Warning! Facebook Danger!

"Professionalism is knowing how to do it, when to do it, and doing it." ~ Frank Tyger

I know the idea of Facebook privacy is not a new concept and that reminding you to maintain a professional “e-presence” may be unnecessary for most. However, as a real life cautionary tale about what employers are doing, I wanted to pass on this bit of feedback that we received today from a recent UB graduate who is involved in the hiring process at her firm. As we continue to see the job market become even more competitive, it’s crucial to be mindful of the kinds of things that will affect your chances of getting offers. Here it is:

“I am writing to display my concern in regards to law students having inappropriate content on Myspace and Facebook. I understand that people maintain these sites for communication purposes (I have a facebook and myspace page), however, I cannot stress enough how the interview committee sometimes asks us younger associates to check some applicants and interviewees' pages, and how inappropriate they are sometimes. I speak very highly of UB as an alumni and always encourage the interview committee to seek out UB candidates. However, I was extremely embarassed the other day to find that some candidates had extremely embarassing and inapproprate content on their pages (in which one the head partners was viewing along with me). It cannot be stressed enough to UB Law students to censor such content on their pages. The inappropriate half naked drunken pictures and slogans saying "I'm a bad law student" are not acceptable in seeking a professional career. I remember when I was at UB law that this had been mentioned... but I feel it needs to be stressed quite a bit more, that when applying for a legal job, that this stuff simply be erased from their pages. You can have a fun page and not be embarassing or inappropriate. On the flip side, not all the pages were like this, and some were very simple and not at all bad.”

However you might feel about the appropriateness of employers using online social networking sites to gather “private” information about students, it is obviously being done, and has been for several years now. And, interestingly, both younger and older attorneys seem to be making the same judgments based on what they see there. Just because a new associate has her own facebook page doesn’t mean that she’ll cut you any slack on the content of yours. This is really just the latest manifestation of the problem of keeping your impression professional at all times. Whether it’s not getting drunk at the firm reception, or making sure that your voicemail message isn’t goofy, it’s all the same concept.


If you’re interested in the hundreds of articles written about this topic, pro and con, just google the phrase “law students facebook employers” to get a pretty good sampling.


What to do? If you have anything on your online pages (web pages, blogs, facebook, myspace, etc.) that is accessible to others (even limiting it to “friends” isn’t always enough if a recent-grad associate can show it to a partner), take it down or increase your privacy settings. If your friends have tagged you in pictures that you don’t want to be seen, remove the tags, or ask your friends to take them down. If you can’t take things down, at least stop putting them up! Going forward, make a conscious decision about anything—pictures, posts, rants, etc. that goes up for the public to see.


You may feel that you have a right to free speech, and you are certainly correct. You may also feel that if an employer is going to decline to hire you based on how you look online, that you don’t want to work for them anyway. If that is your feeling, then by all means, go with it. But, realize that, even though you only need one offer in the end, “unprofessional” material will most certainly limit the number of offers you will have to choose from. It’s a matter of making informed judgments, and I hope the message from our recent grad will help you to make those judgments for yourself.

If you want to discuss the issue further in the comments section, please do. Dawn Skopinski and I will be presenting a program with Mariely Downey and Mary Kelkenberg from Hodgson Russ at the next NALP Conference on this very issue, so if you want to put your two cents in, we'd love to hear it! We will also be collecting some data on perceptions and demographics, so stay tuned for an update.

Apply for a Fulbright!!

"Education is the best means - probably the only means - by which nations can cultivate a degree of objectivity about each other's behavior and intentions... Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations." ~Senator J. William Fulbright

What a great experience for people who are interested in international work! Here's an overview of the program, from the UB Fulbright page.

The U.S. Congress created the Fulbright Program in 1946, immediately after World War II, to foster mutual understanding among nations through educational and cultural exchanges. Senator J. William Fulbright, sponsor of the legislation, saw it as a step toward building an alternative to armed conflict. Today, the Fulbright Program is the U.S. Government's premier scholarship program. It enables U.S. students and artists to benefit from unique resources in every corner of the world. It enables U.S. citizens to gain international competence in an interdependent world. Each year the Fulbright Program allows Americans to study or conduct research in over 140 nations. The Fulbright Association is a private, non-profit membership organization of Fulbright alumni and friends. (This site has links to other international grant opportunities.)The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is the principal administrator of the Fulbright Program worldwide. The Institute of International Education (IIE) assists in the conduct of the program at both predoctoral and postdoctoral levels.

I am posting this article written by Emily Conley, UB Law '08 who went through the Fulbright application process this year. She has since been named a Presidential Management Fellow (I will be asking her to post about that too!) but she had some great tips for applying for the Fulbright!

Applying for the Fulbright Program, by Emily Conley

If you are interested in becoming a Fulbright Scholar the first thing that you should do is familiarize yourself with the program by checking out the Fulbright website at http://www.iie.org/Template.cfm?section=Fulbright1 or http://www.fulbrightonline.org/ (US Student Programs are the ones that are most likely going to be applicable to you.)

If you are interested in applying to the Fulbright Program and do not currently have a preference regarding the country or the region where you want to do your research you might want to look at the Competition Statistics Page (http://us.fulbrightonline.org/thinking_competition.html) to help you zone in on a country or region. If you are pretty open to where you are willing to go then it might behoove you to consider countries that are a bit off the beaten path so that the odds are more in your favor. For example, in 2007 almost 100 people applied to do research in Australia and Australia only had 12 positions available. Granted, there is pretty stiff competition for spots in every country and there is no way to “beat the odds” by selecting a country in which no one else is interested; however, it is a good idea to start off by seeing what you’re up against.

Another good resource to look at when you’re getting started is the Participating Country Summary page (http://us.fulbrightonline.org/thinking_country.html). This page links you into all participating countries’ individual webpages detailing their requirements.
Language is something that is really important to think about when applying for Fulbright ( are you going to go someplace where you already speak the language, if you go someplace where you do not speak the language is there a program in place to help you learn it). A number of countries participate in the Critical Language Enhancements Award program where you can essentially be awarded extra time in country to study a language that has been designated “critical”. There is a specific list of Critical Languages so you might want to see if you can incorporate one of them into your program. Note: each country that participates in the Critical Language Program has different requirements regarding the amount of study that you must complete before arriving in the country so you’re going to want to make sure that you can meet those requirements.

Once you have narrowed down your country selection you are going want to start thinking about your project – what is it that you want to research? Once you have a topic think about how you are going to go about conducting your research and what your results are going to look like? Are you going to be passing out surveys to locals, attorneys and judges, or are you going to be going through government records? Are you going to have information that you are going to be able to chart on a graph, a collection of stories, etc. Conceptualize your project and then explain it to a few people and get their feedback.

Now that you have a country and a project and a plan you might want to look into organizations in the country of your choice that can help to support your project. From what I have heard – it will carry a lot of weight if you can get a letter of recommendation from someone in country that is interested in working with you on your project. This is going to take a little bit of work – but with the internet it is manageable.

When you are putting your Fulbright application together, make sure to talk about it with your friends and professors because you never know who might have contacts that can help you out. For example, you might decide that you want to go to Bangladesh and two days before the application is due you might find out that you have a friend who has an aunt living in Buffalo who speaks Bengali and is willing to tutor you – and the addition of a letter from your potential tutor is going to carry some weight during the application process.

Technically, you are supposed to apply to the Fulbright Program through the University of Buffalo Fulbright Office (http://www.fulbright.buffalo.edu/) through Professor Patrick McDevitt. The first thing to do is to schedule an appointment with him (mcdevitt@buffalo.edu.). The internal UB deadline is in September. However, if for some reason you are unable to do so because you miss the deadline or they reject your application you will still be able to apply as an at-large candidate.

Applying for the Fulbright program is a bit of work; however, being a scholar would open up a great deal of doors to you so do not be deterred by the amount of work that you are going to have to put into your application. I STRONGLY suggest that you consult with as many people as possible while you are putting your application together because their feedback is going to help you to tighten up your application and make it much stronger in the end.
If you have any questions – please feel free to email them to me (egconley@buffalo.edu).
Good Luck!!

New Podcast Series "Transitioning from 1L to Summer Legal Work"

From our friends at Suffolk Law School...

"I am pleased to announce the publication of the “Transitioning from One-L to Summer Legal Work” podcast series! This series is hosted by the Suffolk University Law School Legal Practice Skills Program, and includes podcasts created by nineteen legal research and writing faculty from around the country. Its goal is to provide 1Ls with advice on applying the skills they learned during their first year of law school to summer legal employment, as well as to help them succeed in the culture of a law firm. Click the following link for a video overview and to access the series: http://www.law.suffolk.edu/podcasts/lps-2008-summer.html

Please share the link for the series with your students, colleagues in your legal writing program, and other members of the faculty at your law school. As an aside, the introductory podcast in the series is by our own Dean Fred Aman, an accomplished jazz musician. You can hear his music playing in the background at the beginning to each of the podcasts in the series. Thank you to all who participated in the series!

Professor Kathleen Elliott Vinson
Director, Legal Practice Skills Program
Suffolk University Law School
120 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 573-8210
kvinson@suffolk.edu"

Summer Idea #2: Keep an Open Mind

"Why are we so full of restraint? Why do we not give in all directions? Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves.” ~Henry James

I’ve been away a few days on a road trip to Boston, and experienced for the first time the joy of traveling with a GPS. Except for the occasional odd route that “Emmy” (doesn’t everyone name their GPS?) sent us, it really changed the way I think of travelling now. One amazing feature of this little technological miracle is her ability to correct my mistakes. If I miss a turn, she will announce that she is “recalculating” and then send me a new way.

I also found, however, after toying with Emmy a bit, that I could “disobey” her directions quite often and still make it to my destination. We even had a little game going on one day to see how many times we could turn the exact opposite way and still get home. I think we did it 5 times, and I swear I could detect just a hint of rebuke in each of those “recalculatings.” It even made me a bit apologetic for straying from her set course for me.

So I was thinking. We are all more comfortable with a set course. It is a relief to know that you don’t have to calculate every single turn. However, the pre-mapped path seldom fits perfectly. Maybe there is a construction detour. Maybe you wanted to swing by a certain store on the way. Maybe you just can’t handle the Throughway today. Don't worry, you’ll still get there!

As your career progresses, step off the path every once in a while. Even if you knew you wanted to be a prosecutor since you were 3, sit next to the tax attorney at the bar association dinner and ask her about her practice. Try volunteering a few hours a week or taking on a pro bono project. Go to a CLE in an area that you don’t know about. You may find a new route to your destination, or diverge completely into a path that leads to great happiness! Or as my travels with Emmy have taught me, it will at least make the journey more interesting.

Interviewing Tip #1: Think of it as an audition

"Every time you have to speak, you are auditioning for leadership.” ~ James C. Humes

In High School it seemed like I was auditioning constantly. If you have ever auditioned or tried out for anything, you know how nerve-wracking and ego-straining it is. It feels like a test, not only of your skills and talents, but of your very self worth. When I tried out for a part the high school play and was told I’d be much more useful in the orchestra pit, I felt like I could never look the drama teacher (who was also my English teacher) in the eye again. Interviewing for a job feels like that too, doesn’t it? If you don’t get the job, then you just must be completely worthless, you’ll never do anything right again, and the employer must think of you as something lower than pond scum. But, really, you know that’s not the case. If you think about interviewing as auditioning, it can help put the experience in perspective.

There are two reasons why interviewing is like auditioning:
1. It is an indication of future performance.
2. It is a test of where you fit at this time. It isn’t a personal value-judgment.

Because I know you are just dying for me to expound:

1. Future performance: Just like your singing audition will tell the director if you can project confidently into a crowded theater, the way you conduct yourself in an interview—what you say, how you look, how you make the interviewer feel—are all indications of how you will someday represent them. Whether it is a test of how you treat their clients, how you articulate your thoughts in court, or how you handle difficult questions with the press, your interview can give a glimpse of your future self. Even how you deal with your own weaknesses, like a grade or a lack of experience, can be an example of how you make case when all the facts aren’t as strong as they could be. You’re your first client, after all. An interview is your opportunity to show how you make your case for being hired!

2. Fit : You may think you were born to play Batman, but you might make a brilliant Robin instead! You may be a wonderfully smart person, but the interviewer knows that your personality is wrong for the job. If you keep in touch with the interviewer, despite not getting the job, her feedback may be instrumental in your career search and may steer you in a direction that will ultimately make you happier.

Timing: You’re a great tap-dancer, but there’s only one female part in “Singin’ in the Rain.” If you hang around, you may find that the understudy becomes the star! In an interview, you may fit in every way, but you may be the 5th stellar candidate for 4 positions. The employer would be delighted if you kept in touch with them because it’s hard to find great candidates. If you can get over your initial disappointment and find a way to keep in touch, I’m sure they wish they could have hired you, and would welcome another chance if they get one.

So here’s the takeaway. When you’re preparing for an interview, think of what the questions are for, and you will make a great impression. Whatever happens, if you view the interview at the very least as a way to make another career-related contact and possible mentor, you will always get something out of it. And if you remember that getting the job has nothing to do with how good a person you are, then you’re in great shape for the job search!

It’s hard to keep this in mind when you’re in the middle of it, but I guarantee you will look back on interviews and know that most of them turn out the way they should. Looking back, at my own aspirations for a theatrical "career," of course I realize now that I would have made a terrible Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, and when the sax player got mono, it was a good thing I was in the pit, ready to play the “Luck Be a Lady” solo!

Celebrate Graduation!

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” ~Henry David Thoreau

I would like to congratulate all our graduates! You have worked hard, learned well and reached new heights. These three years may seem to have flown by, but I remember when you were all 1Ls in the CSO Orientation, listening to the 2Ls and 3Ls talking about their jobs, wondering whether you would ever sound so confident and knowledgeable. And now you do. You are about to enter our Noble Profession at last!

I have a special message for those of you who are looking for jobs. Graduation can be bittersweet for those who have yet to secure a job offer. Questions from parents, relatives and friends about “what’s next” can take some of the joy out of the day. It is an understandable question, but for law graduates, who have the bar exam ahead of them, a premature one. The timing of legal jobs is thrown off by that 3-month postponement of your availability. For a great number of employers, there are later timelines for offers:

1. August/September, when you’re ready to work full-time.
2. November, when the bar results (in New York) are announced.
3. January/February, when you are admitted to practice.

These jobs are often with District Attorneys, small/medium firms, public interest agencies, almost any category! Even large firms and judges have hired later. The timing of an offer is not a measure of the quality of the job, nor of the candidate! As these times approach, I hope you will keep the CSO updated on your search so that we can help you on your way, and encourage you in your pursuit.

So in addition to my heartfelt congratulations, I want to encourage you to savor these celebratory days. You have earned every minute of them! Remember that Commencement is just that--a beginning. Not a deadline.

And to everyone in the class of 2008...you ROCK!! Keep in touch!

Meet Our New Dean!

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” ~John C. Maxwell

Our own Dean Makau Mutua was profiled in the New York Law Journal today. This extensive and inspiring article gives a wonderful insight into his accomplishments and background. Thanks to Dean Ilene Fleischmann for sending it around!

Great New Judicial Clerkship Website!

"Judicial judgment must take deep account of the day before yesterday in order that yesterday may not paralyze today.” ~Felix Frankfurter

Judicial Clerkships are among the most sought-after jobs for law graduates, but despite recent advances by judges in coordinating their timing for applications, the process can still be incredibly difficult to manage. Judges are not bound by any of the timing guidelines, and many hire on their own schedules.

Enter a brand new site! http://www.soyouwanttobealawclerk.com/. The author promises to update clerkship vacancies, and to identify whether the judge is a "Hiring Plan" judge or a "Non-Hiring Plan" judge. If he or she is to be believed, this will promise to be a fantastic and much-needed resource for applicants. Used in conjunction with the online OSCAR system, it is a great way to make sure you are in the know! For more resources, a recording of the CSO Judicial Clerkship Panel in April, and a link to the Judicial Clerkship Application tips handout, see the previous post called All Rise for Judicial Clerkships!

Coming Attractions: On/Off Campus Interviewing...

"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.” ~Groucho Marx

Just when you thought it was over, it starts up again! In less than a month, it will be time to start thinking about Summer/Fall recruiting again. The CSO will start collecting resumes for our earliest program, the Off-Campus NYC Interview Program at the London Hotel in NYC, on July 7, so the whole crazy process starts very soon!

Watch your email in June for our complete kick-off announcement! In the meantime,

1. Take a deep breath, read a magazine, watch a movie and get some exercise.


2. Make sure the email address in your Symplicity profile is correct.


3. Get your resume updated and polished. Send it to the CSO for review and feedback!


4. Start browsing the NALP Directory for large firms, and the Government Honors & Internship Handbook for government agencies. (Go to the "document library" tab in the documents section of Symplicity for a list of all our online passwords called, "Websites and Subscription Passwords")

Did you miss the info session about Summer/Fall Recruiting? Listen to it here, and get the hand out in the Symplicity document library!

Oh, and by the way, the Groucho Marx reference is a reminder that job searching in any form, but especially Fall Recruiting, can be and incredibly stressful experience. Silliness can be a lifesaver!

Congrats to our Summer Public Interest Fellows!

Hi everyone!

For my first blog, I would like to share some great news with all of you.

First, we would like to extend our THANKS to all applicants, faculty readers, BPILP, the Dean's Office, and the Development Office for all their hard work in making this year's fellowship selection process such a success!! This year there were close to 30 applications and the overall quality of this year's applications was again outstanding!

The 13th Annual BPILP Auction held earlier this year was the most successful ever as BPILP raised nearly $34,000 to be used towards providing UB Law School students the opportunity to accept unpaid public service summer positions.

Through the combined dedication and support of Dean Makau Mutua, the UB Law Alumni Association, the Student Bar Association, the Domestic Violence Task Force, our very generous alumni and fellow student donors -- who continue to be committed to public interest law -- and the remarkable leadership and members of BPILP, 20 projects in total will receive funding this summer! In addition, to date we have been notified of 3 terrific students who were awarded national fellowships.

Please join us in congratulating this year's Summer Public Interest Fellows:

Dean's Buffalo Public Interest Law Program Fellows
Linda Benedict ’09 - Gulfcoast Legal Service - St. Petersburg, FL
Joshua Pennel ’10 - US Attorney's Office, Western District of NY - Buffalo, NY
Claire Sellers ’10 - Volunteer Lawyers Project - Buffalo, NY
Heather Strachan ’10 - Volunteer Lawyers Project - Buffalo, NY

UB Law Alumni Association's Buffalo Public Interest Law Program Fellows
Demian Fernandez ’10 - Human Rights Department, Central University of Santiago Law School -Santiago, Chile
Gurjot Kaur ’10 - Lawyers for Human Rights - Johannesburg, South Africa

Buffalo Public Interest Law Program Fellows
Joshua Agins ’10 – Rochester Legal Aid Society, Law Students in Action Project – Rochester, NY
Gregory Colavecchi ’10 – Monroe County Legal Assistance Center, Law Students in Action Project – Rochester, NY
Jesslyn Holbrook ’10 - US Attorney's Office, Western District of NY - Buffalo, NY
Scott Iseman ’10 - US Attorney's Office, Northern District of NY - Albany, NY
Kathleen Moriarty ’10 - Buffalo ReUse - Buffalo, NY
Neil Pawlowski ’10 - US Attorney's Office, Northern District of NY - Syracuse, NY
Kristen Schaub ’10 - NYS Division of Human Rights - Buffalo, NY
Ashley Westbrook ’10 – Farmworkers Legal Services, Law Students in Action Project – Rochester, NY
Jawziya Zaman ’10 - Legal Resource Center - Cape Town, South Africa

Buffalo Public Interest Law Program / Student Bar Association Fellow
Andrew Stimson ’10 - Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo - Buffalo, NY

Buffalo Public Interest Law Program / Student Bar Association Grant Recipient
Geoffrey Hale ’09 – Empire Justice Center, Law Students in Action Project – Rochester, NY

Buffalo Public Interest Law Program / Domestic Violence Task Force Grant Recipient
Nola Cornett ’10 – Volunteer Lawyers Project, Haven House Domestic Violence Legal Clinic – Buffalo, NY

Kaplan & Reynolds Fellows
Rachel Marrero ’10 - Neighborhood Legal Services, Family Law Unit, Grandparent Advocacy Project - Buffalo, NY
Stefanie Svoren ’09 - Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Domestic Security Section –Washington DC

Charles H. Revson Law Student Public Interest (LSPIN) Fellowship Grant Recipients
Jeffrey Colt ’10 – Sanctuary for Families, Bronx Division – Bronx, NY
Elena Steigman ’10 – Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. – New York, NY

Equal Justice Works Summer Corps Program Member
Ashley Westbrook ’10 – Farmworkers Legal Services, Law Students in Action Project –Rochester, NY

It's Not Too Late to Find a Summer Job!

“Often, things happen at the last minute.” ~Tom Luddy, Hollywood Film Producer

Exams are winding down. If you are still looking for that perfect summer job, there are still opportunities available. Here are a few hits from the web--hese places still have postings up for summer clerks! Take a look, but remember that only a small percentage of jobs are ever posted, so don't be afraid to approach firms or corporations that interest you.

Liberty Mutual, law clerks: From Boca Raton, to NYC, to Mineola to Springfield, MA to San Diego. At least today, there are 14 clerk jobs posted here (type "clerk" in the keyword field).
Progress Software, 2 IP law clerks: Bedford, MA No technical background required, posted on May 13 here (type "legal intern" in the keyword field)!
Conservation International, legal intern: Arlington, VA. From the Washington Post on May 13--information and application link here!
Enel North America, paid summer intern jobs in renewable energy, Andover, MA. From careerbuilder.com posted on May 2 here.
CACI, Law Clerk: Washington, DC posted April 29. Details here.
Arrow Electronics, legal intern: Melville, NY, posted April 17 here.
IBM, Law Intern: Bethesda MD, posted May 6 here.

For new postings in Buffalo, including the Paychex Legal Department (paid!) in Rochester, The City of Buffalo Law Department, and the US District Court Pro Se Staff Attorney's Office, log in to Symplicity!

Check in with the CSO for help with your summer plans. It's not too late!

Accentuate the Positive!

“They seem to be charmed by my Southern accent.” ~Actress Cleo Moore

A very wise Southern Belle once told me that you can get away with saying anything about anyone by tacking the phrase, “Bless your heart” on the end. For example, “You just must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, bless your heart!” could translate to “You are being such a [insert favorite expletive here].”

Now, I’m not suggesting that your interview technique should literally include frequent use of “bless your heart,” but it is an interesting illustration of the power of positive language over negative. It is a subtle thing, and one that your listener may not even notice overtly, but training yourself away from negative words can make your written and spoken communications sound brighter, more enthusiastic and more constructive.

Some examples: “I don’t know anything about tax law, “ vs. “I am looking forward to learning about tax law.” OR “I hate potatoes,” vs. “I prefer rice as a side dish” OR “This building is so ugly,” vs. “There is some real potential for renovation here!”

Some words to train yourself away from:
No, Not, any word with n’t
Negative adjectives, like bad, ugly, horrible, etc.
Negative verbs like hate, dislike, oppose, fight, etc.

Try it sometime! Whether it’s in a cover letter, interview, networking situation, negotiation, professional meeting or even an argument with a friend, you’ll see that it works like magic. And if you find it too challenging to manage, then bless your heart.

Loan Consolidation Presentation Link

“We often pay our debts not because it is only fair that we should, but to make future loans easier” ~François de la Rochefoucauld

On April 30, Joe DelBene from Graduate Leverage gave a very informative presentation on campus regarding loan consolidation options. Below is a message he sent me as a follow up, containing a short synopsis of his presentation and a handout. Also, be sure to consult our post on on Federal Loan Forgiveness!

"Here is a brief, 5-minute web-based seminar providing more details regarding consolidation decisions for the class of 2008. http://graduateleverage.acrobat.com/classof2008/
I have also included a copy of our presentation handout as well.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Joe
jdelbene@graduateleverage.com"

Professionalism 101: Some REALLY Basic Tips from the National Law Journal

“Why not whip the teacher when the pupil misbehaves?” ~Diogenes

OK, Diogenes has scared me into posting this. To most of us, this advice seems mostly self-evident, but serves as a good reminder anyway. Myself, I'd prefer more positive language (dos instead of don'ts) but the message is the same. Whether you're soon to be starting that first job, even interning or law-clerking for the summer, take a look, even if it's to confirm to yourself that you are much more well-behaved than others out there. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a national article about it...

Thanks to Laura Reilly for the link! May we both escape Diogenes' wrath. Remember, if you find something interesting, please feel free to pass it on, or add it in a comment!

The ABA Journal's e-magazine highlighted a longer article in the National Law Journal. Both give some basic professionalism tips for new lawyers. In a nutshell, from the ABA Journal article:

1. Don’t cover up mistakes. Hiding a mistake can magnify the error and prevent it from being corrected. It also may give your supervisors reason to question your
judgment.
2. Don’t abuse the staff. Hurtful words, screaming tantrums and inappropriate physical contact or intimidation are big no-no’s. Your reputation will be harmed and staffers will make your job more difficult. Bad behavior could also result in lawsuits. Learn to “play nice,” and if you blow up at someone, make sure you apologize.
3. Don’t badmouth clients and higher-ups. Your words may get back to those you criticize. Others who hear your tirades may wonder if you are making similar comments about them.
4. Don’t write angry words in an e-mail, and don’t respond to a “flaming” e-mail in kind. Assume your e-mail will be forwarded to others.
5. Don’t drink to excess. Social occasions with colleagues or clients should still be treated as business meetings.

Whew! I need to insert some positive language here. So, here are some great resources affiliated with these articles.

The National Law Journal has a great career page, and the ABA Journal has a career topic page. The ABA Journal main news page also has a weekly or daily subscription option, and an RSS feed, and even a "blawg" (law blog) directory, if you really want to keep up with the legal news!

Job Postings on myspace!!

"Out on the road today, I saw a dead-head sticker on a Cadillac. A little voice inside my head said, dont look back. You can never look back." ~Don Henley

Cheesecake, beer and diamonds. Who could ask for more! The myspace job$ section is funneling legal intern postings for Cheesecake Factory, Coors Brewing Company, Tiffany's and many others like Hewlett-Packard, Citi, and Allstate, for those of you who are turned on by printers, banking and insurance. Check out this link to a "Legal Intern" search.

I guess Corporate America is catching onto using "social networking" sites as marketing and recruiting tools! Fun's over, kids.

Dr. Strangelaw or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Law School

“Pride is a personal commitment. It is an attitude that separates excellence from mediocrity.” ~Unknown

This spring, amid all the rankings-rancor, a Facebook group popped up called Proud to be a UB Law Student! Today it has 146 members. In the midst of a situation that many used as an excuse to gripe in public forum (they bit off their noses to spite their faces, you know), these 146 stood up and spoke for all that is great and wonderful about our school. Bravo to them!

I don't understand those people who decided to use the WSJ blog to air all their pent up law school frustration! If you find good things to say to the world about UB Law, you make yourself look better, too. I’m not trying to be Big Brother, saying that people can’t voice opinions and give criticism. Our Ideas Day was a fantastic outlet for all kinds of feedback, positive, negative and innovative. Everyone complains about stuff in school, especially in a discipline that trains you to think critically. I wish everyone would also just think critically about their audience, and the impression they’re giving...that they would find sensible outlets for all their comments. Don’t you think that being at a school with really amazing Vault-survey student comments is going to be better than being at a school with snarky ones?

Since this is a career blog, let me tie this all in with interviewing and networking. In the real world, it boils down to this. Browse the Law School website—look at all the great stuff that goes on here. Make that part of your interview and networking material. Want an example of how to do that? Our own Vice Dean Alan Carrel recently addressed a reunion luncheon. I’m not a fan of rankings, but Dean Carrel would rank #1 if we measured pride among UB Law Alumni. Here is a link to his speech. I hope you will take the time to read it, not only for its content, but also because it is an ideal example of how a proud alumnus talks about UB Law.

So here’s my takeaway. Join the UB Believers. Be proud. Be proud as heck. Not just of your law school, but of your college, your high school, or any other group that you may represent. They had a part in getting you to where you are today. But remember that the relationship is symbiotic. A school only looks as good as the person representing it at that moment. The reputation of any school lives and dies by the actions and character of its students and graduates. You are our ambassador forever. You have the power to move the school forward, or hold it back, just by how you perform, behave, speak. If you excel in your summer job, your employer will come back to hire students again. If you burn bridges, you have potentially burned them for years of students to follow you. You, yes YOU. One person can make a difference.

NYS Judicial Institute Summer Internship!

"There is hardly a political question in the United States which does not sooner or later turn into a judicial one" ~Alexis de Tocqueville

This JUST came in!! Due date May 18, but don't wait that long if you can help it. It will be on Symplicity, but you saw it here first!

THE NEW YORK STATE JUDICIAL INSTITUTE is offering unpaid Summer Legal Internships for students who are currently pursuing a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school and have completed at least one year of law school.

The New York State Judicial Institute is a year-round center for judicial education and research designed to enhance the quality of the courts and ensure that the judiciary of this State sets the standard for judicial excellence around the country. Recognizing the importance of an informed and up-to-date court system, the Institute provides educational programs not only for its judges but for the State’s court attorneys and court personnel as well.

Law Intern Responsibilities: Assist the New York State Judicial Institute in the preparation of materials for Judicial programs. Contact program faculty to follow up on specific requests. Help develop and administer the program evaluation process and draft speakers’ biographies. Perform legal research on Westlaw, Lexis, government search sites, and the Internet. Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: - Currently pursuing a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.- Completion of one year of law school. - Able to work 20 hours a week.APPLICATIONS: To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume, including in the cover letter dates of your availability and number of hours you are available per week, to:

Leonie McCaulsky
Management Analyst
NYS Judicial Institute
84 North Broadway
White Plains, NY 10603

POSITIONS AVAILABLE: 2 (to start June 2, 2008)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 18, 2008

Comment Call #1: Do you have a cool summer job?

"Life is the only real counselor; wisdom unfiltered through personal experience does not become a part of the moral tissue.” ~Edith Wharton

We have a number of "series" posts planned for this blog, as the more observant of you could surmise by the #1 in the "Summer Ideas" post. The COMMENT CALL series is an open invitation for you to participate with your own stories, insights and wisdom! Thanks to R&W Professor Laura Reilly for this great idea!

So without much (more) ado, Comment Call #1:

Do you have a really cool summer job, internship or study abroad lined up? Tell us all about it!

Click on "# comments" below and try to include:

1. Name of your "employer"
2. Your title/function
3. What city it's in
4. Briefly, what your project will be (if you know)
5. Why you're excited about it
6. We're going to be putting out a comment call in the future asking for stories about how you found your jobs/internships, but feel free to tell us here too!

(remember this is a moderated-comment blog, so there will probably be a delay before you see your comment appear...)

As you're thinking about this, don't forget to let the CSO know what you're doing! Weren't you curious about what people did over the summer? We don't know until you tell us! Email me directly (you could even refer to your comment on here and just tell me privately who you are) or fill out the survey in Symplicity (in your profile, click on "employment" and then "add new").

And. if you would like to submit a post about your experience during the summer, e.g., a really gratifying project, or enlightening event, let me know and I will give you a guest spot!

Life After buffalo.edu...

"The moving cursor writes, and having written, blinks on." ~Dave Barry

Guilt. It's the main reason we fall out of touch. Maybe you have a friend from college that you forgot to email back...three years ago. Now it's just awkward. Or, you haven't had time to keep in touch with that professor who wrote your recommendation for law school, and now you'd like to ask her advice again.

Soon, you will have the perfect excuse to send that procrastinated email! Several people have asked me what happens to the buffalo.edu email addresses after graduation. The CIT help desk informs me that they will still be active for six months, and will continue to forward to a new address for another six months. You can also sign up for a free lifetime forwarding address through the UB Alumni Association. There's a pretty clear explanation of the policy here.

The bottom line is that you will have a year to phase out your buffalo.edu address. It's great excuse to recontact old friends, family, professional contacts, and even pending job applications. "Here's my new email address," can be a wonderful ice-breaker to rekindle all kinds of communications! I think you'll find the guilt was unwarranted, and that people will be delighted to hear from you.

We're Getting Press!

"There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary." ~Brendan Behan

The wonderful folks at "Out of the Jungle," including our own illustrious Jim Milles, Vice Dean for Legal Information Services and Director of the Law Library, have given a nod to our humble new blog. Check out our first review at:

Out of the Jungle: New UB Law CSO blog

Summer Idea #1: Join a Bar Association!

"The only real training for leadership is leadership." ~Anthony Jay

This is the first in a series of ideas of things to do, besides work, intern, sleep and watch movies over the summer.

Remember back in high school when everyone told you that you needed to have a lot of activities to round out your college applications? Then, the same rule applied for law school? Know why? Our noble profession, as any great profession, thrives and grows through leadership and participation. Those colleges and law schools looked for future leaders to help shape the profession and to represent us well in society. As you transition from student to lawyer, start looking to bar associations and other professional groups as your next step. They can help you find the perfect job, and cultivate a ready-made network of peers at the same time!

The summer is a great time to join (you don't have to pass an exam or anything...)! There are hundreds and hundreds of bar and trade associations that would love you to join them as a student member. They are organized around many themes: geographic (national, state, county, city), demographic (gender, ethnicity/race, sexual preference), or practice (sector, practice specialty, function). Usually, membership for students is free or very nominal, and buys you incredible benefits that can help you as you move forward in your career. Although stated benefits of these groups often differ slightly, here is a short list of reasons to join (all of these are phenomenal job-search strategies too):

1. Periodicals: Usually, there is a newsletter or bar journal included in your membership that will help you keep up on current legal issues in the field, and start introducing you to familiar names in that circle.
2. Events: CLEs, receptions, dinners, committee meetings, etc. You’ll be in a room full of lawyers that do what you want to do, where you want to do it! Talk to them! Some organzations, like the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the American Intellectual Property Law Assocation, to name just two, host student job fairs for members!
3. Leadership Opportunities: Often, you can join a sub-section or committee of the organization, or at least introduce yourself to the chair of one, and offer to help. If you can contribute your energy and enthusiasm to a project, it is the best way to make a great impression!
4. “Virtual” Presence: If your intended job market is far away, an affiliation with
the local bar can give you the savvy, networking and recognition that you need to keep linked up with that market.
5. Practice Expertise: By participating with a professional organization, you’ll start to talk the talk and sound like a lawyer!

Sound good? Here are two really great lists of bar associations. Hieros Gamos hosts a fantastic one that is geographically organized, and includes all of North America. Click on the state you’re interested in and an incredibly robust list appears. FindLaw provides a good supplement to this one, that is more national and specialty-oriented. Of course, neither is absolutely exhaustive (I noticed that the American Association of Nurse Attorneys, isn’t on either of them), so Google up one that suits your interest.

And don't forget our UB Law Alumni Association! They offer all the same benefits and more for students and alumni. For more information, and to join, click here. Those clubs that you joined back in high school were good training for this!

Succeed in your Summer Job! Research Tips from the Job Goddess

“You hit home runs not by chance but by preparation." ~Roger Maris

No, I'm not the Job Goddess. She is Kimm Alayne Walton, author of the immensely popular and fantastically helpful Guerilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams. Kimm also writes a great resource called What Law School Doesn't Teach You But You Really Need To Know. Links to both are on the sidebar, and they are both available from the CSO for borrowing.

Feeling a little wonky about legal research outside the classroom? Here's an abstract from What Law School Doesn't Teach You that will give you some great and comprehensive guidelines on handling those assignments, from beginning to end! You'll quickly find that you are a much better writer than you thought, and that how you approach your assignments is half the battle! Write on...

Turkey Vultures

"The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us.” ~Ashley Montagu

In the spirit of this being a true blog, with its accompanying anecdotal qualities, I couldn't help but make a post about this. Tuesday night at about 7 pm, I saw a turkey vulture on top of Park Hall through the window in the O'Brian stairwell on the 7th floor! Here it is:




Turkey vultures, robins. What is it with birds and Park Hall?
By the way, the robin's eggs are hatched, and there are babies! The picture is fuzzy because the mama bird was very upset at me taking their picture, and I was trying to get it done quickly.


I suppose if there is an inspirational message to be taken from these feathered friends, it might be:


Keep your eyes open, because you never know what strange and wonderful things you might see in unexpected places...

Finally, Federal Loan Forgiveness!!

“We must make the choices that enable us to fulfill the deepest capacities of our real selves.” ~Thomas Merton

For professionals and students heading into not-for-profit or government jobs, one of the most exciting developments ever to happen in educational legislation was the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA), signed into law in September 2007. Basically, it ensures a manageable income-sensitive repayment schedule and a full FORGIVENESS of the balance after 10 years (or 120 payments) in a public interest, government or not-for-profit job (defined in the act). Note, these need not be just law-related, but ANY, including teaching, law-enforcement, social work, you name it.

The details are complicated, and still have some wrinkles; the final forgiveness is still a taxable event until lobbyists get their way in the form of an amendment. But if you anticipate being in public service for the next ten years, it is an amazing deal. For more information, see the following links.

UB Law Links Article
Equal Justice Works Resource Site
Law Review Article by Georgetown Professor Philip Schrag
IBR Info: A non-profit information resource regarding the CCRAA

The Federal Direct Consolidation loan application is here.

Just another great tool to help you on your way to your dream job!

All Rise for Judicial Clerkships!

“A good lawyer knows the law. A great lawyer knows the judge.” ~Anonymous

I'm not sure who said that quote, but it is a favorite of our own Dean Ilene! It is also on a sweatshirt my sister-in-law gave me. But it serves my purpose in introducing the topic of judicial clerkships. There is a ton of literature out there extolling the virtues of clerking for a judge after graduation. It seems almost self-evident for me to say that you should definitely consider it. Every clerk and former clerk I have ever talked to has said that it was the greatest job they ever had.

Yesterday, April 29, 2008, the CSO hosted three guest speakers to talk about the job details, reasons to clerk, the process of applying, and tips on making yourself an attractive candidate. I won’t try to recap the whole program here. For details, and to listen to the panel, go to the Career Services Lecture Series site.

To boil it down, here some great reasons to consider clerkships:

1. Prestige: There are few jobs that carry the pure caché of a judicial clerkship.


2. Career Boost: Almost any legal employer loves to hire law clerks because of the research and writing skills you develop, your inside knowledge of the court system, and simply because it looks good for them to have a lot of former clerks.


3. Money: Even though clerkships are government jobs and pay accordingly (but not too badly these days), many law firms offer signing bonuses (quite large ones, according to the New York Times) for associates coming off clerkships.


4. Short time commitment: Term clerkships last only one to two years.


5. Satisfaction: Clerks are able to produce very robust, high-quality, cutting-edge and challenging work without the pressure of billing.
   
6. Relationships: As a clerk, there is a very small group of people in your court that you can discuss your cases with. Judges, clerks, and other court personnel develop very significant personal connections that last a lifetime.


7. Accessibility: When you consider Federal, State, trial court or appellate, magistrates, specialty courts, local and national regions, there are lots of opportunities for clerking, even if you think your grades might not be high enough. Give it a shot!

For more information and resources, check out Dawn Skopinski’s CSO Bibliography (go to page 70, but browse around while you’re there…) The application process can be overwhelming to start with, so check in with the CSO for help! This year, for the first time, the CSO will be paying postage for any snail-mailed clerkship applications! Watch for announcements!

Can a News Article Change Your Life?

"A man's life in these parts often depends on a mere scrap of information." ~Clint Eastwood, as the Man with No Name in A Fistful of Dollars, 1963

It's amazing how a little snippet read in a newspaper or blog or heard on a radio news program (here's where I make a plug for NPR!) can impact one's future if combined with a little initiative. Recently, while participating in an online chat session with some admitted students to UB Law School, one of them asked what they should be reading to prepare for law school. The most common answer they received was, "Read the newspaper." Sounds simple and obvious, right?

From a career development standpoint, one of the most important critical skills you can develop is the ability to ferret out opportunity from information. If you’re not sure what you might like to do for a summer internship, or for a next job move, start paying close attention to the news, whether in the paper, journals, radio, web pages or television. You will find that certain stories catch your attention more than others. Chances are, there are legal participants somewhere in those stories. Sometimes, they are even quoted or highlighted. Why not take that scrap of information and turn it into your next step?

A couple of years ago, one of our UB Law students wanted to find a summer job dealing with technology and China. She started to keep up with current news, and quickly learned that IBM was working on a deal with the Chinese Lenovo corporation to take over their laptop production. In the course of her reading, she found that two law firms were quoted in a few articles about the deal, as well as the in-house attorney for IBM handling it. She contacted each of the three attorneys by name, and told them that she had been following the deal in the news and was interested in helping them out. This was long past the fall-recruiting season; it was at least March. She wound up with three offers, and ended up splitting her summer between the Baker & McKenzie (a MEGA large firm) Hong Kong Office and IBM's North Carolina Office. She had to turn down the offer from the London firm of Herbert Smith because she just didn't have enough weeks in the summer! I guarantee she was the only law student in the country who read that news item and thought to use it to ask for a job. Talk about great odds!

Bottom line, pay attention to what you pay attention to! If you are already drawn to it, chances are, it is something that you will enjoy exploring more deeply, and you will most likely discover an interesting career path with a bit of intuitive, strategic thinking. It could even turn into a fistful of dollars!

Spring Has Sprung, Summer is Coming!

"April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go."
~Christopher Morley, John Mistletoe

Walking to the Jacobs parking lot on Saturday, I saw a robin
nesting in the flowering tree outside Park Hall. After a teasing us for a few months, Old Man Winter has finally released his grip on us, and Spring is really here. Little shoots and buds, birds and insects are waking and emerging.

And so are legal employers! Even though some of the more visible jobs hire a year or more in advance, remember what it was like looking for a job before the wacky paradigm of the “law school job search” warped our expectations. Before law school, you didn’t go to the Gap to apply for a job, only to tell them that you want to start in 10 months! Employers hired you closer to when you were ready to start.

Small firms, public interest agencies, solo practitioners, and all kinds of great summer and graduate employers fall into this “real world” category! Especially if they don’t have a designated HR or recruiting person/department, if they post jobs at all, the vast majority of them don’t think about summer until the snow is all melted and they see their first robin!
What does that mean for you if you’re looking for a job right now? Here are some things to do:

1. Don’t give up on the CSO’s postings on Symplicity. Jobs continue to roll in all through the month of May and into June.

2. Now is the time to recontact those employers that may have told you that they “weren’t looking right now, but they’ll keep your resume on file.”

3. Don’t be afraid to approach a small law firm or solo practitioner and ask if they need extra help for the summer. They are much more equipped to make a decision about their needs now.

4. Public interest volunteer positions can sometimes be the best and most hands-on experiences. Even if you can only afford to volunteer one day a week with a Legal Aid Office or Public Defender or DA, it will look just as good on your resume. Check the employer section of Symplicity (employer type=Public Interest) or PSLawNet.org or Idealist.org for organizations to approach.

5. If you haven’t come to the CSO with an update on your search lately (or ever), come on in! Everyone’s search parameters are different, so we can sit down, help you devise the most efficient strategy, and help find you contacts and leads.

6. If you’re graduating, realize that employers may still not be able to make a decision about their needs until you’re ready to start work. That will be AFTER the bar exam. Graduation is an unfair and illogical deadline to give yourself to have a job offer. (You can quote me to your Mom and Dad). Don’t beat yourself up on the timing, and keep your eye on what your ultimate dream job is!

After a long winter, it feels wonderful to look forward to summer! Enjoy this time of year (exams notwithstanding), don’t panic, but get do excited about getting some great experience! Look around, explore, inquire, ask, seek. You might discover an opportunity, secret and wonderful, hidden in plain sight, just like my little robin in the tree outside Park Hall.

Welcome to Our Noble Profession!

Welcome to the new Career Services blog for the University at Buffalo Law School, (SUNY). I hope that it will be a great source of information, news, events and inspiration for you as you continue to discover your career path in and around the legal profession. Our aim on this blog and in the CSO at all times is to provide resources to all of our constituents: prospective applicants, current students, alumni, and visitors. For as you may or may not know, most law graduates continue to grow and develop their careers throughout a lifetime.

Hence, this blog is named with this path of continuous improvement and education in mind. It is a reminder that the search for meaning and fulfillment extends beyond just finding jobs. We are all on a quest for work that fills the working third (or more) of our lives with the satisfying use of our skills, talents, knowledge and passion. Let's look to our roots, shall we?

The following quote is from David T. Link, Dean Emeritus of Notre Dame Law School. I hope it illuminates or demonstrates the basics behind the philosophy that your chosen field is not merely a memorization of rules, or preparation for a standardized exam. It is an honorable and ancient profession, one that is vital to the survival of our just society.

"No one event can be identified as the “beginning” of the legal profession, but it is likely that the development of the legal profession closely paralleled the development of the other ancient professions. As formerly nomadic hunters and gatherers settled into permanent communities, new opportunities arose, but so did new problems. The establishment of communities made a division of labor possible, allowing certain community members to become “experts” in certain subjects and use their expertise to serve the entire community. But the establishment of communities also gave rise to problems that people experience when they live in close proximity for long periods of time.

One ancient profession was medicine. Someone in each village or tribe was designated to treat physical problems - plights of health and of dying. Whether that person worked with herbs or animal parts or “magical” incantations, he or she was sought out to cure problems of the body. This ancient public servant was a predecessor of today’s nurses and doctors.

A second ancient profession was ministry. Someone in each village or tribe was looked to for help in answering spiritual questions. Whether this person was called a shaman, priest, priestess, minister, or some other name, he or she ministered to the spiritual needs of the people. This ancient public servant was a predecessor of today’s priests, pastors, rabbis, and other clergy.

There was a need for a third “professional” in ancient communities. In virtually every tribe, village, or settlement, someone was needed to resolve disputes about property and personal rights - to decide what those rights were, when those rights had been violated, and how violations of those rights would be remedied. In their need, the people of ancient communities turned to a Solomon-like person to heal societal divisions, resolve disputes, and record the rules or “laws” for the future. This ancient public servant was a predecessor of today’s mediators, arbitrators, and judges. "

--David T. Link

So again, I welcome you to our noble profession. Whether you seek to practice law in the private or public sectors, or in law-related or other careers, know that your education will serve you well in your life’s journey. As you navigate your options and callings, we invite you to use the CSO‘s counselors, programs and resources to help guide you.