New Website Launched

A new website provide prospective applicants with information about applying to government positions in the Obama-Biden Administration. Applicants for any of these non-career positions - whether in the White House or in any Federal Department, Agency or Commission - should use this website, as applying on-line is the fastest and most accurate way to get your information to us. Alternatively, if you are interested instead in a career, civil service position with the federal government, you should proceed to the Office of Personnel Management .

Opportunities in Capital Defense Offices

Are you a student interested in Criminal Law and Capital Defense? If so, you must check out this wonderful resource offered by The Berkeley Law Death Penalty Clinic. The Clinic has compiled a list of internship and job opportunities for law students and recent graduates in offices around the country. Students should have a strong interest in the defense of death row inmates or capitally-charged defendants. Take some time to review this great resource.

The Career Services Department will be closed until January 5, 2008. We look forward to working with you in the Spring. Happy Holidays!

North Carolina or Rhode Island?

If you are a student interested in opportunities in either state take the time to apply for two great summer programs: North Carolina State Government Internship Program or the Rhode Island State Government Internship Program. These fabulous programs run by the state government are the only ones we are aware of which run formal (and truly organized) summer internship programs.
The deadlines are rapidly approaching, so Winter Break is a great time to be working on your applications. For further information and application requirements, click the links below.

• North Carolina
• Rhode Island

Reminder . . . Approaching Deadline!!!

If you have not already applied for the The Florida Bar Foundation 2009 Summer Fellowship Program, make sure you do so before the upcoming deadline. 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.

What Are They Looking For?

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. 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.

For more information including application instructions, click HERE.

Application Deadline = January 22, 2008

Looking For Summer Funding?

Are you a student interested in public interest work but concerned about funding? Take a moment and review PSLAWNET's listing of funding opportunities for students who are considering a non-paid position addressing a certain population, cause, or goal. The application deadlines vary, so make sure to pay close attention to each opportunity. This could be a great opportunity to complete the type of work which interests you while also receiving some funding for the summer.

Coming Soon ... OCI Spring Dates

Remember to keep checking your email and logging on to Symplicity over the Winter Break to sign up for Spring 2009 OCI Interviews.

More details about participating employers forthcoming ...

Job Search Advice In Today's Economy

If you are looking for guidance on your job and internship searches, take a moment and read "Job Advice for 1Ls Who Are 'Scared to Death' by Lynne Traverse. Ms. Traverse, a recruiting and professional development manager at Byran Cave offers her reflections on things ALL law students should be doing in their individual searches. A few points are listed below and the full article is available HERE.

BE SPECIFIC
A generic, meant-for-mass-consumption application letter won't work this year (if it ever did). Your research will tell you something about prospective employers. Use the details you dig up in your application materials. There is no rule that you should send the same cover letter and resume to every potential employer. And by addressing employers correctly and specifically, you show them you are genuinely interested in them. That helps make you stand out in a crowd.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
In the current climate, it is even less likely than usual that you will have luck applying to an area of the country where you cannot demonstrate a strong connection. (By strong, I mean you have lived there, have parents, siblings or other close family members living there, attended college there, or a similarly compelling connection.) Employers take local ties as a sign that there is good chance that they will see you again in the future, which increases the potential value of their investment in a summer intern. Instead of papering the country with generic applications, devote your time and energy to a thorough exploration of possibilities in areas where you can show a connection.

BE PATIENT AND STAY PROFESSIONAL
Finding a summer job this year will be tough and take perseverance. Keep in mind that whatever job you have this summer, you will use the skills you gain, and the relationships you build. Even the search itself will offer you a major learning experience, as well as opportunities for new proficiencies and a perspective you did not have before.

For more tips, click HERE to access the full article.

Exciting News

The U.S. Department of Justice offers approximately 1,000 summer volunteer internships each year and the window for applying is NOW OPEN. Click HERE to access the list of agencies looking for law students as well as application instructions. Some of the agencies include the Antitrust Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Civil Division, Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Obscenity Prosecution Task Force, Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), and MORE!

New Podcast: The Student Debt Relief Series

Are you still confused about the College Cost Reduction & Access Act and whether it is a good option for you ? Do you have lingering concerns about whether you can afford to pursue a career in Government or Public Interest Law? If you answered "Yes!" to either of these questions, consider taking advantage of a new resource, courtesy of Equal Justice Works and American University’s Washington College of Law. These entities have teamed up to launch an all-new podcast: The Student Debt Relief Series which is available to students. The very first episode, “How to Figure Out if You Benefit from the College Cost Reduction & Access Act - and How Much?” is available NOW and can be accessed HERE through streaming, downloading, or subscribing.

Take 20 minutes of your time to explore this great new resource!

Judicial Intern Opportunity Program

The ABA Judicial Intern Opportunity Program is a full-time, six-week minimum, summer internship program open to all first- or second-year minority and/or financially disadvantaged law students who want to do legal research and writing for state or federal judges in Illinois; Texas; Miami, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA; and Washington DC.

The program seeks to provide internship opportunities for minority or financially disadvantaged law students, those who are members of traditionally underrepresented groups in the legal profession. For more information including application instructions, click HERE. The application deadline is rapidly approaching (December 31, 2008)

Is Public Interest Law Right For You?

If you went to law school because you wanted to “help people” when you graduated, there’s a good chance that public interest law is the right career choice for you. Take a moment and read the recent ABA Young Lawyers Division publication, "Is Public Interest Law Right For You" by Jennifer Wimberly. In this article, Ms. Wimberly notes that students should carefully consider several important points before pursuing a public interest job. Click HERE for the full article.