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Career Services Office

Career Services Office home page
Week of March 9, 2015

Information & Announcements

  • New Resource: CareerShift is LIVE at Chicago-Kent!
  • Chicago Bar Association YLS 2015 Law Student Shadow Program
  • 1L Cover Letter Workshop
  • Mandatory 1L Legal Resume Workshop
  • Lawcountability, J.D. iOS Mobile App Now Available for Download!
  • Resume Books Now Open!
  • Criminal Litigation Certificate Program Applications Due March 24, 2015
  • Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate Program Applications Due March 24, 2015

On-Campus Interviewing

Programming

  • March 10: Skadden Fellowship Program
  • March 10: Corporate Law Society - Alumni Career Panel and Reception
  • March 11: SBA 5 Under 5
  • March 12: Informational reception for all J.D. certificate programs
  • March 19: Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago's 3rd Annual March Mayhem Mixer
  • March 22: CBA Young Lawyers Section Government Service Career Fair
  • March 24: Fellowships: What they are and how to get one
  • March 28: Cook County Bar Association's 10th Annual Resume Writing Workshop
  • March 31: Mandatory 2L Program - What's Next for Fall
  • March 31: Nixon Peadboy IP Summer Program Preparation
  • March 31: Building Your Legacy: Professionally, Personally, Effectively 

Employment Opportunities

  • Access 2 Practice Summer Legal Externship Program: Opportunities Available, Apply Now
  • Judicial Externships: Fall 2015 - Applications due March 19 (for Fall 2015)
  • United States Attorney's Office Fall 2015 Intern/Extern - Applications due April 15, 2015
  • Reed Smith 2015 Diverse Scholars Program for 1Ls - Applications due July 20, 2105

Fellowships & Scholarships

  • 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
  • Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program 2015 - Applications due April 2, 2015
  • McGuire Woods Diversity Scholarship - Applications due May 29, 2015

Job Fairs

  • Register Now: 2015 Loyola Patent Law Interview Program

Diversity

  • The LCLD Success in Law School Mentoring Program - Registration opens October 15th
  • Zelle Hoffman 2015 Diversity in Law Scholarship - Applications due April 1, 2015
  • McGuire Woods Diversity Scholarship - Applications due May 29, 2015
  • Reed Smith 2015 Diverse Scholars Program for 1Ls - Applications due July 20, 2105

Resources

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

CSO Information & Announcements

New Resource: CareerShift is LIVE at Chicago-Kent!

Chicago-Kent has partnered with CareerShift to help with your job search needs. 

CareerShift is a one-stop search engine that allows users to search and review each and every job posting available (such as those on Monster, Indeed, all other job boards and company websites). 

In addition, users can search for jobs and save your searches, find and save a list of contacts, create resumes and cover letters, and put them together in a targeted e-mail or postal mail campaigns. Then you can track your responses from “Come in for an interview” to “You’re hired.” With CareerShift you can:

  • Search every job listing, including job boards and company websites
  • Get inside contact information immediately, including email addresses, for millions of companies
  • Create and organize all of your documents
  • Confidentially market yourself
  • Remain focused and organized
  • Access your secure, private account from anywhere, anytime, 24/7

Sign up for an account at http://kentlaw.careershift.com and when prompted use access code: kentlawcso

Click on “Tutorials” under the “My Organizer” link to view tutorials on how to use all of the job search resources CareerShift has to offer!

Chicago Bar Association YLS 2015 Law Student Shadow Program

The new YLS Law Student Shadow Program will introduce you to a variety of practice areas and allow you to observe CBA members in their daily practices. Shadow opportunities might include real estate closings, filing complaints and summons, court proceedings, a typical day of practice, and more. 

On the day of the event, we ask that: (1) the law student and attorney/judge meet just before the scheduled event, (2) attend the event together, and (3) discuss the event briefly afterwards. The participating attorney/judge is not expected to begin a mentorship program or offer the law student a position. In addition to being CBA members, both parties will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement in order to confirm participation in the shadow program.

To see current opportunities, go to the program website atwww.chicagobar.org/ylsshadow (check back frequently as new opportunities are continually be added). To allow as many law students as possible to participate, we ask that you sign up for one shadow opportunity per month.

Questions? Email the Young Lawyers Section at yls@chicagobar.org.

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.

Criminal Litigation Certificate Program Applications Due March 24, 2015

Applications for the LADR Certificate Program are due on March 24 at 12:00pm. They can be picked up on the table outside of the third floor elevators, the Law Offics reception area (Suite 600), as well as online.

Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate Program Applications Due March 24, 2015

Applications for the Criminal Litigation Certificate Program are due on March 24 at 12:00pm. They can be picked up on the table outside of the third floor elevators, the Law Offices reception area (Suite 600), as well as online.

On-Campus Interview

 

Programming

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 Friday, February 27, 2015.

Corporate Law Society - Alumni Career Panel and Reception

Date: March 10, 2015
Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: Morris Hall, 10th Floor

Five Chicago-Kent alumni in various areas of corporate law employment will be speaking on a panel about how they worked towards their positions and what their day to day work lives look like. Join us for the panel event in order to ask questions and explore your own career choices. A reception will follow with open bar and catered buffet for the enjoyment of guests and speakers. Last year, this event resulted in a great deal of good advice and networking, including job opportunities for the attending students. This event is open to all students, regardless of preferred practice area or year in school. 

SBA 5 Under 5

Date: Wednesday, March 11
Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Location: Chicago-Kent Lobby

Join the SBA for its "5 Under 5" Alumni Networking Event! Come meet, greet and network with five recent Chicago-Kent alumni who have graduated in the last five years and are now practicing law in a variety of different fields. This event is a great way network with alumni without any pressure. All of the featured attendees remember exactly what it's like to be in your shoes. The event even boasts a history of getting students jobs from their new connections!

Informational Reception for all J.D. Certificate Programs

Date: Thursday, March 12, 2015
Time: 4:15 - 5:45pm
Location: Morris Hall - 10th Floor

Students interested in Labor and Employment Law, Business Law, Intellectual Property Law, International and Comparative Law, Public Interest Law, Criminal Litigation, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Environmental and Energy Law, and Praxis Law are invited to attend an Informational Reception on IIT Chicago-Kent's Certificate Programs.

Meet faculty and students in the Certificate programs, gather information, and have a snack!

Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago's 3rd Annual March Mayhem Mixer

Date: Friday, March 20
Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Emerald Loop Bar & Grill, 216 North Wabash Avenue

What is better than Beer & Basketball?  Join the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago for its 3rd annual March Mayhem Mixer.

What an easy way to give back! All you have to do is come cheer on your favorite NCAA team with us and enjoy good food, good drinks, and good company.  All proceeds benefit Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, a nonprofit organization that supports Chicagoland schools with unique civic and law-related education programs.  Head on over after work. All of the second-round games will be on!

What do you get?
Semi-private viewing area • Heavy all-you-can eat appetizers! • Two beer tickets • Warm fuzzies for supporting a good cause! $35 in advance/$40 at the door

Questions? Call us at 312-663-9057.

CBA Young Lawyers Section Government Service Career Fair

Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: The Chicago Bar Association, 321 South Plymouth Court

If you are considering a career working for a government entity, join the YLS on Saturday, March 28 for its Annual Government Service Career Fair. The event kicks off with a panel discussion on legal careers in public service followed by an opportunity to meet representatives from local government offices. Resumes will be accepted at the discretion of the agencies. $15 Member/$30 Nonmember. For more information and to register online, click here.

Fellowships: What They Are and How to Get One

Date: March 24, 2015
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Location:
TBA

Fellowships are a great way begin your career as an attorney. This program will feature guest presenter Lauren Fuchs of Equal Justice Works, speaking about the EJW Fellowship, Americorp JD Fellowships and Justice Americorp Fellowships; as well as Chicago-Kent alumni who have successfully obtained fellowships. Come learn about the wide-range of post-graduate fellowships available, from academic to project-based; how to develop a fellowship proposal; as well as best practices and resources to use in applying for fellowships.  Tuesday, March 24th, 12-1pm in room TBA. This program is sponsored by the Career Services Office and Kent Justice Foundation.  Food will be served! 

Cook County Bar Association's 10th Annual Resume Writing Workshop

Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 10:00am – 1:00pm

Location: Jones Day, 77 W. Wacker Dr.

The Cook County Bar Association's 10th annual resume writing workshop, sponsored by Jones Day, will take place on March 28, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  The workshop will take place at Jones Day located at 77 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL. 60601.

Workshop topics will include:

  • Highlighting Relevant Experience
  • Accomplishments
  • Extra-Curricular Activities
  • Addressing Law School GPA
  • Law Firm Standards
  • Resume Review and Critique

This workshop is being conducted in connection with the 32nd Annual CCBA Minority Law Student Job Fair. For additional information, visit http://www.ccbaminorityjobfair.org/.

Students who wish to participate must RSVP by March 21st to Nicholas Cummings at ncummings@neclaw.com. Continental breakfast and lunch will be served.

Mandatory 2L Program - What's Next for Fall

Date: Tuesday, March 31
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Location: TBA

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” will address these and other important concerns for rising 3L students.  Current 2L students are required to attend this program.

Nixon Peadboy IP Summer Program Preparation

Building Your Legacy: Professionally, Personally, Effectively

Date: Tuesday, March 31
Time: 5:30pm – 8:00pm
Location: Chicago-Kent Auditorium and Front Lobby

The Women's Bar Association of Illinois and Women In Law will host a panel of attorneys to discuss how law students and practicing attorneys can build their career and legacy. This event is open to the public.

Employment Opportunities

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

Access 2 Practice Summer Legal Externship Program: Opportunities Available, Apply Now!

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 Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. Some public sector externships enable you to obtain a 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. Most students aren't fortunate enough to receive a paid clerking position - or even a volunteer opportunity - that teaches what they want to learn. LEP 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.

Students interested in civil law may extern in a wide variety of places. For example, some have externed at the City of Chicago Corporation Counsel's Office, Office of the Illinois Attorney General, Illinois Commerce Commission, Immigration Court of the U.S. Department of Justice, Internal Revenue Service, and Environmental Protection Agency, as well approved in-house corporate legal counsel. And students interested in criminal law have externed at the US Attorney's Office, the Office of the Federal Defender, and at the offices of the State's Attorney and Public Defender in Cook County as well as the surrounding counties.

Summer Access2Practice LEP

Summer Access2Practice LEP differs from Fall/Spring LEP in that summer students have a somewhat greater choice of placements. Whereas Fall and Spring placements are predominantly in the public and not-for-profit areas, Summer LEP includes a significant number of private placements in law firms and in-house corporate legal departments. These private placements are supervised by Kent alums and both 
the placement and teaching supervisor have been screened and approved specifically for this purpose.

As of Tuesday, February 17, Symplicity will be posting the many Summer LEP placement opportunities for which you can apply. Please scroll to Access2Practice: Private Summer for these special opportunities. The applications to the member placements will be submitted through a centralized data base and sent electronically to the respective placements on Thursday, March 26, 2015. Each teaching attorney/placement then independently screens and selects its extern(s).

Application Process:

Information and application packets for Summer and Fall 2015 are available in the Law Offices reception area (Room 600), in the Career Services Office, on the table by the third-floor elevators, and on line.

Judicial Externships: Fall 2015 - Applications due March 19 (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 19th, at 5:00 p.m.

United States Attorney's Office Fall 2015 Intern/Extern - Applications due April 15, 2015

The USAO for the Northern District of Illinois is responsible for prosecuting all federal crimes within the district. The Office also represents the United States and its departments and agencies
in civil proceedings filed in federal court and in the Seventh Circuit. The primary goals of the Law Student Intern Program are to provide law students with the greatest possible exposure to and
participation in federal trial and appellate practice and to obtain excellent legal talent to assist this Office in handling its multitude of cases.

Application Materials:
Resume, personal statement reflecting your background and your interest in participating in this program, legal writing sample, three letters of recommendation (preferably legal), and law school transcript (unofficial is acceptable). Recommendation letters, whether or not submitted in sealed envelopes, may be included by the student with the application materials. Please make every effort to include them with the application to avoid delay.

Qualifications:

  • Students must be second-year or third-year law students by the beginning of the fall term.
  • Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
  • Residency Requirement: For a total of three years (not necessarily consecutive years) of the past five years immediately prior to applying for a position, the applicant must have: 1) resided in the United States; 2) worked for the U.S. overseas in a federal or military capacity; or 3) been a dependent of a federal or military employee serving overseas. The Residency Requirement ensures an adequate background investigation can be completed. Due to the sensitive nature of the work performed by the Office, all offers to candidates are conditioned upon the successful completion of a required background investigation.

Interns are not permitted to work in a legal capacity - private or public - during the internship.

Minimum Weeks:
Required: Fall Internship - 16 hours per week for 12 weeks

Academic credit:
Work-study or academic credit may be available through a student's law school. Students must make arrangements through his/her law school. This Internship is not compensated. No matching contributions available; all compensation must be provided by law school. Should you secure this externship and wish to receive credit, you must see Professor Vivien Gross - vgross@kentlaw.edu - for permission to enroll in the fall legal externship class.

 

Assignments:
The work of the law student interns includes assisting in all aspects of trial preparation, legal research, writing memoranda of law, drafting pleadings and appellate briefs, assisting in preparation and taking of depositions, assisting in pretrial conferences and trials of civil and criminal cases.

Web Page: http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/

All application packages must be submitted by United States post-mail to the district contact (Monica LeKostaj, Administrative Assistant for the Law Student Intern Program) by April 15, 2015. See Symplicity ID: Symplicity #19926 for more information.

Reed Smith 2015 Diverse Scholars Program for 1Ls - Applications due July 20, 2105

Reed Smith has a strong commitment to diversity which has resulted in a firm in which diversity and inclusion permeate the culture.  Rewarding young future leaders for their efforts in the area of diversity and introducing them to the Reed Smith culture are two important goals of this program.
 
The Diverse Scholars Program provides two $20,000 awards to be used to defray necessary expenditures related to her/his legal education for the second year of law school, as well as a paid summer associate position after completion of the second year of law school.  The program is open to first-year law students who have demonstrated excellent academic scholarship and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
 
Scholarship applicants must submit a resume, a completed application (2015 Diverse Scholars Application), a personal statement, law school transcript, undergraduate transcript and a legal writing sample to:  DiverseScholars@reedsmith.com.
 
Summer associate positions in 2016 are available in:  Chicago; Los Angeles; San Francisco; New York City; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Houston, and Washington, D.C.  Applications must be submitted on or before July 20, 2015.
 
Students may also visit the Diverse Scholars page located within the law students section at http://careers.reedsmith.com for more information about our program and to download an application.  To learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion, please visit http://diversity.reedsmith.com.

Fellowships & Scholarships

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. 

Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program 2015 - Applications due April 2, 2015

The Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program (“Stevens Fellowship”) provides a grant of $5,000 each to two students at the Chicago-Kent College of Law who have secured unpaid public interest legal positions during the summer.  These two Stevens Fellowships are awarded to help defray living expenses of deserving and committed students working in the public interest, as well as to provide much-needed legal assistance to public interest organizations. 

Chicago-Kent joins a number of other law schools with Stevens Fellowships.  The Fellowship seeks to honor Justice Stevens by promoting public interest and social justice values that have characterized Justice Stevens’ work throughout his career.  The Stevens Fellowship has been funded primarily through private contributions from former law clerks to Justice Stevens.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Application Deadline:  Your complete application should be sent electronically to Professor Nancy Marder (nmarder@kentlaw.iit.edu) and one (1) hard-copy should be placed in Professor Marder’s mailbox on the 2nd floor by noon, Thursday, April 2, 2015.  Both the electronic version and the hard-copy must be submitted by noon on April 2nd.  There are no exceptions to this deadline. 

Complete applications must include:

  • Application Form (See the Document Library in Symplicity)
  • Personal Statement
  • Resume (No need to print on resume paper; ordinary paper is fine)
  • Official transcript (Include as part of the hard-copy submission only.  Please find out how long it takes to obtain an official transcript and leave sufficient time to meet the deadline.)
  • Certification with signature (Hard-copy is to be signed; electronic copy can be typed.)

           
Please keep in mind that your complete application must be submitted electronically and in hard copy. You may view an electronic version of the application packet at the Symplicity document library, which is part of Career Services’ electronic library.  It is listed under “Justice Stevens Fellowship Application.” Hard copies of this application packet are also available in the clip outside Prof. Marder’s office (839).

REQUIREMENTS & ELIGIBILITY

  1. Applicants must secure a public interest position.
    1. Public interest organizations may include government agencies, legal services, advocacy groups and policy reform organizations.
    2. Resources are available to give you information about summer employment such as: the Public Interest Resource Center (PIRC); Career Services Office; and Past Fellowship organizations [See page 4].
    3. If you have yet to secure an offer, but you are in the application process and have had an interview, you may still apply.  However, confirmation of a job offer must be provided before a Stevens Fellowship is awarded.

 

  1. The public interest position must be unpaid. 
    1. The Stevens Fellowship is designed to aid students who are working without pay. 
    2. The Stevens Fellowship is not available for students receiving school credit for their work.
  1. Applicants should commit to working 40 hours per week for a minimum of 8 consecutive weeks (full time) at their public interest internship.
    1. Fellowship recipients must sign an Agreement Letter, stating the number of hours to which they have committed and the number of weeks.  
    2. The Fellowship Advisory Committee reserves the right to contact the employer to confirm this commitment.
  1. Factors the Fellowship Advisory Committee Considers in Awarding Stevens Fellowships:
    1. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to public interest and social justice.  Commitment is shown by:
      • Involvement in volunteer work at Chicago-Kent; and/or
      • Public service volunteering outside of Chicago-Kent. 
    1. Other factors the Committee will consider include:
      • Nature of the proposed summer position;
      • The impact of your work on the community;
      • Your commitment and intentions as demonstrated in the personal statement.
    1. Academic achievement
    2. The Stevens Fellowship is designed primarily for 2Ls, but exceptional 1Ls will be   considered.

EVALUATION PROCESS

The Fellowship Advisory Committee will be chaired by Professor Marder and may include an external reviewer and two internal reviewers (typically faculty members).  The Fellowship Advisory Committee will review applications based on the stated requirements.  Interviews may be conducted.  Announcements will be made approximately two - three weeks after the application deadline. 

AWARDING OF FELLOWSHIPS

Stevens Fellowship Recipients will receive one check for the full amount of their Stevens Fellowship, which should be issued by June.  Recipients MUST complete a W-9 tax form before the end of the spring semester. Upon notification of having received a grant, the school will provide each Fellowship recipient with all the necessary tax forms.  All such forms must be completed before Chicago-Kent can issue the award check.

Each of the two Stevens Fellowship recipients must sign an Agreement Letter, stating where he or she will work, the number of hours he or she will work, and the number of weeks.  A copy of the Agreement Letter must be forwarded to Professor Marder.  The Fellowship Advisory Committee may also follow up with the public interest organization asking how the Fellow’s work made a difference in the communities served by the organization.

At the end of the summer, Fellowship recipients must write a brief description of their summer, including information about the type of work performed and the ways in which it helped the organization.  The description must be submitted to Professor Marder at the beginning of the fall semester.  This description will be shared with Justice Stevens and will also be used for future Stevens Fellowship promotion, including promotion of Stevens Fellowships the following year.

For more information, see the application packet at the Symplicity document library, which is part of Career Services’ electronic library.  It is listed under “Justice Stevens Fellowship Application.

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

Register Now: 2015 Loyola Patent Law Interview Program

The Loyola Patent Law Interview Program is a two-day interview program held in Chicago each summer that brings together patent law employers and law students from across the country to interview for summer associate positions and post-graduate employment. The 2015 Patent Law Interview Program will be held on Thursday, July 30 & Friday, July 31 at the Embassy Suites Chicago - Downtown/Lakefront at 511 N. Columbus Drive in downtown Chicago.  Each year roughly 1,500 law students register for the program, submit their resumes, and bid on interviews with the nation-wide employers that interest them. The program is entirely employer selected - which means that participating employers review the resumes submitted to them and choose the law students they are interested in interviewing at the program. Roughly half of the students registered for the program are selected for interviews each year. 

Online Student Registration
Student registration is now open.  The student registration site -https://patentlawregistration.luc.edu/lawstudents/Default.aspx – is now open, and student registration will run through Monday, March 9. Late registrations will not be accepted.
 
The student registration form is very simple.  All students need to enter at this point is some basic contact, school, and class year information.  Students at schools that are not paying the registration fee will also need a credit card to pay the $35 registration fee to complete their online registration. 
 
This simple registration is just the first step in participating in the program.  Once the students are registered, they will receive information about how to register in Symplicity, upload their resume and transcript, and bid on interviews.
 
For more information on the program, please refer to the Loyola Patent Program website at: http://www.luc.edu/law/career/patent_students.html

Please direct any questions about the program to the Patent Program Liaison in the Chicago-Kent Career Office (Jeanne Kraft - jkraft@kentlaw.iit.edu).

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 1L LCLD Scholars Program
(See above)

Zelle Hoffman 2015 Diversity in Law Scholarship - Applications due April 1, 2015
(See above)

McGuire Woods Diversity Scholarship - Applications due May 29, 2015
(See above)

Reed Smith 2015 Diverse Scholars Program for 1Ls - Applications due July 20, 2015
(See above)

 

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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