Archives for the Month of November 2007 on CSO Blog
Clerkships and Fellowships
While searching for summer or permanent employment, consider applying for clerkships or fellowships. Fellowship opportunities generally are focused on a particular legal issue or clientele and offer opportunities for in-depth research and multi-faceted practice, often involving legal representation and other activities such as public education and policy-making. For post-graduate positions, these positions tend to be one- or two-year term positions, sometimes with the possibility of permanent employment with the firm or organization upon completion of the fellowship.
Clerkships are also a great way to spend your summer or first year or two post-graduation as they provide an in-depth, first-hand view of legal system from the eyes of the judicial branch. Judicial clerks have the opportunity to develop outstanding research and writing skills while receiving exposure to varied legal issues, and making connections with numerous members of the legal community. Clerkships are available every summer and every year with city, county, state, and federal judges across the country and are widely considered an excellent stepping stone to leadership positions with the government, large law firms, and non-profit organizations.
Check Symplicity for current clerkship and fellowship opportunities that have been submitted by employers for posting. The CSO also maintains several binders in the Resource Room containing information and application materials for clerkships and fellowships, so be sure to stop in and take a look through them! For more information about clerkships or fellowships, stop in or make an appointment to speak with a counselor.
Tailoring Cover Letters to Specific Legal Employers
The CSO knows that the thought of drafting, editing, finalizing, and mailing multiple cover letters to different legal employers can be intimidating and time consuming. It can be tempting to create one standard cover letter, using phrases like “your firm” or “your organization,” and to send that exact same cover letter to every employer to which you apply.
You will probably find this approach to be ineffective. When the CSO meets with legal employers, they all emphasize that cover letters must demonstrate that a student is specifically interested in the particular employer that is receiving the cover letter. No one wants to receive a generic cover letter.
Employers want to know that you are specifically interested in working for them. The first paragraph of your cover letter must explain to the employer exactly why you are applying. You must show that you have done your research and not leave the employer wondering why you are interested. Employers have a short amount of time to review a large number of cover letters and resumes. You will benefit from taking the time to tailor your materials to the specific employer
So how do you do this research and convey your genuine interest?
1) Determine what is important to you. Do you want to work for an employer with a strong mentoring program for new attorneys or a formal work assignment process? Are you interested in employers where you will receive a lot of responsibility throughout the summer? Do you have a specific interest in a particular practice area? Have there been recent developments at a particular employer that make it more attractive to you?
2) Use the employer’s website, if the employer has a website, to read about what opportunities are available for law students, what type of work law students do, and what type of summer program the employer uses. Use your cover letter to convey to the employer that you have done your homework and you want to be a part of the employer’s summer program.
3) Do a Lexis or Westlaw search, or skim through other legal publications, to see if there has been any recent news about the employer that might distinguish the employer from others.
4) Talk to other students who have worked for the employer to hear about their summer experience, learn what it is like to work for the employer, and find out what is important to the employer.
5) Stop by the CSO to check out our resources – we have materials from many different legal employers right in our office for you to receive.
Your cover letter is your chance to make a first impression and it is the first chance you have to demonstrate that you have strong writing skills. If you have questions or concerns about writing cover letters, schedule an appointment with a CSO counselor.
What is a Law Firm Holiday Reception Anyway?
This is the time of year when law firms hold holiday receptions, primarily for first year law students. Law firms hold these events over winter break and invite local law students to attend. Some firms issue an open invitation for all law students. Others select students to invite based on the resumes they receive. For some firms the event is intended to introduce students to the firm so they will keep it in mind for their second summer. Other firms use the holiday reception as a screening interview for candidates for first summer positions. If you attend one of these receptions you can expect to mingle with attorneys from the firm and your fellow law students, often in a cocktail party setting. You will want to make a point of speaking with as many attorneys as you can during the reception. Research the firm ahead of time and and ask questions about the firm in general, the summer program, and the attorneys' areas of practice.
3Ls: Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program
The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program is designed to attract to the 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.
This rigorous two-year paid program includes 80 hours of formal classroom training each year, challenging assignments, accelerated promotions, developmental learning, and networking opportunities. Fellows are hired by Federal Agencies and given exposure to domestic and international issues in such areas as public administration, technology, science, criminal justice, health and financial management, to name a few. Three Case Western Reserve University School of Law Class of 2007 graduates and two Class of 2006 graduates are currently serving as Fellows through this program!
The PMF Program seeks graduate students who want to make a difference through public service. Students who complete a graduate degree (master’s, law, or doctoral-level degree) during the 2007-2008 academic year (September 1, 2007 - August 31, 2008) are eligible to be nominated by their schools. Selection begins with the nomination of the student by the school followed by a rigorous assessment process. Application, nomination, and selection information is available online at https://www.pmf.opm.gov.
Important, please read carefully:
Between Tuesday, November 20 and 11:59:59 pm EST on Tuesday, December 4, complete and submit the online application (the vacancy announcement and online application is at www.usajobs.gov). After submitting the online application, you will print a copy of the Nomination Form.
However, you must submit the nomination form to the Career Services Office. There is a procedure for submitting your form to the CSO so you must be certain to speak with a CSO staff member when dropping off your nomination form. The CSO will coordinate with the Dean on the nomination process. The Nomination Official has until December 16 to nominate students.
In addition, if you have any questions about this program or the application process, please ask me or someone else in the CSO! This is a terrific program!
Using Your Winter Break to Your Advantage
Wondering How to be Proactive in Your Job Search Over Winter Break? Then Don’t Miss the Using Your Winter Break to Your Advantage Workshop!
This session will focus on Winter Break job search strategies for 1L, 2L and 3L students. Get tips and advice on everything from networking (including potential contacts, when and how to reach out to them, and what to say) to what you should be doing for a local or long distance job search during your winter break.
When: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 (12:00 -1:00 pm)
Where: Room A57
Business Law Brown Bag Lunch
Please plan to join us at the Business Law Brown Bag Lunch on Monday, November 26th at noon in room A57!
Speaker Stephen Ellis, a Business Transactions & Securities practitioner at Tucker Ellis & West, will discuss his Business, Financial and Transactional practice, opportunities in Business Law, and legal issues relevant to his practice.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend this event. Stop by the CSO to sign up or RSVP through Symplicity. Simply log on, click Events, click Business Law Brown Bag Lunch, and RSVP. Feel free to bring your lunch to this event. See you there!
Opportunities in International Law
Thank you to those of you who attended the events this week for International Law Week! We at the CSO hope that you found them informative. If international law is your career plan, remember that there are opportunities everywhere. You heard many of them during our student and attorney panels. Here are few others that you may be interested in exploring:
U.S. Department of State, Foreign Service Corps: Members of the Foreign Service act as liaisons and representatives of the United States in countries around the world. Career opportunities and concentrations are as diverse as the locations at which you may be posted. Many people find this to be an extremely adventurous, exciting, and rewarding career path. It is a competitive application process, including both written and oral examinations. For more information, visit http://www.careers.state.gov/resources/index.html. The CSO does have contact information for a member of the Corps who is more than happy to discuss her career with students. See Heather DiFranco for her contact information.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): While the primary charge of the FBI is domestic law enforcement, the FBI does maintain more than 70 legal attaché offices (referred to as Legats) around the globe, providing investigative and law enforcement services for more than 200 countries, territories, and islands. Each Legat is situated in a U.S. Embassy and works with sovereign law enforcement to stop foreign crime before it reaches American shores. Information about internship programs and other career opportunities within the FBI may be found at http://www.fbijobs.gov/.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): The CIA is charged with providing national security intelligence to senior U.S. policymakers. The Agency accomplishes this through domestic and international intelligence-gathering, both through official and clandestine channels. Career opportunities with the CIA include analytical positions, clandestine service positions, language positions, and more. Information about student programs and careers within the CIA may be found at https://www.cia.gov/careers/student-opportunities/index.html#gradprograms
United Nations (UN): The UN was chartered in 1945 to promote and maintain international peace, security, and human rights and to develop friendly relations among nations to encourage cooperation in solving economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems worldwide. The UN is headquartered in New York City, with other offices throughout the world. The UN is made up of the main body (the Secretariat) and numerous special programs and funds, such as UNICEF. Career opportunities are available within all these bodies. More information about the UN may be found at www.un.org, and information about internships and career opportunities may be found at https://jobs.un.org/elearn/production/home.html.
Remember that the CSO Resource Room has many guides and resources to aid you in your international law job search! Schedule an appointment or stop in to learn more!
Alternative Legal Career: The Congressional Research Service
Are you interested in a job that requires you to use your legal research and writing skills on a daily basis, but does not necessarily involve active legal practice every day? Do you have an interest in politics, government, and working in Washington, DC? You might want to think about opportunities available at the Congressional Research Service (“CRS”).
Housed within the Library of Congress, the CRS provides nonpartisan analysis and research on legislative issues for Congressional members and staff. The Director of the CRS is appointed by the Librarian of Congress with the consent of the Joint Committee on the Library and the CRS employs attorneys to act as experts in specific areas of the law and to answer any and all questions that arise about legislative proposals. On a day-to-day basis, attorneys at the CRS may be meeting with Congressional members and staff, researching complex legal issues, or writing reports and memoranda. For more detail about the CRS, go to: http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/whatscrs.html#about
Both paid and unpaid summer internships are available at the CRS for 1Ls and 2Ls. Information about paid intern hiring is available at: http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/internships/volunteer. Information about volunteer internships is available at: http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/volunteer/ .
The CRS also has a hiring program specific to third year law students – the Law Recruit Program. Through this competitive hiring program, law students can obtain permanent employment with the American Law Division at the CRS. Recruitment, application, and salary information can be found at: http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/lawrecruit.html.
And if the work of the CRS sounds interesting to you, but Washington, DC, is not where you want to be, consider doing similar work at the state level – many state legislatures have a similar research arm, where attorneys conduct research, draft bills, and interact with state legislators dealing with state legislative issues.
International Tax Guest Blogger
Periodically throughout the year the CSO will be posting blog entries from guest bloggers about various topics. Please note that the views expressed by our guest bloggers are the personal opinion of each blogger and are not necessarily the views and opinions of the CSO. The CSO guest blogger entries are intended as an opportunity for attorneys currently practicing in the legal field to share their insight and advice with law students.
To conclude International Law Theme Week, our third guest blogger of the year, Charles Hong (class of 2002), shares his advice on choosing a career in international tax.
Choosing a Career in International Tax
By Charles Hong, Class of 2002
Like many of you, I had little idea of what international tax entailed while in law school. All I knew was that I enjoyed tax and wanted to pursue a career in Tax law (this after taking Professor Jensen's Federal Income Tax Course (which I recommend for anyone interested in Tax law)). I learned about international tax while earning my LLM. After taking an international tax course, I developed a strong interest and desire to practice international tax. Not only was the subject matter interesting (if you're the type of person who finds tax interesting) but I also felt the need for international tax practitioners would increase over time with economic globalization.
And to some degree, it's been true. With economic globalization, foreign investments have increased significantly. Accordingly, international tax practitioners are asked to analyze or assist in creating and implementing global business structures. Thus as an international tax practitioner, one often utilizes the advantages of various non-US tax regimes for the benefit of the client in creating and implementing these investment structures. All the while, we have to be mindful of the US tax rules and how the foreign investment structure will be treated from a US tax law perspective. As a result, there is this constant balancing act that a tax practitioner must perform in advising on any foreign investment structure. However, a tax practitioner's job doesn't necessarily end with structuring a foreign investment.
At the end of the day tax is about numbers (i.e. dollars) and so it is also important that a tax practitioner can work with numbers. But in addition to being able to work in numbers, one has to be able to explain and interpret these numbers in the context of US and foreign tax law but more importantly the numbers need to make sense from a business perspective. And this combination is also what makes international tax (and tax in general) so complex and interesting. But it's this exercise, in my opinion, that really helps an international tax practitioner learn and apply the rules.
For those readers who are still interested in international tax after reading this, I have one last comment to make. You have to enjoy tax. The issues and topics can be esoteric and nebulous and unless you're willing to work at it, it can be very mind numbing. Tax isn't very glamorous. Often times, you will find yourself working quietly at your desk researching and reading. And it may require looking over a large set of materials before finding an answer that might take only a few sentences to write. You may also find yourself reviewing tax returns and calculations when analyzing a transaction or addressing a client's question.
As for starting a career in international tax, it is important to know that not many firms have an exclusive international tax practice. You may be asked to be a general tax practitioner and over time develop an expertise in international tax. And if are able to join a firm with an international tax department, you may have to spend some time learning domestic tax before getting to specialize in international tax. However, if you can join an international tax department directly out of school, definitely consider it. In addition, some of you should consider accounting firms to begin your career. Although there are some drawbacks, it does provide a setting to get some real good international tax experience.
And one last misconception I want to clear up for those considering international tax, is that by practicing international tax doesn't necessarily mean that you will be traveling around the world discussing business transactions. Initially, you may log more frequent flyer miles traveling to get a cup of coffee during the middle of your day then flying to another country. So international tax is not like joining the Navy--if you know what I mean.
Lastly, if you're STILL interested in practicing tax law after reading this, you should also visit with the tax professors at Case. They are all great resources. And if you happen to visit Professor Jensen be sure to talk about the Cleveland Indians but don't talk about game 7 of this year's ALCS.
Crain's 2007 Forty Under 40 Reception
Interested in business law? Are you a JD/MBA candidate? If so, consider attending Crain's Cleveland Business' Forty Under 40 Reception. You'll have the opportunity to mix and mingle with the best of Northeast Ohio's rising business stars - a great networking event! Tickets must be purchased in advance - to register please click here.
What: Crain's Cleveland Business' Forty Under 40 Reception
When: Monday, November 19, 2007
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Where: Executive Caterers at Landerhaven
6111 Landerhaven Drive
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
Tickets: $55.00 - enjoy passed hors d'oeuvers and a selection of appetizers
Resume Tables
Now is the time to make sure your resume is in tip-top shape! After all, your resume is the primary document an employer will use to decide whether to bring you in for an interview. Remember, a successful resume does three things:
1. Coveys a good initial impression by being neat, well-organized and without mistakes.
2. Convinces the reader that your experience and educational background make you an ideal candidate for the job.
3. Demonstrates your ability to succeed in the desired position by effectively describing past activities, skills and accomplishments.
To help you make sure your resume has all the ingredients necessary to make it a successful resume, the CSO will be hosting resume tables in the upper rotunda during the next few weeks. From 12:00 - 1:00pm a staff member from the CSO will be available to answer any of your resume-related questions on the following days:
Monday, November 12 - Thursday, November 15
Tuesday, November 20 - Wednesday, November 21
Monday, November 26 - Thursday, November 29
Please stop by with your questions!
Avoiding Common Resume & Cover Letter Mistakes
You’ve heard us say it before, and you’ll hear us say it again: It is not acceptable for there to be any typographical errors on your resume or cover letter. You must be certain to proofread every word of your application documents and, ideally, have someone else (whose grammar skills you trust) read them as well. To help you get started, here are some of the most common errors we see on resumes:
* If you choose to spell out your J.D. degree, remember that it is a Juris Doctor and not a Juris Doctorate.
* Be sure to italicize degree honors such as cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude.
* Underline or italicize the names of publications.
* When listing dates in a month/year format, do not use a comma. The proper format is December 2007, not December, 2007.
* Remember to include only one email address and one telephone number on your resume and cover letter. Do not make an employer guess as to which email or phone number they should use to contact you.
* Do not use technical or company-specific terms on your resume. If you cannot describe your work without using these terms, be sure to provide a brief explanation of their meaning in layman’s terms.
* Do not include an objective line.
* Do not list references and do not include a “references available upon request” line.
Government Internships: General Overview
As you continue your search for summer employment (or, if you are a 1L, as you start your search for summer employment), the CSO wants to remind you not to forget about government internships. True, many government internships may be unpaid. However, you will not want to overlook these opportunities just based on what they may or may not pay -- unpaid opportunities are a great way to obtain legal experience and network with government attorneys. Overall, government internships can provide you with legal experience that you simply cannot get anywhere else and often lead to a rewarding public service career.
The United States Government is the largest legal employer in the world. Hiring for federal government positions varies by agency. Some federal government employers only hire using a competitive “Honors Program” process in which the agency uses strict application guidelines, criteria, and deadlines. The Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, and the Environmental Protection Agency are all examples of federal government employers that hire using an Honors Program. For agencies with Honors Programs, applications are generally accepted from 2Ls and 3Ls early in the fall semester for summer or permanent positions.
Other agencies hire full time attorneys as needed and hire paid and unpaid interns without using a specific Honors Program process. Some agencies that have an Honors Program also have unpaid positions available for 1Ls and 2Ls. For example, although the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), within the Department of Justice, hires paid summer interns through a highly competitive recruitment program, volunteer legal positions are also available to interested students and the deadline to apply for an unpaid summer internship with the ATF is February 1.
There are a variety of resources in the Career Services Offices that will help you learn more about employment opportunities with the federal government. The first resource to look at is the Government Honors & Internship Handbook 2007-2008. The website link, log-in, and password for this resource are listed on Blackboard and a paper copy is available in the CSO. This resource will help you identify the application process for all different types of federal government internships – paid, unpaid, Honors Program, etc. – as well as state and local government internships.
You may also want to read through NALP’s Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide at: http://www.nalp.org/assets/859_0708fedlegalempguide.pdf (or in paper copy in the CSO). Two other websites that might be helpful are http://www.studentjobs.gov/ , a website specifically for students seeking federal internships and http://www.studentjobs.gov/agencies.asp , a website that provides detailed information about employment opportunities within various federal government agencies.
Also remember that many summer internship opportunities are available at the state and local government level. These can range from work with a State Attorney General’s Office, work with a State Legislature, or work within other state agencies. Many local prosecutor and defender offices also accept law students as volunteer interns for the summer. You can often find opportunities at state and local government organizations simply by checking out the organization’s website. As noted above, state and local government positions also appear in the Government Honors & Internship Handbook 2007-2008. Keep an eye on Simplicity too because postings from state and local government employers will also appear there.
A list of additional government-related websites is also available on Blackboard. In addition, there is a section in the CSO Resource Room devoted to government opportunities and we also have several packets with the contact information for local and state government agencies available. Please stop by the CSO to check out all of the resources available for your government job search or if you have specific questions you’d like to discuss.
International Law Week
Starting Tuesday, November 13, the CSO will host a week of events focused on careers in international law. Attend as many events as you like - each event is open to all classes (including 1Ls)! Check out the schedule of events below!
Tuesday, November 13
International Law Resources Table - Learn about the resources available for your international law job search.
Upper Rotunda, 12:00 -1:00 pm
Wednesday, November 14
International Law Student Panel - Learn how your classmates found their summer positions in international law, the types of employers they worked for, and the types of assignments they worked on.
Room A57, 12:00 -1:00 pm ***Pizza will be served***
Thursday, November 15
International Law Career Panel - Hear attorneys discuss their practice in the field of international law.
Room A57, 12:00 -1:00 pm ***Pizza will be served***
Have questions? Feel free to contact Kelli Curtis in the CSO!
Five Simple Tips for Giving Your Resume an Instant Lift
During an initial resume review, the average employer may spend less than one minute on each resume. As a result, it is essential that your resume be as clean and organized as possible, to allow your fantastic qualifications to shine through! Scheduling a resume review appointment with a CSO Counselor is the best way to make sure your resume is doing all it can for you. But in the meantime, here are five simple tips for instantly giving your resume more “eye appeal”:
1) Use only reader-friendly fonts such as Times New Roman, Garamond, Book Antiqua, Verdana, or Bookman Old Style.
2) With the exception of your name at the top of your resume, never use a font size larger than 12pt. Conversely, never use a font size smaller than 10pt.
3) Look with a critical eye at how often you are using all caps, bold, italic, underline, and other special formatting. Overuse of these styles can make a resume appear cluttered and messy. Limit these formatting styles to headings and to names of employers, schools, or organizations.
4) If you are pursuing employment in a specialized field of the law, consider listing in your “Education” section relevant coursework you’ve taken here at Case.
5) When writing descriptions of your current or previous employment experience, remember that less is often more. Use strong verb and simple declarative sentences to present a clear and concise picture of your skills and experience.
More New Resources!
Be sure to stop by the CSO to check out our updated and new resources. Here are a few just to give you an idea of what's available:
Guide to Internships and Fellowships in Reproductive Rights & Justice, 2007-2008, Law Students for Reproductive Justice - This guide helps interested law students find legal internships at over 70 organizations working for reproductive justice across the country.
The Ultimate Guide to Your Legal Career, Charles Cannon - This is a comprehensive, practical and real-world guide for law students. It offers advice on how to craft your legal career and guide it during law school, as well as how to navigate your first years out of law school.
Career Match: Connecting Who You Are with What You'll Love to Do, Shoya Zichy with Ann Bidou - Takes you through a self-assessment quiz to help you identify your specific personality type and lead you to the work environment you need to thrive.
Coming soon: Careers in International Law: A Guide to Career Paths in International Law 2007-2008, American Society of International Law
1L Resume & Cover Letter Workshops
Wondering what legal employers want to see on your resume? Want to hear what you need to include in your cover letters? Then be sure to attend the Resume & Cover Letter Workshops taking place Tuesday through Friday.
If you are interested in learning more about creating a great legal resume and cover letter, you will need to register through Symplicity for the session you would like to attend. You simply need to log in to Symplicity, click on Events, select the session you would like to attend, and then click RSVP.
Check out the schedule below. If you already have a draft of your resume please bring it with you to the workshop. If you have specific questions about your resume we would be happy to answer them at that time.
Questions? Feel free to contact Kelli Curtis in the CSO. The CSO looks forward to seeing you next week!
Tuesday, November 6
4:00 – 5:00 pm, Room A57
Wednesday, November 7
4:00 – 5:00 pm, Room A65
Thursday, November 8
12:00 – 1:00 pm, Room A57
** Please feel free to bring your lunch to this session
Friday, November 9
12:00 – 1:00 pm, Room A65
** Please feel free to bring your lunch to this session