BAMSCP: Bay Area Minority Summer Clerkship Program Application Now Available

Dear 1L's:

The Bay Area Minority Summer Clerkship Program (BAMSCP) has just made its application for 1L summer opportunities available. Application documents can be found at http://www.sccba.com/docs/cs_proj6.pdf, and we encourage all students that meet the criteria to apply. The program is a competitive one, requiring in addition to the application, a resume, a personal statement, and an evaluation from your LRW instructor. About 5-6 students from USF are typically placed through this program and all positions are paid.

BAMSCP places first year minority law students in summer jobs in law firms and other organizations. BAMSCP is sponsored by three bar associations (Santa Clara, Alameda, and Contra Costa) and students from six Bay Area law schools participate (Boalt, Golden Gate, Hastings, Santa Clara, Stanford and USF).

The following employers participated in the 2009 Summer Program:

Chevron Corporation
Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP
Fenwick & West LLP
Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel
Kazan, McClain, Abrams, et al.
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP
Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP

The application deadline for this program is Wednesday, January 10, 2010 @ 3PM. Please note that due to the time sensitive nature of the application documents, we recommend that you begin preparing your application as soon as possible.

The Office of Career Planning would be happy to assist you with your application. Please contact our office if you have any questions.

Twin Cities Diversity in Practice 1L Summer Rotation Clerkship Program

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 14, 2011
For more information, please visit: http://www.diversityinpractice.org/index.asp?pageID=24

The Twin Cities Summer Rotation Clerkship Program combines a traditional law firm clerkship with experience working in an in-house corporate law department. The program is designed to give talented 1L students of color the opportunity to work at a top-ranked law firm as well as spend a “rotation” (typically 3-4 weeks) working in the law department of a major corporation.

NOTE: No applications will be accepted until December 1st, per NALP guidelines.

If you have any questions at all about the program, application process, etc. please do not hesitate to contact Emily Brandes at ebrandes@diversityinpractice.org or by phone at 612.766.7219.

Law Couture: A Primer on Legal Attire - This WED Nov 17!

We are pleased to announce that Banana Republic will be coming on campus for a "Fashion Presentation" to our law students.

DATE: Wed. Nov. 17, 2010 | TIME: 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm | WHERE: Terrace Room, Zief Library

Ever wonder what to wear to that legal interview? Confused by "business casual"? Come to the Fashion Presentation and get these questions and more answered! First impressions are lasting ones, especially in the legal profession. Learn from Ms. Sayareh Farsio, Director of Special Services and her team of fashion experts at Banana Republic on how to make sure your wardrobe is presenting the best professional image for you.

We will cover the basic components of business attire and how to customize your look based on seasonal trends, fabric types, color combinations, body shape and fit, accessories and do’s and don’ts fashion tips.

All attendees will receive a card entitling them to 25% off any purchase of $100 or more and a free one-on-one style consultation at the Banana Republic Flagship Store located at 256 Grant Avenue in San Francisco. Additionally, enter the raffle for a chance to win one of two $50.00 gift cards!

Food will be served. Space is limited to 60 and RSVP is required. RSVP here or contact our office at (415) 422-6757 / lawcareer@usfca.edu.

Externship Programs: Application Deadlines

Spring 2011 Externship Applications are due Friday, December 10^th.
Summer 2011 Externship Applications are due Friday, April 8^th.

A number of employers have expressed particular interest in hosting USF externs and this list can be found in your USF Law FYI e-mail and on the Externship office door in Room 235 Kendrick. Further information regarding these opportunities may be found on USFLawLink.com. The Office of Career Planning is happy to help you prepare your applications to submit to employers/courts. You can make an appointment with an OCP career counselor by contacting our office at (415) 422-6757 / lawcareer@usfca.edu. For externship questions, contact the Externship office at externships@usfca.edu.

Attention 1Ls - Career Services Are Now Available to You

First Year Students - Welcome to the Office of Career Planning

As of November 1st, the Office of Career Planning is now open to 1st year law students for career counseling and advice. Come by our office at 230 Kendrick Hall and make an appointment to see a a career counselor. We can help you update your resume, draft powerful cover letters and formulate a job search action plan. You can also make an appointment online. We will be distributing your Job Search Handbook soon so look for announcement regarding that!

The Federal Government is Hiring!

The Federal Government is a Great Employment Option for Law Students and Attorneys

Law students and lawyers may not immediately think of the federal government when it comes to employment options, but the benefits of such work are numerous, including challenging assignments that serve the public good, attractive work-life balance in the form of reasonable and flexible work hours, and the highest attorney salaries in the public sector.

Seeking and applying for federal jobs can be overwhelming, so to help lawyers and law students get started, the 2009-2010 Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide provides help. The guide—produced by NALP/PSLawNet, in partnership with the ABA Government &Public Sector Lawyers Division and the Partnership for Public Service—offers information on how the hiring process works, where to find federal jobs and how to apply successfully for them. The new edition also includes an online version hosted on PSLawNet’s federal government careers webpage.

Additionally, for law students, the Office of Career Planning subscribes to the Government Honors & Internships Handbook which lists opportunities for 1L, 2L and 3L law students, including entry level post-graduate positions. The user name and password for this service can be found when you log into your USFLawLink account.

“In the next five years, one-third of full-time federal employees are expected to leave their jobs for retirement…”

Among reasons for a career with the federal government, authors of the guide point out that in the next five years, one-third of full-time federal employees are expected to leave their jobs for retirement. The authors also say that federal jobs typically pay more than working for other non-profit entities, with starting salaries for entry-level attorneys in the $50,000 range. From there, federal attorneys can move up the salary scale quickly, they say.

Jobs for lawyers are available in all three branches of government, in numerous capacities, including litigating civil and criminal cases, counseling lawmakers, drafting statutes and regulations, and issuing administrative legal opinions.

For young attorneys, working for the federal government usually means developing leadership skills quickly. Lawyers get immediate responsibility and they manage their own caseloads.

Also significant: “Many federal agencies have their own loan repayment assistance programs,” say guide authors. “And, the recently passed College Cost Reduction & Access Act can benefit attorneys working in the federal government.”

Information about federal student loan repayment programs is available. Also, learn more about the CCRAA on Equal Justice Works’ Student Debt Relief webpage.

Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program Application Window Now Open

A CALL TO SERVICE - The Presidential Management Fellows Program

Law students who will meet all graduate degree requirements between September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011, are eligible to apply in the Fall of 2010, for the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Class of 2011.

The online application window is relatively short, closing on October 15, 2010. Additional materials are due to the Office of Career Planning by Friday, October 22, 2010. See below for instructions specific to USF School of Law students.

The PMF Program attracts to Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. Students can use this two-year fellowship as a stepping stone to highly visible and respected leadership positions in the Federal Government.

This rigorous two-year paid fellowship includes:

• Formal classroom training of 160 hours,
• Mandatory four to six month developmental assignment,
• Optional rotations of one to six months in duration,
• Challenging work assignments,
• Potential for accelerated promotions, and
• Opportunities to network with other future leaders.

Many Federal agencies partner with the PMF Program Office to hire Fellows annually. Fellows engage in solving domestic and international issues including, but not limited to: Public Administration, Foreign Policy, Technology, Science, Criminal Justice, Health, and Financial Management. For more information please visit www.pmf.opm.gov.

TIMELINE & ACTION ITEMS FOR USF SCHOOL OF LAW APPLICANTS
Apply online at http://www.pmf.opm.gov October 1-15, 2010. During the application process, you will be required to print the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Nomination Form (OPM Form 1300).

To seek a nomination by the law school’s Nomination Official, you should submit to the Director of the Office of Career Planning (OCP) in Room 230 Kendrick Hall no later than Friday, October 22, 2010 at 5 p.m., hard copies of the following:

• your personalized PMF Nomination Form (that you should have printed out during the application process);
• a copy of your current Resume;
• a Personal Statement of a minimum of 750 words describing: (i) the breadth and quality of your accomplishments; (ii) your capacity for leadership, and (iii) your commitment to excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.

NOTE: At the time you submit your Nomination Form, Resume and Personal Statement to the OCP, you will be required to complete a form authorizing the law school to verify with the Office of the Registrar that you will complete your degree requirements between September 1, 2010 and August 31, 2011.

Applicants will be reviewed by the law school the week of October 25th. All applicants the law school determines are qualified will be submitted for nomination by the deadline of Sunday, October 31st.

Questions? Contact the Director of the Office of Career Planning, Bryan Hinkle at 415-422-6757.