Friday, March 28, 2014

Weekly Digest | March 28, 2014

In this week’s Digest, read about: 
  • Accepting/Declining Offers
  • Apprentice Program (2Ls)
  • “Stuff” You Need To Know: Practice Tips for New Lawyers and Summer Interns (All Students)
  • Andrews Kurth 1L Spring Reception (1Ls)
  • On-Campus Interview Informational Session (1Ls)
  • HBA MOILP Writing & Etiquette Seminar  (1Ls)
  • Cougar Coffee Chats (Part-time Students)
  • Summer Work Study Program (All Students)
  • Sidley 1L Diversity Summer Mentorship Program (1Ls)
  • Upcoming Application Deadlines
  • Hot Jobs
Accepting/Declining Offers

In the last few weeks, the Career Development Office has heard from several employers that they did not hear back from students they called or emailed to schedule interviews and even to make offers.  Don't miss an opportunity!  Here are a few tips to help you navigate interviewing dilemmas:

  • Make sure you receive employer messages.  Record a professional outgoing voicemail message with your name so the employer knows they reached the right person.
  • Double check your voicemail regularly, check your email spam folder, and be responsive.  Interviewing etiquette dictates that students should respond within 24 hours to employers who reach out to them. Ideally, students should respond the same day.
  • When an offer is made, respond promptly to acknowledge receipt of and appreciation for the offer, even if you are given a future date by which to make your decision. 
  • If you are not interested in an offer, return the call or email promptly to inform the employer and convey your appreciation for the offer. The opportunity may not be for you, but may be the dream job of one of your classmates.  Respond so the employer can move to the next candidate. 

These actions highlight your professionalism, maintain the reputation of the school, and encourage employers to continue to recruit University of Houston Law Center students.  Remember, the Career Development Office is here to help you navigate any interviewing dilemmas, so if you have any questions about how to respond to a potential employer, reach out to your career counselor right away.  We’re here to help build your professional reputation and help you find the right job for you!

Apprentice Program
Bidding: March 31 – April 6, 2014

Don't miss this great opportunity to gain law firm experience in one of a number of practice areas this summer!  The Law Center has decided to make some exciting changes to the Apprentice Program this year to align more closely with the interests of our students. The goal will remain the same: providing a meaningful and educational employment experience to participating students. This year, however, rather than offering academic credit to student participants, students will be paid $16 per hour and will expected to work 30 hours a week for six to eight weeks over the summer.  

Bidding on Symplicity will start Monday, March 31st.  Under the Recruiting tab, you will be able to review the profiles of participating firms and submit your applications. Contact your career counselor today to review your resume and to ask any questions.  

“Stuff” You Need To Know: Practice Tips for New Lawyers and Summer Interns
Wednesday, April 2, 2014 | 12-1pm | 240 BLB |
Deadline to RSVP: March 31, 2014

Co-sponsored by the Blakely Advocacy Institute and the Passport to Success Diversity Initiative, “Stuff” You Need To Know: Practice Tips for New Lawyers and Summer Interns will feature the following members of the legal community discussing their top practice tips for navigating your first legal job: Hon. Caroline Baker (Judge, 295th District Court), Tom Van Arsdel (Shareholder, Winstead PC), Brandon Leonard (Assistant District Attorney, Harris County District Attorney’s Office), Donald R. Naylor, Jr. (Transactional Attorney, Intellectual Property Department, Air Liquide USA LLC), and Moderator Amy Hawk (Associate Director, Blakely Advocacy Institute).  Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP through Symplicity Events by March 31, 2014 at midnight to secure a lunch.

Andrews Kurth 1L Spring Reception
Thursday, April 3, 2014 │ 5:30 - 7:30 pm │600 Travis St, #4200

Join Andrews Kurth for their UH 1L Spring Reception. This is a great way to meet the firm prior to Fall On-Campus Interviews! Click here for more details: http://tinyurl.com/l2hvgs9. RSVP to Caroline Thompson at carolinethompson@andrewskurth.com.

On-Campus Interview Informational Session 
Friday, April 4, 2014 | 12:30 - 3:00 pm | 240 BLB

The Career Development Office (CDO) will be holding an On-Campus Interview (OCI) Informational Session to prepare all interested 1Ls for the Fall OCI process.  

The session will consist of 3 segments:

Segment 1: CDO Presentation – The CDO will discuss all of the logistics for applying to OCI employers through the Symplicity system.
Segment 2: 3L+ Presentation – Co-founders of 3L+, a professional development training company that provides practical lawyering skills training and consulting services to current and aspiring attorneys, will discuss how to conduct yourself during the OCI interview and callback process.  Topics covered will include: how to conduct yourself during an on-campus screener interview, how to accept/reject a callback interview, how to conduct yourself during a callback interview, how to accept/reject an offer.
Segment 3: 2L Student Panel Presentation – Current 2L students who participated in the OCI process last year will discuss their thoughts on the process and how they managed it with their schoolwork and extracurricular activities.


Lunch will be served.  Please log on to Symplicity and RSVP by Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 11:59 to secure a lunch.  

HBA MOILP Writing & Etiquette Seminar
Saturday, April 5, 2014 | 9:00am - 12:00pm | Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Deadline to RSVP: April 1, 2014

Join the HBA Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee for a Writing & Etiquette Seminar. All students who have been hired for summer clerkships through the program are required to attend this seminar. Students who were not hired but submitted resumes through the program are welcome to attend as well. Complimentary breakfast and refreshments will be provided. RSVP to Teresa Messer at Messer.Teresa@gmail.com or 713-817-2412 by April 1, 2014. Speakers include: Robert Dubose (Partner, Alexander Dubose & Townsend LLP, and law professor at the University of Houston),  Hon. Roy Moore (Judge,  245th family court of Harris County), Stefanie Moll (Hiring Partner, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP), Carita Walker (Senior Legal Counsel, Shell), and Vinh Ho (Executive Director, BPSOS).

Cougar Coffee Chats
Saturday, April 5, 2014 | 9:00am - 12:00pm | Career Development Office

The Career Development Office is hosting Cougar Coffee Chat with Jordan Lewis, UHLC Class of 2008 on Saturday, April 5th from 9 am – noon.  Jordan actively participated on Moot Court and Mock Trial teams during law school and has been practicing criminal defense since graduation. This great program connects part-time students with alumni of the part-time program. Each counseling session will last 30 minutes and will give you the opportunity to ask questions about the alum's career path and to seek advice for your own professional development.

Please schedule an appointment by emailing Catherine Wright at CMWright@Central.uh.edu by Monday, March 31st. Please include three preferred appointment times in your email. 

Summer Work Study Program
Deadline to Apply: April 15, 2014

Every semester UHLC is provided with work study funds for students who are performing work out in the legal community. Students who are working with our partner organizations and can demonstrate financial need may be eligible to earn compensation for work performed. Partner organizations include: (1) Harris County District Attorney’s Office, (2) Harris County Attorney's Office, (3) Lone Star Legal Aid, (4) Harris County Public Defender’s Office, (5) City of Houston Legal Department, (6) Texas Civil Rights Project, (7) U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Office of the Associate Chief Counsel, (8) Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office, (9) Houston Bar Foundation Veterans Legal Initiative.

Work study students are paid approximately $15/hr until their original award amount is exhausted (a maximum of $4,000). For more information and application instructions, go to: http://www.law.uh.edu/pil/workstudy.asp

Sidley 1L Diversity Summer Mentorship Program
Deadline to Apply: April 18, 2014

Sidley Austin LLP’s Dallas and Houston offices invite current 1L students who identify as racially or ethnically diverse and/or LGBT and who will be working in Dallas or Houston during the summer of 2014 to apply for the Annual Sidley 1L Diversity Summer Mentorship Program. The program is a mentoring program that aims to promote diverse law students’ interest in joining Dallas or Houston law firms after graduation. The program is anticipated to run during June and July 2014. Applications and more information can be found in the Career Resource Library in Symplicity (under the “Resources” tab). 

Upcoming Application Deadlines

March 31, 2014 – Curtin Justice Fund Legal Internship Program. Information and application instructions can be found here: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_services/homelessness_poverty/john_j_curtin_jr_fellowship1.html.

March 31, 2014 – Fredrickson & Boyer Minority Scholarship Program.  Information and application instructions can be found here: http://www.fredlaw.com/our_firm/diversity/minority_scholarship/minority_scholarship_application_-_checklist.

March 31, 2014 – Future Appointed Counselor Training Program. Information and application instructions can be found here: http://harriscountypublicdefender.org.

March 31, 2014 – International Trademark Association's Annual Meeting Scholarship Program. Information and application instructions can be found in the Career Resource Library in Symplicity (under the “Resources” tab).

April 1, 2014Summer 2014 Equal Justice Works (EJW) AmeriCorps JD Program. Information and application instructions can be found here: http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/law-school/summercorps/faq-applicant.

April 1, 2014Federal Communications Bar Association Foundation Scholarship. Information and application instructions can be found here: http://www.fcba.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014-Law-School-Scholarship-Application-FINAL-2014.pdf.

Hot Jobs

Just a few of the great jobs currently posted in the Symplicity Job Bank:

10022 – Science Policy & Technology Research Internship, British Consulate-General Houston (Houston TX)
10067 – Law Clerk – Legal Services, Baker Hughes (Houston, TX)
10066 – Law Clerk – Real Estate, Baker Hughes (Houston, TX)
10075 – Law Clerk, Reddy & Neumann, P.C. (Houston, TX)
10015 – Law Clerk, Rios & Associates (Houston, TX)

Stay up to date with the CDO Events Calendar. For questions, you can make an appointment with your counselor here.