University of Florida closing

WINTER BREAK

The University of Florida, including the College of Law, will be closed from Thursday, December 25 through Friday, January 2, 2009.

Regular hours will resume on Monday, January 5, 2009.

Be sure to check back after January 5th for important information about upcoming programs, spring recruiting and many January deadlines.

Enjoy the winter break! The Staff of CCS

Justice Department Volunteer Internships

The USDOJ offers a number of volunteer internship positions for Spring and Summer 2009. Check out www.usdoj.gov/oarm/arm/int/internsum09.htm for a compete list.

Job Advice for 1Ls Who Are "Scared to Death"

Click here for an American Lawyer article by Lynne Traverse, recruiting and professional development manager at Bryan Cave, with some practical advice on job-searching for 1Ls.

Good Luck on Exams!

The Center for Career Services will be open during regular hours over the holiday break, Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm EXCEPT when the University is closed-Thursday, December 25-Friday, January 2, 2009. Regular hours will resume on Monday, January 5, 2009.

Milwaukee 1L "Home for the Holidays" Reception

Quarles & Brady LLP invites first-year law students to their annual
Home for the Holidays on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 5:00pm - 7:00 p.m.
The reception will be held in their Milwaukee office, 411 E Wisconsin Avenue, Patrick Ryan Conference Room, 24th Floor.
RSVP by Monday, December 29, 2008
to Donna Key at dkey@quarles.com.
Dress is business casual.

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund

SPRING and SUMMER INTERNSHIPS 2009

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) offers internships in the following areas:

• Anti-Trafficking Project
• Community Health Care Initiative
• Economic Justice for Workers
• Educational Equity and Youth Rights
• Housing Justice Project
• Immigrant Access to Justice
• New Jersey Asian American Legal Project
• South Asian Workers Project
• Voting Rights

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to:
Spring / Summer Intern Search
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
99 Hudson St., 12 FL
New York, NY 10013
Email: info@aaldef.org

For more information, contact Jennifer Weng at 212-966-5932, ext. 212 or jweng@aaldef.org .

Ideas for the Winter Break

Who will you meet over the Winter Break? Did you know that most jobs are obtained by word of mouth, or who you know? Don’t worry if you don’t know any lawyers personally; they are all around you. While at holiday functions, let everyone know that you are in law school and are looking for a summer or permanent job. Getting a haircut or going to the dentist? Let them know too. Seek out the local bar association to see if there will be any luncheons or holiday receptions while you are in the area. Take control of your future -- go out there and NETWORK.

Complete your bar application. Winter break is an ideal time to prepare your bar application for submission. While you are home, track down that missing information. We all know how daunting a task it is, and finding time to put this information together while keeping up with class work is close to impossible.

Volunteer. Whether you are at home or in Gainesville, tis’ the season to volunteer to help others and gain hours toward your Community Service or Pro Bono Certificate.

Conduct an informational interview. Meet with lawyers or professionals in your area to learn about their career path, how they prepared, and to seek their recommendations.

Prepare for next semester’s recruiting. Prepare your resume and cover letter. Application deadlines begin right after the first of the year for many opportunities including government positions, internships, fellowships and OCI. Sample resumes and cover letters are available on the CCS website, and you can email your drafts to a counselor for review.

Go to court. Observe proceedings and talk to the attorneys during breaks.

Read a book from the CCS:
• Kimm Walton’s Guerilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of your Dreams, What Law School Doesn’t Teach You...But You Really Need to Know, or America’s Greatest Places to Work with a Law Degree are good bets.
• Try Never Eat Alone or How to Work a Room: The Ultimate Guide to Savvy Socializing in Person and Online or Choosing Small - Choosing Smart: Job Search Strategies for Lawyers in the Small Firm Market.
• Close to Graduating? Pick up The Legal Career Guide: From Law Student to Lawyer.

Heading South?

If you are interested in doing a judicial clerkship or practicing in the South Florida area and can be in Miami on Thursday, January 15, 2009, be aware of the Florida Bar Mid-Year Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Miami. On Thursday afternoon the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar will be hosting a program for law students followed by a networking event. UF Law also hosts alumni reception from 6:30-8:00. Career Services will be able to invite 10 students to attend the alumni reception with Gator practitioners and judges. Full details and sign up information will be available January 6th.

CCS HOLIDAY HOURS

The Center for Career Services will be open during regular hours, Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm EXCEPT when the University is closed-Thursday, December 25-Friday, January 2, 2009. Regular hours will resume on Monday, January 5, 2009.

Sarasota County Internship and Scholarship Opportunity

The Sarasota County Bar Association Diversity Scholarship Fund is intended to provide an opportunity for first through third-year law students of under-represented minority backgrounds (e.g. race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, or socioeconomic background) who have an interest in practicing law in Sarasota County upon graduation, to obtain summer placement. At the conclusion of the student’s summer employment in a law firm or governmental agency, the law school the student attends will receive scholarship funds of at least $5,000.00 per student to be used by the student to continue his or her education. During employment, the student will be assigned an attorney mentor from the Sarasota County Bar Association and will attend a reception to welcome and honor the student and the employer with representatives from the Bar Association and Community Foundation. Applicants must be attending any accredited law school in the state of Florida and be able to devote at least 30 hours per week to employment in Sarasota County in the Summer.
The application deadline is December 1, 2008. Applications can be downloaded from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s website, which is: http://www.cfsarasota.org/ (see the Special Interest Scholarships page) and also the Sarasota County Bar Association’s website which is: http://www.sarasotabar.com/.

Government Deadlines May Change

The deadline for the Department of Interior Pacific Northwest Region's Summer Law Clerk Program (1L/2L, unpd) has just been moved up to January 23, 2009 (the origninal deadline was February 15th). Be sure to check the Government Honors and Internship Handbook regularly to make sure you don't miss any deadlines!

Sweet Home Chicago Reception

The Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms will host its annual Sweet Home Chicago reception on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm. It will be sponsored by Chapman & Cutler LLP and take place at The Library. This will be a great opportunity for law students to learn more about the Chicago legal community and the advantages of practicing law in Chicago. Law students will also have the chance to meet and mingle with minority attorneys and recruiting directors from Chicago's most prestigious law firms.
Students are asked to submit a one page résumé, which will be included in a student résumé book that will be distributed to all Chicago Committee member firms prior to the event.
The deadline to RSVP and submit a one page résumé is Friday, December 12, 2008. Please go online to www.chicagocommittee.org/sweethome to RSVP and upload your résumé.
If you have any questions, please contact Eileen Rosete, Program Assistant, at erosete@chicagocommittee.org or 312.577.8549.

FBA Judicial Reception

The North Central Florida Chapter of the Federal Bar Association invites interested law students to attend a Judicial Reception on Thursday, December 4th from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at the elegant Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club. Members of the federal, circuit and county benches in the Gainesville and Ocala areas will be in attendance along with federal bar practitioners. Space is limited and only 10 non-Federal Bar Association law students will be permitted to attend. If you will be available to attend this event in Ocala, the evening before the end of fall classes, please send an email to career2@law.ufl.edu. The deadline to express your interest in attending is NOON on Wednesday, November 26th. Those selected to attend will be notified before December 1st. The dress will be business attire.

Blanket Drive

Help the homeless locally during the cold winter months. The CCS once again offers a collection site for the Homeless Coalition's Annual Winter Blanket Drive. Gently used or new blankets can be donated in a collection box outside of the Center for Career Services at 244 Bruton Geer Hall from 8am-5pm on weekdays.

Fellowship in School Finance and Education Equity

The Institute for Educational Equity and Opportunity ("IFEEO") is a non-profit organization dedicated to the pursuit of educational equity and opportunity, particularly for disadvantaged U.S. public school children through legal means. The IFEEO is especially interested in fair and equitable public school finance laws. Towards this interest, the IFEEO created the IFEEO Legal Fellowship Program and will provide funding for a 2009 law school graduate to work with attorneys or public interest organizations in the areas of school finance and education equity. The one-year fellowship award will be in the amount of $60,000 for salary, with additional fund for benefits. In addition, the IFEEO established a Summer Associate Award in the amount of $1,000 per week for 12 weeks. Click here for details and application.

Interested in working in Nashville?

The Nashville Bar Association's annual Damali Booker First Year Minority Clerkship Job Fair seeks to recruit aspiring minority attorneys who desire to pursue a summer clerkship and professional career in Nashville, Tennessee. The event will take place on Saturday, February 28, 2009, in Nashville. Participants must register by January 28, 2009. Contact CCS for details and student registration form.

You never know what you'll find in the Government Honors and Internship Handbook . . .

Check out these interesting new opportunities:

• National Gallery of Art's 2009 Summer Internship Program
• San Francisco Office of the DHS Immigration & Custom's Enforcement's Summer 2009 Law School Intern Program

Click here to access the Government Honors and Internship Handook. Username and password are available on the Announcements page in Symplicity.

LETTER TO FALL RECRUITS: An Offer You Might Have to Refuse

Considering offers for summer employment? Check out this AmLawDaily article for some great advice from an employer's perspective: http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/2008/11/post.html.

Program This Week

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & PATENT LAW

Wednesday, November 19th at noon in room 345

Join two attorneys from the Gainesville Law Firm of Saliwanchik, Lloyd & Saliwanchik, James J. Claus and Sarah J. Knight as they share their perspectives on how to prepare for a career in IP, patent and trademark law. Both are Registered Patent Agents and will talk about taking the Patent Bar as a law student. Learn more about this growing field to help you decide whether to participate in two late summer patent law recruiting events that require registration in February.

CSRRR Summer 2009 Yegelwel Fellowship

The UF-Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations (CSRRR) is sponsoring the 2009 Yegelwel Fellowship. For students who are interested in issues of anti-Semitism and bigotry, the fellowship provides a wonderful opportunity to work at the Anti-Defamation League in Florida. The 8-10 week fellowship is for Summer 2009 and comes with a $4000 stipend. Students who have completed their first year and constitutional law courses (by the time of the fellowship) and are in good academic standing, are eligible to apply. For further information on the application process, please contact Melissa Bamba, CSRRR Asst. Director at bamba@law.ufl.edu or 273-0614. The deadline for applications is Monday, Dec. 1.

Antitrust Summer Fellowship

The ABA Section of Antitrust Law sponsors the Janet D. Steiger fellowship program for 20 first and second year law students to serve for a minimum of eight weeks in the consumer protection department of one of the participating State Attorneys General during the summer of 2009. Each selected student will receive a $5,000 stipend for the summer. The program also offers a supplemental housing/travel allowance of up to $2,000 for those students who are not living at home for the summer. The deadline for students to submit an application is Friday, January 30, 2009. Students must submit: (1) the application form (available at www.abanet.org/antitrust); (2) resume; (3) writing sample; and (4) statement of interest. For additional information or questions, contact Deborah Douglas, Assistant Director, ABA Section of Antitrust Law, at 312/988-5606 or douglasd@staff.abanet.org.

U.S. Attorney Summer Law Intern Program

The Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida is soliciting applicants for the Summer Law Intern Program for 2009. Students who will have completed one or more years of law school by the end of the 2009 Spring term are eligible to apply. All 2009 Summer Law Intern positions in the Middle District of Florida are unpaid. Check the job bank in Syplicity for the full job description and application instructions.

CCS PROGRAM THIS WEEK:

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE STATE ATTORNEY

AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS' OFFICES

Wednesday, November 12th at noon in room 345

Join us to hear attorneys with these offices talk about preparing for being an Assistant State Attorney or Public Defender, benefits and rewards, and what they handle during a typical day.
Refreshments will be provided.

American Society of International Law Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program

Helton Fellowships provide financial assistance in the form of "micro-grants" for law students and young professionals to pursue field work and research on significant issues involving international law, human rights, humanitarian affairs, and related areas. The application deadline is February 13, 2009, but only the first 50 completed applications, submitted on-line, and received in full by the submission deadline will be reviewed. For more information and the online application go to www.asil.org.

Nonprofit Law Fellowships

The National Center on Philanthropy and the Law (NCPL) at New York University School of Law is offering two fellowships in Nonprofit Law: the Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowship in Nonprofit Law at the Vera Institute of Justice (The RBF Fellowship) and the National Center on Philanthropy and the Law Fellowship in Nonprofit Law at New York University’s Office of Legal Counsel (The NCPL Fellowship). Both fellowships last for one year and fellows are funded annually at a salary of $47,000 plus benefits. Online applications are available at www.law.nyu.edu/ncpl. Completed applications must be received by theNCPL no later than December 5, 2008.

Florida Bar Foundation Summer Fellowship Program

The 2009 Summer Fellowship Program offers approximately 40 full-time fellowships to first and second year law students working in legal aid and legal services programs in Florida. Fellowship stidpends are $5,500 for first-year students and $7,000 for second-year students for the 11-week period. Details about the program and the on-line application are available at http://www.flabarfndn.org/. The application deadline is January 22, 2009.

Local Networking Opportunity

Interested in Working in the Alachua, Marion or Columbia County area upon graduation?
UF Law will be sponsoring a reception on Thursday, December 11th from 5:30-7:30 in Gainesville for area alums and the local bar association. The Office of Development and Alumni Affairs graciously is permitting a number of interested students to attend this networking reception.
Alumni receptions provide an excellent opportunity to hone your networking skills, meet members of the local legal community and make potentially valuable professional contacts. Business attire required. Space is limited and preference will be given to 3L’s interested in working in this area. If you are interested, email careers@law.ufl.edu indicating your class year by Friday, November 21st . You will receive email notification of your status by November 25th.

PRLDEF Corporate Legal Internship 2009

The Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund's Corporate Legal Internship is a paid summer internship program for first and second year law students of color who are interested in pursuing careers in corporate legal departments. Since corporate legal departments typically do not maintain summer internship programs, PRLDEF's internship program provides students of color with an otherwise rare opportunity. Current corporate partners include Bristol-Myers Squibb (NY and NY), IBM (NY), Johnson & Johnson (NJ), Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. (NY), and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals (NY).

Students interested in being considered for this internship opportunity should send a resume, cover letter, transcipt (undergraduate if 1L), and legal writing sample postmarked no later than Friday, December 19, 2008 to:

Ms. Sonji Patick

Education Programs Director, PRLDEF

99 Hudson Street, 14th Floor

New York, NY 10013-2815

No electronic applications will be accepted.

Stop by Career Services for additional information or contact Sonji_patrick@prldef.org.

ABA Judicial Intern Opportunity Program

The American Bar Association Section of Litigation is currently accepting applications for its Summer 2009 Judicial Intern Opportunity Program for second-year law students. Applications for first-year law students will be accepted December 1st, in accordance with NALP guidelines. The 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. Students will be placed with judges in various courts in Illinois, Texas, Florida, Arizona, California, and Washington D.C.
Click here for details.

1L Open House Monday

All 1Ls are invited to attend the Center for Career Services Open House on Monday, November 3rd between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Stop by for refreshments, meet the Career Services team, and pick some some useful information for your summer job search.

Diversity Clerkship Program

The ABA Section of Business Law offers a summer program providing business law clerkship placements for qualified diverse candidates who are first or second year law students, and will provide support and mentoring to the student participants in order to give them exposure to business practices. The clerkship program will place up to nine students in business court clerkships in the Philadelphia Commerce Court and the Delaware Court of Chancery. Possible other placements include New York, NY and Orlando, FL. The application deadline is January 30, 2009. Click here for details.

New Graduates Can Stand Out In Bad Economy

Martin R. Press, a shareholder at the Fort Lauderdale office of Gunster Yoakley & Stewart has provided advice to third-year law students about how to land a good job. In this Daily Business Review article, Mr. Press provides his thoughts along with ten tips for standing apart from the competition. He notes that "sometimes the economy does well; sometimes the economy does poorly. It is difficult to time one’s entrance into law school, as no one knows what the economy will be three years later, and there’s truth to the cliche that timing is everything. We are in a downturn where litigation is up and real estate and commercial transactions are down. Opportunities exist — if you can keep the following concepts in mind." To continue reading the full article and 10 tips click here.

The Center For Career Services is closed on Friday October 24, 2008 in celebration of Homecoming 2008.

For those of you who have not heard, the CCS is sad to say goodbye to Assistant Director (and unofficial "Blogger"), Jocelyn Donahue. Jocelyn's last day in the office is on Thursday, October 23rd. Please feel free to stop by the CCS and wish her well. Also, if you would like forwarding contact information for Jocelyn, please click HERE.

AARP Summer Clerkship in D.C.

The AARP Foundation Litigation is now accepting applications from second-year law students, which includes a salary for summer 2009 clerkship in Washington, DC ($22 per hour for 12 weeks, approximately $9,240) and scholarship ($10,000), for The AARP Foundation Litigation Herbert Semmel Elder Law Fellowship. The SemmelFellow will work with public interest attorneys on major cases in state and federal court affecting the rights of olderAmericans. Following a three month summer clerkship at AFL, the Fellow will prepare a manuscript for a law reviewarticle on an elder issue to be submitted for publication by the end of the 2009-2010 academic year. All applicationdocuments should be combined into one Word or PDF file and emailed to the AARP Office of Academic Affairs at academicaffairs@aarp.org (reference letter should be sent separately). For any questions please call Dr. Betsy Sprouse inAcademic Affairs at (202) 434-6362. Applications are due on November 7, 2008.

Jacksonville YLS "Afternoon at the Courthouse" Seminar

If you are planning to practice law in Jacksonville, don't miss this opportunity learn all about the Duval County Courthouse and meet local attorneys. The seminar on November 13th from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. offers a guided tour of the courthouse, a mock hearing performed by local judges, a presentaion by judicial assistants on local courtroom practice and protocol, and a professionalism presentation by a local member of the judiciary. Check out http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=51044 for details.

Summer Internship in Alaska

Spend Summer 2009 in Alaska!

Trustees for Alaska is offering environmental law internships to interested law students who have a demonstrated commitment to the public interest and the environment. Second and third-year law students with coursework in administrative and environmental law are preferred. Trustees for Alaska provides a full spectrum of public interest law experience to its interns, including research, writing, client contact, drafting legal documents, and public speaking on administrative law matters, depending on client and case needs. Commitment extends over ten weeks; start and end dates are negotiable. Internships are paid a modest hourly wage, but education makes up for low pay. Interns find their own housing, but Trustees for Alaska staff will provide leads on possible living arrangements.
Trustees for Alaska is a non-profit, public interest environmental law firm that has been providing legal services in Alaska for almost 35 years. Trustees for Alaska provides counsel to local, regional and national conservation organizations, Alaska Native villages and tribal councils, fishing organizations, and others in environmental and natural resource matters. Our work generally focuses on state and federal laws concerning oil and gas leasing, exploration and development, clean air and water, mining, marine and terrestrial conservation, energy, land use, public lands, forestry, and transportation.
If you are interested in an internship with Trustees for Alaska, please postmark your application no later than December 15, 2008, though earlier is better as we review applications as they arrive. Electronic applications are encouraged and may be sent to tshai@trustees.org. Please include a cover letter, resume, transcript, short writing sample, and reference list to Tamar Shai, Paralegal. Our snail mail address is: Trustees for Alaska, 1026 W. 4th Avenue, #201, Anchorage, AK 99501.

Beat the Dawgs Reception

On Thursday, October 30th, the UF Law Alumni Association is hosting the annual "Beat the Bulldogs" Reception in Jacksonville at the River Club, located at the top of the Modis Building. The event is scheduled from 5:30-7:30.

This event typically is attended by several federal judges and the movers and shakers of the Jacksonville legal community.

Space is available for 10 STUDENTS only, so interested students who are available to attend, should send an email indicating their class year by October 20th.

Five Tips For Becoming An Opportunity Maker

The article, Five Tips for Becoming an Opportunity Maker By Ari L. Kaplan, Esq. is an excellent must-read for law students. In the article, Kaplan notes that while "on-campus interviewing is over ... the real fun begins. Whether the process was successful or not, here is a secret: you have more control over your career destiny than you realize. The key to success in the law is using your time in law school wisely because you will not have a similar chance again. Those who plant the seeds for opportunities that will materialize as soon as next summer and over the span of a lifetime are destined for success.

To read the entire article including the FIVE TIPS, click here.

Are Your Finances In Order?

Join Compass Bank Mortgage Banking Officer, Debbie Dougheny, for LUNCH and a presentation on October 15th or October 16th. Ms. Dougheny will discuss the importance of having your finances together for the Bar Exam, the need for a good credit history, and how your credit can impact the purchase of a home. Other topics will include PMI, what you can afford, home closing costs and pre-qualification/preapproval tips, as well as the opportunity to ask questions.

Due to the provided lunch, this event is space limited and a RSVP is required to attend. Please email Jocelyn to reserve a space. Your email should include whether you will be attending the Wednesday, October 15th at 12:00 program or Thursday, October 16th at 1:00 program.

More information will be provided about rooms after the RSVP's have been received.

This program is open to ALL CLASSES!!

This Week's Program

REPEAT PROGRAM BY STUDENT REQUEST!!!

OCI IS Over...Now What?
Tuesday, October 7th at 1pm

Faculty Dining Room (By the cafeteria)
Did you miss last week's program? Here's your chance to catch it again ... It is not too late to start the next phase of your job or internship search for next summer. What should be your search strategies now? Where should you be looking? What resources have you not considered? Career counselors and Lexis will be on-hand next Wednesday to discuss topics and strategies including informational interviewing, targeted mailings, and networking with the right type of employers. If you find yourself scratching your head and not knowing what your first or next step should be, make plans to join us for an informative panel presentation. Refreshments provided by Lexis.

Alternative Careers For J.D's
Wednesday, October 8 at 12:00
HOL 345
Are you wondering what else you can do with your law degree besides work in a law firm? Are you thinking about alternatives to the traditional practice of law? A J.D. can open many doors to interesting and fulfilling non-traditional careers. Join FAWL (Florida Association for Women Lawyers) at UF, Career Services, and guest speaker, Rebecca L. O'Neill, Associate General Counsel for Shands HealthCare, for LUNCH and a discussion about alternative career paths for J.D's. Open to all classes.

What Is The Patent Bar And What Do I Need To Know?

Come by the CCS and pick up information about the Patent Bar provided by PLI (Practising Law Institute). The information includes scholarships, career briefings, and patent bar review information.

In House Counsel Reception In NYC

For more information click HERE.

Six New Fellowships Available To Students

What is a fellowship?

A fellowship is a monetary award (scholarships), connected to working in a specific field. Selected students complete extra training in a field or have funding to continue research without having to devote time to working outside their field, or to resorting to additional loans for support. The duration of a fellowship can be one year or longer, depending on the opportunity. Since fellowships often involve working in your area of study, garnering one can kickstart a career and make an impressive addition to a resume. Working with professionals, receiving mentoring and making connections in your chosen field and geographical location often leads to job offers and better career opportunities in the future.

Stop by the CCS or email and request a copy of the most recent list of amazing fellowships available.

1) Georgetown Law Center Clinical Fellowships
2) Staff Attorney/Graduate Teaching Fellow First Amendment & Media Law
3) Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program ("WLPPFP")
4) The Greenwall Fellowship Program in Bioethics and Health Policy
5) The Villers Fellowship Villers Fellows
6) The Wellstone Fellowship

Microsoft Women and Minority Law Student IP Summit

Microsoft Women and Minority Law Student IP Summit will be held at the Westin Chicago River North on October 6, 2008, 4:00 - 8:30 p.m. The IP Diversity Summit is an opportunity for women, minority and GLBT law students to learn about different career paths in intellectual property law, while networking with attorneys from major companies across various industries and law firms. Participating companies and law firms confirmed to date include Microsoft, Wal-Mart, Accenture, Motorola, Citrix, Square Enix, Winston & Strawn, Covington & Burling, K&L Gates, Davis Wright Tremaine, Adorno & Yoss, Klarquist Sparkman, and Marshall Gerstein & Borun. Space is limited and the registration deadline has been extended to this Friday, October 3rd. The IP Diversity Summit is open to all law students, and we strongly encourage participation by women, minority and GLBT students in particular. Please note that while the Summit agenda starts at 12:00, law student registration begins at 3:30 for the career panel and networking reception. Students should register online at Microsoft IP Summit. The registration code for law students is: IPSUMMIT. Students can also network with Microsoft attorneys and other IP Summit participants on their Facebook page at Microsoft IP Summit 08 Facebook Page. Click here to view the event flyer.

Gainesville Networking Opportunity

Are you interested in meeting local attorneys? Want to work on your networking skills while here in law school? Consider attending the October 2008 Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association Luncheon.

WHEN: Friday, October 10, 2008 – 11:45 a.m.
WHERE: Paramount Plaza Hotel – 2900 SW 13th Street
PROGRAM: Judicial and County Commissioner Candidates

COST: Members: $12.00, Non-Members: $14.00* for following choice of entrees (you

must pick one when reserving this month)
· Delaney and Murphy Chicken
· Portabella Wellington

DEADLINE: Register on or before Monday, October 6th at Noon
REMIT TO: EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT BAR ASSOCIATION, INC.
P O Box 127
Gainesville, FL 32602-0127
Fax: 866-436-5944

This Week's Programs

EJW Interviewing Strategies
Tuesday at 11am in HOL 284
Attending Equal Justice Works Career Fair and don't know what to expect?
Not going, but want advice from an experienced attorney who's been there, done that?
Whitney Unteidt, of the Public Defender's Office, is coming to prepare you for this career fair.
She has been to it, and would like to share her tips & tricks for being a success at EJW and in interviewing generally.

OCI IS Over...Now What?
Wednesday, 10/1, at noon in HOL 345
2L's & 3L's (refreshments provided)
Join the CCS and Lexis to learn how to begin the next phase of your job or internship search for next summer. What should be your search strategies now? Where should you be looking? What resources have you not considered?Career counselors and Lexis will be on-hand next Wednesday to discuss topics and strategies including informational interviewing, targeted mailings, and networking with the right type of employers. If you find yourself scratching your head and not knowing what your first or next step should be, make plans to join us for an informative panel presentation.Refreshments provided by Lexis. Open to all 2L and 3L students.

New Resources!

The CCS recently acquired some great new resources for students' use. Come on by the CCS to check out the new titles.

• The Sports Internship Book, 2009
• Internships in International Affairs 2009
• Internships with America's Prosecutors 2009

Building Relationships ... NOT Soliciting Work

Career Services Offices and legal employers across the nation have one truth in common. We all know that "informational interviewing, a/k/a networking, is the most effective job search technique for many law students, as well as graduates." Take a moment and read the article written by Linda E. Laufer, Director of Career Development - Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. In this helpful article, Ms. Laufer discusses that networking, when conducted properly, " [is]much more than a job search method. It is a way to build relationships that can last throughout your career." For helpful advice, tips, and motivation to begin your own networking campaign, take the first step by reading this article.

The National Labor Relations Board Honors Program requests that you remind your students that the deadline to submit applications for the 2009 program is earlier this year. All applications and supporting data must be filed by close of business, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2008. For more information, click HERE.

This Week in Programming ...

Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington, DC are popular destinations for UF Law students. What opportunities are available in these cities? What is the culture like? Would it be a place you would be happy living and practicing law? Join Career Services as we tour each of these destinations, focusing on the work available, helpful resources in searching for employment, and interesting facts about these out-of-state cities. See you there!

Due to popular demand, this program will be presented twice this week.

• Tuesday at 1:00 HOL 285D
• Wednesday at 12:00 HOL 345

This program is open to ALL CLASSES (1L's, 2L's, and 3L's)

Looking for Experience? Consider an Externship

An Externship is an excellent way to gain legal experience while taking classes. Employers are looking for candidates who have real legal experience and an externship is a great way to explore a new and exciting area of law of interest. Mark your calendars to attend the Externship Informational Meeting which will explain the Externship Program for the 2009 Spring semester. The Meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 22 in room 180. All students interested in applying for Spring externships should make plans to attend.

Good News About Federal Judicial Clerkships

As everyone knows, obtaining a Federal Judicial Clerkship is an extremely competitive. If you are interested in clerking and are not seeing positive results from your applications this year, there is good news about your future prospects. A recent Philadelphia Business Journal article, confirms that More Federal Judges Seek Law Clerks With Practice Experience. Traditionally, federal judges have hired law clerks straight out of law school or sometimes, in the case of appeals court judges, after they have completed a clerkship in a lower court. But now many are seeking law clerks with actual experience practicing law, often looking to big firms for prospects, reports the Philadelphia Business Journal "Increasingly, young lawyers are putting their path to partner on hold to clerk for a year for an appellate of federal trial judge." For the full text of the article, click HERE.

If a judicial clerkship remains a goal of yours, remember that you can absolutely apply as an alumni. Adding a year of more of legal experience may make you a more desirable and interesting candidate for a federal judge.

Great DC Opportunity for 2009 Graduates

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is now accepting applications from 2009 graduating law students for the Attorney Honors Program in communications law and policy. The two year position in Washington, DC finds participants involved in federal administrative practice as it relates to the FCC's oversight of television, radio, cable, wireless, wireline, satellite, and other communications services and facilities. Much of the FCC's work involves interacting with other government agencies, Congress, and the private sector to resolve complex policy issues. At the end of the program, attorneys will be eligible for consideration for continued employment at the FCC. For more information including all application instructions, please visit the FCC webpage. The deadline for applying is October 20, 2008.

Career Showcase

Do you want to maximize your job and internship search? Consider taking a trip over to UF Main Campus to participate in the Career Resource Center Career Showcase.

September 23 (non-technical day) & 24 (technical day)
9-3PM
Stephen C. O'Connell Center

Some employers participating include

FBI, (Booth 331)
Federal Energy Regulation Commission (Booth 442)
State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation (Booth 319)
Grant Thornton (Booths 406-407)
Ernst & Young (Booths 416-418)
PriceWaterhouse Coopers (Booths 400-401)
KPMG (Booths 445-446)
McGladrey & Pullen (Booth 408)

Click HERE for a list of participating employers.

Hint: This may be a great opportunity for those law students considering an alternative career path or for anyone wanting to work on their "small-talk" and networking skills.

Is Public Interest Law Right For You?

If you find yourself wondering this question, take a moment and read "Is Public Interest Law Right For You?" by Jennifer Wimberly. A portion of the article is below with instructions for accessing the full text.

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. However, there are several important points to consider before you accept a public interest job.
How comfortable are you with regular client contact? More importantly, how comfortable are you with having regular contact with low-income clients? Most public interest law clients have incomes at or below the Federal Poverty Level. For 2007 that meant a single mother with two children had a total monthly income of $1430. If you are interested in legislative or policy work and you are not interested in hands-on client work and litigation, you need to find out exactly what your duties will be before you accept a public interest law job. Look for a job where you will be regularly conducting research and writing memos on public policy issues. Otherwise you may find yourself miserable in a job where you must regularly meet with indigent clients and maintain an active litigation caseload.
What area of public interest law is your passion? It could be representing petitioners, usually women in domestic violence injunctions; representing tenants in eviction cases; representing migrant farm-workers in labor disputes; preparing advance directives for seniors; or helping the homeless or people who have a mental illness get public benefits, such as food stamps, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or Social Security disability benefits.
Are you willing to branch out into different areas of law? Frequently your public interest law client will have a problem with multiple layers. Consider the single mom who ... to continue reading click HERE.

This Week's Programs

How Do I Perfect My Cover Letter?

Wednesday 12pm

HOL 345
Join Career Services to learn about the do's and don'ts of writing an excellent cover letter including what information to highlight, what to leave out, and how to gain control over the application process. This program will be a great resource for anyone thinking of sending a cover letter this fall.

Attending All 3L's: Everything you want to know about the Florida Bar Exam

Thursday 11:00am

Bailey Courtroom
Come enjoy pizza while Dean Calvert Hanson speaks about the Bar Exam Application Conversion Process and Karen Hundley, Fl Director, BarBri Bar Review and Phil Sandon, Florida Bar Exam Tutor & Consultant will help you understanding the contents of and preparation for the Florida Bar Exam. PIZZA provided by BarBri!!!