Mark Your Calendars – Week of January 20/21 – Welcome Back Edition

Welcome back pre-law students!  As is typical for our first post of the semester, this is a long one.  But it is chock full of interesting opportunities and events, including our PLAS LSAT Boot Camp, PAID campus internships, the Career Center’s Part-Time Job Fair, and more!  Make sure you scroll through the entire post so you don’t miss out on something.

Image result for Martin luther king, jr

UIUC is hosting many events to celebrate the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., including the Day of Service. Click on the following link to find out more. https://oae.illinois.edu/MLK/calendar.html   

Pre-Law Advising Services Workshops and Programs

We have updated our Spring Semester calendar of events on our website here.

Pre-Law 101 — Monday, January 27, 4:00pm, 514 IUB

Are you new to pre-law at Illinois? Then this event is a great opportunity for you! This workshop will cover: What it means to be pre-law at Illinois; what law schools are really looking for; what pre-law students can do to maximize their undergraduate years; how to build a strong pre-law resume; what resources are available to assist pre-law students at Illinois. For more details and to register, click here.

Get That Law-Related Internship or Job — Wednesday, January 29, 5:00pm, 514 IUB

Looking for law-related internships or jobs? Whether you are a sophomore applying for summer internships or a senior applying to post-graduation jobs, this workshop is for you! We will help you draft a resume and learn important skills for effectively finding and landing law-related internships and jobs!

We will cover:

  • Resume tips for applying to law-related jobs/internships, including what to avoid, what to include, how to structure it, and more. Bring your resume!
  • How to find law-related internships and jobs, including what to look for, where to look, and how to enhance your application
  • How to create effective cover letters that lawyers will read
  • What kinds of transferrable skills to highlight

Join us as we provide inside insight into how exactly to land a meaningful internship or job in the legal world.

LSAT Bootcamp—Mark your calendars for Feb. 10 at 4:00 pm. What’s covered on the LSAT? What is it really like to take it on a tablet? How can test takers best prepare? Which LSAT should you take, and how can you plan ahead for a retake? All of this will be covered at LSAT Bootcamp, which includes presentations by both the representatives from the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) and Kaplan Testing Services! Visit this website for workshop schedules and more details.

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

REVISED – Legal Administrative Intern Opportunity –  UIUC Office of University Counsel

The Office of University Counsel seeks 1-2 undergraduate student interns for 2020-2021. This PAID position will provide administrative support to the office, with specific duties outlined below. Hours per week will depend upon intern availability. Interns will gain experience working in a legal environment and will also be introduced to legal procedures with the possibility of increased responsibilities over time.

Required: Sophomore, junior, or senior standing; minimum 3.0 GPA; consistent weekly availability. Preference will be given to candidates with availability over breaks.

About the office: The Office of University Counsel (OUC) provides legal advice and representation to the university, its administrators/employees, University Related Organizations and others who seek legal advice arising from their official university responsibilities. OUC attorneys provide advice on an extremely wide variety of subjects. The office staff consists of attorneys and staff with unique skills and specialized training, as well as generalists who are well versed in multiple areas of law and policy. For more information, please visit: legal.uillinois.edu

Specific intern duties will include:

  • Responsible for review of legal invoices to verify compliance with contract requirements
  • Maintains electronic files of invoices, approvals and any supporting documentation.  Record must be accurate and complete for auditing and reporting purposes
  • Completes data entry and ensures the data integrity of legal services invoices in OUC systems (Legal Files eBill)
  • Provide backup support for answering main phone line and directing calls to appropriate personnel (attorneys, support staff and business staff)
  • Copying/scanning/shredding projects as needed including highly confidential legal documents
  • Assisting with legal and business document compilation, organization and delivery
  • Other duties as assigned

To apply: Submit a resume and cover letter to Ms. Karen Quinlan at kquinlan@uillinois.edu.  NOTE: the earlier version of this post listed the incorrect contact person.  Please direct your resume and cover letter to Ms. Karen Quinlan.  Cover letters should include: 1) Relevant experience; 2) Weekly availability; 3) GPA and class standing; and 4) Availability over breaks.

Deadline to submit applications is 5:00pm February 7.

Legal Internship Opportunity — Holder Law Group, LLP

Holder Law Group, LLP, a young law firm in Champaign-Urbana, is looking for interns who want to be involved in a fast paced, high-tech, multi-area, legal environment. Holder Law Group engages in personal injury, medical malpractice, and civil litigation. Attorneys at Holder Law Group have had experience in both public and private sectors of work, including small and large law firms and are happy to share their knowledge and experience. Interns jobs will vary, and be assigned based on capabilities, but may include medical record organization, filing, abstracting depositions, assisting in trial preparations, Court filings, and attending depositions and Court hearings and legal marketing. Work times are flexible and we are willing to work around your academic schedule. Positions are available for fall, spring, and summer semesters as well as during breaks. Please email resumes and cover letters to Ms. Betsy Holder: Betsy@holderlawllp.com  

Undergrad PAID Internship at UIUC in Environmental Humanities for 2020 — 2021 Applications due March 2, 2020!

Environmental Humanities is environmental studies from a humanistic standpoint. Envrionmental Humanities pulls from different movements (environmental philosophy, environmental history, ecocriticism, cultural geography, anthropology, and others) to study the relationship between humans and non-human nature, past and present. The IPRH-Mellon Environmental Humanities Research Group is composed of professors, post-doctoral scholars, graduate students, and undergraduates from different disciplines who are united by their desire to understand the human place in nature, as well as to examine critically the way people make meaning of it.

The research group seeks three undergraduate interns who will work with the group on their seminars, workshops, and programs for the academic year 2020-2021. Interns will also work with the research group director, Professor A. Naomi Paik, to develop their own research projects as well as a research symposium for undergraduates at the end of the spring semester.

Interns will work approximately 10-11 hours per week, paid at the rate of $15.75 per hours, and will have up to $600 to support their research. Applicants must be juniors or seniors the year of the internship. For more information and to apply,  go here.  Remember: The application deadline is 5:00pm on Monday, March 2! Please address questions to: Dr. Nancy Castro, at ncastro@illinois.edu.

LAW SCHOOL EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Diversity Law Day – Indiana University Maurer School of Law – February 8, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Diversity Law Day is dedicated to the idea that the legal profession must reflect the expanding diversity of our society. Joining efforts with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), we hope that this day will encourage student from underrepresented and underserved communities to discover career opportunities in law. This day is particularly tailored towards high school juniors and seniors, as well college freshman and sophomores.

Diversity Law Day is free to attend, but registration is required for planning purposes. To attend, simply complete the registration form at www.law.indiana.edu/diversity-day

Contact Kendra Abercrombie, Assistant Director of Admissions and Diversity Initiatives, at klabercr@indiana.edu or 812-855-2704 if you have any questions.

The Wisconsin Statewide Pre-Law Diversity Day is set for Friday, February 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This event is open to all students. For more information and to register, visit their website here.  Cosponsored by the University of Wisconsin Law School and Marquette University Law School, this FREE event includes lunch and:

  • an update on law school admissions in Wisconsin featuring the University of Wisconsin and Marquette University Law Schools;
  • breakout workshops featuring a mock class for students ; and
  • law school fair featuring admissions representatives from law schools around the country.  Click here for a list of law schools that participated in last year’s event.

Minnesota Pre-Law Scholars Summer Program – Application Due March 6!

Minnesota Pre-Law Scholars (MPLS) is a program that offers a select number of students a free LSAT prep class each summer at the University of Minnesota Law School. Admission is highly selective and based on a holistic review of the MPLS application material.

College students considering law school, especially rising seniors and those from groups historically underrepresented in law school, are encouraged to apply. The program is open to undergraduate students and recent graduates from any undergraduate institution.

Students will learn about law school admissions preparation from Minnesota Law School staff. The remaining portion of class, taught by an instructor from The Princeton Review, will be dedicated to LSAT preparation and practice exams. Some daytime events such as law firm visits will also be offered. Three (3) excused absences will be allowed during the summer session.

There is no cost to participate in MPLS. However, participants must submit a $100 seat deposit which is fully refundable upon successful completion of the program. All books and study materials will be provided.  The program will run from June to mid-August 2020.

To learn more about MPLS or to apply, click on this link:

https://www.law.umn.edu/admissions/minnesota-pre-law-scholars-mpls-program

Law School Open Houses and Admitted Students Days

As we first mentioned in several of our fall blog posts, many law schools host open houses for prospective applicants and all law schools strongly encourage students to visit their campuses.  Note: spring semester is a time when many law schools will host events specifically for admitted students. Make sure you check the law school websites to see what types of events the schools in which you have an interest are offering.   Listed below are upcoming events for four Illinois law schools.

Chicago Kent Law School Open House, Saturday, January 25, 9:00am-2:00pm.  For more information or to register, go here. 

DePaul University College of Law Open House, Saturday, January 25, 10:00am. For more information and to register, go here.

UIC John Marshall Law School Open House, Saturday, January 25, 9:00am-Noon, or Tuesday, February 11, 5:30pm-8:30pm. For more information or to register, go here.

other campus opportunities

RSO Involvement Fair — Thursday, January 23, 11am-3pm, Illini Union

The RSO Involvement Fair 2020 will take place on Thursday, January 23 from 11am-3pm in the Illini Union (I-Rooms, South Lounge, Courtyard Cafe). This is a great way to find a student organization to join.

Fulbright UK Summer Institutes – Information Session Tuesday, January 21, 3:30-4:30pm, 1002 Lincoln Hall

Fulbright UK Summer Institutes are fully funded opportunities for high-achieving freshman and sophomore students to explore a topic of interest in a multi-week summer program in the UK. Applicants must be US citizens.

The National and International Scholarship Program will be hosting an information session for students to learn about the Fulbright UK Summer Institutes. The information session will take place in 1002 Lincoln Hall on Tuesday, January 21st from 3:30-4:30 pm.

The 2020 summer institutes include:

  • Aberystwyth University Summer Institute   (Wales) will investigate contemporary issues in farming and agriculture, including land use and agricultural production systems focusing on livestock agriculture, arable land use and conservation issues.
  • University of Bristol Summer Institute (England) will explore how literature, music, visual arts, poetry and storytelling, dance, philosophy and critical social theories have shaped movements for social justice across the globe, with particular attention given to racial justice and the legacies of slavery.
  • Queen’s University Belfast Summer Institute (Northern Ireland) will focus on Northern Ireland in terms of its political, economic and cultural relationships within the UK, and with the Republic of Ireland and the world. Participants can choose one of three academic programmes:  Irish Studies, Conflict Transformation and Social Justice, and Story
  • Technology, Innovation and Creativity Summer Institute  (Scotland) will feature design and innovation in the context of Scotland, hosted by the Glasgow School of Art and the University of Strathclyde

International Holocaust Remembrance Day — January 27, 7 pm
Illini Hillel and the University YMCA will observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, 2020, on the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.  As part of the remembrance, there will be a screening of Liberation Heroes: The Last Eyewitnesses followed by a discussion with Scott Gendell.

​Career Center

Illinois Part-Time Job Fair — Tuesday, January 28, 10am-2pm, Illini Union Rooms B and C

The Illinois Part-Time Job Fair is open to all students on campus seeking opportunities to make some extra money and build their career competencies while completing their academics. Opportunities at this fair are paid positions on campus or in the Champaign/Urbana community.  For information about other events and workshops at The Career Center, check out their spring calendar at:  https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/events.  Now is a great time to update your resume, plan your job search or summer internship, and get to know their office and resources.

The Career Certificate – International Students (CC-I) program is a nationally awarded career program designed to help international students be more competitive job/internship candidates.

Office of Undergraduate Research

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is now accepting submissions for the 2020 Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS), set for Thursday, April 30. Deadline for submitting an application to the URS is Sunday, March 1, 2020, at 11:59 pm. The application can be found here. 

The URS is the signature event of Undergraduate Research Week (April 26-May 2, 2020), and brings together students, faculty, and staff from all disciplines on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, as well as corporate partners and sponsors, to learn more about undergraduate research and its potential to change the world. Students are encouraged to apply even if titles or abstracts have not yet been finalized – they can be edited.  Just make sure the application is successfully submitted by March 1!