Programs & Events

1L Orientation

 

 

A series of large group orientation meetings, Jump Start Your Career Week, are held with 1Ls the first week of November. These are followed by smaller meetings with assigned career services counselors. Students are encouraged to work on their resumes with career services counselors during November and to use the winter break to conduct informational interviews, research employers, and apply for summer jobs.

Jump Start Your Career Week

All 1Ls are invited and encouraged to attend Jump Start Week, beginning on Tuesday, November 1 and ending on Thursday, November 3. 1Ls They can bring their lunch to Saxbe Auditorium at 12:10 p.m. each day and hear advice on different topics related to how to begin the job search. The schedule for the 2011 Jump Start Week is as follows:

 

All admitted students receive a copy of The Official Guide to Legal Specialties. This resource provides an overview of 30 legal specialties and gives incoming 1Ls a glimpse of of legal practice. Incoming students also are given the opportunity to complete a personality profile known as Strengthsfinder to identify their top five individual strengths. The combination of self assessment and practice overview helps students begin to focus their career search.

During 1L orientation, each incoming student receives a binder outlining the career services syllabus. National Association for Law Placement (NALP) guidelines prevent students from having contact with legal employers prior to November 1 of their 1L year and from applying for jobs prior to December 1. For this reason, Career Services offices throughout the country schedule a detailed 1L orientation on or about November 1.

Rising 2L and 3L OCI Orientation

During Spring Semester, Career Services meets with rising 2Ls and 3Ls to prepare them for Fall OCI and summer job fairs. Information about how to use the summer to maximize employment options gives Moritz students an important "head start."

Resume Workshops

Students are invited to attend resume workshops to learn how law-related resumes differ from resumes in other fields. These workshops show how to use concepts, key words, and formatting to demonstrate the credentials that legal employers seek.

Interview Boot Camp

Students hear from hiring partners and recruitment administrators on what makes a candidate successful in an interview. They also get tips from the Career Services staff on subjects ranging from what to wear to how to research an employer. Following the Boot Camp, students are encouraged to sign up with the Career Services staff for practice interviews.

Practice Interview Program

1Ls are offered the opportunity to be matched with a local practicing attorney for a 30-minute mock interview followed by constructive feedback and coaching. Every effort is made to match students to attorneys who work in the practice area or work environment the students wishes to ultimately join.

By preparing a cover letter and resume, researching the employer, dressing in professional attire, traveling to the attorney's office, and undergoing a mock job interview, the students receive invaluable experience and are better prepared for the spring recruiting season.

Job Market Series

Career Services hosts a Job Market Series every year. This year the topics include speakers on Health Care Law, Intellectual Property, Executive Compensation, Labor and Employment Law and Small Firm Practice.

In addition, four panels focused on careers using a law school education in non-traditional settings will be held during the 2009-2010 year.  During fall semester, the first of two panels will discuss careers in politics, including lobbyists, elections officials, and staff work for state legislature.  The second fall semester panel will center around alternative careers in the business world, including finance, real estate, insurance, and banking.  The first spring semester panel will look at alterative careers in the areas of communications, media and information technology, and the final of the alternative career panels will focus on careers in higher education.

Presentations are generally held at noon followed by student questions. Students should take advantage of the opportunity to meet the speakers individually following the meetings.