DON'T FORGET! Summer Experience Survey

We hope you had a great experience developing your legal skills this summer. To better assist students who may be interested in future opportunities where you worked or volunteered, please complete a Summer Experience Survey on Symplicity. It will only take a couple of minutes, but will help us compile and provide a valuable resource to our faculty and students. Log into Symplicity, go to your profile, select “Evaluations”, and click on “add new.”

Lavender Law Career Fair

2010 Lavender Law Career Fair & Conference August 26-28, 2010 | Loews Miami Beach Hotel Early Registration Extended through Monday, August 9th! Featured Workshop: Straight Allies Speak Out The 2010 Lavender Law Conference will close with a general attendance session focused on the economic downturn’s impact on diversity within the legal profession. The panel will explore how that recession has affected the business case for diversity at large firms and how the presumed trickledown effect affects medium-sized firms across the nation. The distinguished speakers, representing Walmart, GlaxoSmithKline, the Association of Corporate Counsel, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, the National Bar Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, will provide a diverse set of perspectives on this critical issue. To learn more about the exciting programming being offered at the 2010 Lavender Law Conference, please visit: “Straight Allies Speak Out” (Workshop Description) General Attendance Sessions Workshops Distinguished Speakers Registration About Lavender Law 2010 The 2010 Lavender Law Career Fair & Conference will be held August 26-28th at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel in Miami Beach, FL. Over 1,000 practicing attorneys, scholars, law students, members of the judiciary and other legal professionals are expected to attend this year’s event which will feature career, networking, and continuing legal education opportunities tailored for the LGBT legal community. Register: Early registration to attend the 2010 Lavender Law Career Fair and Conference has been extended through Monday, August 9th. Attendees are encouraged to register as soon as possible to take advantage of the discounted rates. For more information or to register for the 2010 Lavender Law Career Fair & Conference, please visit Registration. ### The National LGBT Bar Association is a national association of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals, law students, activists, and affiliated LGBT legal organizations. The association promotes justice in and through the legal profession for the LGBT community in all its diversity. www.lgbtbar.org

VAULT: The 20 Best Law Firms for Diversity

Which Vault Law 100 firms are most committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace? More than 15,000 associates responded to the annual Vault Law Firm Associate Survey and rated their employers on a variety of issues, including commitment to hiring, retaining and promoting diverse attorneys.

Log in to Career Insider and check out the Vault Law Diversity Rankings and find out which firms were the most highly rated by their own associates for diversity with respect minorities, women and GLBT.

Take a closer look at the individual firms with updated research reports.

Don't have an account? Contact the CCD to find how you can take advantage of this valuable resource.

VAULT

UF Law has subscribed to Vault to help you in your job search. It not only has job listings, but also industry blogs, discussions and newsletters; employer, profession and industry overviews; as well as various career guides, such as the “Vault Guide to Litigation Law Careers.”

To access VAULT contact the CCD.

Leaving a Good Impression

As your summer experience draws to a close, be thinking about how to leave a good impression on the firm or organization you have been working for, for several reasons. First, employers typically do not extend offers to summer associates who came in, worked 8 hours and went home without forging any relationships with others.

Develop a professional relationship with your mentor and potential recommender
Ideally there has been an attorney or two that have taken you under their wing this summer. If not, seek out the attorney who you have had the most contact with. 1. Show an interest in the mentor - Your mentor can provide you with important insights into the culture and politics of the firm or organization. They also may be relied upon by the decision makers to determine if you are a good fit into that culture. 2. Ask questions - Be direct and focused, don’t waste your mentor’s time by beating around the bush. A deep conversation on one or two specific topics is much more valuable than a cursory conversation on ten unrelated topics. 3. Accept feedback - Ask for it! Be sure your mentor understands you won’t feel threatened or become defensive, and don’t. 4. Say ‘Thank you’ - Let your mentor know that you appreciate the time and interest that he/she is investing in your future. This will help generate large dividends now and in the future, especially when you need a recommendation.
Be social, just not THAT social
Being the life of the party is not the impression you want to leave. Remember, your professional reputation is being formed.
Ending a Successful Summer
View your summer as an extended job interview. Always comport yourself with professionalism. You want the employer to see you as a colleague. Seek out and get to know the decision makers. Work on projects with them, or just spend a moment asking about their career path. Be friendly to all support staff, you never know whose ear they have!

New Resources in the CCD!

· Legal Careers in New York State Government - Prof. Patricia E. Salkin, Amy Lavine, Esq., Michele A. Monforte

This directory was compiled to assist law students and lawyers who are considering careers and/or work experience in public service with the State of New York. This edition has been expanded to include comprehensive information on employment opportunities with the various levels of government in New York State.

· Lawyers as Peacemakers: Practicing Holisitc, Problem-Solving Law - J. Kim Wright

This book can teach you new ways of finding satisfaction in your job and providing comprehensive, solution-focused services to clients; sometimes it’s not about winning, it’s about finding the best possible answer for everyone involved.

· The City/County Attorney Internship Book - Career Education Institutes, Winston-Salem, NC

A directory on a handful of available internships at city or county attorney offices across the country.

· On Trial: Lessons from a lifetime in the courtroom - Henry G. Miller, Esq.

A collection of articles written for the “Trials” column in the “New York Law Journal. They cover each phase of the trial, and were intended for the young lawyer.

Immigrants’ Rights Project

The Immigrants’ Rights Project (IRP) of the ACLU seeks applicants for sponsored public interest fellowships such as the Skadden, Equal Justice Works (EJW), and Soros Fellowships, to begin Fall of 2011. IRP will sponsor one candidate in its New York office and one candidate in its San Francisco office to work on projects addressing immigrants’ rights. Proposed projects often combine litigation and advocacy with community outreach and public education. IRP staff will work with candidates to develop their proposals. For more information & how to apply:

www.aclu.org/job/fall-2011-fellowship-opportunity-acluf-immigrants-rights-project-new-york-and-san-francisco

Applications being accepted now!

Decisions will be made on a rolling basis.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT JOBS ON TWITTER!

From what friends are eating for dinner to breaking news stories, Twitter has become an interesting source of all sorts of information in this digital age. Now it can be a source for employment opportunities.

Federal agencies such as the Federal bureau of Investigation (username FBIJobs) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (username SEC_Jobs) have begun posting their open positions on Twitter as a way to reach talented candidates as quickly as possible.

Be aware that placement agencies are also posting “opportunities”, that may require you to apply for the position through them. It is important for you to determine whether there is any fee involved and to completely understand the terms. It may be best to follow the employer you are interested in directly to ensure the postings that you see are accurate and the most recent.

2010 National Security Law Student Writing Competition

“National Security in a Globalized World”
Sponsored by: American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security

**Cash Prize and Trip to the Law and National Security Conference in Washington, DC**

Overview: The Standing Committee on Law and National Security, founded in 1962 by then-ABA President and later Supreme Court Justice Lewis J. Powell, conducts studies, sponsors programs and conferences, and administers working groups on law and national security-related issues. The Committee's activities assist policymakers, educate lawyers, the media and the public, and enable the Committee to make recommendations and provide advice on such subjects as the legal responses to terrorism, the restructuring of the intelligence community and its role in law enforcement, and operational international law in the conduct of the military. In furtherance of this mission the Standing Committee is proud to announce the 3rd annual writing competition for law students.

Topic: As we begin the second decade of the twenty-first century, the law is changing dramatically as it seeks to shape and adapt to new conditions. Economic markets are becoming global, transactions require cultural adaptation and understanding, populations are more mobile, and communication technologies bridge distances and time zones to form new communities around the world. All of us must renew our commitment to the enduring principles of law, become knowledgeable about other legal systems, recognize the need to adapt our practices, and acquire new cultural understandings. In a global era, matters such as human rights, criminal justice, intellectual property, business transactions, dispute resolution, human migration, and environmental regulation become not just shared concerns but international issues—among nations—with National Security Law implications. In recognition of this rapidly changing era, the ABA May 2010 Law Day focuses on understanding and appreciating the emerging challenges and enduring traditions of law in the 21st century. This theme provides the backdrop and opportunity to explore the many facets of this year’s writing competition topic: National Security in a Globalized World. The writing competition seeks to encourage scholarly debate regarding current issues related to U.S. national security in the global environment; international security; international treaties and their impact on national security.

Prize: The winning essay will receive a cash prize of $500 and free registration to the 20th Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law Conference held in November in Washington, DC. In addition to registration for the conference, the prize will include reimbursement for coach travel and one night’s lodging. Additionally, the essay will be published in the National Security Law Report. Winner must be present at the conference to receive the award.

Eligibility: The competition is open to all students who are in attendance at an ABA accredited law school between September 1, 2009 and August 15, 2010. Only original and previously unpublished papers are eligible. Papers prepared for law school credit are eligible provided they are original work. Jointly authored papers are not eligible. Entrants can have a faculty member or practicing lawyer review and critique their work, but the submission must be the student’s own work product. The name of the reviewing professor or lawyer must be noted on the entry. Committee members, staff, and selection committee members shall not participate in the contest or review process. Only one essay may be submitted per entrant.

Format: Essays may not exceed 5,000 words, including title, citations, and footnotes. Essays over 5,000 words will be rejected. The text of the essay must be double-spaced, with twelve-point font and one-inch margins. Entries should reflect the style of ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security’s National Security Law Report articles rather than law review style. Entrants are encouraged to review past copies of the News available at http://www.abanet.org/natsecurity/ - prior to drafting their submissions. Citations must be embedded in text or in footnote form, as opposed to endnotes. Cites must conform with The Bluebook: Uniform System of Citation.

Entry Procedure: Each submission must include a SEPARATE COVER PAGE (not included in the 5,000 word count) with the entrant’s name, law school, year of study, mailing and email address, and phone number. The contestant’s name and other identifying markings, such as school name, MAY NOT appear on any copy of the submitted essay.

Deadlines: Submission must be postmarked no later than August 15, 2010 and mailed to: American Bar Association, Standing Committee on Law and National Security, 740 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005; or sent via email to hmcmahon@staff.abanet.org. The winner will be notified by September 30, 2010. By submitting an entry in this contest, the entrant grants the ABA and the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security permission to edit and publish the entry in the Committee’s National Security Law Report. Please direct any questions about the contest to the Committee Staff Director at hmcmahon@staff.abanet.org.

Judging: The winning entry will contain a clearly written original analysis of a national security law issue that is substantively accurate and persuasive, and supported by citations. The entries will be judged anonymously by a subcommittee made up of members of the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security.