplinary hearings for the police and labor boards; and labor arbitration.

They may also depose or examine witnesses in trials in state and federal court.

During the summer, the Law Department will host a lecture series that feature speakers addressing legal
issues that affect the City in areas such as environmental and First Amendment law and provides the law clerks with opportunities to meet with City department officials and members of state and federal judiciary.

The Law Department seeks talented, promising individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many of our attorneys are active in civic and professional activities and organizations. The Law Department is committed to increasing opportunities for minorities in the legal profession, and it is proud that its staff reflects the racial, cultural and ethnic diversity of Chicago. The Law Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To apply for the 2015 Summer Law Clerk Program, interested students should submit all application materials as outlined here.

The deadline to apply is March 1, 2015.

Illinois Attorney General's Office Summer 2015 Intern Program - Applications due March 1, 2015

The Illinois Attorney General's Office provides excellent opportunities for law students to improve their skills and knowledge in a wide range of subject areas, including consumer protection, government representation, civil rights, environmental enforcement, antitrust, complex civil litigation, civil and criminal appeals, and criminal law enforcement. Working closely with attorneys in the Chicago, Springfield, or Carbondale office, law clerks investigate facts, review documents, research legal issues, and draft legal memoranda, correspondence, and pleadings. Advanced students who qualify for a 711 license are encouraged to obtain such a license so that they may appear in court under the supervision of an Assistant Attorney General.

For further information, and to download an application form, students should visit the Illinois Attorney General's website.
 
The deadline to apply for summer is March 1, 2015.

Judicial Externships: Summer 2015/Fall 2015 - Applications due February 25 (for Summer 2015) and March 23 (for Fall 2015)

Judicial Externship Program (JEP) is a 4-credit hour Pass/Low Pass/Fail program that enables Kent students to do legal research and writing for federal appellate, district or magistrate judges as well as designated Illinois appellate and circuit court judges included in our participating panel of judges.

Being a judicial extern is a unique and important learning experience which is recognized as a significant achievement by the legal community and will benefit you in pursuing your future career goals.

Judicial externs work with a judge and/or the judge's law clerks researching law, writing memoranda and participating in drafting opinions. Externs also have the opportunity to observe the day-to-day routine of the courtroom. In addition, there is an accompanying classroom component which focuses on various aspects of judicial decision-making, and how those aspects affect the extern's work product.

Application Process

Summer and Fall 2015 Information and Application packets will be available as of Monday, February 9th, in the Law Offices Reception Area (Room 600), in the Career Services Offices, and on the table by the third floor elevators, as well as on line. The information packets will give you complete information about the program and application procedures. In addition, if you have any questions about the program or the application process, contact Prof. Vivien Gross in Room 617. E-mail: vgross@kentlaw.iit.edu.

Completed applications for Summer 2015 must be submitted in hard copy to Carole Ross, Administrative Assistant to Prof. Gross, Room 612, Law Offices, by Wednesday, February 25th, at 5:00 p.m.

Completed applications for Fall 2015 must be submitted in hard copy to Carole Ross, Administrative Assistant to Prof. Gross, Room 612, Law Offices, by Monday, March 23rd, at 5:00 p.m.

Fellowships & Scholarships

2015-2016 Finnegan Diversity Scholarship - Applications due February 13, 2015

The scholarship provides financial support to law students who have demonstrated a commitment to pursuing a career in IP law and enhancing diversity in the legal profession. The scholarship award of $15,000 may be applied to costs associated with normal tuition and fees (such as, but not limited to, student activity fees; law school or university fees, and administrative fees).

The scholarship recipient will also accept an offer to join the firm as a 2016 summer associate in one of the domestic offices (Atlanta, Boston, Palo Alto, Reston or Washington).

Students currently completing their first year full-time (or second year part-time) are invited to apply.  The award will be applied to education costs the following academic year, and may be renewed for one additional year if the scholar accepts an associate offer upon successful completion of the Finnegan summer associate program, maintains a grade point average of 3.0 or better in law school, and is otherwise in good standing.

Application Process: Students must submit an application, resume, official or unofficial transcripts (law school grades should be forwarded once received), and a 1-2 page personal statement. The personal statement should include a description of how the applicant will contribute to Finnegan’s practice and diversity mission. Applications will be accepted from December 1, 2014 through February 13, 2015.

Students may access the application here.

2015 1L LCLD Scholars Program

The 1L LCLD Scholars Program offers first-year law students from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to spend a summer working side-by-side with attorneys from LCLD Member organizations. Seventy-eight LCLD Member law firms and corporations participated in the 2014 program, collectively offering more than 165 opportunities. Opportunities for 2015 are currently being added by LCLD Members.

LCLD provides several networking opportunities for 1L LCLD Scholars, which include:

  • 1L LCLD Scholars Summit, May 28-30, 2015 in Dallas, TX.
  • 1L LCLD Scholars will have an opportunity to participate in a mock interview with attorneys from LCLD Member law firms.
  • Dedicated LinkedIn group for 1L LCLD Scholars.

Eligibility and Application Process:

  • 1L LCLD Scholar candidates must be enrolled as first-year law students and in good standing at an ABA-approved law school.
  • Candidates must apply directly to their desired LCLD Member firms and corporations; each Member organization will independently identify, select, and hire its 1L LCLD Scholar(s).

The following LCLD Members have available 1L LCLD Diversity Scholar positions available:

Visit http://www.lcldnet.org/programs/1l-scholars/ for more information, including the list of participating LCLD Member law firms and corporations

2015 Ms. JD Fellowship - Applications due March 15, 2015

In 2010, Ms. JD partnered with the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession to create the Ms. JD Fellowship. The Fellowship is Ms. JD's program to promote mentoring and professional development.

Each spring, Ms. JD selects a group of outstanding second year law students as Fellowship recipients. In addition to receiving financial support and invitations to ABA and Ms. JD events, each Fellowship recipient is paired with a mentor chosen from among the Brent Award honorees, Spirit of Excellence Award recipients, and ABA Commission on Women in the Profession Commissioners.  

Are you a 2L? Or know any outstanding 2Ls? Apply to the Ms. JD Fellowship by March 15! More info.

Zelle Hoffman 2015 Diversity in Law Scholarship - Applications due April 1, 2015

Zelle Hofmann is pleased to announce a call for applications for its 2015 Diversity in Law Scholarship.  The keystone of the firm's Diversity Outreach Plan, the Diversity in Law Scholarship was created for law students who either (1) are a member of a population or group whose background and perspectives are 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 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. Depending upon the firm's current needs, the Scholarship recipient may be offered, but is under no obligation to accept, a paid summer clerkship at one of the firm's offices for the summer following the student's first year of law school. The specific location of the potential clerkship will be decided by the firm in consultation with the student and will be based upon both the student's interest and the firm's need. 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.

Click here for a copy of the formal scholarship application containing more in-depth information about the scholarship for your reference and dissemination.

Please note that to be considered for the Diversity in Law Scholarship students should complete and submit the application and required documents to Zelle Hofmann by April 1, 2015.  Click here for contact information and respective submission information. 

McGuire Woods Diversity Scholarship - Applications due May 29, 2015

McGuireWoods’ annual Diversity Scholarship Program will award up to eight $5,000 scholarships to diverse current first-year law students with an expected graduation year of 2017, who are committed to contributing to and supporting diversity within the legal profession. Applicants are considered based on their involvement in community activities and diversity related student organizations, personal achievements, and law school and undergraduate academic performance. Consistent with the objective of promoting diversity in legal education and leadership roles in the legal profession, McGuireWoods will also consider additional criteria including, among other factors, whether the applicant is: the first family member to attend college, from an economically disadvantaged family, a member of a group currently underrepresented in law schools and law firms, from a family with little or no legal education or experience, an alumnus of a college or university whose graduates are historically underrepresented in law school, or demonstrating a strong commitment to promoting diversity in his or her undergraduate school, law school and community.

Application Packet Must Include:

  • Completed application form
  • Current resume
  • Undergraduate & first semester law school transcripts (photocopy of official transcript is acceptable)
  • Personal statement (limit of 1,500 words) explaining your commitment to diversity in the legal profession, community involvement and personal achievements. Tell us something that is not on your resume
  • Professional letter of recommendation from an undergraduate or law professor
Completed application packet must be received by MIDNIGHT on May 29, 2015. Scholarships will be awarded by July 2, 2015, paid directly to the law school for tuition and books only. Send materials via U.S. mail, e-mail or fax (preferably email) to: Amy L. Pretty, Attorney Recruiting Manager, McGuireWoods LLP 77 West Wacker Drive, Suite 4100 Chicago, IL 60601-1818 apretty@mcguirewoods.com 312.849.3690 (fax).

Job Fairs

 

Diversity

The LCLD Success in Law School Mentoring Program - Registration opens October 15th

Ask any successful attorney: Nothing propels a legal career like having a great mentor. That’s especially true when the mentor is at the top of the legal profession and takes an active, personal interest in the development of the young lawyer he or she is advising. The primary objective of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Success in Law School Mentoring Program is to ensure that talented and diverse students received the mentoring and preparation that they need to maximize their potential in law school and beyond.

The LCLD Success in Law School Mentoring Program includes two programs: The Individual Mentoring Program (IMP) and the Group Mentoring Program (GMP).

The IMP is a comprehensive initiative for first year law students from diverse backgrounds based on the principals of legal excellence and personal involvement. Each student is matched with an LCLD mentor attorney, who is a leader in the legal profession and taken an active personal interest in the development of the Mentee law student. The goal of the IMP is to ensure that talented law school student receive the mentoring they need to maximize their potential, both during law school and afterward, as they prepare for the bar exam and launch their careers. The sign-up for a LCLD mentor will begin on October 15! For more information visit here.

The GMP allows diverse 1L, 2L, and 3L students to receive advice and support from successful attorneys from the LCLD Member law firms and corporations. GMP events are scheduled during the school year and designed to provide guidance in an information, interactive, and collegial setting. Many GMP events include a networking session and a panel presentation by experienced attorneys about a variety of topics including networking and relationship building, interviewing skills, professionalism, practice area choice, and attorney evaluation. For more information about GMP events, please visit: www.lcldnet.org/GMPevents.

2015-2016 Finnegan Diversity Scholarship - Applications due February 13, 2015
(See above)

2015 1L LCLD Scholars Program
(See above)

Zelle Hoffman 2015 Diversity in Law Scholarship - Applications due April 1, 2015

McGuire Woods Diversity Scholarship - Applications due May 29, 2015

Resources

CSO Resources

The Chicago-Kent Career Services Office has access to hundreds of helpful career resources. A majority of these resources are available in Symplicity under the red "Resources" tab (in the "Document Library"). Some of these resources include:

  • 2014-2015 Government Honors and Internship Handbook
  • Chicago Area Law Firm List
  • 2013-2014 Guide to Internships & Fellowships in Reproductive Rights & Justice
  • Updated Vermont Guide to State Judicial Clerkships
  • BYU Intercollegiate Job Bank
  • DePaul Law School International Guide and Job Resource
  • Music Attorney Registry
  • Prosecution Handbook
  • Public Defender Handbook               
  • Public Interest Job Search Handbooks
  • Various handouts related to the job search, including “Researching Legal Employers,” “The Out of State Job Search,” “Salary Negotiations” and “Writing Samples”

And many more!

Chicago-Kent students can also access various websites like: 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 in the Symplicity "Document Library" (under the Resources tab).

Speak with your Career Advisor today about the various resources available through the Career Services Office!

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