Pitt Law Works: Volume 4 Issue 1 - August 15, 2008
FEATURED CITY: NEW YORK CITY
Did you know that there are 6,374.6 miles of New York city streets? There are also 753 bridges and tunnels. 4,465 buses, 6,247 subway cars, and 12,187 cabs help New York City's 8 million residents get around to 17,312 restaurants. NYC is also home to the world's largest gothic cathedral, the largest Halloween Parade, the largest retail store, and the largest commodity futures exchange. There is something for everyone in New York: from Yankee Stadium to the Cloisters; from Central Park to the Caribbean Cultural Center; from the Bronx Zoo to Ellis Island.
What else does New York City have? It has the 135-year old Association of the Bar of New York City, with more than 23,000 members serving on 160 committees. The ABNYC also has The Library: the largest member-funded law library in the country, that provides members with on-line services, including free LexisNexis and WestLaw, while continuing to provide more traditional library services. Small Law Firm center, Career Management program and other benefits are constantly evolving to serve members needs. Over 150 CLEs are presented annually.
Search tip: when searching for jobs in NYC, check out all five boroughs (Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island) and the surrounding counties. For example, Westchester County is a short commute against traffic; has a number of hospital systems and pharmaceutical companies; is home to a federal court and several helpful alums. Central Islip, out on Long Island, also has a federal court system and a commerce court.
To find out more about practicing in the Big Apple, check out http://www.abcny.org/. Or to find out what New York lawyers are up to in the rest of the Empire State, see http://www.nysba.org/
FEATURED GOVERNMENT JOBS
August 29, 2008: EPA: Office of General Counsel (2L) www.epa.gov/ogc/employment.htm
September 2nd: DOJ Summer Law Intern Program: (2L) www.usdoj.gov/oarm/arm/sp/sp.htm.
DOJ Honors Program (3L) www.usdoj.gov/oarm/arm/hp/hp.htm.
September 5th: Attorney General of WA (2L) www.atg.wa.gov/careers/attorneysclerks.aspx
September 7th: Attorney General of Washington (3L)
September 19th: MA Office of the Attorney General (3L) www.mass.gov/ago
September 30: CIA Honors Program (3L) www.cia.gov/ogc/honors.htm
FBI Honors Internship Program (2L) www.fbijobs.gov/231.asp
Bureau of Competition FTC (2L and 3L) www.ftc.gov/bcp/bcp.htm
Solicitor's Honors Program (Dept. of Interior) (3L) http://www.doi.gov/sol/sohonpgm.html
Congressional Research/Library of Congress (3L) http://www.loc.gov/hr/employment/index.php Link to Special Employment Programs
NRC's Atomic Safety/ Licensing Board Clerkship (3L) http://www.nrc.gov/
FDIC Honors Attorney Program (3L) www.fdic.gov/about/legalhonors/index.html
MANY Federal Agencies, including those above, consider applications on a rolling basis: please apply early for most favorable consideration. For more information about these, and other federal government jobs, please check out (www.law.arizona.edu/career/honorshandbook.cfm)
This is a password protected site. You will find the user ID and password on the CSO Section of the Law School's Extranet or contact the Career Services Office.
TEN COMMON MISTAKES MADE BY JOB SEEKERS
Each job seeker who comes to the CSO is unique. Each has had different experiences and has different career goals. That being said, many make the same mistakes in their job searches. Here are the ten most common mistakes:
1. "Insert Job Here": Most job seekers are looking at any available position. Therefore, they send out undirected résumés and, even worse, form cover letters. Spend a few extra minutes learning about the organization, and personalize your letter and resume to reflect what makes your candidacy special.
2. Read and Follow Directions: Does the employer want a writing sample and transcript? Are you being told to submit all materials by mail or electronically? Job ads have specific directions for a reason. Follow them.
3. Think About the Message You Send: Rehearse the voice mail message you plan to leave. Consider a more serious e-mail address. Does your home voice mail play strange music or have a silly outgoing message? Is your résumé printed on purple paper? All of these things factor into an employer's first impression.
4. A Poor Résumé: Too many résumés end up in the trash can. The really good ones grab the reader's attention, get read, and get forwarded onto a hiring committee. The really bad ones are too long and hard to follow. Stop writing EVERYTHING you have EVER done; tailor your resume instead.
5. Spell Check: So many cover letters claim that the applicant is "detail oriented" but have a typo on it somewhere. Some of these typos are tricky, like extra spaces and missing hyphens. Others, sadly, are not. (You don't want people to remember you for your commitment to pubic interest law.) Don't forget to look over headers and addresses, even your name for mistakes.
6. Dream, Within Reason: If you send a resume for a job for which you are not qualified, employers will not be inclined to believe your interest or fit when you apply for something appropriate.
7. Know Your Weaknesses: Employers will consider imperfect candidates. No candidate has everything the search committee wants. Employers are never inclined, however, to consider applicants who are imperfect but think they are the best thing going. If you are missing a key skill or some experience, describe how your other skills and experiences will help you compensate or catch up quickly.
8. Curiosity is Key: Nothing is worse than a candidate who, at an interview, has no questions for the interviewer. If you aren't curious about the opportunity, then employers question whether you are the right fit. Note: questions based on the salary or benefits don't count.
9. Thank You Notes: Employers like thank you notes. Thank you letters are the perfect opportunity to remind your interviewer why you should be hired, or for you to talk about a key fact that you forgot to mention when you met. Just be sure these letters are PERFECT before you send them out.
10. Get a Second Opinion: Send your résumé to a friend, a colleague, or a mentor who can give you an outside perspective. Often, job seekers think that they have been exceptionally clear about their proudest career moments when, in fact, their résumés contain too much technical jargon. Another pair of eyes will help identify résumés' strengths and weaknesses.
HEALTH CARE LAW
Health care organizations face a wide range of issues: for example, they deal with corporate matters such as corporate reorganization, capital financing, employee benefits, tax and antitrust issues. They also seek legal advice concerning issues that are unique to health care providers, such as physician recruitment and physician practice acquisition. Health care lawyers often litigate Medicare/Medicaid fraud, abuse, and payment issues; contract disputes; real estate issues; labor disputes and medical malpractice. They are also responsible for monitoring insurance and health reform. In addition, health care lawyers deal with bioethical issues such as assisted reproduction and death and dying; and advise clients concerning risk management, informed consent, and confidentiality issues.
- Where do health care lawyers work?
- Many health care lawyers work for large or mid-sized law firms that have health law departments. Some work for hospitals and other medical corporations, pharmaceutical companies, and companies that develop and manufacture medical equipment. Still others work for insurance companies, government agencies, and professional and trade associations (such as the American Dental Association.)
- What daily activities are involved in health care law practice?
- Most practitioners spend their day dispensing advice to those seeking short-term help with "just one quick question." But these questions are varied: the attorney can be asked to assess the consequences of terminating an existing contract with a vendor, or how to handle an employee who is HIV-positive; how to manage an employee's performance problem etc. Attorneys also write bulletins explaining new laws; draft changes to client manuals; and attend meetings at which they discuss changes in they way health care is delivered.
- What skills are most important to health care lawyers?
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- Writing skills: health care attorneys write contracts, letters to physicians, and articles for medical ethics groups
- Interpersonal skills: clients depend on health care lawyers to work cooperatively with other parties, attorneys and government regulators. Health care lawyers must also be able to translate legal concepts into lay language for people who have different backgrounds and perspectives
- The ability to think on your feet and act with good judgment: clients want immediate answers; therefore, health care lawyers need to make split second decisions on a client's position, policy implications, and financial ramifications of new laws/legislative proposals
- Creative problem solving skills: in regulatory work, clients value an attorney's ability to offer imaginative approaches to constrictive regulations
- Well-developed analytical skills: attorneys must be able to spot legal and business issues: a good health care lawyer must learn to distinguish the law from the business decisions
- What can students do to prepare?
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- Take a broad range of law school classes including torts, labor law, negotiations, legal drafting, administrative law, legislation and bioethics
- Take health law classes; business related law school classes; and graduate or undergraduate classes that develop analytical and problem-solving skills, such as engineering, business and science classes
- Gain practical experience in the health care field by working at a firm or agency
- Take advantage of the externship program
- Volunteer for a health care related organization
- Become active in health law sections of the local bar and health related national associations
- Keep up with the latest developments in the health care field
QUICK Q&A FOR THE 2008 FEDERAL JUDICIAL CLERKSHIP HIRING SEASON
What are some important dates to consider when applying for Federal Judicial Clerkships?
Applications may be submitted by mail NO SOONER than September 3rdh 2008. You may submit your application via OSCAR at any time, but it will not be read by judges until September 3rd. The following week is reserved as a "reading period" for judges and clerks to sift through submitted applications. Interviews may be scheduled as early as the third week of September.
I know some judges have permanent clerks and do not hire on an annual basis. Is there any way I can figure out which judges do not hire?
Yes. Some judges who are not hiring have posted "no positions" or "no vacancies" notices on the OSCAR. To find these notices, make sure you check off "Filled" as well as "Available" positions when you conduct your OSCAR search. Also, please check out the Judicial Yellow Book for more information: this book, held in the Career Services Resource Center, contains profiles of judges and their clerks. If a judge has not hired a clerk in many years, you may assume that the judge employers career clerks and is not hiring. The on-line portion of the Judicial Yellow Book also provides key information on the confirmation process - you may apply to judges who were confirmed after the OSCAR list was compiled.
Are all judges participating in OSCAR?
No. Some judges will accept paper applications; judges' preference is listed on OSCAR with a mail box icon. If you plan to submit applications to judges who accept mailed materials, please let the CSO know the names of these judges by 8/22. We will prepare bins (similar to "old" OCI submission bins) and a mailer. We will mail all submitted materials subject to the deadlines listed above.
If a judge is participating in OSCAR will she accept paper/mailed applications?
No. According to OSCAR staff, judges who are participating in OSCAR require applications to be submitted electronically. Icons next to each judge indicate which application method they prefer.
This sounds confusing. Is there any help available?
Yes. The Career Services Office has handbooks available for your use. Additionally, each counselor has reviewed the user guides and may be able to answer your questions or direct you to the appropriate OSCAR resource. Mary Thinium is the OSCAR coordinator for PittLaw.
2008 EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS CONFERENCE AND CAREER FAIR
October 10 and 11• The Omni Shoreham Hotel • 2500 Calvert Street, NW • Washington, DC 20008
Register before September 13th, by visiting http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/
Below is the current list of organizations who have posted positions; however, more employers are added daily.
FELLOWSHIP CORNER
The 2009 Equal Justice Works ("EJW") Fellowships application will close on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, at 5 p.m. EDT. All applications must be submitted online and supporting paperwork must be received by EJW at this time.
EJW is committed to recruiting attorneys who represent a variety of experiences and backgrounds and to providing them with a strong foundation on which to build a public interest career. EJW Fellowships seek to develop the public interest law leaders of the future, whether they continue to work in the nonprofit arena or become pro bono advocates in the private bar.
Terms of the Fellowship
All EJW Fellowships require a two-year commitment from the Fellow, the host organization and the sponsor(s) to complete the Fellowship term, which runs from September 2009 through August 2011.
Equal Justice Works Fellowships do not have a set salary level. EJW instructs each host organization to set the Fellow's salary commensurate to what an attorney with similar experience and/or responsibility would receive at that organization. EJW will provide up to $39,000 toward that salary level. If the salary exceeds $39,000, then the organization must provide the remaining amount out of separate funds. Salary must be agreed upon prior to submitting an application. It is that agreed upon salary amount that should appear on the Certification Form of the application. In addition, each Fellow is eligible to apply for generous loan repayment assistance program (LRAP).
Components of a Fellowship
There are four components of an EJW Fellowship: a project, a candidate, a host organization and a sponsor.
A project is an initiative that involves innovative, effective legal advocacy on behalf of individuals, groups or issues that are not adequately represented by some aspect of the legal system. Because the goal is to create new public interest positions, EJW Fellowships are not used to fund general staff attorney positions within existing organizations. Instead, they should provide Fellows with the opportunity to exercise leadership on a distinct project. Individuals and host organizations work together to generate project proposals.
A candidate is a 3L, recent law graduate or experienced attorney with a demonstrated commitment to public interest law who has the relevant skills and initiative to carry out the goals of the project. A 3L must be able to graduate and begin the Fellowship by September 2009.
A host organization is a nonprofit that has been granted 501(c)(3) status by the Internal Revenue Service. The host organization is the Fellow's employer. Its role is to provide training, supervision, benefits and other support that enables the Fellow to successfully carry out the goals of the project.
A sponsor is a law firm, corporation, foundation or individual that contributes to partially or fully funding one or more Fellowships. EJW recruits sponsors on a rolling basis. These sponsors sometimes have restrictions or preferences as to the projects they will fund. For instance, a law firm based in Washington, D.C., may express strong interest in funding a project based in DC, so that the firm can be connected with the Fellowship by contributing pro bono hours to the project. We provide this information for applicants' consideration on a rolling basis on our website. The list is not exhaustive, as sponsors are committing to EJW on an ongoing basis, and some do not express any project preferences.
Key Steps in the Selection Process
- Equal Justice Works obtains sponsors to fund Fellowships.
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Applications are evaluated and candidates are invited to interview.
A completed application includes a project proposal, a Fellowship candidate to carry out the project, and a nonprofit public interest organization identified to host the project. To be considered, applications must be submitted online through the Equal Justice Works website no later than 5 p.m. EDT on Sept. 16, 2008 . The Certification Form and up to two letters of recommendation are also due in hard copy by that date. Please note that letters arriving after Sept. 16 are considered late and will be disregarded even if they are postmarked by that date. - Offers are extended on a rolling basis throughout November, December and January.