Legal Job Fair Tips: Guest Blog Post

Robin Wagner is a 2L who attended the August 2012 Lavender Law Career Fair hosted by the National LGBT Bar Association.  Here's her guest blog post entry to help you prepare for your next job fair, such as Cook County Bar Association, Equal Justice Works, MPILCC, or IMPACT.Thanks Robyn for sharing your insights and experience!

So, you're planning to attend a legal job fair?  I recently attended a big job fair and wanted to share a few insights I gained from the experience. The Lavender Law Career Fair hosted by the National LGBT Bar Association featured 160 employers, including government employers like the Department of Justice (Civil and Civil Rights Divisions) and the Cook County State's Attorney, non-profits like the Southern Poverty Law Center and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and then the who's who of the big law firms throughout the U.S. 

I was impressed by the list, excited by the opportunity, and COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED by the prospect of trying to make the most of my six hours on the floor with all of these possible employers.

Here, in no particular order, are some of the key lessons I learned that I hope might be helpful to folks planning to attend a law fair.

PSLawNet is Becoming PSJD!

PSLawNet is becoming PSJD! PSLawNet is the premier career center and jobs database for law students and lawyers on public service career paths.  On August 27th, PSLawNet will become PSJD, a redesigned website that retains all of PSLawNet's content but that adds easier navigation, enhanced searching, and new tools for job-seekers and employers alike.  PSLawNet users will be able to log in to PSJD with existing PSLawNet login credentials, and our job-seeker "email alerts" will continue uninterrupted. 

Fall OCI Update for Students

The OCI Tab is now open and OCI-Registered students may begin bidding (submitting application materials) for the Fall On-Campus Interview (OCI) Program.

Required Steps for OCI Registration/Tab Access:
1. Watch the OCI Orientation Video and complete the related Questionnaire: Please log into Symplicity where under the OCI Announcement Box you will find a link to the video and the required questionnaire.
2. Enter your Conflicts into your Calendar on Symplicity: Conflicts must be entered into the Calendar on Symplicity for ALL Business Days from August 13th to October 15th using the Personal Events Sub-Tab under the Calendar Tab. To express that you are free on a given day to interview all day, you must enter an appointment from 7:00am-8:00am for each of those days that says NO CONFLICTS. Without an entry on your Calendar for each day of OCI, we cannot process your schedule when we are creating interview schedules.
3. Have an Approved Résumé and then Complete the OCI Registration Form: Located under your Surveys Tab on Symplicity once your  résumé has been approved by your advisor for the 2012-2013 academic year. Please note the Priority Resume Upload Deadline is July 13, 2012.

Participating Employers: Employers continue to register to participate in both the on-campus interview and resume collect portions of OCI. It is important to CONTINUALLY check the Participating Employers List (in the OCI Announcements Box on the Symplicity Homepage) throughout the summer to see employers added as well as any changes to pre-registered employer deadlines

IndyBar Diversity Job Fair: Registration Due June 18th

The Indianapolis Bar Association (IndyBar) cordially invites fall 2012, 2L law students (graduating May 2014) to participate in the IndyBar Diversity Job Fair.

We are seeking candidates who represent all aspects of diversity, who are looking for a one-of-a-kind legal community in a Midwestern city that has both cosmopolitan style and small-town charm.  Rising 2L students should register for the IndyBar Diversity Job Fair via Symplicity’s web site

After the student submits his/her registration, an automatically-generated password will be provided, which will enable him/her to use the system throughout the next few months. This password will be different from the one assigned by Symplicity for OCI. Student registration deadline is June 18, 2012.

Registration DUE May 31st for Cook County Bar Association's Minority Job Fair

The Cook County Bar Association (“CCBA”) is pleased to invite students to participate in the 29th Annual CCBA Minority Law Student Job Fair (“Job Fair”).  In an effort to keep the student-to-employer ratio as low as possible, the CCBA is only inviting J.D. students in the classes of 2014 (Rising 2Ls) and 2013 (Rising 3Ls). Please note that students graduating during or before January 2012 (current 3Ls) are not eligible.

The Job Fair typically attracts more than 800 students from eligible U.S. law schools.  Each year law firms, corporations, and governmental agencies register for the Job Fair.  These employers are located primarily in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Washington D.C. and Wisconsin.    In addition, we attract several employers from California, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, and North Carolina.  For more information, please see visit our informational website at www.ccbaminorityjobfair.org.

The CCBA Job Fair primarily is designed to obtain summer associate positions for rising 2Ls during their second summer in law school.  A limited number of employers also wish to interview rising 3Ls for entry level associate positions.  Rising 3Ls, please be aware that Job Fair interview slots for rising 2Ls (current 1Ls) typically outnumber those for rising 3Ls (current 2Ls) by a 3:1 ratio.

U.S. Senate Office of the Sergeant at Arms – Summer 2012 Internship (Washington, D.C.) – Deadline: Friday, May 9, 2012.

The U. S. Senate Sergeant at Arms is sponsoring a 6 or 8-week unpaid legal internship for credit starting the first week in June, 2012. This is a good opportunity for students interested in administrative drafting and/or seeking exposure to the administrative, organizational, security, and historical background of the U.S. Senate.   

Application Materials & Deadlines:  To apply, you must submit a resume (no cover letter) by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 9, 2012.  Please specify current GPA and class rank on your resume.  Apply via Symplicity Job Post: #14495

March 29th: National Security Career Symposium at Loyola Law

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National Security Career Symposium at Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Presented by the National Security Law Association
Philip H. Corboy Law Center, 10th Floor

Thursday March 29, 5:00 - 7:30pm

The National Security Career Symposium is an opportunity for current and future professionals in the fields of national security, law enforcement, and private sector investigations to come together over our shared interests.  We invite all JD, MBA, and graduate accounting students from the  Chicago area to explore the many rewarding career paths this industry can offer. The evening will include a Q&A session with distinguished panelists, followed by a cocktail reception.

Upcoming 3L Government Internship and Honors Deadlines

The following government programs have 3L deadlines coming up in the next few weeks.  Details of these programs are provided in the 2011-12 Government Honors & Internship Handbook, located at https://www.law.arizona.edu/career/honorshandbook.cfm.

·         Sacramento State Center for California – 2012-2013 Capital Fellows Programs California Senate Fellows Program (Paid, Deadline 02/22/12)

·         Sacramento State Center for California – 2012-2013 Capital Fellows Programs California Executive Fellows Program (Paid, Deadline 02/22/12)

·         Sacramento State Center for California – 2012-2013 Capital Fellows Programs California Jesse Marvin Unrah Assembly Fellowship Program (Paid, Deadline 02/22/12)

·         Sacramento State Center for California – 2012-2013 Capital Fellows Programs California Judicial Administrative Fellowship Program (Paid, Deadline 02/22/12)

2012 RebLaw Conference Registration Open

Registration is OPEN for the 2012 RebLaw ("Rebellious Lawyering") Conference!
RebLaw 2012 will be held at Yale Law School on the weekend of February 17-18.

Register Here

Reminder: Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference: February 4th

The Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference will be held at Northwestern Law School on Saturday, February 4^th in Chicago.  The conference is a great way for  students to find a public interest job and to learn more about public interest employers.  Students may still participate whether or not they previously registered for the Conference. 

Big East Virtual Career Fair

The Big East Virtual Career Fair runs from November 1-3, 2011.  If you are interested in consulting positions, this is an excellent opportunity to virtually meet various employers through online chat sessions such as:

• Octagon
• Baker Tilly
• Resources Global Initiatives
• ...amongst others!

 

 

REMINDER: Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair Registration Closes Today!

2011 Conference and Career Fair student registration and interview application period has been extended to Monday, September 19 at 5 p.m. EDT

Registrants that attend the Conference and Career Fair not only have access to numerous internship, fellowship, and full-time employment opportunities, but also meet and network with more than 1,000 of their peers from some 200 law schools from around the nation.  Below are tips for students on getting the most out of the Career Fair:

DePaul Fall Job & Internship Fair

The 2011 DePaul Fall Job & Internship Fair is scheduled for October 7, 2011, which will be held on the Lincoln Park Campus in the Student Center.  This event is open to all DePaul students and alumni, with several employers seeking candidate with experience.  Additional information is available in Symplicity, including the participating employers as of September 8, 2011.  Check here for Registration Information.