OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES FALL RECRUITING AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST JOB SEARCH

Transcription

1 OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES FALL RECRUITING AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST JOB SEARCH Think positive! By exercising patience, diligence and creativity, and focusing on practice areas and geographic areas of genuine interest, you should be successful in finding a rewarding and meaningful public interest job. The public interest job market is substantially different from the private sector market, and in many ways, more competitive. First of all, most public interest organizations do not conduct campus interviews, but instead expect students to apply independently. Secondly, many public interest employers have separate hiring timelines, and fill job vacancies throughout the year. Thirdly, in addition to academic performance, public interest employers value different types of experiences and skills. Lastly, the public interest legal market offers fewer overall employment opportunities. Keeping these factors in mind will help you plan a more focused and productive job search this fall. Remember early planning is the key to success! You are encouraged to explore the following nine (9) options: 1. Participate in OCI & Resume Collect/Apply Directly Over thirty employers representing the government and public interest sectors have registered to participate in campus interviewing and resume collect thus far. Follow the employer review and bidding instructions in Fall 2015 On-Campus Interview Program Guide (On-Campus Interviews & Resume Collection) (found at The following list is current as of 7/15/15; check OCI under Symplicity frequently for updates. Note that public service employers will be registering throughout the summer. Broadcasting Board of Governors Bronx District Attorney s Office Brooklyn Defender Services Cook County Public Guardian Defender Association of Philadelphia Earthjustice Environmental Protection Agency, Office of General Counsel Fairfax County Circuit Court (judicial clerkships) Federal Reserve Board Page 1 of

2 Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Competition Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection Government Accountability Office Indiana Office of the Attorney General Internal Revenue Service, Office of Chief Counsel Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney Legal Aid Society of North Carolina Mecklenburg County District Attorney s Office Miami-Dade County State s Attorney s Office National Nuclear Security Administration National Security Agency New York City Law Department New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney s Office New York Legal Aid Society Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Philadelphia District Attorney s Office Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia San Francisco District Attorney s Office Southern Environmental Law Center U.S. Air Force JAG U.S. Department of Energy U.S. Department of Labor Honors Program U.S. Department of State Washington State Office of the Attorney General 2. Government Honors Programs & Summer Programs Honors programs are one avenue by which federal government agencies hire law school graduates for entry-level positions. The Department of Justice Honors Program is an example. In addition, the Presidential Management Fellows Program is another post-graduate program which provides numerous employment opportunities. Several federal government agencies also have summer honors programs, which provide students with excellent training and exposure to agencies or departments and also increase their likelihood of obtaining permanent, postgraduate employment. Each program has a unique set of requirements, application procedures, and deadlines. Beginning this summer, you should carefully review each program s requirements. Many of these agencies have early application, i.e. summer, deadlines! Tip #1: You are encouraged to apply as soon as a position is posted, as government agencies will, due to the volume of applications, sometimes cease to accept applications before the posted application deadline date! Tip #2: When searching for federal government positions, be on the lookout for PATHWAYS positions. Students who successfully complete Pathway internships are usually eligible for conversion to a permanent job upon Page 2 of

3 graduation within that department or agency. Additional information about the Pathway Internship Program can be found at USAJOBS (external link) Best source for Honors & Summer Programs: University of Arizona College of Law s website at The password is included in The Career Connection e-newsletter. Other sources: General federal job website: NALP s annual Federal Legal Employment Opportunities at [Jobs] section on Symplicity Interested students should attend the Post-Graduate Fellowship Application Workshop that will be held at lunchtime on Wednesday, August 19th! In addition, do not forget to explore non-federal government agencies for employment opportunities. Many state and local agencies hire summer interns and entry-level attorneys. Sources, cont.: Google agencies websites for information and applications Review State & Local Government Yellow Books located in the Office of Career Services 3. Public Interest Fellowships Many public interest organizations that do not hire permanent entry-level attorneys often sponsor post-graduate fellows. Fellowships are short term positions (usually one or two years) designed to give new law graduates experience in their fields of interest. Hundreds of fellowships are offered each year, and collectively, they are among the best ways to enter into the public interest job market. All students with aspirations of practicing in the public interest sector should consider applying. For further information, contact Ms. Nita Mazumder at nmazumder@law.howard.edu; Many fellowships have mid-summer to early fall deadline dates, so begin applying early! Best sources: Harvard s Public Interest Job Search Guide located in the Office of Career Services & Externship Office Interested students should attend the Post-Graduate Fellowship Application Workshop that will be held at lunchtime on Monday, August 24 th! Page 3 of

4 4. Judicial Clerkships and Internships Judicial Clerkships are one or two-year post-graduate positions with federal, state, local or administrative law judges. Judicial clerks obtain great research and writing experience, knowledge of court or administrative agency procedures, and often develop strong mentor relationships with their judges. Contrary to popular myth, clerkships are not just for the top 10% of the class; many judges, particularly in some state and local jurisdictions, look beyond class ranks to fill their clerkship positions. Students interested in applying for judicial clerkships must attend a judicial clerkship application workshop. Documented attendance at a workshop will entitle a student to have faculty recommendation letters processed by the School of Law this is a requirement established by the Faculty Judicial Clerkship Committee. For further information about the faculty recommendation process, contact Professor Rhea Ballard at rballard@law.howard.edu; For general information, contact the Office of Career Services. To search for clerkship positions at the federal level, the following websites are helpful: and 3Ls: Although most federal judges have already hired for the term, there may still be some newly-appointed judges who are seeking to fill positions; check the OSCAR website daily! 2Ls: Class of 2017 members should begin applying for federal judicial clerkships now! Many judges will complete their hiring for the term by the end of the summer. For information about state court clerkship positions, see the Guide to State Judicial Clerkships (published by Vermont Law School). The Guide includes current information about application procedures, timing, salary and the hiring processes for judicial clerkships in all 50 states. Login and password information will be sent to all students who have attended the judicial clerkship application workshop. For information on local and trial court judges, contact the Office of Career Services immediately for direct assistance in identifying positions. Judicial Internships are part-time school-year and summer positions. These positions also offer great opportunities to research, write, become familiar with the court systems, and develop an inside track to post-graduate clerkships. Sources: Federal judges: Page 4 of

5 (Clerkships) State judges: Google judicial directories by jurisdiction; for assistance, contact Mrs. Conti Local and Trial Court judges: Google judicial directories by jurisdiction; for assistance, contact Mrs. Conti Sources: (Internships) [Jobs] section on Symplicity (check with Career Services for current password) 5. Equal Justice Works 2015 Conference & Career Fair The Equal Justice Works annual Conference and Career Fair is the largest public interest career fair in the country. It is the only event, solely dedicated to law students, where you'll find more than 1000 public interest-minded students representing 200 law schools from across the country coming together to explore career options with leading nonprofit organizations and government agencies. The Conference and Career Fair provides access to job opportunities for law students; connects employers with talented attorneys and law students; and offers a multitude of skill-building and career advising sessions with experts from around the country. Our conference continues to be an unparalleled networking opportunity for students, law school professionals and legal professionals CONFERENCE AND CAREER FAIR Friday, October 23 & Saturday, October 24 Crystal Gateway Marriott 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway Arlington, VA Student, recent graduate, and law school professional registration will open on August 11. Check back later for more details! IMPORTANT DATES May 18 - July 31 August 1 - September 3 August 11 - September 14 September 15 - October 9 September 17 - October 1 October 7 Early bird employer registration and job posting Standard employer registration and job posting Student and recent graduate registration and application Student and recent graduate registration (interview application period closed; registration for table talk and workshops only) Employer application review and interview selection Last day for accepted students to sign up for an interview time Page 5 of

6 October 23 & 24 Conference and Career Fair More information on the 2015 Conference and Career Fair can be found on at 6. General websites for public interest jobs: PSJD - (create your own account using your HUSL address) The Idealist Public Interest Clearinghouse Environmental Law Internships by state Government jobs Department of Justice Equal Justice Works Non-Profits Internships (all categories) - (get password from Career Services) Capitol Hill jobs - (get password from Career Services) Leadership Directories Online - The "Leadership Directories Online" link is added to the Career Services "Internet & Online Resources" page. careerservices@law.howard.edu for the username and password A complete list of public interest job websites is available upon request. Please contact Career Services. 7. ABA Division for Public Services Internship Program The ABA Division of Public Services is a department dedicated exclusively to public interest law. It also works with several constituent membership committees and interdisciplinary committees. The Division welcomes law interns throughout the year depending on project needs. It also offers a Public Services Clerkship, open to both incoming second- and third-year students. Law students are encouraged to Page 6 of

7 learn more about the job opportunities at The Division is also found on social networking sites: There is also a special web portal where law students will find hundreds of links organized by subject matter, including a category dedicated to law student public interest law-related resources: 8. Job Listings Because public interest employers seek candidates who demonstrate a commitment to their issues, and place great weight on experience and dedication to public interest causes, students should take advantage throughout their law school careers of opportunities to volunteer or intern with public interest organizations, government agencies, and judges. Many such school-year, summer and permanent job opportunities are listed throughout the year in the [Jobs] section of Symplicity, so check these employment options frequently. Jobs are updated daily. 9. Externships (Summer & School-Year) In addition or volunteer or paid jobs, there are also many excellent Externship opportunities (for credit) available through the Clinical Law Center; students should contact Ms. Nita Mazumder at nmazumder@law.howard.edu; for updated information and advice. Page 7 of