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Career Services Office

Career Services Office home page
Week of April 2, 2018

Information & Announcements

  • Mandatory 1L Legal Resume and Cover Letter Workshops
  • Interview Preparation and Mock Interviews Available Through the CSO
  • Free ABA Memberships for Students
  • Federal Work Study Applications are being accepted for Summer 2018
  • Summer 2018 ACCESS2PRACTICE Legal Externship Program
  • 3Ls - Schedule your exit interview with CSO

Fall Recruiting

Programming

  • April 4: What's Next for Fall - Required Program for 2Ls and 3Ls Evening Students
  • April 5: Immigration Law Society: Speed Networking
  • April 11: What's Next for Fall - Required Program for 1Ls
  • April 12: Careers in Affordable Housing & Community Development
  • April 12: YLS Social Hour at Point & Feather
  • April 13-15: Campus 1871 Ultimate Startup Experience
  • April 18: How to Succeed this Summer - Separate Programs Offered for Jobs at Large Firms, Small and Midsize Firms, and Government, Legal Aid, and Judicial Externships
  • April 25-26: Explore Springfield with YLS and the Chicago Bar Foundation
  • May 2: Business and Legal Aspects of Running a Chicago Home-Based Business
  • May 21-23: Harrity & Harrity Women's Workshop

Employment Opportunities

  • Fall 2018 U.S. Attorney's Office Law Student Intern Program (Chicago) - Applications due April 18
  • Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps JD Program - Applications due May 15

Fellowships & Scholarships

  • Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) Advancement of Animal Law Scholarships - Applications due April 2
  • 2018 Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Summer Fellowship - Applications due April 3
  • Zelle LLP 2018 Diversity in Law Scholarship - Applications due April 16
  • 2017-2018 Asian American Bar Association Law Foundation Scholarship - Applications due May 1
  • DuPage Bar Foundation Scholarships - Applications due May 11
  • 2018 McGuireWoods Diversity Scholarship Program - Applications due May 25
  • Diversity Scholarship Foundation 2018 Scholarships - Applications due September 1

Job Fairs  

  • July 10: National Black Prosecutors Association Annual Job Fair - Early registration deadline is April 30
  • July 24: CCBA Diversity Job Fair - Registration now open!
  • July 26-27: 2018 Patent Law Interview Program
  • August 6-7: Indianapolis Bar Association Diversity Job Fair - Registration deadline is June 18

Diversity

  • Zelle LLP 2018 Diversity in Law Scholarship - Applications due April 16
  • 2017-2018 Asian American Bar Association Law Foundation Scholarship - Applications due May 1
  • May 21-23: Harrity & Harrity Women's Workshop
  • 2018 McGuireWoods Diversity Scholarship Program - Applications due May 25
  • July 10: National Black Prosecutors Association Annual Job Fair - Early registration deadline is April 30
  • July 24: CCBA Diversity Job Fair - Registration now open!
  • Diversity Scholarship Foundation 2018 Scholarships - Applications due September 1

Resources

  • Government Honors & Internship Handbook & Public Policy Handbook: log-in now available
  • 2017-2018 PSJD Comprehensive Fellowship Guide
  • Equal Justice Works’ Student Debt E-Book: Take Control of Your Future: A Guide to Managing Your Student Debt
  • ABA Student Loan Best Practices in the Face of Political Change
  • ABA Law Student Podcast: Public Service Loan Forgiveness
  • CareerShift
  • Practising Law Institute (PLI)  
  • CSO Resources
  • Resources provided by the Chicago Bar Association
  • Lawcountability J.D. - Sign-up information now available!
  • 2017-2018 Chicago Area Law Firm List
  • PracticeTracks Videos
  • @theBar Podcast for Young Lawyers

Information & Announcements

Mandatory 1L Legal Resume and Cover Letter Workshops

The MANDATORY 1L Legal Resume Workshop and 1L Cover Letter Workshop videos are now available to view. Sign in to Panopto using your kentlaw username and password.

All first-year law students must watch these brief videos. These workshops include detailed instructions for how to draft your legal resume and cover letter.

First-year law students may begin meeting with a Career Advisor on Monday, October 16thBefore your first career advising appointment, you must have watched the workshop videos and have uploaded a legal resume to Symplicity. Please also bring a copy of your legal resume to your first appointment.

Interview Preparation and Mock Interviews Available Through the CSO

The Career Services Office is available to review student resumes and cover letters, and to conduct mock interviews, to help you better prepare for a variety of opportunities! If you have an upcoming interview, please consider scheduling a mock interview with your Career Services counselor. You can schedule an appointment directly through Symplicity! If you have questions about how to schedule an appointment, please email the Career Services Office at kentcso@kentlaw.iit.edu.

Free ABA Memberships for Students

The American Bar Association offers free memberships to all students enrolled in law school. The membership grants law students access to resources tailored to their interests and needs, opportunities to build their professional skills plus access to the ABA’s job listings, clerkships, internships and career events.

You can enroll here - http://www.americanbar.org/abalawstudents.

Federal Work Study Applications are being accepted
for Summer 2018

Federal Work Study (FWS) is a need-based financial aid program established by the federal government. The FWS program provides employment opportunities for eligible students, allowing them to earn, rather than borrow, a portion of their educational costs. Chicago-Kent students who are FWS eligible may receive payment for their work at government and public interest organizations in the Chicago area through FWS funds. However, the number of positions will be limited due to FWS budgetary limitations, and there are other restrictions and limitations as to where students can be funded to work. Please click here for more information and the required request form.

Summer federal work study is split up into Summer 1 and Summer 2.  

  • Summer 1 is from May 21 - June 29
  • Summer 2 is from July 2 - August 10

Applications for Summer 2018 are currently being accepted; early applications receive first consideration. The deadline for Summer 2018, with a start date of May 21 (first day of summer classes), is Friday, May 4th; applications for later start dates will be considered on a rolling basis. Processing time may take a week or more. Allow plenty of time for approval, and the time it takes to go onto the Chicago-Kent payroll. 

Summer 2018 ACCESS2PRACTICE Legal Externship Program

Access2Practice (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 in the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. Some public sector externships enable you to obtain a  711 license and appear in court. 

Where Can Students Extern?
                                   
You select and obtain your own externship.  This program does not assign you to a particular placement.  To gain access to the many available externship placement possibilities, consult Symplicity. As of Monday, February 19, 2018, Symplicity will start to post many Summer LEP placement opportunities for which you can apply.  Please scroll to Access2Practice: Private Summer for these special private opportunities. 

How to Apply:
           
The Information and Application packets for the Summer 2018 LEP are available online or in hard copy on the table by the third-floor elevators, in the Career Services Office, and in Room 600 Law Offices reception area.

3Ls - Schedule your exit interview with CSO

This year, we are requiring that in order to participate in the May commencement events, every graduate must have a short exit interview with his or her career counselor to see where you are working, offer job search strategies for after the bar exam, and go over your mandatory Graduate Employment Survey. The survey is required by US News and the ABA.

PLEASE SCHEDULE AN EXIT INTERVIEW WITH YOUR CSO COUNSELOR BETWEEN APRIL 9 and April 30th Also, please make sure you bring your laptop to the exit interview in case you need to correct your Graduate Employment Survey.  If you have a permanent full-time job and don't need assistance, you still need to complete a survey and can schedule a quick appointment with Lauren Hines, who will be assisting our office with this process. You can begin your Graduate Employment Survey (on your Symplicity homepage to the right under Shortcuts) and begin making these appointments as of March 16th.

We look forward to seeing you at your exit interview and congratulating you in person on your graduation!

Fall Recruiting

Programming        

What's Next for Fall - Required Program for 2Ls/3Ls Eve

Day Section Date: Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Day Section Time: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. 
Day Section Location: IIT Downtown Campus (Chicago-Kent), Auditorium 
Evening Section Date:  Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Evening Section Time: 5:00 - 5:45 p.m.
Evening Section Location: IIT Downtown Campus (Chicago-Kent), Room 510

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 important, 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 day students and 3L evening students (i.e., evening students graduating in the next year) are required to attend this program.

Immigration Law Society: Speed Networking

Date/Time: Thursday, April 5, 2018
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Location: IIT Downtown Campus (Chicago-Kent), 10th Floor Morris Hall

The Immigration Law Society and the Career Services Office invites you to meet immigration attorneys! Come ask questions about the immigration field and/or general advice. The setup will besimilar to a “speed dating” event; students spend about five minutes talking with attorneys and then move on to the next table when the timer goes off.

A reception with hors d’oeuvres, beer & wine will directly follow the program.
Pre-Registration is required. Email RSVP to ILS@kentlaw.iit.edu.

What's Next for Fall - Required Program for 1Ls

Day Section Date:  Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Day Section Time: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. 
Day Sections Location: IIT Downtown Campus (Chicago-Kent), Auditorium 
Evening Section Date:  Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Evening Section Time: 5:00 - 5:45 p.m.
Evening Section Location: IIT Downtown Campus (Chicago-Kent), Room 510

The Career Services Office will present a mandatory program for current 1L day and evening students on the job opportunities and career deadlines coming up as you move into your second year of law school. 

Learn about:
• Fall Recruiting (OCI) 
• State, Local and Federal Government Hiring 
• Public Interest Deadlines and Opportunities 
• Small and Midsize Firm Opportunities 
• Tips for Your Transition from Summer to Fall 

Careers in Affordable Housing & Community Development

Date:  Thursday, April 12, 2018
Time: 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Location: Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen, P.C., 440 S. LaSalle St., 19th Floor

Law students focusing on areas of tax, housing, civil rights, real estate, zoning and contract laws, please join attorneys from Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen for a presentation on careers in affordable housing and community development! The presentation will be followed by drinks and a meet and greet with attorneys from the industry!

To RSVP, please click here.

YLS Social Hour at Point & Feather

Date: Thursday, April 12, 2018
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Point & Feather, 113 W. Hubbard Street, Chicago, IL

Grab a friend and join the Chicago Bar Association/Young Lawyers Section at Point & Feather, 113 W. Hubbard, Chicago, on April 12 at 6:00 p.m.Free drinks and appetizers while they last, followed by cash bar. No RSVP necessary. Nonmembers welcome. Special thanks to Logikcull.

Campus 1871 Ultimate Startup Experience

Date:  Friday, April 13, 2018 - Sunday, April 15, 2018
Time: 12:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Location: Loyola University Chicago School of Law

For one weekend a year, 1871 brings together more than 100 students from local universities for the ultimate startup experience. Students come together to share ideas, collaborate and build an original startup business plan with mentoring and coaching from 1871 entrepreneurs. The local weekend concludes with a pitch competition in front of a panel of top leaders in Chicago's tech community for assorted prizes. Click here for more detailed information about the event.

Competition Rules:

  • Teams may have a maximum of 10 people.
  • The company you develop must be able to be used on a mobile device.
  • Your company and app should be made from scratch and not from a device, platform or application you have already started working on.
  • You cannot outsource any of the coding or design components of your startup/app.
  • You do not have to have a functioning app by the end of the weekend, but you will need to create visual demonstrations of what the app and user interface might look like and how it would work.

Pitching Rules:

  • Your presentation must be created and presented in Microsoft PowerPoint
  • You have 3 minutes to pitch your company to a panel of judges and 2 minutes for questions from the judges
  • You must choose 1 person from your team to pitch
  • You will be judged on the following categories:
    • The originality of your idea
    • The realistic potential of your business
    • Your revenue plan
    • How well you pitch
    • Overall design

Click here to apply. The application deadline is Friday, February 2, 2018. Applicants will be notified of the status of their acceptance by Wednesday, February 28, 2018.

How to Succeed this Summer - Separate Programs Offered for Jobs at Large Firms, Small and Midsize Firms, and Government, Legal Aid, and Judicial Externships

Government/Legal Aid/Judicial Externship

Date: Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Chicago-Kent College of Law, Room 370

Come hear from a panel of attorneys at government agencies, legal aid organizations, and the judiciary as they present their tips for summer job success.

  • What can you do to start off on the right foot?
  • What do supervisors expect of their law clerks/interns/judicial externs?
  • What qualities and attributes will make you a "star" intern?
  • How do you handle assignments?
  • When you make a mistake, how should you handle it?
  • If working directly with clients, how do you communicate effectively; and can a law student, with supervision, provide advice to clients?
  • How do you exit gracefully at the end of the summer, or continue the relationship into future semesters?

Small/Midsize Firm

Date: Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Chicago-Kent College of Law, Room 210

Come hear from a panel of young attorneys at small to midsized firms as well as fellow students who have had summer law clerk positions at small to midsized firms as they present their tips for summer job success. Panelists will describe what to expect from your position as a summer law clerk. Topics will include: how to handle 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.

Large Firm

Date: Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Chicago-Kent College of Law, Room C40

Come hear from a panel of fellow students who have had 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.

All "How to Succeed" programs are sponsored by the Career Services Office.

Explore Springfield with YLS and the Chicago Bar Foundation

Date: Wednesday - Thursday, April 25-26, 2018
Time: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Various locations, Springfield, IL

The Young Lawyers Section and the Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) are set to explore Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, April 25 to Thursday, April 26, 2018 There will be opportunities to learn more about Illinois’ legislative process and how to lobby, as well as to meet with legislators, make new connections, and explore Springfield. Law students and attorneys of all experience levels are welcome. $50 per person. See details and registration at www.chicagobar.org/cle

Business and Legal Aspects of Running
a Chicago Home-Based Business

Date: Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Time: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: WBDC, 8 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL

Join the Jules F. Knapp Entrepreneurship Center and the Women’s Business Development Center for a workshop addressing home-based business zoning considerations, legal structures, and business liability/insurance. An attorney and a real estate professional will present and answer your questions. Register here.

Harrity & Harrity Women's Workshop

Date: Monday - Wednesday, May 21-23, 2018
Time: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Harrity & Harrity LLP
11350 Random Hills Road, Ste. 600
Fairfax, VA 22030

Harrity & Harrity is holding its first Women’s Workshop this Spring.geared towards providing female law school students with an interest in pursuing a career in Intellectual Property law with skills and presentations from leaders in the field.  So far, six speakers have been secured, including Teresa Rea, former acting and deputy director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Eligibility requirements - candidates must:

1. Be in good standing as a law student at an ABA accredited law school, or be a recent law school graduate of an ABA accredited law school;

2. Demonstrate a record of academic achievement;

3. Have a sincere interest in Harrity and practicing patent law; and

4. Have a background in a technical field (e.g., B.S. in Electrical Engineering, B.S. in Computer Science, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or like such).

Applications will be accepted from February 1, 2018, through April 30, 2018.  Candidates must submit a completed application, a personal statement expressing their interest in pursuing a career in the patent field, and their resume.  Please refer to the application form for further instructions.

Employment Opportunities

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

Fall 2018 U.S. Attorney's Office
Law Student Intern Program (Chicago) -
Applications due April 18, 2018

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.

The office projects a need of 13 volunteers for its Chicago office for Fall 2018. Students must be classified as a 2L or 3L in the Fall. For additional qualifications and application instructions, please log on to Symplicity and click here.

Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps JD Program -
Applications due May 15, 2018

The Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps JD program provides invaluable experience in legal services for clients within one of the following programs:

  • Justice AmeriCorps: Help immigrant children who have crossed the U.S. border without a parent or guardian.
  • Veterans Legal Corps: Provide legal services that enable low-income veterans to return to successful civilian life.
  • Employment Opportunity Legal Corps: Assist unemployed or underemployed people who are seeking to join the labor market.
  • Disaster Legal Corps: Help improve the lives of populations who reside in communities affected by disasters.
  • Elder Justice AmeriCorps: Complete screenings, assessments, and provide direct legal representation to victims of elder abuse.

The current priority deadline for law students completing their service during summer 2018 is May 15, 2018. For more information and to apply, please click here.

Fellowships & Scholarships

Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF)
Advancement of Animal Law Scholarships - 
Applications due April 2, 2018

The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) Advancement of Animal Law Scholarships are available to law student members of ALDF’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) chapters and are awarded based upon demonstrated commitment to ALDF’s mission, “to advance the interests and protect the lives of animals through the legal system.” Applicants should be committed to the advancement of animal law through active involvement with their SALDF chapter while in law school and anticipated participation in the field after graduation.

Scholarships are for one year only. However, students are eligible to apply for continued funding. Scholarships are not available to students graduating this semester, but 3Ls in a 4-year program are welcome to apply. Scholarship amounts are: $5,000 each for three first place recipients, and $1,000 each to the second place recipients. (Note: the number of second place recipients is indeterminate and may vary from year to year.)

Applications are due by Monday, April 2, 2018. Please click here for more information.

2018 Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Summer Fellowship - Applications due April 3, 2018

The Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program (“Stevens Fellowship”) in 2018 will provide a grant of $7,000 per student to two students at Chicago-Kent College of Law who have secured unpaid public interest legal positions during the summer. These two Stevens Fellowships will be 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.

Application forms must include an application form, personal statement, resume, official transcript and certification with signature. To access the application and for information regarding eligibility, please log in to Symplicity and click here.

Zelle LLP 2018 Diversity in Law Scholarship -
Applications due April 16, 2018

Zelle LLP ispleased to announce a call for applications for its 2018 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. 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 our formal scholarship application containing more in-depth information about the scholarship and its eligibility requirements. Students should complete and submit the application and required documents to Zelle LLP by April 16, 2018. Click here for contact information and respective submission information. 

2017-2018 Asian American Bar Association Law
Foundation Scholarship -

Applications due May 1, 2018

The Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area Law Foundation (“AABA Law Foundation”) was established in February 2009, and is a non-profit, charitable and educational affiliate of AABA that is tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). The AABA Law Foundation engages in activities toward the following goals:  (a) provide financial assistance to Asian Pacific American law students who have demonstrated academic excellence and social leadership; (b) support the development of internships and fellowships in the area of public interest and community service relating to the Chicago-area Asian Pacific American community; (c) assist in conducting legal scholarship and education with respect to legal issues affecting the Chicago-area Asian Pacific American community; and (d) develop and support programs to educate the legal profession and Asian Pacific American communities in the Chicago-area regarding legal issues affecting those communities.

As part of achieving its goals, each year the AABA Law Foundation awards scholarships to law students who have demonstrated a commitment to serving the needs of the Asian Pacific American community, and who will continue to serve the needs of the Asian Pacific American community through pro bono, public interest, and/or public service legal work. A connection to the Chicago area is preferred. This year, the AABA Law Foundation intends to award one scholarship of $5,000 to a law student who has exemplified that commitment. 

Applications and all supporting materials must be submitted by Tuesday, May 1, 2018. For more information and application instructions, please click here.

DuPage Bar Foundation Scholarships - 
Applications due May 11, 2018

The DuPage County Bar Foundation (DBF), the 501(c)(3) arm of the DuPage County Bar Association, offers several law school scholarships each year to deserving students. Any eligible student is encouraged to apply.

The DBF promotes the study of law via the Ambassador and William J. Bauer Scholarships. Applicants may apply for more than one scholarship, but only one scholarship will be awarded. A screening committee will personally interview most applicants. The scholarship is awarded at the Installation Dinner in early June. Winners or their representative must be able to personally attend this dinner.

Click here for more information and refer to the scholarship application and eligibility requirements to apply!

2018 McGuireWoods Diversity Scholarship Program -
Applications due May 25, 2018

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 2020, 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.

Applications must include a completed application form, current resume, undergradute and first semester law school transcripts, and a personal diversity statement. For a copy of the application form and more information about the scholarship, please log on to Simplicity and click here.

Diversity Scholarship Foundation 2018 Scholarships -
Applications due September 1, 2018

The Diversity Scholarship Foundation (DSF) is a not-for-profit organization that provides scholarships to diverse and deserving law students. The DSF is now formally accepting applications for its 2018 scholarships, including the following:

  • Jerold S. Solovy Diversity Scholarship Award for a student who actively advocates for diversity within the legal community and works to bring focus to those who do pro-bono work within their community;
  • Public Interest Advocate Scholarship Award for a law student who is interested in pursuing a career in public service or a student who is actively involved with a not-for-profit agency that represents the needy and the underprivileged;
  • Disabled Law Student Scholarship Award (DLSSA) for a disabled law student attending an accredited law school in Wisconsin, Illinois, or Indiana; and
  • Bar Exam Preparation Scholarship for third-year law students who have demonstrated academic ability and the need for financial assistance.  This scholarship is intended to help off-set the cost of a Wisconsin, Illinois, or Indiana State Bar Exam preparation course.

To access the scholarship applications, please click here.

2018 Scholarship Application

Job Fairs

National Black Prosecutors Association Annual Job Fair -
Early registration deadline is April 30, 2018

Date:  Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Time: Check-in begins at 8:00 a.m.
Location: Hyatt Regency Aurora, Aurora, Colorado

The National Black Prosecutors Association (NBPA) cordially invites you to participate in its Annual Job Fair on Tuesday, July 10, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Aurora, in Aurora, Colorado. The goal of the National Black Prosecutors Association’s (NBPA) Job Fair is to promote diversity in prosecutors’ offices by providing a forum where law students, recent law graduates, and experienced attorneys from across the nation can meet and interview with prospective prosecutorial employers at the local, state, and federal levels.

The Job Fair begins at 8:00 am with registration and check-in; interviews commence at 9:00 am.  At the culmination of the Job Fair, there will be a reception for all Job Fair participants and conference attendees.

In addition to the Job Fair reception, all Job Fair participants are invited to attend a free career seminar entitled “Strategies for a Successful Interview”. The seminar will take place on Monday, July 9th from 4 pm to 5 pm at the Hyatt Regency Aurora, and will provide Job Fair participants with effective interviewing strategies.

To register for the Job Fair, please complete the Applicant Registration Form found in Symplicity's Document Library and submit it along with a resume and a check for the appropriate fee payable to the National Black Prosecutors Association. You may also register for the conference and job fair online at www.blackprosecutors.org.

For lodging, the Hyatt Regency Aurora has extended a special Job Fair room rate of $89.00 per night for students and 2018 graduates. The number of rooms available at this special rate is limited, so book early! To make reservations, contact the Hyatt Regency Aurora directly at (303)365-1234. Only registered Job Fair participants will be able to take advantage of this rate.

July 24: CCBA Diversity Job Fair -
Registration Now Open!

The Cook County Bar Association (“CCBA”) is pleased to invite you to participate in its 35th Annual Minority Law Student Job Fair. JD students in the classes of 2019 (current 1Ls/rising 2Ls) and 2018 (current 2Ls/rising 3Ls) are eligible to register and participate. 

This year’s Job Fair will be held on Tuesday, July 24, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please note that the Job Fair will return to the Embassy Suites Chicago – Downtown/Lakefront, located at 511 N. Columbus Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60611. 

The Job Fair typically attracts more than 500 students from eligible U.S. law schools. Each year law firms, corporations, and governmental agencies across the nation register for the Job Fair. While the fair primarily is designed to obtain summer associate positions for rising 2Ls (current 1Ls) during their second summer in law school, a limited number of employers also wish to interview rising 3Ls (current 2Ls) for entry-level associate positions. Job Fair interview slots for rising 2Ls typically outnumber those for rising 3Ls by a 4:1 ratio. For more information, please visit the job fair website at www.ccbaminorityjobfair.org.

STUDENT REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! To register, please visit the CCBA's Symplicity System and sign up to create an account. The law school liaison for Chicago-Kent is Helena Gonzalez, CSO Assistant Director. You will receive a confirmation email that your registration has been received and a subsequent email providing you with a temporary password for you to access your account and change your password. The deadline for students to register is Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. CST. PLEASE NOTE: The deadline to register is also the deadline to upload your legal resume to the Symplicity system where you will bid for interviews. We highly encourage you to schedule an appointment with your career counselor to prepare for this job fair in advance of the registration deadline.

July 26-27: 2018 Patent Law Interview Program

Date:  Thursday, July 26 - Friday, July 27, 2018
Time: All Day
Location: Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 25 E. Pearson St.

The 2018 Patent Law Interview Program on Thursday and Friday, July 26-27 is a nationwide interview program that targets patent law employers, rising 2L and 3L students, and students in Intellectual Property LLM programs. The Program will be accepting registrations from students graduating the following years:

  • JD students graduating in May/June 2019 (Rising 3Ls)
  • JD students graduating in May/June 2020 (Rising 2Ls)
  • JD students graduating in December 2018/January 2019 (Rising 3Ls)
  • JD students graduating in December 2019/January 2020 (Rising 2Ls)
  • Students in Intellectual Property LLM programs with anticipated graduation dates in 2019 and 2020 (LLMs)

Last year roughly 150 employers, 190 law schools, and 1,200 law students from across the country participated in the program.  The program is entirely pre-selected, which means that students submit application materials to apply to interviews with the employers they are interested in, and employers then review their materials and select the students they wish to interview at the program. 

Students with undergraduate or graduate degrees in engineering or a technical science should consider registering for the program.  You do not need to be patent bar eligible to register, although the vast majority of employers participating in the program are seeking patent bar eligible students.

For more information on the program, please refer to the Loyola Patent Program website at: http://www.luc.edu/law/career/patent_students.html.

Online student registration is now closed. Students that have registered will upload their resumes and bid on interviews later in the semester. Please note that our school is listed alphabetically as Chicago-Kent College of Law on the registration form’s drop down menu of law schools.

Indianapolis Bar Association Diversity Job Fair -
Registration deadline is June 18, 2018

Date:  Monday, August 6, 2018 to Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Time: All Day
Location: Hilton Indianapolis

Are you passionate about starting your career in a Midwestern city that has both cosmopolitan style and small-town charm? Looking to meet legal employers from large, medium and small firms, as well as government agencies, corporations and members of the judiciary? Get a jump start on creating lasting relationships at the 2018 IndyBar Diversity Job Fair.

Employers will be hiring clerks or interns, not offering permanent placement; they will expect to interview 2Ls or those graduating spring 2020/2021 based on full or part-time status.

Student registration will close on June 18, 2018. Bidding for interviews will take place between June 25-29, 2018. There is NO FEE to participate in the fair. More information can be found online here.

Diversity

2018 DRI Law Student Diversity Scholarship -
Applications due March 30, 2018
[See Above]

Zelle LLP 2018 Diversity in Law Scholarship -
Applications due April 16, 2018

[See Above]

2017-2018 Asian American Bar Association Law
Foundation Scholarship -

Applications due May 1, 2018
[See Above]

Indianapolis Bar Association Diversity Job Fair -
Registration closes June 18, 2018
[See Above]

Harrity & Harrity Women's Workshop -
May 21-23, 2018
[See Above]

2018 McGuireWoods Diversity Scholarship Program -
Applications due May 25, 2018

[See Above]

National Black Prosecutors Association Annual Job Fair -
Early registration deadline is April 30, 2018

[See Above]

CCBA Diversity Job Fair - July 24, 2018
Registration Now Open!
[See Above]

Diversity Scholarship Foundation 2018 Scholarships -
Applications due September 1, 2018

[See Above]

Resources

Government Honors & Internship Handbook and Public Policy Handbook: log-in now available

The Government Honors and Internship Handbook and the Public Policy Handbook are now available! To access the handbooks, use the link, login and password, which can be found in the Document Library in Symplicity. Note that many 3L/post-grad government honors program and 2L summer/semester internship program deadlines are very early in the semester; log in now to avoid missing an opportunity! 

2017-2018 PSJD Comprehensive Fellowship Guide

The 2016-2017 PSJD Fellowship Guide is an online compilation of post-graduate fellowships. To access the database and for information about how to effectively use the database, visit http://www.psjd.org/2017_-_2018_Comprehensive_Fellowship_Guide. Note that many fellowships have very early fall semester deadlines; 3Ls that are interested in applying for post-graduate fellowships should access the Guide now!

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.

ABA Student Loan Best Practices in the Face of Political Change

In today’s political climate, many questions surround the future of America’s student loan repayment programs. The current White House administration has put forth a number of proposals to change key aspects of the income-based repayment and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs. While it remains to be seen whether these changes will be adopted and passed by Congress, the next elected president is expected to have a significant impact on the future of student debt in America. The Democratic and Republican presidential candidates have differing visions for federal student loan programs, which could have a significant impact on your repayment strategy.

In the ABA's Student Loan Best Practices in the Face of Political Change webinar, you'll learn:

  • What you should consider when choosing between federal loan programs and private student loan refinancing
  • How borrowers can save $20,200+ over the life of their loans on average by refinancing
  • How the current proposed changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and income based repayment programs may affect your student loan repayment strategy

ABA Law Student Podcast: Public Service Loan Forgiveness

If you plan to go into public service, you may have heard about public service loan forgiveness (PSLF for short). This economic incentive offers student loan forgiveness following a minimum period of service and on-time payments towards the borrower’s debt. The cost of this benefit is aimed at making public work more attractive.

In this extended two-segment episode of ABA Law Student Podcast, hosts Fabiani Duarte and Madison Burke interview Bryan Tyson, the executive director of the Georgia Public Defender Council and Jonathan Rapping, co-founder of Gideon’s Promise. 

In segment one, you will hear from Bryan about the debt to income gap, his organization’s survey of public defenders about PSLF, and the increased importance of public defenders outside the practice of law.

In segment two, you will hear from Jonathan about student debt’s barrier to public service, the lifelong commitment of student loans, and concerns about poor people not getting justice in the event of PSLF cuts or caps.

Listen now!   

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

Log in to Symplicity for the link and password to access CareerShift (search “CareerShift” in the Document Library).

Practising Law Institute (PLI)

Practising Law Institute (PLI) invites law students to attend most of its live CLE programs, or view its live or archived Webcasts, for free, on scholarship (see PLI’s student scholarship form). They are all great sources of cutting-edge, practice-oriented content, and the live programs are terrific networking opportunities.

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:

  • 2016-2017 Government Honors and Internship Handbook
  • Chicago Area Law Firm List
  • 2014-2015 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 about the various resources available through the Career Services Office!

Resources Provided by the Chicago Bar Association

The Chicago Bar Career Center is the place to go to find legal industry professionals, jobs, and resources. Legal professionals can search for jobs, post resumes, and browse career resources to help them in all stages of their career. Employers looking for quality candidates can post jobs, search resumes, and connect with prospects. Have you visited a premier resource to connect career opportunities with highly qualified legal professionals - ? Whether you're searching for a new career or searching for a new hire, the CBA Career Center provides multiple avenues to help you achieve your goal. See below for a summary of services.

Job Postings
Finding a new job or making a career switch isn't always easy. We understand and offer a variety of assistance to members to help ease the path to the future you imagine. Seewww.chicagobar.org/careers for a full list of resources.

Career Assistance Committee

Get tips and feedback from professional speakers as well as your colleagues at monthly meetings at the CBA. Past topics have included resumes, interviewing, salary negotiation, state of the job market and more. Sign up to receive email notice of meetings at www.chicagobar.org/committees. Free and open to all members. 

Career Advancement Program 
The CBA has partnered with local career counselor Kathy Morris to help lawyers navigate the Chicago legal job market. With over 25 years of experience, Kathy shares her intimate knowledge of our local market in complimentary one-on-one career counseling sessions at the CBA, seminars targeted to experience level and practice area, and more. Learn more atwww.chicagobar.org/CAP

Online Career Center
Search job openings and post your resume plus get everything you need to make your resume stand out, ace the interview, advance your career, and navigate the digital world through social media at www.chicagobar.org/careercenter. Our online career center also allows you to set up efficient job alerts that deliver job openings right to your inbox. 

CBA Job Flash
As a supplement to the online career center CBA members receive the “Job Flash” in their inbox. The newsletter contains a current list of both local and national job openings. Not getting the Job Flash? Check your member profile at www.chicagobar.org and make sure your email is on file with the CBA (or call 312-554-2135).

Lawcountability J.D. -
Sign-up information now available!

Lawyers and law students are facing a significantly tighter job market and a heightened level of competition for new business. This new era requires them to build consistency into their habits while more closely connecting to clients, prospects, and colleagues. Law students and lawyers seeking to raise their profiles, however, struggle with execution due to an absence of accountability. Lawcountability® is a cloud-based platform (developed by Chicago-Kent alumnus Ari Kaplan) designed to solve that problem. To watch a demo, visit http://lawcountability.com/students/.

To register for a FREE account, visit http://lawcountability.com/students/ and click on Register For a Free Account Here. Enter their information with the code LCJD2017! - this will instantly create an account and you should immediately receive a unique password with a welcome e-mail. 

2017-2018 Chicago Area Law Firm List -

The Chicago Area Law Firm List is a spreadsheet of the private sector law firms in the Chicagoland area with 4 or more attorneys. Students can use the list to identify firms that include their practice areas of interest. The Chicago Area Law Firm List can be found in the Symplicity Document Library, under the Resources tab.

PracticeTracks Videos

The Career Services Office has added a "Practice Tracks" video series provided by the Chicago Bar Association for law students interested in learning about various practice areas from current practitioners. These videos may be accessed using Panopto and are located in the Practice Tracks subfolder for Career Services. Current videos offer discussions about the following practice areas:

  • Technology Transactions
  • Real Estate Law
  • Personal Injury Law
  • Labor and Employment Law
  • Health Law
  • Federal Taxation Law
  • Family Law
  • Estate Planning
  • Corporate Law


@theBar Podcast for Young Lawyers

@theBar is a podcast where young and young-ish lawyers have interesting and unscripted conversations with their guests about legal news, events, topics and stories. Connect and listen to the podcast on Legal Talk Network, the nation’s premiere podcast network for legal professionals with over 1.2 million subscribers and several hundred thousand unique listeners. You can download the Legal Talk Network App on iTunes or Google Play. You can also subscribe through Legal Talk Network to receive notice of future episodes.

CALENDARS

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