Office of Professional and Career Development

Suffolk University Law School

Spotlight

Weekly PCD Student Newsletter

 

• Welcome to Spotlight, the weekly PCD student newsletter.  Spotlight will be emailed to all students on Tuesday afternoons and will also be archived on the PCD website.  Most items will not be repeated in future issues of the newsletter, so be sure to read Spotlight every week to keep updated on all career-related news and information. 

• The Government & Public Interest Program bidding deadline is approaching!  Get your application materials reviewed before December 6!  First year students may sign up for a resume/cover letter review meeting through December 5.  Use Symplicity to sign up for a session. Instructions on requesting an appointment time are included in the Annoucements section of the Symplicity home page.

• Advanced Legal Studies (ALS) runs programs frequently on different areas of the law.  These programs are attended by numerous attorneys who practice in the area of the specific presentations.  The programs are practical and give law students insight into the real world practice, as well as nuts and bolts of interesting and emerging areas of law.  These programs are free or at a minimal cost for students. These are great networking opportunities and wonderful ways to help you decide which area of the law most interests you.  Students are asked to register for programs in advance.  Some of the upcoming programs include: 
• Trials and Tribulations of Estate Administration under the MUPC - Friday, December 7th, http://www.law.suffolk.edu/academic/als/coursedetail.cfm?cid=771
• Jumpstarting Your Practice - Friday, February 1st
• Interested in JAG? Accepted or applying to a JAG program?  Students interested in or who have applied to a Judge Advocate General program who would like to learn about the day to day responsibilities and duties of a military attorney are welcome to speak to David Merson, Associate Director, in PCD Office. David was a prior JAG in the Navy serving both on active duty and reserve service.
• Interested in Judicial Clerkships? Contact Margaret Talmers, Associate Director for Judicial Clerkships and Internships in the PCD Office - mtalmers@suffolk.edu.  Check out the Judicial Clerkship and Internship Resource Center on Symplicity (Announcements section) for resources, cover letter, and resume samples, announcements and more.
• Interested in careers in government and public service? The Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service can provide additional assistance. Sign up to receive their Rappaport Center Weekly Public Service Email, which includes information on programs, pro bono opportunities, and public service employment internship postings.

• How to Become an Assistant District Attorney, November 29 -

  Representatives from the Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk, and Worcester County District Attorney's offices will be on campus for a panel discussion, moderated by Professor Diane Juliar, on how students can best prepare to become assistant district attorneys.  Topics will include courses and activities that district attorney's offices look for in a resume, what options exist during law school for working with the DA's office during the summer and/or school year, the application process and timeline for someone seeking a job as an ADA, and "helpful hints" for surviving and excelling in interviews.   This session will take place on Thursday, November 29, from 3-4pm in Room 365.  Please RSVP to rappaportcenter@suffolk.edu.

• Presidential Management Fellows Program, Application Deadline Extended to November 26 - To accommodate applicants that may have been affected by Hurricane Sandy, the US Office of Personnel Management has extended the opportunity to apply to the Presidential Management Fellows program Class of 2013.  The application opened on November 5 and will remain open for all applicants until Monday, November 26, 2012, at 11:59pm. The entire application process, including submission of all necessary documents, must be completed during this time period.   

• New England Wireless Conference, December 5 - The Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable will present the 2012 New England Wireless Conference, co-sponsored by the Rappaport Center, as Suffolk on December 5 from 9:00am to 2:00pm. The keynote speaker will be Jonathan Adelstein, President and CDO of PCIA - The Wireless Infrastructure Association. Mr. Adelstein is a former Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission and former administrator of the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service. This is a free conference open to the public and includes a catered lunch. Attendees are asked to RSVP by November 28 to rappaportcenter@suffolk.edu.

• Federal and Out-of-State Jobs and Internships - Make sure to check the Government Honors & Internship Handbook 2012-2013 for summer internship opportunities ranging from the Colorado Attorney Genera, the New York City Law Department, and the City of Chicago Law Department, to the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Contact the Rapport Center or PCD for login information.

Diversity Announcements    

• Reminder - The deadline for submitting the Contangy Brooks & Smith's Diversity Scholars Award application is Wednesday, November 28.  Constangy, Brooks & Smith initiated its Diversity Scholars Awards program to recognize the achievements of law students who have demonstrated academic achievement, a commitment to diversity in their community, school or work environment, and personal achievements in overcoming challenges to reach goals.

  To be eligible, applicants must be a second-year student enrolled in an accredited law school that is located in one of the following three (3) regions: Southern (Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee); Mid-West/West Coast (Texas, California, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin) and Eastern (North Carolina, Virginia/Washington, D.C., New Jersey and Massachusetts).  One student in each region receives a $3,000 scholarship in recognition of accomplishments in academics, a commitment to diversity in the community, school or work environment, and personal achievement in overcoming challenges to reach goals. More information and an application are available at http://www.constangy.com/f-4.html.

• The Boston Bar Association's Diversity & Inclusion Section is now accpeting applications for semester-long Judicial Law Internships in Massachusetts State District Court as well as the United States Bankruptcy Court for spring 2013 (to begin February 2013). This unpaid, non-credit internship provides students the opportunity to work directly with a judge, observe courtroom proceedings and enhance their legal research and writing skills. Students who have completed their first year of law school and are able to work at least 15 hours per week will be considered. Diverse students are strongly encouraged to apply. An application and more information is available online. The application deadline is December 14, 2012; applications will be collected on a rolling basis with priority placement given to early applicants.

Other Programs   

• A reception celebrating the release of Breaking Barriers: The Unfinished Story of Women Lawyers and Judges in Massachusetts will be held on Monday, November 26 from 5:30 to 7:00pm at the MCLE Conference Center, Ten Winter Place, Boston. Join MCLE | New England and the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts, along with the book's editors - Hon. Patti B. Saris, Hon. Margot Botsfor, and Barbara F. Berenson, Esq. - and its nearly 100 contributors in celebrating the publication of this unique account of Massachusetts' women's progress in the legal profession.  Available now at www.mcle.org.
• The Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association is presenting Women in the Courtroom: Adressing the Challenges Facing Women as Litigators on Wednesday, November 28 from 8:00 to 11:00am at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse.  The program is free for MassDLA and Defense Research Institute Members and $30 for non-members.  A continental breakfast will be served.  Register at www.massdla.org.

Recruitment Programs 

• Bidding is now open for the Massachusetts Law School Consortium's Government and Public Interest Recruitment Program to be held at Suffolk in January.  This is a great chance to apply to government and public interest agencies for a summer or post-graduate job and is one of the most important opportunities of the year for students to find public service jobs and internships. A list of participating employers is available on the PCD website.  Students must upload application materials to the Consortium Symplciity site and bid for employers by noon on Thursday, December 6.  
• Please notify Michelle Dobbins in the PCD (mdobbins@suffolk.edu) if you receive a call back interview or offer. This feedback is appreciated.