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Career Services Office

Career Services Office home page
Week of August 3 and 10, 2015

Information & Announcements

  • CSO Open All Summer Long
  • CareerShift
  • Federal Work Study for Fall 2015 - Apply NOW!

Fall Recruiting

  • Mark Your Calendar - Fall Recruiting Important Dates
  • Sign up for Mock Interviews!

Programming

  • ILAO/PILI Webinar: How to Apply for Internships and Externships
  • August 6: Meet Edelson at the Beach!
  • August 6: LGBT Reception hosted by Foley & Lardner
  • August 11: CBA YLS - Young Lawyers Summer Outing at Wrigley Field

Employment Opportunities

  • Department of Justice: The Attorney General's Honors Program
  • Department of Justice Summer Law Internship Program

Fellowships & Scholarships

  • Faegre Baker Daniels 2L Diversity Fellowship - Application Now Available!

Job Fairs

  • Register NOW: 2015 Lavender Law Career Fair, Chicago, August 5-8
  • Register NOW: Minnesota Minority Recruitment Conference, August 7
  • Register NOW: Tri-State Diversity Job Fair, August 15 (register by August 5)
  • Register NOW: Hispanic National Bar Association's Annual Convention and Career Fair, September 2-5 (Register by August 31)

Diversity

  • Faegre Baker Daniels 2L Diversity Fellowship - Application Now Available!
  • Register NOW: 2015 Lavender Law Career Fair, Chicago, August 5-8
  • Register NOW: Minnesota Minority Recruitment Conference, August 7
  • Register NOW: Tri-State Diversity Job Fair, August 15 (register by August 5)
  • August 6: LGBT Reception hosted by Foley & Lardner
  • Register NOW: Hispanic National Bar Association's Annual Convention and Career Fair, September 2-5 (Register by August 31)

Resources

  • Government Honors & Internship Handbook: log-in now available
  • Equal Justice Works’ Student Debt E-Book: Take Control of Your Future: A Guide to Managing Your Student Debt
  • CSO Resources

Information & Announcements

CSO Open All Summer Long

The Career Services Office remains open with its regular hours throughout the summer and continues to provide students and graduates with counseling, resume review, and other services.  Please do not hesitate to set up an appointment, call or email!

CSO Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Evening appointments will be available on Tuesdays from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. if scheduled in advance.

CareerShift

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 CareerShift and when prompted use the group 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!

Federal Work Study for Fall 2015 - Apply NOW!

Chicago-Kent will have Community-Based Federal Work Study available during the Fall 2015 semester.  Chicago-Kent 2L & 3L students who are Federal Work Study eligible may be paid though Federal Work Study funds to work at government and public interest organizations outside of the law school.  A limited amount of funds are available, and students who have a federal work study award must secure their job placement by the deadline.  Please visit the Chicago-Kent Community-Based Federal Work Study webpage for a more detailed explanation of this opportunity, as well as the form you need to complete in order to participate.  Forms are due in the Career Services Office by Friday, August 21, 2015.  Please e-mail Michelle Vodenik (mvodenik@kentlaw.iit.edu) with any questions.

Fall Recruiting

Mark Your Calendar - Fall Recruiting Important Dates

Several important Fall Recruiting dates and deadlines come up fast during the Summer! 

Much of “Fall” Recruiting takes place in early August, but there are several important dates and deadlines in June and July.  Be sure to watch your kentlaw.iit.edu email for updates and information about Fall Recruiting.  Also, regularly check the Record, the OCI tab of Symplicity and the CSO Fall Recruiting website for information as well as tips on how to prepare application documents and research employers.

Important Fall Recruiting Dates:

Monday, June 22, 2015: Resume Reviews begin. All first-time program participants must have a mandatory resume review by a Career Advisor. 

Monday, June 22, 2015: Information on employers participating in Fall Recruiting will be available on Symplicity.  This information will include application documents to be submitted, hiring eligibility requirements (e.g. class rank) and on-campus interview dates.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 12:00pm and 5:30pm: MANDATORY Fall Recruiting Program. This program will provide information regarding registration requirements and participating employers.  If you plan to participate in Fall Recruiting, you MUST attend one of these sessions. 

Wednesday, July 22, 2015, 12:00pm:  Resume Reviews end.  Resumes must be reviewed and uploaded to Symplicity by 12:00pm.  

Thursday, July 23, 2015 at Noon:  Bidding system will be open for student bid entry.  Students may begin bidding on interviews with employers in Symplicity for OCI and Resume Collect Employers.

Thursday, July 30, 2015 at 12:00pm: Deadline to enter all computer bids, upload all required application materials to Symplicity, and turn in all hard copy registration materials to the CSO.

August 4-6, 2015:  Mock Interviews will be available. Interview slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign-ups will be managed online; more information will be available at the June 23rd program.

Friday, August 7, 2015: Student interview schedules will be available for online viewing.

Monday, August 10, 2015: On-campus interviews begin.

Sign up for Mock Interviews!

Prepare for Fall Recruiting with a Mock Interview! Interviews will be held in the Career Services Office or at alumni offices on August 4 - August 6, 2015. Each mock interview will last approximately 30 minutes.  To sign up, visit the Career Services Mock Interview sign-up page.  If none of the available mock interview times fit your schedule, contact your Career Advisor to make alternative arrangements.  Additional alumni continue to sign up, so check back frequently.  Please note: you may not sign up for a mock interview who works at a firm you have placed a bid on.

Programming

ILAO/PILI Webinar: How to Apply for Internships and Externships

Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) and the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) have prepared a short (9 minute) webinar on how to use www.illinoisprobono.org to search for a summer internship or externship. The webinar walks you through the application process and provides tips from partnering legal aid organizations. You can access the webinar here: How to Apply for Internships and Externships.

Meet Edelson at the Beach!

Date: Thursday, August 6
Time: 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Location: Castaways at North Avenue Beach

Attention rising 2L’s: Come hang with Edelson for a final taste of summer before heading back to school. Get to know the firm as we ditch work early to hang by the beach, catch some sun, and play some volleyball and spikeball. And don’t worry, we’ll keep you hydrated with plenty of refreshments (and food too).

Space is limited, so please RSVP no later than July 31, 2015 by clicking here.

LGBT Reception hosted by Foley & Lardner

Date: Thursday, August 6
Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Location: Foley & Lardner, 321 North Clark Street, Suite 2800

Foley & Lardner LLP cordially invites you to join its Chicago office for a reception during the National LGBT Bar Association 2015 Lavender Law® Conference & Career Fair. Mingle with fellow conference attendees and attorneys from Foley while enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Following the reception, Foley attorneys and students will walk across the street to LAGBAC's "Sweet Home Chicago" reception at River Roast.  Kindly RSVP here. For more information about this event, please contact Rebecca S. Bradley at rbradley@foley.com.

CBA YLs - Young Lawyers Summer Outing at Wrigley Field

Date: Tuesday, August 11
Time: 5:30pm
Location: Murphy’s Bleachers/Wrigley Field

Join the Young Lawyers Section for a special outing to Wrigley Field as the Cubs take on the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, August 11, 2015, at 7:05 p.m. 

Tickets are $36 and can be purchased here

We’ll be meeting at Murphy’s Bleachers (3655 N. Sheffield) at 5:30 p.m. to socialize before the game (refreshments/food on your own). At 6:30 p.m. we will head to the game, where we’ll cheer on the cubs from the right field bleachers. 

Questions? Contact yls@chicagobar.org

Employment Opportunities

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

Department of Justice: The Attorney General's Honors Program

Many distinguished attorneys began their careers through the Attorney General’s Honors Program -- the largest and most prestigious federal entry-level attorney hiring program of its kind.

Eligibility for the Honors Program
Eligibility is generally limited to graduating law students and recent law school graduates who entered judicial clerkships, graduate law programs, or qualifying legal fellowships within 9 months of law school graduation and who meet additional eligibility requirements.

Participating Components
Every year, various components and U.S. Attorneys' Offices hire entry-level attorneys through the Honors Program. The number of entry-level attorney positions varies from year to year.  Review the list of the components participating this year. New for 2015:  INTERPOL Washington, U.S. National Central Bureau Office of General Counsel and the FBI, Office of General Counsel.  

Selection Criteria
Justice takes pride in the fact that we consider the “whole candidate” when making selections for employment. Selections are made based on many elements of a candidate’s background including a demonstrated commitment to government service, academic achievement, leadership, law review or moot court experience, legal aid and clinical experience, past employment, and extracurricular activities that relate to the work of Justice and the relevant component.
Every year the Department hires a significant number of entry-level attorneys through the Honors Program. Selectees represent diverse backgrounds and  interests and come from law schools throughout the country.  The Honors Program is centrally managed by the Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management, but each participating component reviews the applications submitted and makes independent hiring decisions.

How to Apply
Candidates interested in starting their career as an entry-level attorney with Justice must apply through the Attorney General’s Honors Program via an on-line application. For employment beginning in 2015, the application opens on July 31, 2015, and closes on September 8, 2015  We highly recommend that applicants read the application tips and checklist and assemble requested information before starting the online application.  If you need an accommodation in order to complete the application, please contact Deana Willis at (202) 514-3397 for assistance. If you have questions related to the on-line application or need technical assistance, please click the "Avue Dojo" link at the top right of the application or call the Avue Help Desk at 1-800-407-0147 (available Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time).

See here for more information.

Department of Justice Summer Law Internship Program

The Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP) is the Department of Justice’s competitive recruitment program for compensated summer internships.  Each year, we hire approximately 50-70 paid summer legal interns. The majority of SLIP hires are second year law students who work at Justice the summer between their second and third years of law school.  The SLIP is also open to recent law school graduates between graduation and the start of a judicial clerkship or full-time qualifying legal fellowship.

It is anticipated that applications for Summer 2016 will open on July 31, 2015. SAVE THE DATE!

Fellowships & Scholarships

Faegre Baker Daniels 2L Diversity Fellowship - Application Now Available

Faegre Baker Daniels invites second-year law students committed to contributing meaningfully to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession to apply for its 2015 Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship program.

FaegreBD offers up to four Fellowships annually that provide professional experience and mentorship to second-year law students from populations historically underrepresented in the legal profession.

Fellowship awardees will each receive:

  • A 10-week paid summer clerkship as a summer associate in the firm’s Chicago, Denver, Des Moines, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Silicon Valley or South Bend office in 2016.
  • Formal education, training programs and hands-on legal experience through FaegreBD’s summer program.
  •  Guidance from a mentor lawyer.
  •  A $10,000 stipend at the conclusion of the summer associate term.
  •  Eligibility for consideration for full-time employment as an associate with the firm.

Applicants for the Diversity Fellowship must be enrolled in a J.D. program at an accredited U.S. law school with an anticipated graduation date of 2017.

Candidates must complete the online application, including a cover letter indicating office preference, a resume, a law school transcript and a two-page personal statement describing how or why they will contribute meaningfully to diversity and inclusion at Faegre Baker Daniels and/or in the legal profession.

For more information and to complete the application, visit FaegreBD.com/Fellowship. Students are encouraged to submit their application materials as soon as possible.
The Fellowship program supports Faegre Baker Daniels' ongoing commitment to advancing diversity in the legal profession. FaegreBD invests in recruiting a diverse workforce by supporting pipeline programs, attending multiple diversity job fairs, and conducting on-campus outreach to diverse law student populations. For more information, visitFaegreBD.com/Diversity and http://www.faegrebd.com/Legal-Careers-Summer-Associate-Program.

Job Fairs

Register NOW: 2015 Lavender Law Career Fair, Chicago, August 5-8

Register Now for the National LGBT Bar Association’s annual Lavender Law Career Fair and Conference, taking place August 5-8.  You may register here.

The Lavender Law Career Fair and Conference will take place in Chicago this year.

The Lavender Law Career Fair is designed to achieve a sense of community and inclusion for LGBT candidates within the legal profession’s recruiting efforts. By participating in this career fair, candidates will talk directly to LGBT-friendly recruiters from law firms, government agencies, LGBT rights groups, and corporate legal departments. Candidates are encouraged to discuss their identity and their aspirations to become part of a bias-free work environment. For full program and event details, please visit the program page: http://lgbtbar.org/annual/.

Register NOW: Minnesota Minority Recruitment Conference, August 7

Student registration is now open for the 2015 Minnesota Minority Recruitment Conference. It will be held at St. Thomas University on Friday, August 7, 2015. 
 
The Minnesota Minority Recruitment Conference (MMRC) is an annual event that connects the largest legal employers in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area with diverse rising 2L and 3L candidates from around the country. Each year’s conference and job fair includes between 25 and 30 employers and upwards of 100 law students.

Employers participating in the interviews will include small, medium and large firms; corporate law departments; and public interest, nonprofit and government entities.  The conference is sponsored by Twin Cities Diversity in Practice but is a unique opportunity to interview with both private law firms and local government employers as well.  During lunch, students enjoy a discussion on key issues relevant to their job search and building a successful career.

See here for the Student Flyer and Registration Information.

Please CLICK HERE for a list of important dates and deadlines.

CLICK HERE to see the list of the 25 participating employers.

All MMRC registered participants are also invited to the Thursday, August 6th Employer Reception.  Click here for more information.

Register NOW: Tri-State Diversity Job Fair, August 15 (register by August 5)

Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP will be hosting the Tri-State Diversity Recruiting Program in Louisville, Kentucky this year on Saturday, August 15th.  The Tri-StateDiversity Program offers students the opportunity to conveniently interview for summer associate and entry-level attorney positions with regional law firms and employers, and is open to rising 2L’s and 3L’s.

At this link, please find the information and registration form for this year’s Tri-State Diversity Job Fair program.  This year’s program is August 15th at The Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.  If you wish to attend, please fill out the Student Registration Form and e-mail it to tri-statediversity@bgdlegal.com or submit it via fax to 502-588-1324.  Please contact Betsy Rodway at tri-statediversity@bgdlegal.com should you have any questions.

Hispanic National Bar Association's Annual Convention and Career Fair, September 2-5 (Register by August 31)

The Hispanic National Bar Association's Annual Convention will be held from September 2-5, 2015, at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel.

Don’t miss out on four days of non-stop educational programs, enlightening speakers, networking opportunities, and of course the finest entertainment around. Attendees will have the opportunity to obtain CLE credits in a wide variety of topics. 

The Convention will gather hundreds of attorneys, judges, and law students for an engaging and comprehensive program that includes CLE Panels on cutting edge topics with leading practitioners, national policy makers, and experts from across the country; networking events and workshops; the largest Hispanic Career Fair in the country, featuring exhibitors from prominent law firms, corporations, and government agencies; and a variety of social activities showcasing the best of what Boston has to offer.

Click here for more information and to register.

Diversity

Faegre Baker Daniels 2L Diversity Fellowship - Application Now Available!
(See above)

Register NOW: 2015 Lavender Law Career Fair, Chicago, August 5-8
(See above)

Register NOW: Minnesota Minority Recruitment Conference, August 7
(See above)

Register NOW: Tri-State Diversity Job Fair, August 15 (register by August 5)
(See above)

LGBT Reception hosted by Foley & Lardner
(See above)

Hispanic National Bar Association's Annual Convention and Career Fair, September 2-5 (Register by August 31)
(See above)

Resources

Government Honors & Internship Handbook: log-in now available

Equal Justice Works’ Student Debt E-Book: Take Control of Your Future: A Guide to Managing Your Student Debt

Take Control of Your Future: A Guide to Managing Your Student Debt, is now available free on the EJW website.

Take Control of Your Future is a comprehensive guide to managing student debt, with chapters on understanding student loans and loan consolidation, planning before borrowing, income-driven repayment plans and a step-by-step guide to earning Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

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) and Ethical Jobs (www.ethicaljobs.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!

CALENDARS

.: Main Chicago-Kent event
   calendar

.: Academic calendar

.: CLE calendar

.: Alumnae/i event calendar

.: Admissions calendar

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