Month: April 2018

Mark Your Calendars: Week of April 30

This week: A few opportunities and important reminders as the semester winds down.

Still looking for summer internship/volunteer opportunities? Join our Facebook page and use the search box to find all kinds of internship and volunteer opportunities that we’ve posted. We also posted lots of opportunities over on our Compass page!

ACADEMIC INTERNSHIPS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE–An INFORMATIONAL MEETING on academic internships in political science will be held on Wednesday, May 2nd, 317 DKH 7-8:50 PM.  The meeting is open to students in all majors.  From down the street to around the world, U of I students can enhance their education by earning academic credit in association with an internship related to politics, government, or non-governmental organization.  Offices and organizations in the Champaign-Urbana area are currently looking for interns for the fall.    Or you can go to Washington, DC through our Illinois in Washington program.   Students who secure a State Department internship can also earn credit long-distance.   Further information will be provided regarding study abroad internships.   For more information, contact Professor Henehan at mhenehan@illinois.edu

TOMORROW is the deadline to register for the June LSAT! Remember that if you are requesting accommodations you must also submit that request and supporting documentation by tomorrow as well.

Test Date: Monday, June 11, 2018

Registration Deadlines

Requests for testing accommodations are due by the receipt deadlines below. All receipt deadlines are by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET).

Receipt Deadline
Registration May 1, 2018
Registration Accommodation Request May 1, 2018
Nonpublished Test Center Registration(additional fees apply) April 24, 2018
Photo Upload May 25, 2018

For more information about the June 2018 LSAT, visit the LSAC website.

Career Center–You can still get your resume reviewed, meet with a career advisor, and learn more about applying for Peace Corps this week. Check out the Career Center’s calendar of events here.

Today at 12:00 join the Women’s Resource Center for:

Starting law school this fall? What to know, do, and buy this summer!

Congratulations to all Illini who are completing the law school application cycle! It feels like it’s over, but actually, a whole new stage is just beginning. What should you do now and throughout the summer to make sure you are ready to enter the legal profession?

First Things First: Final Application Tasks

  • Seat deposits. Now is the time for making those seat deposits to save your seat. While some people will submit multiple seat deposits, if you’ve done your research and completed your visits, you need to only place one seat deposit at your selected school. Remember that starting May 15, every law school can see each deposit that applicants have made–meaning that they will know if you’ve put down multiple deposits.
  • Follow up on wait lists. It is very common to be on one or more wait lists. Revisit this blog post for tips on what to do.
  • Withdraw your other applications. By this point, applicants have narrowed down their law school to one or two top choices. Contact the schools you know you won’t be attending to formally withdraw. This allows those law schools to offer your seat/scholarship to someone else. Some law schools will have a webform to do this, whereas at others, a simple email like this will do. Dear Dean of Admissions, Thank you very much for the opportunity to attend Your Law School. However, after careful consideration I have decided to attend X Law School (or, I’ve decided to attend law school in the midwest/east coast/elsewhere), so I will not be placing a deposit.  I very much appreciate your time and consideration of my application. Best wishes, Applicant.
  • Send a final transcript. After graduation, you must provide a final transcript to the law school you are attending.

Professional details–You are taking an important step toward beginning your professional life. Start off on the right foot.

  • Get online.
    • Clean up your social media presence like your Facebook and Twitter sites. Would you want an employer or law school representative to see every picture or post of yours? If not, take them down, and set privacy restrictions.
    • Set up a new, professional-sounding gmail account (not cubbies14 or hotty100). Learn how to use google calendar–if you haven’t been much of a planner until now, this is a good time to start getting in the habit of planning your days/weeks. Here’s a good video to learn some starter tips and tricks.
    • Create a Linked In profile or update your profile.
    • Update your resume.
    • Subscribe to online news and legal resources such as the New York Times and the National Law Journal to get into the practice of keeping up to date on legal issues.
  • Follow up with your professors/recommenders. You will continue to need recommendations for scholarships and for applying to jobs at the end of 1L year and beyond. Plus, it is simply good practice to begin developing long term connections.  At minimum you should:
    • Send a thank you note to your law school recommenders and let them know where you’ve decided to attend law school.
    • Provide your gmail or other non-Illinois email so that they can stay in touch with you after you graduate.
    • Ask if you can connect with them on LinkedIn.
    • Extra credit for delivering an inexpensive token gift such as a coffee gift card or chocolates. You don’t have to spend a lot of money–and shouldn’t–to express your appreciation.
  • Network. Ask lawyers you or your parents know if you can take them to coffee and learn about their practice area. You can use the Illinois Lawyer Finder here to locate lawyers near you by practice area. Use your networking skills and begin reaching out to any contacts in legal fields that interest you. Remember, everyone needs a lawyer eventually, and most people know or have hired a lawyer. Plus lawyers know lots of other lawyers and can introduce or recommend you. You can already start thinking about what kind of 1L summer job you’d like and build the network for that.
  • Create a Google Doc to help with your bar exam application. List every address you’ve ever had, every landlord you’ve ever had, and every speeding and parking ticket you’ve ever received. Get all the records you can for these and for any academic or disciplinary action against you during your undergraduate years. You’ll be applying during your 2L or 3L year to sit for the bar in your chosen state and you will not remember these old details! If you’d like to know what details you’ll be obligated to report on your Illinois Character & Fitness application, visit the Illinois Board of Admission to the Bar application here–be sure to click on the drop down menu to see all the questions in Sections A through J. Click here to explore other states’ bar application requirements.

Financial considerations

  • Follow up with the financial aid office of your law school to make sure they have all the documents they need, such as your FAFSA, and that you haven’t missed any opportunities to apply for school-specific scholarships.
  • Apply for scholarships this summer! We posted a Scholarships Spreadsheet over on Compass listing over 200 scholarships for incoming law students (and many which are available to undergrads also).
  • Most federal loans will not be disbursed until AFTER classes begin, so you will need to pay security deposits and the first month of rent as well as buy books and necessary items (below) all before getting your loans. Save up this summer!
  • Buy some important items.
    • You will need a suit and dress shoes the very first week of class.
    • You should also bring at least 2-3 business casual outfits that you can wear to networking events.
    • You may need a new or upgraded laptop–check with your law school to see what technology they recommend and what is compatible with their IT systems. Your law school may also offer discounts. A printer is very helpful but you could speak to your roommate(s) to see if they have one before purchasing.
  • Make a budget. Each law school is required to provide a budget in your financial aid package, or you can find it online. You are not required to take the full loan amount; remember that your loans start accruing interest from Day 1 so any amount you do not borrow will save you the interest too. Sit down and carefully consider your living expenses so you can budget accordingly. Remember that your loan disbursement is only designed to pay for tuition/fees and 9 months of living expenses, and it is not designed to cover costs like car payment/insurance, credit card debt, or travel (for example, if you need to fly to your new law school or ship your belongings there).

Personal details

  • Make living arrangements. Whether you are living in an apartment, with parents, or staying in on-campus housing, you should be figuring out where you will live as soon as possible. Additionally, you should be trying to locate a roommate if you plan on renting an apartment with someone else. Join social media groups for your law school class or speak directly with your school to see if they have a roommate matching system.
  • Take care of anything and everything in your personal life that you can. Get your car serviced, change your cell phone plan, go to the dentist, book necessary travel arrangements, open a bank account in your new city…do anything that you can take care of now. You will not want to spend precious free time on these things later.
  • Go to the doctor and update your vaccinations–law schools will require it. Start or maintain good exercise and eating habits–it’s easier to maintain these than to start them during the semester!
  • Embrace starting over. You have been given a clean slate, so use it wisely. Don’t start law school by being the person who brags about their big scholarship/LSAT score/undergrad accomplishments. Conversely, don’t be intimidated by people in your class with a higher LSAT score/scholarship–frequently the people who will end up at the top of the law school class are not who you would have predicted. You have made it here, you deserve to be here, now embrace the opportunity to start with a clean slate!
  • Finally, WORK HARD from Day 1! 1L grades and class rank are VERY important and will determine things like: whether you can write for a law journal, whether you can participate in moot court, and whether you can interview with law firms before your 2L year in On Campus Interviews (OCI). Start developing a consistent study schedule and the discipline to stick to it. 1L year is not the time to sit back and coast while you adjust to a new life. Remember that law school classes are curved, so by design, everyone will NOT get an A. It is critical not to fall behind on your coursework during the first semester.

 

Additional Summer 2018 Internships

If you are still looking for a summer 2018 internship, here are over TWENTY job postings for summer interns across the country and Illinois!

Chapman & Cutler – Administrative Intern Diversity Pipeline Program

Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors can all apply. Chapman & Cutler is a large law firm in Chicago that is looking for an intern to be a part of their Administrative Intern Diversity Pipeline Program.

Applicants are asked to rank the following departments based on level of interest: Business Operations, Human Resources/Recruiting/Professional Development, Office Services/Facilities, Records Department, and Selection Criteria.

Applicants will be considered based on their academic achievements, leadership abilities, community service, oral and written communication skills, and a commitment to and support of diversity and inclusion in the areas of racial or ethnic diversity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or other areas of underrepresentation or otherwise important diversity in the legal profession. Consistent with our broad and inclusive view of diversity, Chapman and Cutler LLP will also consider additional criteria, among many other factors, such as military experience and demonstrated ability to overcome adversity, such as first-in-family college attendance or socioeconomic disadvantage. Applicants must have completed at least one year of undergraduate studies to be eligible for consideration and have at least one year of undergraduate study remaining.

https://www.chapman.com/careers-opportunities.html

Job posting: https://apps.viglobal.com/…/viRecruitSelfAp…/ReDefault.aspx…

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York is looking for college interns for their Brooklyn, NY and Central Islip, NY courthouses. The application is due May 16!

http://www.nyeb.uscourts.gov/sites/nyeb/files/College-Intern-Summer-FY18-01.pdf

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Washington D.C.)

PAID internship, part-time
http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/…/fi…/Employment/CAFC-18-04.pdf

U.S. Probation & Pretrial Services Office – WDNY (Buffalo, NY and Rochester, NY)

PAID Internship
http://www.uscourts.gov/careers/current-job-openings/99769

United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office Eastern District of Arkansas (Little Rock, AR)

PAID Internship
http://www.arep.uscourts.gov/…/2018.4.16%20-%20Operations%2…

United States Probation Office Central District of California – (Los Angeles, CA) 

unpaid, part-time
http://www.cacp.uscourts.gov/careers

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (Richmond, VA) 

PAID internship. For a student that is a business analytics, mathematics, statistics, or related major.
http://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/…/Vacancy-BusinessAnalyticsInte…

For more opportunities, visit the U.S. Courts website. http://www.uscourts.gov/careers/search-judiciary-jobs…

State’s Attorney’s and Public Defender Internship Opportunities 

If you are interested in government work in Illinois, check out our Compass page for 13 government related (State’s Attorney’s offices, Public Defender’s offices, etc.) opportunities across the state of Illinois.

There are internship opportunities posted on our Compass page for the following cities in Illinois:

  • Urbana
  • Chicago
  • Champaign
  • Bloomington
  • Edwardsville
  • Joliet
  • Galesburg
  • St. Charles
  • Kankakee
  • Murphysboro
  • Waukegan
  • Decatur
  • Springfield
  • Rockford

Other Exciting Opportunities – Diversify Your Resume and Work on Transferable Skills for Law School

Farrell Fellows Lead Summer Internship – Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago

Together with Community Initiatives staff, the Lead Interns will support the development, delivery, and maintenance of science education programs.  The delivery of the science education programs may include (but not limited to) museum guests, visitors, community and school audiences.

http://careers.msichicago.org/apply/5fIsx43D8t/Farrell-Fellows-Lead-Summer-Internship

CBS Investigative Intern – Studio City, CA

KCBS2/KCAL9 TV, the CBS Owned & Operated Duopoly in Los Angeles, is looking for an Investigative Intern. Participating in the Internship Program you will have the opportunity to experience how a major Broadcast News station runs the News Investigations Unit. There will be opportunities to witness and take part in day to day activities. Internship programs are for approximately 12 weeks and concludes at the end of the semester.

https://cbscorporation.jobs/studio-city-ca/internship-investigative-summer-2018/87E3AD3BA016458B882D8D518F0CDDE0/job/

WTTW Chicago Tonight Internship

Chicago Tonight is a multi-faceted news and current affairs program broadcast in prime time (7-8 p.m.) Monday – Friday. The program includes news analysis, interviews and other current features, film and theater reviews and commentary. It combines in-studio interviews and features, with pre-produced field packages and remote live shots.  Chicago Tonight  is unlike any other news program in the local market and a unique daily format among PBS stations nationwide.
Internship Applications are due April 30! https://interactive.wttw.com/about/employment 
For other WTTW internships, visit their website: https://interactive.wttw.com/about/employment

Summer 2018 Classes and Opportunities for May 2018 Graduates

Summer classes are offered in-person or online through the University of Illinois. There are great options for pre-law students looking to add a class or two in the summertime. We’ve looked at the course catalog (available here) and found some great classes for you this summer!

Please be aware that some of these classes listed and other summer classes have prerequisites.

Law 199:  The Best of American Case Law

Law 199: The Best of American Case Law is a 10-day summer course designed to introduce students to some of the most important and exciting law school cases. Students will come to understand how the law school classroom works, experience a broad sample of at least eight different areas of the law, and engage with nationally renowned law faculty as they present some of the most important legal cases. All students will receive a certificate for successful completion of the course. Current University of Illinois students will also receive 3 credit hours.

SCHEDULE: July 23 – August 3, 2018; 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. daily.

MEALS: Lunch is included in the course fee on days that class is held.

PS 100: Introduction to Political Science

Surveys the major concepts and approaches employed in the study of politics.

Credit is not given for both PS 100 and PS 200.

PS 224: Politics of the National Parks

Credit: 3 hours. This class surveys the major concepts and approaches employed in the study of politics. Class meets online. Class meets June 11 to August 2. This course takes a two-week field trip to the Greater Yellowstone Area to study the politics of wildlife, wilderness, natural resources, and tourism, among other topics. Students will learn about sustainability in the region, the effect of stakeholders on national parks policies, and the legal and administrative environment of the National Park Service. There is a course fee of $800 to cover all transportation, lodging, and meals. For more information, see https://publish.illinois.edu/pahre/study-in-yellowstone-this-summer/

PS 305: The US Supreme Court

Credit: 3 hours. Examines how the modern Supreme Court resolves major issues in American constitutional politics. Prerequisite: PS 101, six hours of Political Science credit, or consent of instructor; PS 301 or PS 302.

CMN 101: Public Speaking

Credit: 3 hours. Preparation and presentation of short informative and persuasive speeches; emphasis on the selection and organization of material, methods of securing interest and attention, and the elements of delivery. Credit is not given for both CMN 101 and either CMN 111 or CMN 112.

CMN 340: Visual Politics

Credit: 3 hours. Explores the role of visual images in U.S. culture, paying special attention to the ways that images function persuasively as political communication. Provides tools for analyzing historical and contemporary images and artifacts, such as photographs, prints, paintings, advertisements, and memorials. Emphasis on how visual images are used for remembering and memorializing; confronting and resisting; consuming and commodifying; governing and authorizing; and visualizing and informing.

GWS 100: Intro Gender & Women’s Studies

Credit: 3 hours. Interdisciplinary introduction to the study of gender, women, and sexuality. Addresses issues such as social experience, representation and popular culture, femininities and masculinities, family structure, education, employment, economics, literature and the arts, religion, history, and technology. Explores interrelationships of race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, ability, and age from a transnational perspective. Same as HDFS 140 and SOC 130.

BADM 300: The Legal Environment of Business

Credit: 3 hours. Introduction to law and the legal system, litigation, contracts, business organizations, intellectual property, employment law and governmental regulation of business. This section will be taught online. Students must have broadband access to the internet to participate. Please see http://publish.illinois.edu/onlinestudentorientation/online-business-minor-courses/ for more information. This course will open to Food Science & Human Nutrition majors on Monday, April 16, 2018 and to the campus on Monday, April 23, 2018 at approximately 10:00 a.m. This is an elective course for undergraduate students pursuing the business minor. Restricted to Food Science & Human Nutrition or Curric Unassigned or Accountancy or Finance or Marketing or Business or Information Sys & Info Tech or Supply Chain Management or Business Process Management or Management or Information Systems or Operations Management major(s) or minor(s). Restricted to students with Junior or Senior class standing.
GLBL 100: Intro to Global Studies

Credit: 3 hours. Foundation course for understanding a range of contemporary issues and learning to analyze them from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Students consider globalizing trends within themes of wealth and poverty; population, cultures, and human rights; environment and sustainability; and governance, conflict, and cooperation. Course objectives are to enhance knowledge of human cultures, their interactions and impacts on the world; develop skills for successfully negotiating realities of contemporary societies; and promote values for global learning, diversity, and sustainable futures.

HIST 100: Global History

Credit: 3 hours. Broad introduction to global history, by exploring the global structures and transnational forces that have shaped human history, from the emergence of agriculture and urban centers to our contemporary global village.

Summer Institute for Languages in the Muslim World – SILMW

SILMW is 8 weeks long. It runs during Summer II Session.

The Summer Institute for Languages of the Muslim World (SILMW) is an annual intensive language institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that focuses specifically on teaching critical languages spoken in the Muslim World.

At SILMW 2018 we are offering the following languages (click on a language for more info and for the contact information of the instructor).

  • Arabic
  • Persian
  • Swahili
  • Turkish
  • Wolof

The class schedule is 9-11 and 12-2, Elementary classes: M-F, Intermediate classes:M-R and half day on Friday, Advanced classes: M-R

IFLIP ANNOUNCES NEW SUMMER CLASSES! Classes are now three weeks! Please register by May 1st, 2018

Open to members of the University community and to the general public.Classes meet Monday through Friday, two hours a day, for three weeks, except holidays. Taught by advanced graduate students or faculty. Courses focus on conversational skills, travel preparation and language survival skills. There is minimal homework, no attendance policy, and no academic credit. Click here for more information: http://www.slcl.illinois.edu/outreach/iflip/

 

May 2018 Graduates: There are great gap year opportunities for you!

Please visit our Compass page for over 20 Gap Year Opportunities.

Here are five full time opportunities at Kirkland & Ellis that would be great for May 2018 Graduates!

Junior Paralegal – Corporate

New York, NY: http://staffjobsus.kirkland.com/jobs/2629335-junior-paralegal-corporate

Junior Paralegal – International Trade & National Security

Washington D.C.: http://staffjobsus.kirkland.com/jobs/2600812-junior-paralegal-international-trade-and-national-security 

Corporate Junior Paralegal

San Francisco, CA: http://staffjobsus.kirkland.com/jobs/2505717-corporate-junior-paralegal

Litigation Junior Paralegal

Chicago, IL: http://staffjobsus.kirkland.com/jobs/2470011-litigation-junior-paralegal

Junior Paralegal – Intellectual Property

New York, NY: http://staffjobsus.kirkland.com/jobs/2422412-junior-paralegal-intellectual-property

Mark Your Calendars – Week of April 23

Today is the last Pre-Law Advising Services event of the semester!

Personal Statement Workshop for Fall Applicants

When? 4:00 – 5:00 PM

Where? Room 514 of the Illini Union Bookstore, 807 S. Wright Street

If you’re planning to apply to law school this fall OR if you’re graduating and planning to apply to law school in the next couple of years, then this is a great opportunity to learn about writing a personal statement for law school. The personal statement is a critical part of the law school application in which applicants must show personality, highlight strengths, identify career goals, and address why law school is their next step: a tall order for a 2 page document!

Join us as we cover:

  • What the personal statement is (and isn’t) to law schools
  • Creating a realistic timeline
  • Outlining a plan for how to write the statement
  • How the personal statement and resume work together in the application
  • Knowing your resources to help you along the way

We’ll have time for Q&A, so bring your questions!

Possible Pre-Law RSO for 2018-2019

Pre-Law Advising Services is measuring interest for a possible pre-law registered student organization here at the University of Illinois. The RSO would be for the 2018-2019 school year. Please answer our survey to let us know about your interest in this RSO and possibly joining the Pre-Law RSO! The form can be found here:  https://goo.gl/forms/MvL1xYyR2cY8Tvss2

Job Opportunity for UIUC Seniors and Recent Graduates – DEADLINE IS APRIL 25!

Proskauer, a large international law firm with offices in multiple locations, is looking to hire Project Assistants to start working this summer for the following offices: New York City (Corporate only); Boston and Washington, D.C.

Project Assistants are recent college graduates who are looking to gain exposure to the legal field before attending law school. They possess excellent written and oral communication skills, critical thinking abilities and are detail oriented. These qualities allow them to effectively support lawyers and more senior paralegals on a wide range of projects and tasks with appropriate supervision. Practice areas for Project Assistants include corporate, litigation and labor. Candidates must be willing to make a two-year commitment and be available to work the hours required by a leading law firm (including evenings and weekends). Successful candidates will be placed in specific practice areas based on the firm’s needs.

To learn more about the Project Assistant positions, go here: https://www.proskauer.com/careers/paralegals.
Interested UIUC seniors and alumni applicants should submit their cover letters and resumes to Judy Argentieri, Pre-Law Advisor, UIUC at: jargenti@illinois.edu, by Wednesday, April 25, 5:00pm.

 

Deadline for the June 11 LSAT is approaching!

Test Date: Monday, June 11, 2018

Registration Deadlines

Requests for testing accommodations are due by the receipt deadlines below. All receipt deadlines are by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET).

Receipt Deadline
Registration May 1, 2018
Registration Accommodation Request May 1, 2018
Nonpublished Test Center Registration(additional fees apply) April 24, 2018
Photo Upload May 25, 2018

For more information about the June 2018 LSAT, visit the LSAC website.

 

“A CONVERSATION WITH ALAN DERSHOWITZ” AT FOELLINGER AUDITORIUM

Foellinger Auditorium, April 26, 2018 at 7:30PM

For more information on the event: https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/5714?eventId=33302447

Global Career Services: UN & International Organizations

Interested in a career with the United Nations or international non-profit organizations? The Area Study Centers and the Illinois Model United Nations is co-hosting this event to learn more about resources and to get advice about working in this field.

The link for more information can be found here: https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/event/global-careers-careers-un-and-international-organizations

Union Calendar of Events

Need a study break during finals? Check out the Union’s Calendar of Events for the rest of the school year. For more information, click here.

Feminist Film Festival 

The Annual Feminist Film Festival is a grassroots event that uses art and alternative media to bring social issues to the fore. The goal of the festival is to showcase independent film spanning documentary, narrative, and experimental genres in order to explore perspectives often missing from mainstream media and culture. The festival strives to serve as a space for underrepresented artists and filmmakers to raise consciousness concerning issues related to gender, race, class, sexuality, ability and other dimensions of social identity.

The University of Illinois Annual Feminist Film Festival is organized and hosted by the Women’s Resources Center, in collaboration with a variety of campus units and departments. For more information, click here.

Still looking for a summer 2018 internship? Applying for full time jobs? Maybe your resume needs a second look!

Career Center Resume Reviews

The Career Center offers resume reviews at different locations across camps. This is a great way to get feedback on your resume without having to schedule an appointment. Please bring a paper copy to the location of your choice. This is a FREE service provided by the University.

Monday-Friday, 2:00-4:30pm: The Career Center, Resource Center 715 S Wright Street (Across from the Alma Mater).

Sunday, 4:00-9:00pm: Monday & Wednesday, 7:00-9:00pm, Undergraduate Library 1402 W Gregory Drive (in the Consultation Corner)

Tuesday, 5:30-7:30pm: The IKE 301 E Gregory Drive (in Room 1010A).

For more information, visit the Career Center’s website.

 

Scholarships, Scholarships and More Scholarships!

Who doesn’t want or need additional scholarship money to pay for law school?!  There is no time like the present to apply for scholarships.  First up — the Chicago Bar Foundation Marovitz Public Interest Scholarship.

The Chicago Bar Foundation Marovitz Scholarship, made possible by a generous gift from the late Judge Abraham Lincoln Marovitz, is awarded annually to an incoming student attending one of the nine Illinois law schools (Chicago-Kent College of Law, DePaul University College of Law, The John Marshall Law School, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Northwestern University School of Law, University of Chicago Law School, Northern Illinois University College of Law, Southern Illinois University School of Law and the University of Illinois College of Law). Currently a $40,000 scholarship payable over a three-year period, the CBF Marovitz Scholarship enables an incoming student who intends to pursue a career in public interest law to have a significant portion of his or her tuition covered by scholarship funding.  Applications are due May 10 by 5:00pm! For more information and to apply, click on this link. https://chicagobarfoundation.org/fellowships/marovitz/

What about those of you who are looking for additional funds to support your undergraduate education?  Could you use an additional $500, $1000, or even $40,000 towards your undergrad or legal education? Whether you’re heading off to law school this fall or staying here to continue your pre-law education, you’ll want to see this resource. We have compiled over 200 scholarships available for BOTH incoming law students and pre-law undergraduates.  Below are some examples. Head over to our Compass page to find the full listings–but hurry, because some have upcoming deadlines! 

All UIUC students can access our Compass page. Here’s how:

  • If you are an Illinois student who is designated pre-law: All students who are designated pre-law already have access to our Compass page. Log in to Compass and under “My Courses” look for OPEN LEARNING: Pre-Law Advising Services.
  • If you are an Illinois student who is not designated pre-law: Click here for instructions on how to add yourself to our Compass page.

Here are just a few examples of the scholarships available. Go to the Compass page for more details on how to apply.

American Association for Justice’s Richard D. Hailey Scholarship provides $5,000 to an incoming or continuing minority law student. Applications due May 1.

Dwyer Williams Dretke is offering a $1,000 scholarship for an incoming law student. Deadline to apply is July 1.

The Levin Firm is offering a bi-yearly $1,000 scholarship to individuals currently attending or planning on attending an accredited United States college or graduate school in the near future.  Deadline to apply is August 15.

McNeely Stephenson’s Legal Scholarship Award provides $1,000 to an incoming law student who has written an article that has been published in print or digital media. Deadline to apply is May 1.

Head over to our Compass page to explore more scholarship opportunities!

Mark Your Calendars – Week of April 16

Although we have less than a month to go in the semester, Pre-Law Advising Services has two important workshops — TODAY and next Monday — for those of you planning on applying to law school this fall.  Scroll down for information about these programs, study groups for the September LSAT, Fulbright Scholarships and more, including a campus visit by noted attorney and civil rights advocate Alan Dershowitz!

Pre-Law Advising Services

Applying to Law School Workshop – TODAY, Monday April 16, 4-5:15pm, 514 IUB

This workshop is designed for Illini planning to apply to law school this fall (2018) or who are graduating and plan to apply to law school in the next few years.  The workshop will cover:

  • LSAT options–these recently changed!
  • Using the LSAC/Credential Assembly Service
  • How to use the summer to get ahead on law school applications
  • Developing a law school application strategy
  • Sending in transcripts
  • Getting letters of recommendation

And we will allocate time for Q&A. Join us to get a head start on fall applications or to find out what you can do to maximize your applications during a gap year. All students and alumni are welcome!

Personal Statement and Resume Workshop – NEXT Monday, April 23, 4-5pm, 514 IUB

If you’re planning to apply to law school this fall OR if you’re graduating and planning to apply to law school in the next couple of years, then this is a great opportunity to learn about writing a personal statement and resume for law school. The personal statement is a critical part of the law school application in which applicants must show personality, highlight strengths, identify career goals, and address why law school is their next step: a tall order for a 2 page document! Join us as we cover:

  • What the personal statement is (and isn’t) to law schools
  • Creating a realistic timeline 
  • Outlining a plan for how to write the statement
  • How the personal statement and resume work together in the application
  • What is an addendum?
  • Knowing the right resources to help you along the way

We’ll have time for Q&A, so bring your questions!

PLAS also has a couple of additional opportunities for you to consider:

  1. LSAT Study Group – The September LSAT is only a few months away! Pre-Law Advising Services is organizing LSAT study groups for those people taking the September 8, 2018 exam. We will organize groups based on the availability you specify in the google form. Sign-ups for the LSAT study groups will close by next Thursday April 19 at noon. To sign up, use the google form provided here: https://goo.gl/forms/nNpDBqrvBI510pg12

2. Pre-Law Club – Pre-Law Advising Services is measuring interest for a possible pre-law registered student organization here at the University of Illinois. The RSO would be for the 2018-2019 school year. Please answer our survey to let us know about your interest in this RSO and possibly joining the Pre-Law RSO! The form can be found here: https://goo.gl/forms/MvL1xYyR2cY8Tvss2

Campus Events

Career Center

Resume, Cover Letter, Linked In Reviews – Monday, April 16, 2-4:30pm, Resource Center; 7-9pm, Undergraduate Library, Consultation Corner.  This workshop is offered several other times during the week.  Go here for more information.

Creating Your Powerful Resume – Monday, April 16, 4-5pm, The Career Center Conference Room 143

International Student Career Meet Up – Friday, April 20, 4-5:30pm, The Career Center Interview Suite Room 213.  Join us for an information gathering where international students can talk with alumni, recruiters, or current international students who have successful job search stories. Information on invited speakers will be posted on Handshake. Open to all international students, but RSVP on Handshake is required due to a space limitation.

For more information on these and other Career Center events, check out their website.

National & International Scholarship Program – Fulbright Scholarship Workshops

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs.  A candidate will submit a Statement of Grant Purpose defining activities to take place during one academic year in a participating country outside the U.S.

During their grants, Fulbrighters will meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences.  The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. Through engagement in the community, the individual will interact with their hosts on a one-to-one basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.

Sound interesting?  The National & International Scholarships Program has several workshops scheduled to help you prepare a strong application.

Friday, April 20: Personal Statement Workshop – 3:30-5:00 pm, 514 Illini Union Bookstore. A key part of the Fulbright Application is the Personal Statement, a one-page essay. Come learn how to create this document and tell your unique story.

       Webinars for those off campus:

If you are not currently on campus to take advantage of our Fulbright Information        Session, join us remotely for these webinars!  The same detailed overview will be provided for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, including: eligibility, grant types, and application advice.  There will also be plenty of time for questions and answers.

 Wednesday, April 25: Informational Webinar for Illinois Alumni and Students Abroad – 8:30-9:30 am CST; https://us.bbcollab.com/guest/96a0120ef64d43dc9f7b43d6e77ce197

Thursday, April 26: Informational Webinar for Illinois Alumni and Students Abroad – 12:00-1:00 pm CST; https://us.bbcollab.com/guest/ed88abfed96540c7a4e96da034f46819

Friday, April 27: English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Application Workshop – 2:00-3:00 pm, 514 Illini Union Bookstore. The Fulbright ETA application includes a one-page essay on your case for Why the Fulbright program should fund You to Teach English to students in ____________ (insert your host country).  We will discuss how to approach this essay and more during this workshop.

Friday, April 27: Designing a Fulbright Research Proposal Workshop – 3:30-5:00 pm, 514 Illini Union Bookstore. If you are interested in applying for a Fulbright research grant, join us for this workshop to learn how to craft this important two-page grant request, how to secure a letter of affiliation, and how to select your reference letter writers.

The US Student Fulbright website is:  https://us.fulbrightonline.org

Facebook UIUC Fulbright Events page is here.

Alan Dershowitz to Give Public Lecture at University of Illinois

Alan Dershowitz, noted attorney and advocate for civil rights and civil liberties, will be on the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign campus next Thursday, April 26, 2018, for a series of events. The day will culminate in a public lecture held in Foelinger Auditorium, at 7:30pm.  This even is FREE and open to the public! This visit is sponsored by Gies College of Business; The Program in Constitutional Theory, History and Law at the College of Law; and the Chabad Center for Jewish Life at the University of Illinois.dershowitz

 

 

 

All About Seat Deposits: Advice and Next Steps

The deadlines for seat deposits at law schools are rapidly approaching.  It’s time to decide where to attend law school! In many cases, these decisions prove difficult.  Scholarships, living expenses, geographic locations and other considerations all play a part in the decision process.  Here are some tips and suggestions to help applicants through the seat deposit process.

Reconsider the Right School/Wrong School Mentality. Many applicants see their choice of law school as a Right/Wrong dichotomy. They feel pressure to pick the Right law school so that everything will be wonderful and life will be perfect. They worry that if they pick the Wrong law school, life will be miserable and they will spend their days regretting it. It is more accurate and helpful to approach this decision by acknowledging that there is no one perfect law school for everyone. A better question is: What is the best school to help YOU achieve YOUR PRIORITIES? Every law school will have strengths and weaknesses. Your job should be to consider what your priorities are in a legal education, and to choose a school that matches those priorities. Note that here is where it is important to focus on YOU and not what Mom/Dad, significant others, family, friends, etc. think. You are the only person who can decide which law school is right for YOU.

Note deadlines and follow the directions. If you’re this far into the law school application process then you already know that following directions is critical! Make sure that you are clear on all of the seat deposit deadlines for schools you are considering, and that you understand how they want you to submit your deposit–and what happens if you don’t do so on time.

Reconsider your priorities. When considering schools to apply to, we asked: What are your priorities in a legal education? Think back on that pre-application priority or ranking. Some priorities to consider or reconsider include: Where do you want to live and practice after law school? What specialty programs does this school offer? What observations did you make about the law school when you visited? What would your overall investment be (see more on that below) to attend this school?

Carefully consider scholarships. It is critical that law students know and understand exactly how much of an investment their legal education will be. Make sure that when you consider scholarships:

  • You have carefully calculated the cost of attendance (your actual, out of pocket costs to attend after the scholarship) and not just compared two scholarship amounts;
  • IF considering a state school, you know whether you can become an in-state resident for tuition purposes during your 2L and 3L years;
  • Cost of living in the law school’s city is factored in; and
  • Does the law school freeze tuition? If not, factor in a 3-5% increase in tuition each year.

Having trouble deciding? Get back to basics. If you’re truly feeling stuck and can’t decide between two schools, getting back to basics can be surprisingly helpful. Ask yourself:

  • What would make me feel confident with my decision? What would tip the scales in one direction or another?
  • Looking again at the actual data–your cost of attendance, employment reports, bar passage rates, etc.–is helpful if you want to remove some of the uncertainty or emotional overwhelm. Review this blog post for a helpful resource.
  • What were my observations/thoughts/feelings when I visited each school?
  • What is holding me back from choosing X School over Y School? (Have you asked the law school if they can address that concern? If not, do so!)
  • How would you describe each law school in one sentence? (This can help to clarify what your primary observations are of each one.)
  • What is your gut telling you?

In extenuating circumstances, ask for an extension. Did you just get another admission or scholarship offer and need time to consider it in light of other options? You can request a seat deposit extension. Contact the law school and formally (politely) request a seat deposit extension of a few days to a week. Use this judiciously! It’s important to actually use the extended time to make a decision–what is realistically going to change your mind in 3 days or a week? Ask yourself: What can I do with this time to help me feel confident in my decision?

If you’re waitlisted–deposit somewhere or decide to reapply next year. If you are waitlisted at Dream School and hoping that comes through, you must make a careful decision about where else you will deposit. OR you can decide to take your chances with Dream School and reapply to law school next year if you don’t get in from the wait list. However, don’t decide to put no deposits down and expect to attend law school this fall–being wait listed is no guarantee of admission and once the seat deposit deadlines have passed you have forfeited your seat even where you were admitted. If you are still undecided, it’s better to put down a seat deposit and lose that money (if you decide not to attend or get into Dream Law School off the wait list) than have no seat in any law school class this fall.

Be very careful with multiple deposits. Sometimes applicants will decide to put down multiple seat deposits if they still aren’t sure where to attend law school. Here’s what the LSAC has to say about this:

“Applicants should be aware that a law school is not required to maintain an offer of admission if it discovers that the applicant has accepted an offer at another institution. Beginning on May 15 of each year, law schools may be provided with information concerning all enrollment commitments to any law school made by those applicants who have indicated an intention to enroll in that school’s entering class. Applicants should be sure that they understand policies on multiple commitment deposits set by schools to which they have applied.” (http://www.lsac.org/jd/lsat/misconduct-and-irregularities/what-to-expect?sfvrsn=2).

Submitting multiple seat deposits is a tricky business.  Law schools will see all of your seat deposits as of May 15, some schools can retract your offer of admission, the practice is costly and borderline unethical, and it only prolongs the decision process.  You have done all the hard work to receive these offers so take the last step and make your choice.

Withdraw from other law schools. Once you’ve decided where to deposit and followed the directions to do so, you can withdraw from the other law schools where you were accepted. Usually they have a link or webform for this. If not, it’s perfectly acceptable to send a brief, polite email: Dear Law School, Thank you very much for your offer of admission. However, I have decided to attend X Law School and I have submitted a seat deposit there. Sincerely, Applicant

Embrace your choice. You visited, you calculated all the data, you weighed all of your priorities, you thought it over, you talked to law school professionals and students. You made the decision that you decided best suits your priorities. Once you have made that decision, it is time to embrace it and to let go of the “what ifs” to focus on your next steps. You’ll want to take advantage of every opportunity, program, and connection your law school offers to maximize your law school experience. Enter law school with an open mind and embrace all of the opportunities wherever you decide to attend.

Mark Your Calendars: Week of April 9

Upcoming Pre-Law Advising Services Events: Are you planning to apply to law school this fall? Or maybe you’re graduating and planning to apply within the next year or two? These two upcoming workshops will help you maximize your summer or your gap year to make your law school application the best it can be. Join us for one or both.

Monday April 16 – Applying to Law School Workshop for Fall Applicants at 4PM in 514 Illini Union Bookstore Building

Monday April 23 – Personal Statement Workshop for Fall Applicants at 4PM in 514 Illini Union Bookstore Building

PRE-LAW OPPORTUNITIES

Undergraduate Law Review Meeting–Are you interested in legal writing? Join the first meeting for the very first undergraduate law journal at the University of Illinois on Monday, April 16 at 6pm in Greg Hall Room 215.

LSAT UPDATE–Are you planning to take the LSAT this summer? Both the June and July exams are open for registration here. We recommend registering ASAP to get your preferred test location.

FALL 2018 COURSES – Still building your fall schedule? Refer to this blog featuring a detailed list of suggested Fall ’18 classes for pre-law students.

SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES
Reminder: The University of Wisconsin Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholars program application is due this Friday, April 13. Click here to learn more and apply. 

Still looking for summer opportunities? We’ve posted lots of internships, jobs, and volunteer opportunities over on our Facebook page.

And don’t forget about the Illini Career and Internship Fair, Tuesday April 10, 1pm-6pm, Illini Union Rooms A, B, and C! This career fair is open to all disciplines and is designed to serve as a “just-in-time” fair for students that have yet to secure a summer internship or full-time job after graduation. Click here for more details.

Campus Events

A Conversation with Alan Dershowitz, noted attorney and advocate for civil liberties, will be held on April 26 at 7:30 pm at Foellinger Auditorium. Click here for more details. 

The College of Law will host Discussion of “Unequal: How America’s Courts Undermine Discrimination Law” on April 19 at 12:00 pm in the Rowe Auditorium. This event is free and open to the public and lunch will be served to attendees. Find more details here.

 

Your Law School Short List: Using Standard 509 Information to Narrow Your Choices for Fall 2018

Are you narrowing your list of law schools that you plan on attending for Fall 2018? Unsure of how to tell the difference between some schools? Making a final decision can be stressful. If you feel like you need more information about a law school, consider looking at their Standard 509.

What is a Standard 509? The American Bar Association requires that law schools disclose certain information about their schools. Standard 509 information includes: LSAT/GPA data, tuition and living expenses, diversity of enrollment, grants and scholarships, and more. Most law schools provide a link to the Standard 509 document at the bottom of their law school websites. However, the ABA provides an easy way for you access the documents and compare schools. The website is: http://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/

We also more information about how to access Standard 509 reports on our Compass page. 

Using all the Illinois Law Schools Standard 509 documents, here are some ways you can utilize this resource and narrow your choices! The three topics we looked at included: on campus cost of living, conditional versus non-conditional scholarships, and transfer rates.