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