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.
• 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: 
• Complex Issues in the Trial of OUI Cases - Friday, March 1
• The Masterman Institute: On  the First Amendment and the Fourth Estate - Wednesday, March 6
• Elder Law Institute XIX: The A-Zs of Real Property Revisited - Friday, March 8
• 3L Group Job Search Drop-in Hour!  Are you graduating and still seeking a post-graduate position?  Drop into PCD on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 3:00pm during February 26 through April 30 to talk about your job search strategies.  Talk with PCD staff and other 3Ls about what you can do now to make yourself more marketable.
• The Massachusetts Bar Foundation is pleased to announce availability of applications for its 2013 Legal Intern Fellowship Program. Law students selected to be Legal Intern Fellows will receive a stipend of $6,000 to volunteer for ten weeks during the summer months at a nonprofit organization that provides civil legal services to low-income clients in Massachusetts. Applications are due at the MBF's offices by 5:00pm on March 15, 2013. Detailed information about the program, including application forms, is available online at www.MassBarFoundation.org.
• The National Law Review announces their March 2013 Law Student Writing Contest. The suggested topic is Labor Law. Full details and submission guidelines are available on theirwebsite. The submission deadline is March 4, 2013.
• 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.

• Students interested in doing public service internships this summer should consider applying for one of the several paid public service fellowships available through the Rappaport Center.  Below is a list of the fellowship names and application deadlines. Click on the links for more information:
• Donoghue Barrett & Singal, P.C. Health Law Fellowship - March 1, 2013 deadline
• Suffolk Public Interest Law Group Fellowships - March 1, 2013 deadline
• SPILG International Fellowships - March 1, 2013 deadline
• Consumer Law Public Service Fellowships - Rolling deadline, summer and semester internships available - apply early!
• Students Graduating in 2013: The Fenton Awards Deadline is March 1 - Are you graduating in 2013 and considering a public service career?  If so, don't miss the chance to apply for the Fenton Awards!  Suffolk Law students who graduated in January 2013 or will graduate in May 2013 are eligible to apply.  Students are not required to have a position secured before applying for the award.  Awards will be contingent on the recipient passing the bar exam and obtaining employment with a qualifying public service employer within one year of graduation. The Fenton Awards are the highest paid public service awards given by Suffolk Law.  View our flyer.  The deadline to apply is March 1.  Contact the Rappaport Center for more information.   
• Apply for the 2013-2014 Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project -  Each year, students accepted into the year-long Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project have the rare opportunity to study constitutional law and simultaneously teach it to high school students.  Marshall-Brennan Fellows enroll in a weekly seminar course, Constitutional Justice in School, taught next year by Professors Kim McLaurin and Bob Smith. The seminar course covers the intricacies of Constitutional Law as it applies to high school students. Topics include Free Speech for Students, Separation of Church and School, Search and Seizure in School, Equal Protection against Race Discrimination, and Due Process in School. Apply for acceptance into the Project by March 8.  Like the Marshall-Brennan Project on .Facebook
• Rappaport Roundtable: Gridlock in Congress - Can Washington Tackle Today's Pressing Issues? Thursday, February 21 - Congress to Campus and former U.S. Representatives Robert A. Weygand (D-RI) and Bob McEwen (R-OH) visit Suffolk University Law School this Thursday, February 21, for a lunchtime roundtable from 12:00 to 1:30pm in the First Floor Function Room. The Congress to Campus Program enables citizens across the county to interact with former members of Congress, facilitating dialogue and generating interest in public policy and public service. Join Suffolk University Government Department Chair Rachael Cobb and Reps. Weygand and McEwen for a roundtable discussion on gridlock and polarization in Congress, the role of the Tea Party, and the potential for congressional action on issues such as the national debt and gun control. The event is free and open to the public, and lunch will be provided. Seating is limited, so RSVP now. Co-sponsored by the Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy, the Moakley Archive and Institute, and the Suffolk University Government Department, with financial support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. 
• Health Care Reform Comes Home: Implementing the Affordable Care Act in Massachusetts, Tuesday, February 26 - With the 2012 election guaranteeing the survival of "Obamacare" -- the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) -- how will the Commonwealth of Massachusetts reconcile its first-in-the-nation universal health care provisions with those of federal law? On Tuesday, February 26, from 8:15 to 9:45am, the Rappaport Center invites you to join state government and business leaders in health care policy and finance for a discussion of the implementation of the ACA in Massachusetts, both the opportunities and the challenges.  A complimentary breakfast will be provided at 8am. The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited, so RSVP to reserve your seat today.  Speakers:  Glen Shor, Massachusetts Secretary for Administration and Finance; Ed DeAngelo, General Counsel, Massachusetts Health Connector; Kevin Beagan, Deputy Commissioner, Massachusetts Division of Insurance; Kristen Lepore, Vice President of Government Affairs, Associated Industries of Massachusetts; and Moderator, Michael T. Caljouw, Vice President, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. 

Diversity Announcements    

• Join Holland & Knight  for Demystifying the Large Firm Practice: A Seminar for First-Year Law Students from Diverse Backgrounds on Thursday, February 28 from 5:30 to 7:30pm at the offices of Holland & Knight, 10 St. James Avenue, 11th Floor, Boston.  What qualities are firms looking for in prospective summer associates? What can I do to strengthen my candidacy in this tough economic climate? What differentiates one law firm from another? A panel of Holland & Knight associates and partners will provide insight into these questions and more. Following the discussion, students are invited to join the panelists, as well as other Holland & Knight attorneys, for a cocktail reception. For more information or to RSVP, please contact bronagh.fay@hklaw.com.
• The National LGBT Bar Association is pleased to partner with Prudential Financial, Inc. to offer the Naitonal LGBT Bar Association Prudential Fellowship Program, a meaningful summer internship opportunity to a highly-motivated first-year law student. Through this partnership, the National LGBT Bar Association will select a student to join the 2013 summer law intern class at Prudential for a twn-week internship at Prudential's offices, for a stipend of approximately $10,000. Internship positions will be located in the New Jersey tri-state area. A position may also be available in Dallas, TX. More information and application instructions are available online.

Other Programs   

• Prepare for a professional position! Starting in February, LexisNexis will offer Think Like A Lawyer 2013, a program that will prepare you to: research cost-effectively for any employer and their clients, and become Professional Research Certified to prove that you're ready on day one. Earn rewards too: up to 2,300 LexisNexis Rewards points and entry for a $250 J. Crew Gift Card. Check lexisnexis.com/lawschool in mid-February for more information.
• The Massachusetts Younger Lawyers Division of the Federal Bar Association is holding a Membership Drive/Networking Event on Thursday, February 21 from 5:30 to 7:30pm at The Bell in Hand Tavern, 45 Union Street, Boston.  Join them for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and networking.  For any questions about the event, please contact Christina Ricotta at cmricotta@sherin.com.
• The 19th Annual Rebellious Lawyering Conference will be held Friday, February 22, 2013 to Saturday, February 23, 2013 at Yale Law School.  This is a student-run conference that brings together practitioners, law students, and community advocates from around the country to discuss innovative, progressive approaches to law and social change.  Registration information is available online.
• There will be a European Conference entitled Europe 2.0 - Taking the Next Step at Harvard on March 2 and 3.  Full details and registration information are available at http://europeanconference.org/.
• Join Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly for their largest networking event, Leaders in the Law, on Thursday, March 7 from 5:30 to 8:00pm at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. Students may purchase tickets at a discounted rate: one or two tickes at $150 each and three or more tickets at $125 each. For tickets and more information, please contact Kelsey Karimi at 617-218-8134 or kelsey.karimi@lawyersweekly.com or visit the event site.

Recruitment Programs 

• PCD is sponsoring a Rhode Island Job Fair on March 8 and April 5, 2013. Participating employers will be conducting interviews in their offices on either date.  Application materials must be submitted through Symplicity by 10:00am on Tuesday, February 26 (Session - RI JOB FAIR - Spring 2013).
• Registration is now open for the 2013 Patent Law Interview Program to be held on Thursday, August 1 and Friday, August 2 in Chicago, IL> This is a nationwide interveiw program that targets patent law employers, rising 2L and 3L students, and students in Intellectual Property LL.M. programs. Students with undergraduate or graduate degrees in engineering or a technical science should consider registering for the program. For more information on the program, please refer to the Loyola Patent Program website. Student registration will close on Monday, March 4.
• Registration is now open for the Lavender Law Conference & Career Fair!  The Career Fair, sponsored by the National LGBT Bar Association, will be held on Thursday, August 22, 2013 in San Francisco, CA.  Registration information is available on their website.  We have one registration available for an interested student! Contact mdobbins@suffolk.edu for details.
• Want to work or study in Europe?  Looking for a full-time job, internship or a study program?  Resumes are still being accepted for the 17th European Career Fair to be held at MIT on February 23-25, 2013. Visit www.euro-career.com for details.
• Please notify Michelle Dobbins in the PCD (mdobbins@suffolk.edu) if you receive a call back interview or offer. This feedback is appreciated.