The Federal Government and YOU

The federal government continues to search for great candidates! According to a recent article,
Government agencies need to add about 193,000 new employees to fill "mission critical" jobs in many fields in the next two years. The key to success is "patience and stamina to plow through the cumbersome federal hiring process.

To learn more about the hiring process as well as tips for navigating through the federal government, take a moment and read this interesting article.

How The Federal Government Is Trying To Recruit Candidates Like You

The federal government is constantly looking for ways to improve their hiring pool. A recent article highlighted how agencies are reaching out to other agencies to learn best practices for attracting talent to service in the federal government. To learn more about this report, click HERE.

PAID Summer Public Interest Position

NALP seeks a law or graduate student to work full-time as its PSLawNet Summer Publications Coordinator, editing and producing NALP’s PSLawNet Comprehensive Fellowship Guide during the summer of 2011. The employment period is approximately 10 weeks. The position is ideal for a law or graduate student who has editing experience and is interested in public interest law and/or nonprofit administration. The Publications Coordinator serves as an integral part of the PSLawNet team.

Specific responsibilities associated with producing the 2011 Fellowship Guide -
• Research and update all PSLawNet online fellowship listings for use in the print
fellowship guide. This is accomplished through outreach (email and phone) to several
hundred employer organizations;
• Search for new fellowship listings to be added to the guide;
• Edit content and layout for publication;
• Other tasks as assigned.

This is a full-time, summer position, requiring a 10-week commitment. The Coordinator will
report directly to the Director of Public Service Initiatives, and will also receive guidance from

Qualifications
• Must be a current law or graduate student;
• High level of familiarity with Microsoft Excel and Word is preferred, as is the ability to
run data merges using these programs;
• Basic familiarity with legal public interest organizations and government agencies is
preferred;
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy;
• Excellent communication skills (on phone and in person) and comfort in collaborating
with project partners;
• Basic web content management knowledge/abilities preferred;
• Abilities to: work independently and be self directed, pay close attention to detail, handle
multiple tasks and deadlines, carry out delegated assignments, and maintain friendly
working relationships with colleagues.

Compensation
Stipend will be provided at $675 per week for a 40 hour work week (at a maximum of 10
weeks). No health, dental, retirement, or other benefits accompany this position.

For the application procedures, click HERE. The deadline for applications is March 11, 2011.

Great Job For Recent Graduate

The PSLawNet Fellowship provides a wonderful opportunity for a public-interest minded
law graduate who also has an interest in nonprofit administration. Further, the fellowship offers a bird’s-eye view of the public interest arena for law graduates on public service career paths. PSLawNet, which is housed at NALP, is an “online career services center” for law students and lawyers interested in public service careers. The website contains the largest public interest law jobs database, detailed information on thousands of public interest and government employers, as well as a library of resources to aid job seekers and employers. The Fellow is the principal manager and administrator of the PSLawNet website. S/he will also have responsibilities for: development of online educational content, management of student interns, basic technology and data management, co-editing the PSLawNet Blog, interacting with NALP members, delivering presentations about PSLawNet, and other tasks as they arise.

For more information on this GREAT opportunity, please click HERE. The applicaiton deadline is March 4, 2011.

There are over 25 new public interest jobs/internships posted in the Symplicity Document Library this month. Make sure to stay on top of the postings and apply early!

Great Resource To Review

Here is your new issue of Opportunities in Public Affairs, with hundreds of sought-after jobs in the Washington, DC area all focused on Jobs in Government Affairs & Policy, Public Relations & Advocacy, Media & Journalism, and Entry Level Jobs & Internships. These jobs are on Capitol Hill, in non-profits, think tanks, institutions, the government and in corporations and professional firms.

To read Opportunities in Public Affairs January 11, 2011 issue on-line, click: http://www.opajobs.com/login_subs.php

If you need login information, contact careerservices@fcsl.edu

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Headquarters Summer Legal Intern Program provides valuable and challenging professional opportunities for outstanding law school students. Our goal is to provide our summer interns with a better understanding of the FDIC's role in our financial system while providing an opportunity for public service. Our summer interns are assigned to a variety of projects within one section of the Legal Division that will provide significant legal experience.

FDIC summer intern appointments begin in mid May and may not exceed September 30, 2010. Although a summer intern appointment can not exceed September 30th, it is possible that interns from local schools may continue as part-time legal interns during the school year.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the 2010 Program, you must:

1.be enrolled in your first or second year of an American Bar Association accredited law school, and
2.be a United States citizen.
Candidates who have, at minimum, a B average or equivalent or are in the top 33 percent of the law school class are preferred. When deciding which candidates are qualified for an interview, we look at the total application package including undergraduate record (GPA), law school courses and grades (GPA), law review or law journal participation, national or regional moot court competition participation, and other special qualifications (such as another advanced degree, foreign language skills) or life experience. Writing samples will be evaluated for legal research, analytical and writing skills (i.e., organization, grammar, spelling, and persuasiveness).

For more information, click HERE.

Are you searching PSLAWNET regularly? If the answer is no ... make sure to add this website to your list of places to visit frequently. If not, you will be missing GREAT opportunities like the one below.

EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL (ERI) - http://www.earthrights.org/ - is seeing law students for summer legal internships in Washington, DC. Legal interns provide legal research, writing, and program support for ERI activities all over the world. Law students may be J.D. or LL.M. students, but must have at least one year of U.S. legal training by the time of the internship.

ERI is currently counsel on several matters, including a landmark lawsuit against Chiquita for its funding of Colombian paramilitaries, and lawsuits against Occidental Petroleum and Union Carbide for environmental damage to communities in Peru and India, respectively. Legal interns participate in various projects associated with these cases, including legal research and writing and assistance in all phases of litigation, as well as other legal work including development of new cases, monitoring and exploring developments in international human rights and environmental law, researching and utilizing other mechanisms of corporate accountability, and helping to coordinate with and assist other groups bringing domestic or international cases. Interns work directly under ERI's Legal Director and may provide legal support for other ERI programs, including its campaigns, educational programs, and human rights reporting.

Qualifications
•A demonstrated commitment to protecting human rights and the environment
•Independent and creative thinking skills
•Excellent legal research and writing skills
•Ability to handle sensitive client relationships and protect the confidentiality of our work and our communications
•Proficiency in standard computer applications, especially Word and WordPerfect
•Proficiency in languages, especially Spanish, is desirable but not required

For full application instructions, login to PSLAWNET today! The deadline is December 18, 2010.

Frequently Asked Questions

"Is the federal government going to change the job application process. If so, when will these changes be implemented?"

The answer can be found on the Call To Serve website ... On May 11, 2010 President Obama released a Presidential Memorandum that called for a major overhaul in the way the government recruits and hires it's civilian workforce. In order to eliminate some of the inefficiencies and barriers to hiring the best and brighest citizens, each federal agency was tasked to outline a plan to implement changes and improve hiring practices. While the first stage of federal hiring reform is to be impletmented by Nov. 1, 2010, this date only signals the beginning of a restructured process that will be ongoing into the near future.

This is great news for those applicants interested in a more streamlined application process!

Wanted! Partnership for Public Service Fellows

The Partnership for Public Service is seeking current students or recent graduates to join theirteam and contribute to their mission as Public Service Fellows.

• Are you a student or recent graduate of an undergraduate or graduate program?
• Are you passionate about public service?
• Are you looking for an opportunity to develop your skills and gain valuable experience?
• Are you looking for a paid position in the heart of Washington, D.C.?

Spring fellows will begin work in mid-January, but start dates are flexible based on teams. Full-time fellows with an undergraduate or graduate degree will receive a $1000 per month stipend. Full-time fellows who are currently undergraduate students will receive an $800 per month stipend.

The application deadline is October 29, 2010.

To learn more and to apply, please visit http://apps.ourpublicservice.org/fellows/default.aspx

If you have questions, please email fellows@ourpublicservice.org or call (202) 775-9111.

From Equal Justice Works

An error occurred within the automated email delivery system which caused some students to receive inaccurate information about their interview status at our upcoming Conference and Career Fair. Immediately upon learning of the problem, we contacted students and corrected the information.

Students are encouraged to to check their accounts if they are unsure of their interview status. All information there is correct and has not changed. These emails did not affect the students’ account and no interviews have been cancelled.

Presidential Management Fellowship Program

The federal government is currently seeking candidates for the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management! This highly selective, rigorous leadership program recruits outstanding graduate students for a two-year developmental fellowship at various Federal Agencies.

Fellows Receive
 Two-year paid fellowships
 80 hours of training each year
 Competitive pay and benefits
 Potential accelerated promotions

Mark Your Calendar to Apply October 1-15, 2010!
Eligibility and application information is available at http://www.pmf.gov/

LAST DAY!!!!

TODAY is the last day to sign up for the Equal Justice Conference & Career Fair. Don't be left out of this great opportunity to network with legal employers from the nationwide public sector!

Sign up today!

SUMMER LEGAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Internship Available With The Office of General Counsel
Department of Defense - The Pentagon

CLOSING DATE: NOVEMBER 19, 2010
(for second-year law students)
CLOSING DATE: DECEMBER 7, 2010
(for first-year law students)

The Department of Defense (DoD), with over 3 million military members and civilian employees, and an annual budget in excess of $600 Billion, is one of the largest entity clients served by any group of attorneys in the world. The DoD Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). The DoD OGC is the highest level legal organization in DoD. The DoD General Counsel is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and serves as the Chief Legal Officer of DoD, the legal advisor to the Secretary of Defense, and the Director of the Defense Legal Services Agency (in which capacity he or she oversees the General Counsel Offices of over two dozen Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities).
The Office is responsible for advising high level policy makers in OSD. In addition, the Office works closely with senior attorneys and policy makers from the military departments, and with officials from the Departments of Justice, State, Treasury, and other Government agencies. The Office also frequently works on special projects for OSD.

Interns will be assigned to specific offices within DoD OGC or DLSA, such as the Offices of the Deputy General Counsels for Acquisition & Logistics, Environment and Installations, Fiscal, International Affairs, Intelligence, Legal Counsel, or Personnel & Health Policy; the Standards of Conduct Office; and other DLSA offices such as the Offices of General Counsel for Washington Headquarters Service and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. There are few, if any, offices that can provide summer law clerks the diversity of practice areas and experiences that are available as an OSD Honors Legal Intern in DoD OGC.

DUTIES: Summer interns in OSD Honors Legal Internship Program are given considerable flexibility in their assignments. At least one intern is assigned to each OGC office listed above. There are substantial opportunities to enhance research and drafting skills by working in close association with members of OGC. Interns will assist in drafting and commenting on legislation, regulations, congressional testimony, litigation materials, and legal opinions. Interns will have the opportunity to assist in the process of formulating DoD legal policy on high-profile topics of current interest. Our intern program also includes visits to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Senate Armed Services Committee, military bases, Defense agencies and DoD field activities, all intended to familiarize the interns with the practice of law by federal attorneys and the work of DoD in general.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Interns must have completed their first-or second-year of law school prior to the commencement of the 2011 summer intern period. Persons who will be graduated from law school prior to the prior to the commencement of the 2011 summer intern period are not eligible for this student internship program.

For application instructions, login to Symplicity!

New Public Interest Positions

There are 23 public interest positions including 5 internships or fellowships posted this month? Have you logged into Symplicity to see them? If not, then you should schedule some time to do so today!

Hint: Job postings are an easy way to learn what employers actually have a need. You shouldn't ignore them as part of your job search strategy.

Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair

20 of your classmates have signed up for the Equal Justice Conference & Career Fair.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Take advantage of an opportunity to visit the nation's capital and meet (and interview with!) public interest employers from across the country!

SIGN UP TODAY!

The deadline to apply is September 24, 2010. Don't wait until the last minute.

As of today, there are 109 employers who will be attending the Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair.

Will YOU be there to meet them?

Register today by clicking HERE.

UPDATED RESOURCE IS NOW LIVE!!!!

If you aren't a user of the Government Honors & Internship Handbook ... YOU SHOULD BE.

This year's Handbook contains information about 137 programs offered by 63 federal employers and 58 programs offered by 50 state and local employers, for a total of 195 specific programs.


To access this online resource, click HERE. If you require password information, email Career Services or stop by the CSD to pick it up.


Do not miss out on this GREAT resource!!! The deadlines are very early this year!!!

Available Positions For 2L's and 3L's

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of General Counsel has announced their 2011 Honors Program for immediate/recent grads and their Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP) for rising 2 and 3Ls:

• DHS 2011 General Counsel’s 2011 Honors Program Summary and Information Sheet
• DHS 2011 General Counsel’s Summer Law Internship Program Summary and Information Sheet.

Note that the online application period in both cases opens on 8/16/10 and closes on 9/30/10.

Do You Twitter?

If you use Twitter and are interested in what's happening in the federal government, make sure to follow The Partnership for Public Service. They can be found at http://twitter.com/RPublicService and will give real-time updates about what what's being done to revitalize the federal government.