PUBLIC INTEREST JOB SEARCH RESOURCES
Public Interest Handbook for 1L's, 2L's and 3L's
This handbook is available for Chicago-Kent College of Law students in the Career Services Office. Includes information on the job search for both legal aid and government careers. Stop by to pick one up or collect all three.
Symplicity Job Postings
Numerous public interest employers post summer and semester jobs (paid and unpaid)
including internships, externships, law clerk positions, fellowships,
and permanent employment opportunities on Chicago-Kent's Symplicity.
Internship at a Government or Public Interest Organization
Many government and legal aid organizations seek semester and summer volunteer interns. Students who intern may seek funding.
Externship at a Government or Public Interest Organization
Many government and legal aid organizations seek semester and summer externs to work at their agency for school credit. Information on available externships is available in the Record. The externship coordinator at Chicago-Kent is Professor Vivien Gross.
Programs, Panels, and Workshops - Videos Online
The career services office regularly sponsors programs, panels,
and workshops on the public interest job search process and invites
speakers from various public sector organizations. The program videos are online. Information about programs are posted in the Record and on the career services office bulletin board.
On-Campus Interview (OCI) Program
In Fall of 2007, eight government organizations interviewed 3L's for permanent attorney positions and five government organizations interviewed 2L's for summer positions. Additional government and public interest organizations requested resumes through OCI. If you are interested in government work, be sure to check the list of employers coming on campus. If you are a 3L interested in the Cook Country State's Attorney's Office for a permanent position, you must interview with their agency through the On-Campus interview program.
Network with Chicago-Kent Alumni
Chicago-Kent has an online alumni community that is currently accessible to all alumni and will be accessible to Chicago-Kent students beginning in Fall 2008. The online community includes a feature that allows alumni to indicate that they would be interested in being a career resource to current students.
Chicago-Kent is "Linked In." Linked In is a professional networking site that any user can join, create a personal profile and link to professionals they know. All students, faculty, alumni, and staff are invited to join the official Chicago-Kent group on the networking site, LinkedIn. If you have a LinkedIn account, please click here to request membership. Questions? Contact alums@kentlaw.edu.
The First Public Interest Law Awards & Reception took place on Tuesday, April 22, 2008. Chicago-Kent honored alumni and students who better our communities through their work and commitment to public interest law. Two outstanding alumni, Jane McBride ’95 and Julie G. Sollinger ’96, received the 2008 Honorable Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Public Interest Award, presented by Carolyn L. Thomas ’96, member of the Chicago-Kent Alumni Board of Directors. Students in the Public Interest Law Program were also honored for their work and commitment to public interest law.
The Equal Justice Works Public Interest Reception takes place every year at the Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair in Washington DC. Students who attend the Fair are invited to a reception to meet Chicago-Kent alumni in the Washington DC area working at government and public interest organizations.
The Record
Public interest programs, employment related opportunities, fellowship & scholarship information are updated weekly in the Career Services Office section of the Record. Read it every week for the latest information.
Career Service Office Resource Center
The career services office resource center dedicates a specific
section to public interest and government and maintains an up to
date collection of publications, literature and additional information
on public interest opportunities and careers.
A great resource for students searching for public interest positions throughout the United States and Internationally is Serving the Public: Job
Search Guide. This book contains both domestic and international public interest opportunities.
In addition, the "gray files" are the file cabinets
located toward the rear of the resource center. These files contain
information about employers that the office has collected from
legal publications, organization brochures, etc. The files include
information on "Government" and "Public Interest"
organizations.
Public Service Law Network (PSLAWNET)
Chicago-Kent is a subscriber to the Public
Service Law Network (PSLAWNET) which gives students access to
a searchable database of thousands' of domestic and international
public interest organizations and employment opportunities. The
site also contains the "Fellowship Corner" which contains
a fellowship calendar, fellowship application tips, a listing of
fellowship and grant resources, and a listing of postgraduate international
fellowships. Finally, the website contains resources for summer
funding, a listing of law firms sponsoring split public interest
summer programs, and a comprehensive global web directory of governmental
and non-governmental organizations
Government Honors & Internship Handbook
Chicago-Kent subscribes to this helpful and extensive resource for information on applying to primarily for federal government internships. Most of the deadlines for applying are in the fall for a position the following summer, or a position after graduation. Contact the career services office at kentcso@kentlaw.edu for the password.
International Career Employment Weekly
Chicago-Kent subscribes to International Career Employment Weekly. The goal of the publication is to make it easy for international professionals to keep abreast of all current job opportunities in their field. They collect information on current international job openings with governments, government contractors, United Nations agencies and other intergovernmental organizations, private voluntary organizations working overseas, corporations involved in international trade and finance, engineering firms, associations, foundations, student exchange organizations, universities, and state governments and present that information to job seekers in a clear and concise format. For the username and password, contact kentcso@kentlaw.edu.
Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI): Paid summer or semester at a legal aid organization in Chicago
The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) funds approximately forty students as PILI interns during the summer. In addition, PILI provides semester internships at seven public interest organizations. More information on PILI.
Public Interest Specialty Guides
Created by the Harvard Law School Office of Public Interest Advising these guides are updated annually and provide useful public interest career information. Guides include information on careers in Health Law, Children's Rights, Civil Rights, Conservative Public Interest Law, LGBT rights, Private Public Interest Law Firms, Public Defender Programs, Prosecution, U.S. Attorney's Office, Environmental, and Women's Rights. Guides
Public Interest and Government Links
See Public
Interest and Government Links for numerous links to public interest
and government organization web sites, job search engines focused
on public sector jobs, and public interest related associations.
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Career Fairs and Conferences
Career fairs and conferences provide opportunities to learn about
legal fields, network with employers, and sometimes interview for
jobs. Information about these events is posted in the Record and
on the Career Services Office bulletin board. The most popular events
among Kent students are the following:
Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference (MPILCC) -
A coalition of Chicago area law schools, including Chicago-Kent, put on this career fair, which is typically held at Northwestern University School of Law in February, to bring together law students and public
interest employers. The sign-up deadline in order to bid for interviews with employers is usually in November or December, but all Chicago-Kent students have the opportunity to attend and speak with employers during "table
talk."
Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair - The nation's
largest career fair and conference held annually in October in
Washington D.C. Equal Justice Works hosts this conference, career
fair, and awards dinner to broaden, support, and recognize the
efforts and participation of public interest-minded law students,
lawyers, and advocates. In the past, more than 1000 law students
and 200 employers have participated. Students send resumes and cover letters to employers during the months of August and September in order to secure interviews during the fair. In addition, students have the opportunity
to speak with career fair employers and attend workshops.
Meet the Public Service Employer Reception - In
the fall of each year, Kent co-hosts with other Chicago area law
schools this conference where law students can meet with
representatives of a wide range of public service organizations. This annual event is posted in the Record.
Chicago Bar Association Pro Bono Week Fair - In October of each year, the CBA presents this annual fair attended by many of the legal aid organizations in Chicago where they seek to recruit students and attorneys to volunteer with their organizations. This is a great way to meet legal aid employers and explore volunteer opportunities. This annual event is posted in the Record.
Practice Tracks - In the fall, the Chicago Area
Law School Consortium hosts this program whereby approximately
60 - 70 attorneys in various practice areas, some of which are
public interest law-related, speak with students in informal table
talk sessions. This annual event is posted in the Record.
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