Upcoming CBA Continuing Legal Education

How to...Use Adobe Acrobat as a Litigation Tool (No MCLE Credit)
May 15/1:45-2:45 p.m./$0 Member/$50 Nonmember

Upcoming CBA Special Events

Membership Appreciation Week Event: Law Practice Management & Technology Expo Hall - May 8
Catch up on the latest in law practice management and technology services that can benefit your law practice on Tuesday, May 8, 2012 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the CBA. Door prizes include an

Upcoming CBA Special Events

YLS Law Day Judge’s Reception - April 30
In honor of Law Day, the YLS will host its annual "Meet the Judges Reception" at the CBA on Monday, April 30, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. Judges from the Circuit Court of Cook County, Appellate Court, and Federal Court will be invited to attend. Includes cocktails and appetizers. RSVP for the

CBA News and Announcements

CBA Member Discount Code for ABA Tech Show
Learn and network with legal technology experts from across the country March 29-31, 2012 at the Hilton Chicago. Visit www.techshow.com for up-to-date information on ABA TECHSHOW 2012, the best event for bringing lawyers and technology together.

The Social Internets, Networking & Mentoring

At a recent Chicago Bar Association meeting of the Practice Management & Technology group, I was once again struck by the sheer volume of knowledge about different aspects of social media some people manage to keep track. I learned about the difference between a Wordpress .com and .org account, a service for virtual desktops, SEO (search engine optimization) tactics, and a great deal about the various differences are among smart phone platforms.

How Does the Cloud Influence Practice?

Most lawyers don't claim to be internet security experts. So what does it mean to move your practice's files "to the cloud"? What are the different levels "of the cloud" that you need to consider?  How might the ways you use the internet and access information change as you transition to practice to maintain client confidentiality? We don't know the answers to that, but the Iowa Supreme Court has begun to consider the implications on the ethical practices of law.

Google Reader & RSS Feeds

One of our favoite tools around here is Google Reader -- a service that enables you to capture all sorts of RSS feeds.  This blog post from Legal Productivity provides a great tutorial on how to capture disparate pieces of information into one place -- for free!  Keeping up makes your cover letters, networking, and job search more timely and interesting than ever!

Twitter RSS Feeds

Do you have tweeple (people on twitter) that you want to follow without the hassle of creating a twitter account? Use TOPSY! Topsy creates "Real-time search for the social web" and enables you to create RSS feeds of your searches, which you can then have sent to your Google Reader or email. 

Quick Job Tips

One of the best pieces of advice that I ever received was that job seekers and those engaged in fundraising and business development activities need to schedule in the time for the job search.  In law school, that means 2-4 hours per week.  What you do with that time will vary -- research, applying, networking, updating your materials.  So you only have 15 minutes today to devote to your job search? Try these 10 Job Search Tips that Take Less Than One Minute and check out 20-Minute Job Search: How to Find a Job When You Don’t Have the Time. Though according to my mother (who is nearly always right), you have the time - you just have to use it more wisely!

Calendar Tips -- College of Law Calendar

Did you know that you can subscribe to receive  a weekly update from the College of Law's Event calendar? 

It gives you detailed information about that week's events as well as a preview to the following week.  Look for these kinds of features on any electronic calendars and newsletters that you use regularly to help you track upcoming events.

Government/Honors Deadlines Posts

Please note that future posts of upcoming deadlines for the Government/Honors programs will now be posted at the beginning of the week, instead of Fridays.  For a look at the last postings to plan ahead for next couple of weeks:

• 3Ls/4Ls/JLCs: Upcoming Government Honors Deadlines
• 2Ls: Upcoming Government/Honors Deadlines

Check back early next week for the latest postings.  And don't forget that corrallig updates via RSS is always a great idea!

Alternative Job Opportunities - 5/31/2011

Here are some alternative career jobs we came across from the past week.  Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of opportunities found at these sites:

CBF Volunteer Opportunities

The Chicago Bar Foundation wants YOU! to volunteer for some new opportunities.  Lots of need, lots going on, now's the time to get involved!

Alternative Job Opportunities - 5/24/11

Here are some alternative career jobs we came across from the past week.  Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of opportunities found at these sites:

From PSLawNet (subscription required - free):

CBA Meetings for Next Week

Meetings for Week of May 23, 2011

The following is a list of committees that have notified the CBA of their speaker / topic. Meetings are held at 12:15 p.m. for one hour at the CBA unless otherwise noted. Bring your CBA card to obtain MCLE credit for meeting attendance. Lunch is available in our servery for $9.50. There is no need to RSVP for committee meetings. Member may attend any meeting they choose.This schedule was generated on May 19. View most recent list. 

CBA Meetings for Next Week

Chicago Bar Association Meetings for Week of May 9, 2011 The following is a list of committees that have notified the CBA of their speaker / topic. Meetings are held at 12:15 p.m. for one hour at the CBA unless otherwise noted. Bring your CBA card to obtain MCLE credit for meeting attendance. Lunch is available in our servery for $9.50. There is no need to RSVP for committee meetings. Member may attend any meeting they choose. This schedule was generated on May 5. View most recent list.

Resources, Resources, Resources

Whew! It has been a busy year and you're almost through with final exams! We're gearing up to do planning for the next school year so we encourage you to let us know if there's any particular programming that would be of interest to you.  In the meantime, there are a ton of resources in the iTunes U library and the Symplicity Document Library to help you explore your career development options.  As a reminder, we're here all summer, so feel free to make an appointment (we're happy to do phone appointments too) so we can help you strategize your next steps.

Networking Myths Debunked: Receptions

We've been hearing a lot of networking myths lately so let's spend some time debunking those.  Today, we'll start with I can't stay for the entire event, so I won't go.

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)

LinkedIn Tips

LinkedIn Tips: Whenever you update your resume, don't forget to update all of your online profiles, including LinkedIn.  Take the time to check any links in those profiles to make sure they aren't broken or otherwise dead (for example, including a link to your locked/private twitter account should not be on your LinkedIn profile). Need more guidance? Check out the LinkedIn Professionalism programs on April 7th or 13th. After a quick half hour, you'll also be eligible to be invited to join the College of Law Alumni group on LinkedIn. RSVP in Symplicity today!  Also in the Symplicity Document Library are a series of checklists on setting up a profile, online networking etiquette, researching employers, and more.  Use 'LinkedIn' as your keyword in the Document Library search.

**NEW FROM THE LINKEDIN BLOG: 4 Easy Ways to Spring Clean Your LinkedIn Presence