1Ls - Save the Date

Greenberg Traurig invites all members of the University of Miami School of Law class of 2011 to attend its Coast-to-Coast reception taking place on June 16, 2009 at many of its U.S. offices. A save the date card has been emailed to all 1Ls to the email address listed on Symplicity. More information will be sent in May.

11th Annual Informational Career Fair

Career choices keeping you up at night? Get the answers you've been looking for at this year’s Informational Career Fair. Take this opportunity to speak with attorneys practicing in different areas of law about how they got started in their fields and what it is like to practice law on a day-to-day basis. The fair will include attorneys working in a variety of practice areas – including appellate, banking, commercial litigation, corporate, criminal defense, entertainment, immigration, in-house, insurance litigation, intellectual property, international, labor and employment, maritime, media, probate and estate planning, real estate, securities and tax – in small, midsize and large firms; government agencies; and multinational corporations.

What: Eleventh Annual Informational Career Fair

When: 12:30-2:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Where: The Student Lounge

Who will you have an opportunity to meet? Attorneys from many different organizations, such as:

Akerman Senterfitt

American Express

Baker & McKenzie LLP

Burger King Corporation

Carlton Fields, P.A.

Caterpillar Inc.

Discovery Communications LLC

GEICO

Greenberg Traurig, P.A.

Holland & Knight LLP

LexisNexis

Lucas Group

Moore & Co., P.A.

Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

TotalBank

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Why should you attend? You’ll have the opportunity to:

· meet and network with many attorneys

· learn firsthand about various practice areas

· assess your qualifications for and interest in particular practice areas

· sound like an “insider” when meeting with future potential employers

· collect written information on different practice areas

Please direct any questions about the Career Fair to Cristina Ortega.

Solo and Small Firm Interview Program, Orlando, FL

SOLO AND SMALL FIRM INTERVIEW PROGRAM

The General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section (GPSSF) of the Florida Bar cordially invites all law students to participate in the 2009 Solo and Small Firm Interview Program, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 21, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. Registration is free and the deadline is Monday, February 23, 2009. On or shortly after March 1, a list of participating employers will be distributed by e-mail to all registered students and students can then bid for the employers with whom they wish to interview.

To register, you must complete a one-page registration form which is available on the GPSSF website, from your CDO advisor, or the CDO Student Portal. Also available from your advisor and on the portal is a list of economical hotels near the Interview Program site.

The Interview Program is one component of the Solo and Small Firm Annual Conference and students also are encouraged to participate in the Conference, which begins on Friday, March 20 and ends with the Interview Program on the 21st. The Conference will include many programs focused on small firm practice, such as “Managing Your Overhead: How to Operate a Solo or Small Firm and Take Home a Paycheck” and “Managing a Solo or Small Firm and Still Finding Time to Practice Law.” The full-time law student reduced rate is $50. Students interested in attending the conference can obtain a copy of the conference brochure and registration form on the GPSSF website.

For more information, please contact Cristina Ortega.

Summer Public Interest Fellowship Opportunities for UM Law Students

Each year, the University of Miami School of Law provides two fellowship programs for students to work for public interest organizations during the summer:

HOPE Fellows (1L and 2L students)

The HOPE Public Interest Resource Center provides stipends to law students who work in otherwise uncompensated public interest jobs in exchange for a year-commitment to actively serving on the Public Interest Leadership Board. HOPE’s success and growth over the past 10 years is due largely in part to the energy, dedication, and leadership of former and current HOPE Fellows.

HOPE Fellows work with domestic and international public interest agencies & non-governmental organizations to provide much-needed legal advocacy to underserved and marginalized populations. All 1Ls and 2Ls are encouraged to apply.

To learn more about eligibility and program requirements, please view a copy of the fellowship application. You may obtain a copy of the application at the HOPE website or on the CDO Student Portal.

Center for Ethics and Public Service Public Interest Law Summer Fellowship Program (1L students)

The University of Miami School of Law is pleased to announce the 2009 Public Interest Law Summer Fellowship Program. This program is open only to current first-year law students. All 1L students who will begin second-year classes at UM in the Fall of 2009 are eligible to apply.

The Public Interest Law Summer Fellowship Program is specifically designed for students who have a sincere, demonstrated interest in public service work and in providing free legal assistance to the poor. The program is an intensive and serious commitment, involving full-time work at a public interest law office, classroom sessions, and a legal research & writing project.

The program will run for approximately nine weeks. The students selected must be available for the entire program, from orientation through the closing session. The students selected will each receive approximately $3,000-$3,500 as a fellowship stipend, in addition to three (3) academic credits, tuition-free. Approximately 17 public interest student fellows will be selected for the program, contingent on the funding received from the Florida Bar Foundation Interest on Trust accounts grant program and other grant sources.

The topic for the summer program is Public Interest Advocacy for indigent clients. The student fellows will experience firsthand how lawyers can make a significant difference in the lives of indigent clients by representing them in domestic violence, mental health, education, disability, immigration and other proceedings.

Students selected for the program will work 40 hours per week in placements arranged by the Program Directors. All legal work handled by the students will be supervised by attorneys at their respective placements. This summer’s placements are expected (but not guaranteed) to include the University of Miami Children & Youth Law Clinic, University of Miami Community Health Clinic, the Public Defender’s Office, the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Legal Services of Greater Miami, Legal Aid Services of Broward County, and the Legal Aid Society of the Dade County Bar Association. Student fellows will need to be distributed evenly among the placements. Students selected must agree to accept any placement that they are assigned
by the Program Directors.

To learn more, you should attend the information meeting on Thursday, February 19 at 12:30 p.m. in Room E265. You may obtain a copy of the application on the Center For Ethics and Public Service website or on the CDO Student Portal.

Summer 2009 Florida Supreme Court Internship Program

Each summer, students from the Florida law schools are selected to serve as judicial interns to the Florida Supreme Court through the Florida Supreme Court Internship Program for Distinguished Law Students.

To apply for summer 2009 positions, you must pick up an application in the Career Development Office, Room A-112. First and second year students are eligible to apply. The application deadline is Monday, February 23rd.

An information session will be held on Monday, February 16th at 12:30 p.m. in room 108. Former interns will be on hand to answer questions about their experiences at the Supreme Court. The application and selection processes will also be discussed.

Charlotte Legal Diversity Clerkship Program

The Charlotte Legal Diversity Clerkship Program: A Unique Program Allowing First-Year Law Students to Experience Law Practice within a Law Firm and a Corporate Legal Department

The Mecklenburg County Bar is pleased to offer the 2009 Charlotte Legal Diversity Clerkship Program. This internship opportunity is a highly competitive program that places first-year law students who advance the value of diversity with corporate law departments and law firms in Charlotte, North Carolina. The twelve-week summer clerkship will allow the selected first-year law students to spend the first six weeks working as a summer associate in the Charlotte office of one participating law firm and the second six weeks working in the Charlotte law department of one of the corporate partners.

Students who are selected will fully participate in the summer programs of the participating law departments and law firms and will be compensated by those entities at the same level as other first-year summer associates. The law students will participate in professional, civic and social activities that highlight the benefits of practicing law and living in the progressive and dynamic city of Charlotte, North Carolina. More information is available at www.charlottelegaldiversity.org.

Participating law departments for 2009 are Bank of America, Compass Group, Duke Energy, Goodrich, TIAA-CREF and Wachovia. The participating law firms are Alston & Bird LLP; Hunton & Williams, LLP; K&L Gates LLP; Mayer Brown, LLP; McGuire Woods LLP; Moore & Van Allen, PLLC; Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP; Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.; and Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC. Up to ten clerkship positions are available.

Wal-Mart Legal Department Summer Internship Program

Wal-Mart's Legal Department welcomes first and second year law students to submit applications for the Wal-Mart Legal Department's 2009 Summer Internship program to be held in Bentonville, Arkansas from May 18, 2009 – August 7, 2009.

The 12-week program is designed to expose law students to legal issues in a corporate retail setting and to enhance practical understanding of the law. Projects will include providing research and analysis, writing and drafting reports and other documents, and attending meetings with in-house attorneys and internal business clients in the assigned practice areas.
Interested students should apply online at http://walmartstores.com/Careers/8139.aspx?p=7745 (select the green "Search for a position" button and locate the job posting by using the "detailed search" option and keying in Job ID: 27673).

Wal-Mart will begin to review applications in February and offers will be extended no later than March 23, 2009.

Panel Discussion on Marketing Yourself in Today's Economy

The Florida Bar Young Lawyer Division's Law Student Division Presents:

A Panel Discussion on Marketing Yourself in Today's Economy


at this year's Florida Bar Mid-Year Meeting

Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 3:30 p.m.


Hyatt Regency
400 S.E. 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33131



Reception to follow. Admission is free for law students.

The Career Development Office invites you to attend the following presentation:


“Choosing Smart: Tips for Finding a Job in Tough Economic Times”
presented by Donna Gerson

Wednesday, January 14th
12:30 p.m.
Room 352.

An engaging speaker, Ms. Gerson is the author of an award-winning column for Student Lawyer magazine, which focuses on career issues in the legal profession.

Quarles & Brady First Year Law Student Reception

Quarles & Brady Invites First-Year Law Students to Their Annual Home for the Holidays in Milwaukee

Quarles & Brady LLP cordially invites you to join them for their annual Home for the Holidays reception for first-year law students on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 5:00pm - 7:00 p.m. The reception will be held in the firm's Milwaukee office, located at 411 E Wisconsin Avenue, 24th Floor, Patrick Ryan Conference Room.

If interested in attending, please RSVP by Monday, December 29, 2008 to Donna Key. Dress is business casual. Park in the attached parking structure. Enter the structure from Jefferson Street. (Parking will be validated).

This reception is for students attending out-of-state law schools.

1L Career Development Workshops

1L Mandatory Meetings:

Heat up Your Summer Job Search and Learn More About Upcoming Events this Semester

Don't miss this meeting where we step up the heat on your job search technique. Hear about what you should be doing to find the right summer job for you and about exciting events taking place this semester including the Firm Night reception program, the Spring On Campus Interview (OCI) program, the Informational Career Fair and more.

You only need to attend one of the following meetings:

Wednesday, January 7
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Room 109

Thursday, January 8
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Room 352

Friday, January 9
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Room 352

Deadline Reminder: Delaware Minority Job Fair for First Year Law Students

As a reminder, the deadline to apply for the Delaware Minority Job Fair for First Year Law Students is December 10, 2008. For more information including how to apply, please see the previous blog posting about the job fair.

ABA Fellowship in Environmental Law

The Florida Bar's Environmental and Land Use Law Section is partnering with the American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources to fund the Fellowships in Environmental Law Program in Florida. The program is designed to encourage students from underprivileged and disadvantaged backgrounds to study and pursue careers in environmental and/or land use law. The program is open to first and second year law students.

The program will fund two summer internships at a government agency or public interest organization in Florida with a stipend of $5,000.00 each. The Fellowship guidelines require an 8-10 week internship (40 hours per week) commitment wherein the recipient will work on legal matters for a government agency or a public interest organization in the fields of environment, energy, natural resources and/or land use law. In addition, each recipient will be expected to attend the Annual Update meeting of the ELULS and will be assigned a mentor from the Section to aid in the pursuit of a career in environmental and/or land use law.

More information on how to apply and a copy of the application are available here.

Completed applications and all related documents must be postmarked or emailed no later than January 30, 2009 to be considered.

INFORMATION ON FELLOWSHIPS OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA

Fellowships are available in other states as well. It is generally preferred that students select the state where they are attending law school or have permanent residency status. Exceptions can be made but preference will be giving to those attending school, those who have permanent residency or those who have a strong interest in the state they are applying to.

Fellowships are available in the following states. More information on these fellowships is available here.

California(Deadline: January 15, 2009)
District of Columbia (Deadline: January 31, 2009)
Georgia (Deadline: January 15, 2009)
Hawaii
Louisiana (Deadline: January 15, 2009)
New Mexico (Deadline: February 15, 2009)
New York (Deadline: November 17, 2008)
North Carolina (Deadline: February 16, 2009)
Oregon

Delaware Minority Job Fair for First Year Law Students

As part of an effort to recruit talented students and increase diversity in the Delaware Bar, a number of employers will participate in the 13th annual Delaware Minority Job Fair for First Year Law Students on Saturday, January 17, 2009.

The Job Fair is by invitation only and is limited to first year students and interested in employment opportunities in Delaware.

To participate, students must apply for an invitation. The Job Fair differs from other job fairs in that students must be invited to attend rather than simply registering and attending. In return, invited students receive considerably more individual attention than possible in a very large job fair. By submitting an application for an invitation, students are submitting an application to all of the Delaware legal employers who participate in the program.

To become eligible for an invitation, students must complete an application form and return it via mail, fax or email, along with a resume and college and law school transcripts (if available) no later than Wednesday, December 10, 2008 to:

Amanda D. Horan
Job Fair Administrator
Morris James LLP
500 Delaware Avenue, Suite 1500
Wilmington, DE 19801
Fax: 302-571-1750
Email: ahoran@morrisjames.com

Applying students will be eligible for an invitation if selected by two or more employers to interview. The Job Fair will send out invitations with a proposed interview schedule after the new year which must be accepted or declined by Friday, January 9, 2009.

There are no application or registration fees. Invited students must arrange for transportation to Wilmington and the Job Fair hopes to reimburse all or at least a portion of those expenses. Historically, the Job Fair has reimbursed 100% of such expenses. Breakfast is provided to all invited students and leaders of the Bench and Bar will join students at breakfast to answer any questions about life and the practice of law in Delaware.

To obtain a copy of the application, please contact your CDO advisor.

Florida Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program

The Florida Bar Foundation is sponsoring the 2009 Summer Fellowship Program at legal aid and legal services programs in Florida.

The 2009 Legal Services Summer Fellowship application and other materials are now available on-line. Please note the application deadline date of January 22, 2009.

It is expected that approximately 40 full-time fellowships will be offered to first and second-year law students. The Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program runs for a period of 11 weeks and is a full-time position for the summer. Fellowship stipends are $5,500 for first-year students and $7,000 for second-year students for the eleven-week period.

Fellowship Purposes

To involve fellowship recipients in the provision of high-quality, significant civil legal assistance to the poor in critical areas of need.

To provide an in-depth educational experience in representing the poor and working with individual clients and client groups in civil matters.

To increase law student interest in and awareness of the legal problems of the poor and the challenges and satisfaction of representing the poor.

To promote commitment to pro bono representation of the poor.

Student Eligibility and Selection Criteria

First and second-year law students attending accredited law schools are eligible to apply as long as they are in good-standing with their law school. Minority students are specifically encouraged to apply. Among the factors to be considered in selections are: experience in working with the low-income community, academic achievement, writing skills, and previous contact with and long-term commitment/interest in public service/pro bono work. Law student applicants will be provided an opportunity to specify program placement preference. Click here to view a list of program placements throughout the state of Florida. Due to the necessity of insuring placement throughout Florida in a variety of programs and sites, student flexibility in preference sites may be a factor in selection.

Fellowship Term

The fellowship commences with a two-day mandatory training and orientation seminar - to be held May 21 and 22, 2009 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida - prior to the fellows arriving for work at the programs. Housing, meals, and reasonable travel expenses for the two-day training will be provided. Fellows are scheduled to report to work at their programs on Monday, May 25, 2009 with the fellowship ending on Friday, August 7, 2009.

Want to Spend Your Summer Law & Order Style?

Each summer, local and federal criminal prosecutor and defense offices hire law students to serve as legal interns. These positions afford students an opportunity to see the criminal justice system up close.

At the federal level, the United States Attorney's Office serves as prosecutors. The USAO has offices in all 50 states, with many of them offering unpaid internships to students. The deadline to apply for such positions is generally in January. While summer 2009 deadlines have not yet been set, you can view summer 2008 deadlines to get an idea of what this year's deadlines will be. In addition, this site will provide information on other U.S. Department of Justice unpaid internships, which are located in Washington, D.C. and are available to law students.

On the defense side, the Federal Public Defender's Office also has locations around the country, many of which will also hire students for summer positions.

At the state and local level, each city, county, region or state has its own prosecutor and defender offices. Your CDO advisor can help you identify the prosecutor or defender office in the city you are most interested in working this summer. Deadlines can vary. Some examples of upcoming opportunities:

Cook County State's Attorney's Office (Chicago, IL): Application period opens on January 1, 2009 with a deadline of April 15, 2009.

Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office: 1L applications should be received between December and late February. More information is available on the Office's website.

New York County District Attorney's Office: Internships are available for 1L and 2L students and are paid ($500/week). 2L students may begin submitting their applications on November 1. 1L students may begin submitting their application on December 1. The deadline for all submissions is December 15, 2008. To learn more, including how to apply, please view Symplicity job posting #4007.

Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Applications for unpaid internships will be accepted from January 2, 2009 to February 13, 2009. More information is available here.

Again, opportunities are available throughout the country including right here in South Florida. Please speak with your CDO advisor to learn more about the organizations in the city you would like to spend your summer in.

The CDO Welcomes 1Ls!

With November* rapidly approaching, the Career Development Office this week will host three orientation sessions for 1Ls to introduce them to the CDO's resources and services.

All 1Ls should attend one of the following orientation sessions (all sessions are the same):

Tuesday, October 28 – 1:00 p.m. in Room 309
Wednesday, October 29 – 12:30 p.m. in Room 352
Thursday, October 30 – 1:00 p.m. in Room 309

Starting next week, 1L students may begin meeting with their assigned CDO advisor. Any 1L who has not yet received an email from his or her advisor should contact the CDO.

*The Association for Legal Career Professionals (“NALP”) states that first-year law students should not begin the job search process until November of their first year. Pursuant to the NALP guidelines, most legal employers will not accept resumes from 1Ls before December 1st.