Month: October 2014

November To-Do Lists

The approach of November at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign signals varying thoughts in the minds of students.  Some will think about the approaching holidays, while others will dread the impending cold.  For those prospective law students out there, we recommend using November to visit schools, submit early decision applications (if you have not done so already), and update your résumés.

This year, Fall Break at UIUC will take place during the week of November 24th.  For those of you considering law school, research whether schools that interest you will be open during that time.  Visiting a school while it is in session provides a tremendous opportunity to observe classes, meet students and tour the facility.

To anyone applying for early decision Fall 2015: make sure you check your due dates.  You should not wait until the last minute to submit early decision applications.  In case of a computer issue or a typographical error you would like to change, it is best to leave yourself some time to review and submit the best application possible.  Be sure to use these next two weeks wisely as they could determine the next three years of your life.

Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are considering law school should use November to update résumés.  Having a polished résumé will allow you to start submitting applications for summer internships as soon as winter break rolls around.  Winter break is a great time to sift through and choose summer positions that interest you.  With a résumé at the ready, applying will be a less stressful process.  Besides, periodically updating your résumé is a great habit to get into.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Mark Your Calendars: Week of October 27

PLAS Events

Pre-Law 101: TODAY, Monday, Oct. 27 at 4:00, Room 514 Illini Union Bookstore Building. This is the final Pre-Law 101 session for Fall Semester. Are you new to pre-law? Whether you are a first-year student or a senior, this workshop will give an in-depth orientation to being a pre-law student at the University of Illinois. Topics we will cover: What law schools are looking for; choosing a major/minor; helpful coursework to take; maximizing your extracurricular opportunities; planning ahead for the LSAT and law school applications. We will also answer your questions, so bring them! Please click here to register so that we can ensure enough seating and materials for everyone.

Gaining Practical Skills for Legal Practice: Associate Deans Bill Powers and Anthony Niedwiecki, from The John Marshall Law School, will be on campus Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 5:00, Room 514 Illini Union Bookstore Building. Gaining practical skills before graduating from law school has never been more important…and the process begins before law school even starts! Join us to discuss how aspiring lawyers can begin building practical skills for a successful legal career. We will highlight which skills law schools and legal employers find appealing, and discuss ways to gain those skills both now and during law school. Food will be served!

 

Career Center

Winter Break Job Shadow Program The Winter Break Job Shadow Program will help students engage with a company of interest, establish a professional network, and foster potential career opportunities! This program is a one-day commitment over winter break (between Dec. 22, 2014 – Jan. 16, 2015). The Job Shadow Program is open to ALL MAJORS and will include a variety of industries. Students must be in their Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior year.
To apply, students must attend one of the Job Shadow Information Sessions listed below:
• Monday, Oct. 27 at 3 p.m., Gregory Hall 223
• Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m., Burrill Hall 124
• Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 4 p.m., Gregory Hall 223
• Thursday, Oct. 30 at noon, Materials Science and Engineering Building 119
• Friday, Oct. 31 at 10 a.m., Gregory Hall 319

Workshops–Unless otherwise indicated, all Career Center workshops will be held in the Career Center Conference Room, 715 S. Wright Street.  For more information and to register, go here: https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/.

• Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 6 pm – Creating Powerful Résumés & Cover Letters
• Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 4 p.m., Making Your Major Decision (Online at http://go.illinois.edu/findmajor)
• Thursday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m., Creating Powerful Résumés & Cover Letters

 

Law School Sessions

 Harvard Information Sessions: Harvard will provide information sessions via Google Hangouts. Each session will include a Q&A following the general presentation. For more information and to register, please visit Harvard’s Google+ page or click on one of the events below.

Fall 2014 Online Information Session Schedule

General Information Session

Wednesday, October 29th 12:00-1:00pm 

Monday, November 3rd 5:30-6:30pm

Applying After Time Off

Wednesday, November 5th 12:00-1:00pm 

Thursday, November 13 5:30-6:30pm

Application Requirements & Advice

Monday, November 17th 12:00-1:00pm 

Wednesday, November 19th 5:30-6:30pm 

 

University of Illinois, College of Law Events: The College of Law provides various lectures relating to different fields of law that are open to the public. Below you will find one of the upcoming lectures.

Innocence Project Lecture: Meet the Exoneree – Jarrett Adams: Thursday, November 06, 2014 in the Max L. Rowe Auditorium, College of Law Building from 12:00 PM–1:00 PM. Jarrett Adams is the co-founder of Life After Justice, an organization the helps exonerees and parolees re-enter society. Adams is also a law student at Loyola University Chicago, a journey he started after he was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to 28 years in prison at the age of 17. Come to hear about his experiences and his organization. Lunch will be provided.

More lectures are scheduled for 2015 and will be added to this blog as the dates near.

 

Mark Your Calendars: Week of October 20

PLAS Events

Pre-Law 101: Monday, Oct. 27 at 4:00, Room 514 Illini Union Bookstore Building. This is the final Pre-Law 101 session for Fall Semester. Are you new to pre-law? Whether you are a first-year student or a senior, this workshop will give an in-depth orientation to being a pre-law student at the University of Illinois. Topics we will cover: What law schools are looking for; choosing a major/minor; helpful coursework to take; maximizing your extracurricular opportunities; planning ahead for the LSAT and law school applications. We will also answer your questions, so bring them! Please click here to register so that we can ensure enough seating and materials for everyone.

Campus Events and Opportunities
Sociology Internship Fair–open to ALL Students–Wed, Oct. 22 from 1-3:00 in 3057 Lincoln Hall. Find out about Soc 400, which allows you to earn credit while interning, and meet lots of different organizations looking for interns. Visit the website for more information on who’s attending.
A Career in Tech, Beginning with LAS–Wednesday, Oct 22,  1:45 pm  Illini Union Rooms ABC as part of the Summit on Online Education — ALL STUDENTS WELCOME. (This event is geared toward LAS students who are interested in a tech career but do not have a tech background.)

Jocelyn Ross has a degree in Psychology and started her career at Facebook with a job in customer support in 2006; a couple years later she started and led the Risk Management team there. She is now a data analyst at Stripe, a company that helps businesses accept payments online, where her inner social scientist gets to ask (and answer!) interesting questions about the companies Stripe works with every day. For more information, click here.

English Alumni Career Panel–Wednesday, October 22, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
English Building Room 108

Refreshments provided!

Five alums will return to talk about their career paths since graduation and to give tips on professional development for students working in the humanities. Between them they have experience in human resources, event planning, publishing, editing, public relations, technology, information management, library administration, archiving, and more!

Navigating Academic Writing: Writing Group for International Undergraduate Students, info meeting Oct. 23 at 4:00 pm, Room 251 Undergraduate Library. Would you like to talk about US academic writing? Do you sometimes wonder what your writing assignments mean? Do you struggle to talk with your professors and classmates about writing? Would you like to practice US conventions of using sources?

Then you would want to join the FREE writing groups for multilingual students hosted by the Writers Workshop. These groups are specifically for writers whose first language is not English and will meet in a 4-week session. Topics will be tailored to your needs but may include organizing ideas, understanding different kinds of writing tasks, understanding instructors’ responses, and using sources. The sessions will be led by an experienced Writers Workshop consultant who understands struggles with writing in English.

In order to participate, you must attend the informational meeting on October 23 (Thursday) at 4:00PM to sign up and you must attend all four sessions. Students who have participated in Navigating Academic Writing in the past are not eligible.

Writing group sessions will be held: Thursdays, Nov 6, Nov 13, Nov 20, Dec 4 from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM, Room 251 Undergraduate Library.  Please email keitges2@illinois.edu if you would like to join the writing group.

Career Center

Winter Break Job Shadow Program The Winter Break Job Shadow Program will help students engage with a company of interest, establish a professional network, and foster potential career opportunities! This program is a one-day commitment over winter break (between Dec. 22, 2014 – Jan. 16, 2015). The Job Shadow Program is open to ALL MAJORS and will include a variety of industries. Students must be in their Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior year.
To apply, students must attend one of the Job Shadow Information Sessions listed below:
• Monday, Oct. 27 at 3 p.m., Gregory Hall 223
• Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m., Burrill Hall 124
• Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 4 p.m., Gregory Hall 223
• Thursday, Oct. 30 at noon, Materials Science and Engineering Building 119
• Friday, Oct. 31 at 10 a.m., Gregory Hall 319

Workshops–Unless otherwise indicated, all Career Center workshops will be held in the Career Center Conference Room, 715 S. Wright Street.  For more information and to register, go here: https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/.

Careers in Federal Government, Oct. 21, 4-5 pm
Getting the Job: Interviewing Tips, Oct. 22, 4-5 pm
Building Transferrable Skills, Oct. 23, 4-5 pm

Off Campus Events

FREE Webinar: Crafting a Winning Law School Personal Statement
Tues, Oct. 21, 6:30-7:30 pm.

Pre-law students are cordially invited to participate in a free webinar sponsored by Michigan State University College of Law. This webinar will offer a wide-ranging series of recommendations for writing a winning law school personal statement, including potential personal statement topics, steps to take when writing the first draft of your personal statement, and how to convey meaningful insights to law school faculty and staff who ultimately will act on the admissions application.  In the 15-minute Q and A segment following the formal remarks, the presenters will  respond to questions from webinar participants. For more details and to register, visit this website.

CLEO: College Scholars Program- The Ultimate Preparation to Help You Become a More Competitive Law School Applicant! Saturday, October 25, 9am-5pm, DePaul University College of Law

Designed to identify, motivate and prepare students for a career in the legal profession. Committed students can learn how to successfully navigate the law school admission process and underwrite their success in law school by participating in the College Scholars program.
• When: Saturday, October 25, 2014 – 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Where: DePaul University College of Law.
25 East Jackson Boulevard • Chicago • Illinois • 60604
• How: Register online at CLEO College Scholars.
• Who: All college students & post grads
For Freshmen: The Road To Law School seminar aims to provide Freshmen an overview of the key components of the law school application process.
For Sophomores: The Sophomore Super Saturdays seminar aims to help students further develop logical reasoning, reading comprehension and writing skills – the skills needed to become a competitive law school applicant.
For Juniors, Seniors/Post Graduates: Juniors Jumpstart the LSAT seminar aims to help participants understand the importance of systematic and timely preparation for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
For more information about these programs and to register, go here. CLEO is a non-profit project of the American Bar Association.

Top 5 Professionalism Tips for Law School Applicants

As you begin the law school application process, you now have increased opportunities to interact with law school professionals. This can be a great way to make a strong impression on the people who will be deciding whether to admit you and award you precious scholarship dollars. It can also mean more opportunities to make those same people doubt whether you’re ready to enter the profession! Here are 5 simple and effective ways to make sure you maximize your chances to make a great impression.

1. Clean up your online image. Many law schools we know will search publicly available Facebook, Twitter, and other online records. Sometimes a law school rep will be interested in an item on your resume and will look for more information online. It is also not uncommon to check up on a candidate before offering a significant scholarship. Make sure your online image is clean–not only of profanity and alcohol, the usual suspects, but also consider whether your image looks professional. Make sure that your online presence doesn’t raise any questions about your judgment.

2. Take care to communicate professionally throughout the entire application process. It seems that applicants know this prior to being admitted. Once admitted, though, those same people sometimes think it is now acceptable to make scholarship demands, call relentlessly, and even insult the school in an effort to get more scholarship dollars. So many law school deans have told me stories of a once-polished applicant acting like a completely different person after being admitted. Make sure that you are taking care to communicate professionally throughout the entire application process. This includes responding in a timely way to any requests from the law school, such as whether you want to be included on their wait list.

3. Dress carefully for visits.  Like the old adage “dress for the job you want rather than the job you have”, your look should demonstrate that you know that law school is not like undergrad. (There is a reason it is called “professional school.”) Although law students at some schools dress casually (jeans, t-shirts, button down shirts, sandals, etc.), when you visit, you want to make a good impression. Business casual is a good compromise between not being overdressed (in a full 3 piece suit, say) or under dressed (flip flops and shorts are not the look you’re going for). A button down shirt or sweater and non-jean pants are always appropriate for a law school visit, or a nice blouse and pants or skirt of appropriate length for ladies. For a good guide to appropriate dress in any situation, visit this website.

4. Shake hands, look people in the eye, and practice your telephone skills. It’s disappointing how many people have a limp dog handshake or avoid looking directly at the person with whom they are speaking. Similarly, an overly casual, rambling, or vague voice mail message isn’t going to help convey your professionalism. (Hint: Practice what you want to say and make sure to include the basics: clearly enunciated name, telephone number, why you are calling.) It’s the absence of these small but important behaviors that really gets noticed. It might feel a bit awkward being so formal at first, but these are expected courtesies in a professional (not undergrad) setting.

5. Consider the law school’s perspective. The essence of etiquette is to consider the other person’s side. How might a law school interpret this email/phone call? What might they consider a reasonable time frame for a response? What information can you provide that might make this conversation flow more smoothly? Are you requesting rather than demanding action? Always be as polite and as prepared as possible when interacting with a law school.

Do these things really matter? Yes, yes, yes. We know LOTS of applicants who were admitted on the spot during a law school visit, or who were admitted from a wait list because they made a strong, professional impression. Remember that law schools still have a lot of discretion to decide who they want to admit and who to give their precious scholarship money to, so applicants should maximize every opportunity to interact professionally.

Mark Your Calendars – Week of October 13

Hello Pre-Law Students!  There are a lot of PLAS events this week!  Scroll down for information about the Applying to Law School workshop, as well as a session on crafting the perfect personal statement, the Yale Law School Admissions webinar and more!  And keep on reading for information about Career Center workshops (including sessions about job shadowing over Winter Break) and law school open houses.

PLAS Events

Applying to Law School Workshop: Due to the severe weather predicted for this afternoon, we will reschedule today’s Applying to Law School Workshop. We will announce a new date and time very soon. If you have application questions, feel free to make an appointment by calling 333-9669. We have appointments available this week!

Yale Law School Admissions Webinar: Wednesday, October 15, 2014, 3-4 pm. This webinar will feature a Yale Law School Admissions professional to provide an overview of Yale Law Admissions. The majority of the session will be taking Q&A from students, so bring your questions! Students are encouraged to explore Yale’s website and blog here: http://www.law.yale.edu/admissions/. To register for this event, please visit: law-yale.adobeconnect.com/chinoruiuc14/event/event_info.html. Registrants will also have access to a recorded version of the session, for those who are unable to be present during the session.

Perfecting Your Personal Statement and Resume: Thursday, October 16, 2014, 4pm, Room 504 IUB. The personal statement and resume are a law school applicant’s opportunity to tell a school all about yourself and why you will make a great addition to their class. Students consistently tell us that this is the hardest part of the application, so we have developed this workshop to provide some insight. We will cover: What the personal statement is; how to begin writing it; what to include and exclude; writing separate addenda; how the personal statement and resume should work together; and an overview of the law school resume. Bring your questions because there will be plenty of time to ask them. To register, go here.

Campus Events and Opportunities

Leading into Leadership: Becoming a Leader on Campus, Presented by the Counseling Center Paraprofessionals,Tuesday, October 14, 7-9pm, 406 Illini Union

Counseling Center Paraprofessionals (CCPs) are students from ALL departments on campus and with many different majors. They are students who want to make a difference in someone’s life while having a good learning experience. The Tuesday @ 7 Workshops are presented by Counseling Center Paraprofessionals in order to provide information for the general student population. The topics cover a variety of personal, social, and academic concerns. Workshops are presented every Tuesday night at 7 pm, during the Fall and Spring semesters.

Illinois Leadership Center Programs and Services

Ignite: Develop skill in leading change and understanding systems thinking on Saturday, October 18, 2014.

For more information on either the Integrity or Ignite I-Programs, or for more information about upcoming leadership programs visit www.leadership.illinois.edu.

Career Center

I-Link Help Hours

The Career Center is now offering I-Link Help hours! This service is for students with questions about how to use I-Link and those who are having problems with their account. The help hours are at The Career Center Resource Center, 715 S. Wright, during the following times:
• Monday 2-3 p.m.
• Wednesday 1-2 p.m.
• Thursday 10-11 a.m.

If students are not available to stop by The Career Center during those hours, please email tcc-ilink@illinois.edu. For more information about I-Link, go here: https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/about/services/ilink.

Winter Break Job Shadow Program

The Winter Break Job Shadow Program will help students engage with a company of interest, establish a professional network, and foster potential career opportunities! This program is a one-day commitment over winter break (between Dec. 22, 2014 – Jan. 16, 2015). The Job Shadow Program is open to ALL MAJORS and will include a variety of industries. Students must be in their Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior year.
To apply, students must attend one of the Job Shadow Information Sessions listed below:
• Monday, Oct. 27 at 3 p.m., Gregory Hall 223
• Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m., Burrill Hall 124
• Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 4 p.m., Gregory Hall 223
• Thursday, Oct. 30 at noon, Materials Science and Engineering Building 119
• Friday, Oct. 31 at 10 a.m., Gregory Hall 319

Workshops

Unless otherwise indicated, all Career Center workshops will be held in the Career Center Conference Room, 715 S. Wright Street.  For more information and to register, go here: https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/.

Undergraduate Research Options (presented with Office of Undergraduate Research), TODAY, 12-1 p.m., The Interview Suite, 616 E. Green (enter Kaplan building next to McDonald’s and go up to second floor)
Creating Powerful Resumes & Cover Letters, Tuesday, October 14, 5-6 p.m.
Finding an Internship, Wednesday, October 15, 5-6 p.m.,
Funding Graduate School Domestically and Abroad, Thursday, October 16, 6-7 p.m., The Interview Suite, 616 E. Green (enter Kaplan building next to McDonald’s and go up to second floor).

Off Campus Events

FREE Webinar: Understanding the Law School Admissions Process – Wednesday, October 15, 6:30pm.

Pre-law students are cordially invited to participate in a free online chat about the law school admission process Wednesday, October 15th, 7:30-8:30pm Eastern (6:30-7:30pm Central) This event is co-hosted by MAPLA (Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors)
and MALSA (Midwest Alliance of Law School Admissions).

You are encouraged to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to gain valuable insight into the law school admissions process. Get your questions answered by Deans and Directors of Admissions at several law schools including:Cincinnati, Marquette, Michigan State, Southern Illinois, Kansas, and Valparaiso along with several undergraduate pre-law advisors from institutions such as Miami U., Notre Dame, Purdue, Ohio State and Illinois. Yes – UIUC’s Director of Pre-Law Services, Jamie Thomas-Ward, is one of the featured speakers!

For details on how to preregister and receive a reminder email, go to: http://mapla.org/Online_Chat.html.  To join the chat on Wed Oct 15, please click on:
https://msulaw.campfirenow.com/35128 (Thanks to MSU’s College of Law for their assistance hosting the chat).

Law School Open Houses

As we noted in last week’s blog, law schools often offer opportunities for prospective applicants to visit their campuses, have a tour and possibly sit in on a 1L class. Here is some information we have received about another admissions event. To find out about other law school open houses, visit the law schools’ websites!

Drake Law School Prospective Student Open House: Friday, October 24, 9am-1pm.
Schedule
9:15-9:30am: Registration and Welcome
9:30am: Admission and Financial Aid Session
10:00am: Observation of a First Year Class
11:00am: Tours with Current Students                                                                                12:00pm: Lunch with Faculty and Deans
Individuals can RSVP by October 21st by calling 515-271-2782 or by emailing
law-admit@drake.edu.  When you RSVP, please provide the following:
Name
Phone Number
Email Address
Number of Guests
Areas of Law That May Interest You (not required) A confirmation email will be sent to all prospective students who RSVP with driving directions and parking information.  All events will be held in Cartwright Hall.
CLEO: College Scholars Program- The Ultimate Preparation to Help You Become a More Competitive Law School Applicant! Saturday, October 25, 9am-5pm, DePaul University College of Law
Designed to identify, motivate and prepare students for a career in the legal profession. Committed students can learn how to successfully navigate the law school admission process and underwrite their success in law school by participating in the College Scholars program.
• When: Saturday, October 25, 2014 – 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Where: DePaul University College of Law.
25 East Jackson Boulevard • Chicago • Illinois • 60604
• How: Register online at CLEO College Scholars.
• Who: All college students & post grads
For Freshmen: The Road To Law School seminar aims to provide Freshmen an overview of the key components of the law school application process.
For Sophomores: The Sophomore Super Saturdays seminar aims to help students further develop logical reasoning, reading comprehension and writing skills – the skills needed to become a competitive law school applicant.
For Juniors, Seniors/Post Graduates: Juniors Jumpstart the LSAT seminar aims to help participants understand the importance of systematic and timely preparation for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
For more information about these programs and to register, go here. CLEO is a non-profit project of the American Bar Association.

Getting to Know Your Professors

Law school admissions officers frequently stress the importance of quality letters of recommendation in their decision whether to admit prospective students.  For that reason, you must carefully select a professor or supervisor (if choosing an employer).*  If a student chooses a recommender who does not know them well, the letter will fail to impress.  In fact, such a “general” letter of recommendation can negatively influence an application.  Prospective law students should begin acquainting themselves with their professors early to avoid this unenviable situation.

In order to achieve a personal connection with your professors, visit them during office hours.  Professors hold office hours so they can get to know their students and help them better understand the subject matter of the course.  Stop by early in the semester and explain to your professor that you would like to get to know them better.  Bring questions about material that was covered in a recent class or try to focus the conversation on a professor’s area of expertise.  Often times, professors focus their time on a specific area of interest within their field.  Employ your research skills and try to determine the professor’s area of interest.  Then, inquire about that topic.

Stay for ten or fifteen minutes and thank your professor for his or her time.  Now, your professor will recognize you and will know you personally each time you contribute in class.  Go back to office hours as needed.  Provided you do well in the course, you have established the necessary groundwork for requesting a letter of recommendation at a later date.

 

*Typically, students should choose professors to write their letters of recommendation.  For more information, see the University of Chicago’s thoughts on the topic.

Mark Your Calendars: Week of Oct. 6

Be sure to check out our Compass page for more information on Pre-Law Advising and the path to law school.

PLAS Events

Our next Pre-Law 101 session will be tomorrow, Tuesday, October 7, 4pm, Room 514 IUB. This is a great workshop if you’re new to the University or just new to being pre-law. We’ll cover topics including: selecting majors/minors/coursework, creating a resume for law school, and extracurricular options for building pre-law skills. To register, visit our calendar.

The Applying to Law School Workshop will be held on October 13, 2014, 4 pm, Room 514 IUB. Are you applying to law school right now? Finding the application process a little complicated? In this workshop, we’ll walk you through the application process, including: A checklist of what to do and when; tips for using your online application account effectively; troubleshooting application issues; creating an application strategy; and keeping your applications organized. Note that we will not be covering the personal statement and resume in this session due to the separate workshop on that topic. Applicants are welcome to attend both workshops. No registration necessary.

A Yale Law School Admissions Webinar will be held on October 15, 2014, 3-4 pm, online. This webinar will feature a Yale Law School Admissions professional to provide an overview of Yale Law Admissions. The majority of the session will be taking Q&A from students, so bring your questions! Students are encouraged to explore Yale’s website and blog here: http://www.law.yale.edu/admissions/. To register for this event, please visit: law-yale.adobeconnect.com/chinoruiuc14/event/event_info.html. Registrants will also have access to a recorded version of the session, for those who are unable to be present during the session.

If you would like to perfect your personal statement and resume, then plan on attending the Perfecting Your Personal Statement and Resume for Law School event on October 16, 2014, 4 pm, Room 514 IUB. The personal statement and resume are a law school applicant’s opportunity to tell a school all about yourself and why you will make a great addition to their class. Students consistently tell us that this is the hardest part of the application, so we have developed this workshop to provide some insight. We will cover: What the personal statement is; how to begin writing it; what to include and exclude; writing separate addenda; how the personal statement and resume should work together; and an overview of the law school resume. Bring your questions because there will be plenty of time to ask them. To register, visit our calendar.

 

Illinois Leadership Center Programs and Services

Integrity: Investigate your personal values and the intersection of morals, ethics, and integrity on Saturday, October 11, 2014.

Ignite: Develop skill in leading change and understanding systems thinking on Saturday, October 18, 2014.

For more information on either the Integrity or Ignite I-Programs, or for more information about upcoming leadership programs visit www.leadership.illinois.edu.

 

Council On Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) – College Scholars Program

CLEO is sponsoring its pre-law seminars at DePaul Law School on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 9 am – 5 pm. A separate seminar is hosted for freshmen (The Road to Law School), sophomores (Sophomore Super Saturday) and Juniors/Seniors/Grads (Juniors Jumpstart the LSAT). Register for these free seminars here.

 

Law School Open Houses

Law schools often offer opportunities for prospective applicants to visit their campuses, have a tour and possibly sit in on a 1L class. Here is some information we have received about upcoming admissions events at several Midwestern law schools. To find out about other law school open houses, visit the law schools’ websites!

 

University of Chicago Law School: Friday, October 24, 9am-1pm. For more info and to register, go here: http://www.law.uchicago.edu/prospective/openhouse.

 

DePaul University College of Law: Saturday, November 22, 9am. For more info and to register, go here: http://www.law.depaul.edu/admission/visit/open_house.asp.

 

Drake University Law School: Friday, October 24, 2014, 9:15 am. For more info and to register, go here: http://www.law.drake.edu/admissions/?pageID=visitDaysEvents.

 

ITT-Chicago-Kent College of Law: Saturday, October 18, 10am-1pm. For more info and to register, go here: http://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/prospective-students/jd-program-admissions/visit-campus.

 

John Marshall Law School-Chicago: Saturday, November 22, 9am. For more info and to register, go here: http://www.jmls.edu/admission/jd/visiting.php.

 

University of Nebraska College of Law: Wednesday, October 29, 6pm. For more info and to register, go here: http://law.unl.edu/schedule-visit/.

 

University of Notre Dame Law School: Monday, October 13, 9am-3pm. For more info and to register, go here: http://law.nd.edu/admissions/visit-nd-law/.

 

2015 Study Abroad Extensions

Please note that the Spring Semester 2015 application deadline has been extended for the following study abroad programs:

October 10, 2014 Extended Deadline

University of Wollongong, Australia

Swansea University, United Kingdom

University of York, United Kingdom

University of Liverpool, United Kingdom

National University of Ireland

 

October 15, 2014 Extended Deadline

University of Adelaide, Australia

University of Western Australia

University of Canterbury, New Zealand

University of Otago, New Zealand

University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

Lancaster University, United Kingdom

Program information and the online application can be found in the links provided for each program.  Alternatively, students can visit www.studyabraod.illinois.edu.

Questions? 

Walk-in advising is available on weekdays from 9:00 am – 4:45 pm in the Study Abroad Resource Room (112 International Studies Building).

 

Internship Opportunities

The Ethnography of the University Initiative (EUI) launched its undergraduate research journal PEER REVIEW: The Undergraduate Research Journal of the Ethnography of the University Initiative, in May 2014. We are currently looking for 2 undergraduate student interns to serve as Managing Editors, joining a team of 3 already in place. Ideally candidates will be upper division undergrads in either an honors program or at the senior thesis stage. We are also interested, however, in promising students with research or writing experience. The student Managing Editors work with and mentored by the Senior Editors and the Advisory Board.

As the undergraduate editing team will consist of five students, we anticipate an average of 3-5 hours per week. We ask that interested candidates provide a cover letter outlining their interest, a resume, and a reference from a faculty mentor or program administrator (McNair, James Scholars, etc.). All applications should be submitted electronically (as one document if possible) to eui-peerreview@illinois.edu, with “Undergraduate Editor” in the subject line. Deadline is TODAY,October 6th, 2014.

Any questions should be addressed to Karen Rodriguez’G, Program Coordinator for EUI, at eui-info@illinois.edu.  For more general information on EUI and its mission, please see our website: www.eui.illinois.edu.

 

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER INTERNSHIP

The Public Defender’s Office is a fast-paced environment. Ideal students for this program are: interested in criminal law proceedings; willing to take a variety of assignments; able to work independently when given appropriate support; and able to devote 90 hours during the semester to the Public Defender’s Office.

By Friday, October 10, students seeking to participate in the Public Defender Internship Program must submit via e-mail to jjhinch@illinois.edu a cover letter, resume and writing sample. The cover letter needs to address each of the following elements: 1) explain your interest in and motivation for undertaking this internship, 2) share your experience in working with only a modest level of direct supervision, and 3) discuss your plans for accommodating participation in the internship in your schedule (.e.g, how many other credit hours do you plan to carry, will you be studying for the LSAT, do you have other significant time commitments).  The writing sample can be a paper you have written from a previous class. All of those materials will be reviewed for a decision on acceptance into the program by the departmental internship committee.  At a minimum, students seeking to participate in this program need (1) to have completed 45 credit hours by Spring, 2015 (2) with at least one year of residence on this campus and (3) to have earned a cumulative UIUC grade point average of 3.0 or higher.  They must (4) have completed PS 101: U.S. Government & Politics  and (5) have no arrests or criminal convictions – as an adult or juvenile – or serious campus disciplinary violations involving campus or local law enforcement.  In addition to work in the Courthouse, students will need to attend a class for one hour per week on Wednesday afternoons.

 

The Law School Decision, Looking Back: Attorneys’ Reflections

As undergraduate students with a pre-law major or membership in a pre-law society, you no doubt have heard how critical it is for you to make a sober and reasoned decision about whether you want to go to law school, and, perhaps more importantly,  whether you want to be a lawyer. It is rightly framed as an important decision, but it is one that people handle in different ways.

Below, six attorneys from different legal fields discuss how they felt and what they thought when making the decision to go to law school. We ask them for one piece of advice they wished they had known, or heard, when they were younger and facing this monumental decision.

Participating Attorneys:

Tony Munter: A whistleblower and False Claims Act attorney in the DC-metropolitan area, who primarily handles qui tam actions fighting fraud against the government. For more information about Tony Munter and qui tam actions, click here.

Kaveh Miremadi: A federal criminal defense and OFAC sanctions attorney. He provides clients with compliance, requests for reconsideration, SDN list removal, risk assessment, and internal audits. To learn more about Kaveh Miremadi’s background and OFAC law, visit this page.

Edward Tayter: A Maryland criminal lawyer who focuses on traffic and drunk driving cases, including DUI, DWI, driving while suspended, and restricted licenses. Information about Edward Tayter is available here.

April Cockerham: An immigration attorney who works out of DC. She represents clients in deportation proceedings, family and humanitarian-based petitions for visas and asylum, and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) applications for domestic abuse victims. More information about April’s background and practice is available here.

Peter Biberstein: A personal injury and medical malpractice lawyer who represents clients in Virginia and DC. He handles a variety of personal injury cases, dangerous product cases, and disability claims. Visit this page for more information on Mr. Biberstein.

Terry Eaton: A DC and federal criminal defense attorney who handles white collar and government investigation cases. He is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, and he was also a commercial litigator. Learn more about Terry’s background and practice here.

What one piece of advice do you wish you had known, or heard, when you were younger and facing the monumental decision of whether to apply to law school?

Tony Munter: Unfortunately, I think it is a much more difficult environment for young people attempting to get a law degree now to make a career through the law than it was when I was younger.  Now law degrees cost much more than in the past, and the legal market is much more competitive. Therefore, an analysis of the costs and benefits makes sense.  It would be most helpful to know what area of law a young person wants to pursue and or what other skills or job experience a person can add to a law degree. One thing that is almost impossible to prepare for is the degree to which going to law school, any law school, will take over every aspect of life. It’s a major commitment.  So, think about what you will do with the degree when you finish. It may not work out the way you plan but even a bad plan has more chance of a serendipitous result than no plan.

Kaveh Miremadi: Be true to yourself and focus on an area of law that interests you.  Don’t let yourself be distracted by the people in law school who think there is only one path to success.  Identifying and then acting towards your true interests will help you succeed and find a satisfying career.

Edward Tayter: The best advice that I can give for deciding whether or not to go to law school is to really understand what the day-to-day work-life of an attorney is.  Very little of a lawyer’s work is correctly portrayed in popular media.  It’s extremely important to know what you are getting into, before committing three years of your life and tens of thousands of dollars of your money to a legal education.

April Cockerham: Do an internship or get a job in the legal field before you start and consider where you want to be after you graduate when choosing a law school. Often, the friends and connections you make while you’re a law student can be extremely important when you’re starting out as a new lawyer. If you’re really committed to ending up in a particular geographic region, it’s definitely something to take into consideration.

Peter Biberstein: Go work for a year or two before going back to school. Work experience will make you more a more marketable candidate, will give you a better perspective on life, and will provide a financial cushion for your future.

Terry Eaton: If I could go back and give my younger self some pre-law school advice it would be this: take your time, relax, breathe, and learn to smell the roses.  I spent way too much time in law school obsessing over grades and wondering if I was smart enough.  The zero sum game of cold calling on students in law school lectures and high stakes all-or-nothing final exams only breads the ultra-competitive law student behavior Scott Turrow famously characterized in his book One L.  It turns out that law school is not random and the people who study hard actually do make good grades.  I truly wish I had spent more time exercising, having a good diet, and spending time on the weekends with my family.  My law school grades were good and at graduation I had earned a federal clerkship followed by a job at a prestigious and big Washington, DC law firm.  Had I slowed down and enjoyed my experience more, I don’t think the outcome would have changed one bit. Mark Twain said it best: “I’ve been through some terrible things in life, some of which actually happened.”  My advice to future law students is to study hard, but take time out for yourself to enjoy life.  Believe me, you’ll be happy you did it.

Submitted by: Oliver Krischik