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!!!

Have You Thought About A Fellowship?

In this competitive market, all students should be taking advantage of every opportunity for career exploration. Do not put all your energy into following just one job or internship lead . . . . focus on having MANY avenues, plans, fall back plans, and alternatives. You want to gain control over this job and internship process. The best way to do so is to remain active with targeting the market and opportunities for you.

If you are interested in exploring a fellowship, take a moment and request a copy of the recent CCS handout, Fall Fellowships for some ideas about opportunities with deadlines in September and October. Other fellowship opportunities will be posted in Symplicity and on the weekly Buzz. Fellowships are available nationwide and the handout will give you a sampling of ideas. You can stop by the office and pick up a copy or request one by emailing the office.

1L Scholarship Opportunity

Foley & Lardner created a minority scholarship in 1998 in an effort to raise awareness of diversity related issues in the legal profession. Through this scholarship program, Foley awards $5,000 to a first-year minority law student at eight selected law schools, including the University of Florida. The scholarship is to be applied to tuition, books, fees and other expenses incidental to law school attendance. Consideration is given to students with significant involvement in community activities, undergraduate records, and interest in and/or ties to a city in which Foley & Lardner practices. Financial need is NOT a consideration. Deadline to submit materials to ONLINE is October 1, 2008. Visit HERE for full application instructions.

Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair

Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair
Washington DC, Oct. 10-11

Click HERE for the website

Registration for interviews scheduled in advance closes on Friday September 26th at 5PM (EXTENDED!!!!). After this deadline you will still have an opportunity to interact with the employers in attendance. All employers are participating in a "Table Talk" event where you can walk up, introduce yourself & establish a report on your own. Online registration for this will continue until September 26. Even if you miss that, on site registrations will be accepted. If you are interested in staying at the hotel with the group rate, you must register by September 18th.

If you have emailed Kristen Bryant in Career Services for a Registration Fee waiver to attend the conference, the waiver has been applied automatically through their system.If you are interested in car pooling, sharing a room, etc. Email Kristen with your contact information & what your cost splitting needs are (do you just need a ride, etc.)

Do You Want Your Voice Heard?

Apply to serve on the Career Services Student Advisory Committee and share your ideas. The Career Services Advisory Committee was created to share ideas about ways that the Center for Career Services can best assist students in meeting their career goals. The committee also explores ways for Career Services to partner with individual student organizations to provide complementary programming, guest speakers and to combine resources to provide greater benefits to all. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please email your resume along with a one to two paragraph expression of your interest by September 29th.

Welcome To Public Interest Law Week

Don't miss out on this week's programs!

9/10 The Public Interest Experience 12 pm HOL 345
9/12 Public Interested? Do’s & Don’ts 11 aM, HOL 283

INTERNSHIPS USA

Have you checked out this GREAT resource? Internships USA provides information on nationwide internship opportunities for students interested in all types of organizations including ...

• Legal Services
• Prosecution
• International Affairs
• Womens' Rights
• City and County Attorney's Offices
• Sports Internships
• Education
• Green Law
• Fed Law
• Washington, DC Opportunities (Including Congress)
• Human Rights
• Corporate Opportunities (Including Apple, Marriott, AT&T, Morgan Stanley, and MORE)

Make sure to spend some of your Internship Searching with this great resource! If you need the updated password for 2008-2009, please contact the CCS.

Are you looking for your 3L timeline?

Did you miss Thursday's program, OMG . . . I'm a 3L!?!?!?!

To get a copy of the 3L Timeline, send an email to Jessie. Make your counseling appointment today to start your job search early. We look forward to working with you!

FAQ ... How Do I See A Counselor?

Answer: The Center For Career Services Counselors are available and ready to meet with you to discuss your career planning. If you have a quick question, feel free to stop in during Walk In Hours to meet with the "on call" counselor. Walk In Hours are available Monday-Thursday from (9-3) If you have a more specific question about your resume, cover letter, career planning, upcoming interview, you name it . . . . feel free to make an appointment with a Counselor by:

• Emailing careers@law.ufl.edu with some of your available dates and times to meet
• Stopping by the CCS (244 Bruton-Geer) to schedule an appointment
• Calling the office to discuss setting up an appointment (273-0860)

Remember, the Counselors' schedules fill up very quickly, so make sure you book your appointment in advance or utilize the walk-in hours. We look very forward to working with you!

OSCAR Is Now OPEN!

For students applying for judicial clerkships through the OSCAR system, remember that the system opens TODAY. Make sure all of your clerkship materials have been finalized and submitted for review by the Judges.

GOOD LUCK!

What's Going On This Week?

This Week’s Programs Include …

Wednesday --> Legal Employer Reality Check 12:00 - HOL 345
What is it really like to practice law? How do you succeed in interviews, call backs, and in a legal environment? Make plans to learn valuable information from Professor Sokol, Professor Rowe, and Dean Calvert Hanson about what firms and other legal employers are looking for in law student candidates and how to succeed in every step of the application process. We will see you there!

Thursday --> Career Opportunities in Navy JAGC* 12:00 - HOL355A
If you want the chance to enjoy immediate responsibility, travel worldwide, and serve your country all while making a difference, come learn about career opportunities in the NAVY JAG Corp. Gator Alumni, LCDR Dave Gonzalez (UF'99) and LTJG Jared Hernandez (UF'07) along with Commanding Officer CAPT Paul Kiamos, will be on hand to answer questions and share their legal career experiences in the NAVY JAGC.

Thursday --> OMG I’m a 3L!!! 1:00 - HOL 285D
Have you chosen a career path, but just need a little guidance? Do you need to start your career search over in a new direction? Are you thinking OMG I'm a 3L? Come to this program, the first of a series (attendance at all not required), and let's get moving. Pick up a 3L timeline, explore some available resources, and map out what you need to secure the job you want.

*Career Services Non-Discrimination Policy and Military Recruiting:The Levin College of Law, as an equal opportunity institution of higher education, conforms to all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination. The Center for Career Services (CCS) is committed to supporting an equal and fair evaluation of its law student and graduate job applicants on the basis of his or her individual merits. Therefore, the CCS is available only to employers whose employment practices are in compliance with these laws and policies. The one exception to this nondiscrimination policy is the military, which pursuant to its regulations, discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation. Such discrimination is clearly prohibited by the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) and Levin College of Law. Federal law, commonly referred to as the Solomon Amendment, provides that law schools that deny access to military recruiters may lose certain types of financial aid for students. As a result, AALS amended its regulations to allow its members to permit military recruiters on campus, provided sufficient ameliorative steps are taken by the school to express objection to the military’s discriminatory hiring practices. Accordingly, the Levin College of Law CCS permits on-campus military recruitment. To ameliorate the potentially discriminatory impact on its students, measures have been implemented. They include: posting of the office’s position statement that the military discriminates in a manner not permitted by the law school’s nondiscrimination policy; making available a collection of newsletters and materials related to gay and lesbian practitioners; and/or holding a forum/panel discussion on various forms of discrimination and how it impacts the legal profession. While the CCS recognizes that a career as a military lawyer can be rewarding and encourages students who are interested in speaking with military recruiters to do so, until the military makes its hiring decisions solely on the basis of an individual’s qualifications, it will be in violation of the AALS and Levin College of Law Center for Career Services’ policy.