Student Loan Considerations: CCRAA

Are you concerned about your federal student loan debt? Be the best possible self-advocate and make sure you understand the new provisions that allow for loan forgiveness and the new income based repayment plans under the College Cost Reduction & Access Act (CCRAA). The links below can help you understand the tax consequences, short-term and long-term benefits, and other considerations as you make your repayment plans.

SAVINGS: CBA CLEAdvantage

Save on Minimum Continuing Legal Education Costs with the CBA’s Unlimited* CLE Plan – the CLEAdvantage. It’s a simple and cost effective solution for CBA members. For $125 through June 2011, you will receive:

• In-person attendance at an unlimited number of CLE and YLS seminars
• Free CLE DVD rentals from the CBA Legal Bookstore
• Access to CLE Webcasts (both live and archived seminars receive Illinois MCLE)

Job Board Tips

In addition to Symplicity, there is a wealth of job boards out there --Chicago Bar Association, American Bar Association, PSLawNet, Illinois Legal Advocate (this is just a sampling; check out the Orientation Guide and other Job Search Guides in the Symplicity Document Library for more suggestions).  However, how do you make job boards work for you? Here's some tips:

Best Solutions are Temporary Ones

We all know the world has changed radically over the past one-hundred years.  This article talks about why the best solutions are temporary ones. In some ways, yes, you need to discern who you are (and aren't) and what you are (and aren't) willing to do for a career.  But in other ways, by continuously developing your legal and leadership skills, you are constantly remaking yourself into a better lawyer, better leader, better person who might just find a new career avenue.  Having one idea of a career narrows the field so consider your career as a journey -- many possibilities through many paths and avenues so you don't miss out on something else you could do with the skills you continually develop.

PICs Picks: Google Alerts

Guest Blog post by Tiffany Hayes, Public Interest Coordinator

Another great tool to use to keep on top of what is important to the people and employers important to you is Google Alerts. Relationship building guru Keith Ferrazzi has screen shots in this blog post to explain how to use this powerful tool.

PICs Picks: Digest Emails - Controlling the Flow

Guest Blogging Post by Anne Schneider, Public Interest Coordinator

As you join bar associations or are setting your LinkedIn group setting preferences, there are generally opportunities to request that emails be sent in digest format. A digested email simply provides you a summary of all the activity on the discussion list or in the group for the period specified (generally daily or once a week). You can adjust the settings depending on the timeliness of the discussions, as well as it could you help you identify which emails you are routinely deleting without even reading. If this is the case, it may be a sign that your membership is in name only, and it may be time to cut your ties and find groups whose information, events, and activities you will actively engage.

Google Reader -- A True Lifesaver

Guest Blog Post by Geeta Shah, Public Interest Coordinator

Google Reader is a lifesaver for organizing information flow. For any blog, newsletter or public twitter account (amongst others) that has an RSS or Atom feed, you set up the 'feed' to go to your Google Reader account (just another one of the various features of your gmail account), where you can organize the various feeds by your own topics. You can star your favorites, mark as unread to return to later, and even add subscriptions to blogs that don't have an RSS/Atom feed already. This is particularly helpful to utilize when you don't want to create another account (such as twitter), become a public "follower" to a blog, or have each individual (or even digest) form emailed to you.

Interview Resources Roundup

As you prepare for various interviewing opportunities, including FERP, check out these past posts for interview tips and suggestions:

• Interview Resources
• Pop Quiz on Etiquette
• Recomenders & References
• Basic Interview Questions

And so many more -- select the key word Interviews below any of the above posts. Also, the Symplicity Document Library includes an Interview Guide and research guides by LexisNexis and Westlaw.

Pop Quiz on Etiquette

Can you answer these 8 Questions on Business and Dining Etiquette? Lisa Orrell challenges you to cosider not the simple answer, or even the quick answer, but also the various facets of etiquette. Is there something you've inadvertently been leaving out? Take a few minutes to brush up!

CLAAP Update

This is an important and time sensitive update about what began as the “Harkin bill,” became authorized by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, and is now entitled the Civil Legal Assistance Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program (CLAAP).

Five million dollars is now available for distribution to qualified civil legal assistance attorneys with federal student loan debt. The Department of Education will commit these funds to eligible civil legal assistance attorneys on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are expected to be due by August 16, 2010.

As usual, the program includes some complexity. The fantastic and fabulous Heather Jarvis of Equal Justice Works has prepared and posted a comprehensive CLAAP information website and has scheduled two webinars to help civil legal assistance attorneys interested in the program.

Please help Equal Justice Works get word to your colleagues working as civil legal assistance attorneys. Please forward this announcement widely, distributing through discussion lists, and perhaps posting the announcement on your own website.

But I Don't Have Time!

This blog posting is about rules and interruptions. The relatively small study cited showed that most people don't return the task they were working on before they were interrupted. What does this mean for law students and lawyers? It means sticking to the boundaries you need to accomplish your work, including what you need to do with your job search and networking, by sometimes turning off all communication, or using the time between classes wisely to accomplish small tasks or squeeze in your workout. Every law student is busy, and the pace of life will not slow, so learning to set boundaries so you can prioritize your needs and wants is a crucial skill for your own professional development.

Finding the Time to Network

You can't afford to not network, as this blog post points out. Yes, it takes time, effort, discipline, and some pre-planning, but you can find the time to attend Chicago Bar Association meetings (yes, duck out early to get to class if necessary), participate in writing competitions, and attending office hours. It takes time to develop relationships, attend career service programming, and meet with your advisor, but your investment in your network builds not only your contacts, but also your professional and personal development.

Being in School May Be Your Sabbatical but...

For some people, returning to school or continuing education is the sabbatical. This blog posting however provides ways to create spaces for creativity and general health and well-being that you are encouraged to incorporate into your own life, such as:

• Working out to create space in your mind
  
• Using your commute to focus on other interests
  
• Enjoy nature

Taking time to smell the roses will help you remember why you are in law school as well as remind you that your life is not just law school.

Learning to Learn

This blog posting talks about how to ask "for help the smart way." This is extremely relevant when dealing with the very busy attorneys who are supervising you, especially on the last point. If you can find the proper tool, you can probably find a way to complete whatever task has been given to you. It may also prompt the supervising attorney to consider what pieces they use themselves to get the work done.

Strategy, Psychology, & Networking

Tim Tyrell-Smith has lots of insights about the job search. His philosophy boils down to three components: strategy, psychology, and networking. He has just published a free e-Book 30 Ideas: The Ideas of Successful Job Search, which is full of ideas on how to bring to together the advice you've already heard or forgotten to put into practice. He addresses many common fears and the various ways that job searches evolve, addresses the time crunch on networking, and so much more. His blog reinforces the concepts in the book, as well as provides continued insight and stories to illustrate his philosophy. Check it all out today!

5 Minute Study Break Refreshers

It is amazing how much time can be spent at the computer, working away at email or other projects, or even just working on your (seemingly) never-ending outlines. SparkPeople published an article 5-Minute Power Boosters for the Office: Keep Your Body Fit and Mind Alert which includes some great ideas that you may be utilized in the LCS and the law library soon!