Pursuing a Public Interest Career: Key Insights from NALP/PSLawNet Public Service Mini-Conference and EJW Conference and Career
Today’s guest post is shared by Leeor Neta, the Assistant Director for Public Interest Programs at Golden Gate University School of Law. After attending the 2010 NALP/PSLawNet Public Service Mini-Conference and EJW Conference and Career Fair he is sharing key insights from programming he attended at both conferences on GGU’s Law Career Services Blog.
Best Advice I Know on Pursuing a Public Interest Career
On the last day of the NALP / PSLawNet Public Service Mini-Conference, I attended a panel discussion that indirectly shared some important advice on how to pursue a public interest career. I say that the advice was “indirectly shared” because the purpose of the panel was to discuss pathways to public policy and think tank careers. Two of the four panelists (Nicole Austin-Hillery, director and counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice, and Alejandro T. Reyes, associate counsel for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law) are involved in some of the most prestigious impact litigation and legal policy work in the nation.
Both of the panelists agreed that lawyers who work on policy need to understand the nexus between law and enforcement. In concluding that the “best policy percolates up from the street,” Ms. Austin-Hillery explained that a policy lawyer can’t craft effective policy unless she understands her clients and understands how to get them to tell their stories. A policy lawyer needs to make brief and effective arguments under pressure. A policy lawyer also needs to know how to work with opposing forces and different interests to negotiate on her clients’ behalf. Because effective communication and negotiation skills are the key to policy work, the entire panel agreed that a lawyer wanting to work on policy needs a solid foundation in litigation.
The panel also suggested that law students interested in policy work try to work for state legislatures, researching and helping to draft proposed legislation. International work experience, moot courts, and writing opportunities are also considered important. Everyone agreed that working for the Administrative Office of the Courts and State Bar Associations were ideal — and less competitive — ways to acquire policy work experience.
The panel’s best advice pertained to all aspiring public interest lawyers. First, they advised — as I have already done for many of you — that law students identify five to ten offices that they would like to work for and try to join their advisory boards. Many of those offices might need independent legal advice and the work that one does as a board member is a great way to leverage an employment offer once a position opens up. Students should consider a two-week immersion program, some of which are extremely affordable (one of the panelists described a program in Mexico that costs less than $800!).
Finally, the entire panel agreed that the best candidates for entry-level positions demonstrate through their resumes and cover letters that they were born to pursue the job for which they’re applying. Their resumes demonstrate a seamless progression of attention and commitment to a specific area. Therefore, “the sooner you can decide what it is you want to do with your legal career, the better prepared you will be when you apply for your first job.”
Showing posts with label Public Interest Careers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Public Interest Careers. Show all posts
Monday, November 8, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Public Interest Interviewing Tips
February 7, 2010
For many public-interest minded law students, whether they are hunting for summer or postgraduate work, winter and early spring constitute interview season. Harvard Law School’s Office of Public Interest Advising maintains a very helpful interviewing resource webpage, which includes lists of questions to expect from interviewers. And PSLawNet offers a concise, bullet-pointed interview tips guide. Some key points:
- Take advantage of mock interview opportunities. Explore with your career services office the possibility of setting up mock interviews so that you can work out the kinks and develop a comfort level with the formality of interviews. Ideally, the (mock) interviewer will be an attorney with some experience in the area of work that you are trying to break into. Even if you feel you are a strong interviewer, there is absolutely no downside to practicing. For instance, you may be asked a question in the mock interview that challenges you. By thinking through it and developing an answer in a no-consequences environment, you can hit it out of the park during a real interview.
- Be able to explain your motivation. Public interest employers look for students who have a genuine interest in their organizations’ missions. If you have past work experience in an area related to the job you are seeking, that demonstrates a personal commitment. By all means, you should highlight this experience during the interview. Even if you do not – and many law students do not have a lot of public interest experience under their belt when they begin school – you must prepare to explain what motivated you to apply for the specific job.
- Don’t just prepare to answer questions; prepare to ask them. A good interview is a conversation, and you risk seeming disinterested if a potential employer offers you an opportunity to ask questions and you take a pass. You should prepare a short list of questions based upon your pre-interview research about the organization, and perhaps even a question for the interviewer personally, such as, “How did your career path lead you to your current position?”
For many public-interest minded law students, whether they are hunting for summer or postgraduate work, winter and early spring constitute interview season. Harvard Law School’s Office of Public Interest Advising maintains a very helpful interviewing resource webpage, which includes lists of questions to expect from interviewers. And PSLawNet offers a concise, bullet-pointed interview tips guide. Some key points:
- Take advantage of mock interview opportunities. Explore with your career services office the possibility of setting up mock interviews so that you can work out the kinks and develop a comfort level with the formality of interviews. Ideally, the (mock) interviewer will be an attorney with some experience in the area of work that you are trying to break into. Even if you feel you are a strong interviewer, there is absolutely no downside to practicing. For instance, you may be asked a question in the mock interview that challenges you. By thinking through it and developing an answer in a no-consequences environment, you can hit it out of the park during a real interview.
- Be able to explain your motivation. Public interest employers look for students who have a genuine interest in their organizations’ missions. If you have past work experience in an area related to the job you are seeking, that demonstrates a personal commitment. By all means, you should highlight this experience during the interview. Even if you do not – and many law students do not have a lot of public interest experience under their belt when they begin school – you must prepare to explain what motivated you to apply for the specific job.
- Don’t just prepare to answer questions; prepare to ask them. A good interview is a conversation, and you risk seeming disinterested if a potential employer offers you an opportunity to ask questions and you take a pass. You should prepare a short list of questions based upon your pre-interview research about the organization, and perhaps even a question for the interviewer personally, such as, “How did your career path lead you to your current position?”
Monday, January 4, 2010
New PSLawNet Blog
I’m very pleased to report that PSLawNet has launched a blog at http://pslawnet.wordpress.com/.
We hope that the blog will be a valuable resource for you.
We hope that the blog will be a valuable resource for you.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
TIPS FOR WRITING PROJECT-BASED FELLOWSHIP APPLICATIONS
PROJECT-BASED FELLOWSHIP APPLICATIONS:
TAKE CUES FROM THOSE WHO KNOW
What Works:
• The Sooner the Better: The best time to start thinking about and researching fellowships is during your first summer or the beginning of your second year.
• Your Fellowship Network: Identify people who can help you with the application process, including career services/public interest advisors and faculty or alumni who received fellowships and/or served on fellowship selection committees. Create your own team.
• Get to Know the Application: Read application instructions in detail, and provide exactly what is asked for. Fellowship proposals are as much science as they are art.
• Don’t be a stranger: If you have pre-application questions for the funder, ask them. Your thoughtful questions and concerns can make an impression on the funder.
• Build Host Relationship: A relationship with your would-be host is a vital part of the successful fellowship application (and the successful fellowship). It’s best to apply with an organization that you have previously worked for. But if that is not possible, it is wise to still propose a project that relates to work you have done, so that you can demonstrate that you have the knowledge, skills, and passion to do the job.
o A legal services director who has successfully hosted several fellows says, “[I]n all but one instance, our applicants have had experience with us as a summer and/or semester intern…. [W]e can write a more persuasive letter from the host perspective if we know the work of the student … Having worked with the student as an intern also helps us to more effectively assess how well the student will fit into the organization on a permanent basis.”
• Host is Key, but You’re the Principal: The fellow should drive the application process. Reviewers can immediately tell when the host is fishing for funding.
• The Silver Bullet: Your proposal should identify the problem you will address and make clear why your project is the solution to that problem.
• Demonstrate Your Passion: It is not enough to declare that you are passionate. Demonstrate how your passion has manifested itself in your work/school experiences!
• Client Focus: It’s about the clients, not about you and your career goals. Make sure to emphasize how your project makes an impact and who the beneficiaries of your project are. Can you get client input for the proposal?
• Catchy Title Won’t Hurt – Your application is competing for attention with many others. Can you craft a lead-in sentence that captures the essence of your project?
What to Avoid:
Do NOT sell yourself short. Yes, it’s true that fellowships are sought-after and competition is fierce. But you must throw your hat in the ring. Fellowships are individualized experiences for committed individuals who catch the reviewers’ eyes. Your application can do this.
Do NOT be sloppy in your application, and do not veer too far off the course they set for you.
Do NOT take yourself out of the proposal driver’s seat. A senior program manager at a funding organization notes, “Sometimes when I read an application…it reads like the host organization supervisor thought up a project and then found a fellow to fit the bill rather than a personal passion coming through in the project description.” Funders wish to support a specific project driven by a fellow, not a new staff attorney position for the host organization.
Do NOT give up. Do not be discouraged if you apply for, but don’t receive one of the “bigger” fellowships like Skadden or Equal Justice Works. Every year highly qualified candidates with fabulous projects are not successful simply because there is limited funding. Do not take it as a judgment of your qualifications. Get back into PSLawNet and look for the many remaining fellowships with later deadlines, find the ones that are a good fit for you, and start applying!
Do NOT be too vague and/or unrealistic. Avoid making the project proposal excessively grand, including too many ideas (i.e. the kitchen sink). While the goal is typically for the project to sustain itself after the fellowship term ends, the fellow should still specifically map out realistic objectives to be achieved during their term. (Note: The opposite can happen too when the application is too narrow and not capable of sustaining itself so that the reader cannot see it lasting two years and beyond).
Do NOT underestimate the importance of a project timeline. Reviewers look not just at what you want to do, but how you plan to do it. The best project idea goes nowhere if there is not well-conceived plan for implementation.
These fellowship tips were offered by several individuals who play key roles in the fellowship application process, including former fellows, senior staff at fellowship funding organizations, senior staff at fellow host organizations, and law school public interest career counselors who have successfully advised past fellowship applicants.
Visit PSLawNet for more information on postgraduate fellowships: http://www.pslawnet.org/postgraduatefellowships
TAKE CUES FROM THOSE WHO KNOW
What Works:
• The Sooner the Better: The best time to start thinking about and researching fellowships is during your first summer or the beginning of your second year.
• Your Fellowship Network: Identify people who can help you with the application process, including career services/public interest advisors and faculty or alumni who received fellowships and/or served on fellowship selection committees. Create your own team.
• Get to Know the Application: Read application instructions in detail, and provide exactly what is asked for. Fellowship proposals are as much science as they are art.
• Don’t be a stranger: If you have pre-application questions for the funder, ask them. Your thoughtful questions and concerns can make an impression on the funder.
• Build Host Relationship: A relationship with your would-be host is a vital part of the successful fellowship application (and the successful fellowship). It’s best to apply with an organization that you have previously worked for. But if that is not possible, it is wise to still propose a project that relates to work you have done, so that you can demonstrate that you have the knowledge, skills, and passion to do the job.
o A legal services director who has successfully hosted several fellows says, “[I]n all but one instance, our applicants have had experience with us as a summer and/or semester intern…. [W]e can write a more persuasive letter from the host perspective if we know the work of the student … Having worked with the student as an intern also helps us to more effectively assess how well the student will fit into the organization on a permanent basis.”
• Host is Key, but You’re the Principal: The fellow should drive the application process. Reviewers can immediately tell when the host is fishing for funding.
• The Silver Bullet: Your proposal should identify the problem you will address and make clear why your project is the solution to that problem.
• Demonstrate Your Passion: It is not enough to declare that you are passionate. Demonstrate how your passion has manifested itself in your work/school experiences!
• Client Focus: It’s about the clients, not about you and your career goals. Make sure to emphasize how your project makes an impact and who the beneficiaries of your project are. Can you get client input for the proposal?
• Catchy Title Won’t Hurt – Your application is competing for attention with many others. Can you craft a lead-in sentence that captures the essence of your project?
What to Avoid:
Do NOT sell yourself short. Yes, it’s true that fellowships are sought-after and competition is fierce. But you must throw your hat in the ring. Fellowships are individualized experiences for committed individuals who catch the reviewers’ eyes. Your application can do this.
Do NOT be sloppy in your application, and do not veer too far off the course they set for you.
Do NOT take yourself out of the proposal driver’s seat. A senior program manager at a funding organization notes, “Sometimes when I read an application…it reads like the host organization supervisor thought up a project and then found a fellow to fit the bill rather than a personal passion coming through in the project description.” Funders wish to support a specific project driven by a fellow, not a new staff attorney position for the host organization.
Do NOT give up. Do not be discouraged if you apply for, but don’t receive one of the “bigger” fellowships like Skadden or Equal Justice Works. Every year highly qualified candidates with fabulous projects are not successful simply because there is limited funding. Do not take it as a judgment of your qualifications. Get back into PSLawNet and look for the many remaining fellowships with later deadlines, find the ones that are a good fit for you, and start applying!
Do NOT be too vague and/or unrealistic. Avoid making the project proposal excessively grand, including too many ideas (i.e. the kitchen sink). While the goal is typically for the project to sustain itself after the fellowship term ends, the fellow should still specifically map out realistic objectives to be achieved during their term. (Note: The opposite can happen too when the application is too narrow and not capable of sustaining itself so that the reader cannot see it lasting two years and beyond).
Do NOT underestimate the importance of a project timeline. Reviewers look not just at what you want to do, but how you plan to do it. The best project idea goes nowhere if there is not well-conceived plan for implementation.
These fellowship tips were offered by several individuals who play key roles in the fellowship application process, including former fellows, senior staff at fellowship funding organizations, senior staff at fellow host organizations, and law school public interest career counselors who have successfully advised past fellowship applicants.
Visit PSLawNet for more information on postgraduate fellowships: http://www.pslawnet.org/postgraduatefellowships
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Equal Justice Works Announces 2009 Ole Miss Summer Corps Members
Equal Justice Works is excited to announce our 2009 Summer Corps members. With a record of 1,184 applications this year, the selection process was extremely competitive.
We would like to extend our congratulations to University of Mississippi School of Law for its student participation in Summer Corps this year!
This year's 420 Summer Corps members represent 147 Equal Justice Works law schools. These first- and second-year law students will each receive a $1,000 AmeriCorps education award voucher upon completion of a minimum of 300 hours of summer service at a nonprofit public interest organization. Summer Corps members will provide critically needed legal assistance to low-income and underserved communities in 44 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, Summer Corps members gain first-hand experience and legal skills in areas such as client intake, individual representation, research and writing.
Summer Corps members are engaged with a broad range of issues, including civil rights, community economic development, death penalty, disability rights, housing, domestic violence, education, public benefits and workers' rights.
University of Mississippi School of Law
- Marisa Christensen, Mississippi Taxpayer Assistance Project (part of North Mississippi Rural Legal Services)
Oxford, MS- Kourtney Ikard, North Mississippi Rural Legal Services
Oxford, MS- Laura Nichols, North Mississippi Rural Legal Services
Oxford, MS- Joseph Tucker, North Mississippi Rural Legal Services
Oxford, MS
From: http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/programs/summercorps/lawschools
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
PSLawNet Public Interest Career Resources
Public Service Career Library
Welcome to PSLawNet's central outlet for public interest career resources. These resources are organized in five subsections:
- General Public Interest Resources (which include materials on a wide array of public interest career opportunities).
- Government Service Resources
- International Public Interest Resources
- Postgraduate Fellowship Resources
- Canadian Resources (for Canadian PSLawNet users and those interested in public service opportunities in Canada).
General Public Interest Resources
- NALP Law School Guide to Public Interest Careers - The essential "bible", written by and for law school public interest career counselors.
- PSLawNet's Public Interest Job Search Fundamentals
- Yale Law School Public Service Careers Guide (published and updated annually by the Yale Law School Career Development 0ffice) - this guide offers a terrific overview of how to launch a public interest career.
- University of Virginia Public Service Job Search Resource Guide - this guide provides information about how to find a public interest law job, including where to find the employers, resume and interview tips, how to finance a public interest job, how to apply to public interest employers, and lists sample application materials.
- Harvard Law School Public Interest Specialty Guides - HLS publishes several guidebooks focusing on specific public interest practice areas and settings, including:
Conservative Public Interest Law
GLBT Rights
Immigration and Refugee Advocacy
Civil Legal Services
Public Defender Careers
More practice area-specific guides are freely available in PDF form at the Harvard Office of Public Interest Advising site. You may also find background information on the types of work attorneys are likely to encounter in a number of public interest practice settings, including work with charitable foundations, on political campaigns, and many other settings. - Yale Law School Environmental Law Practice Guide
- Public Interest and Plaintiff's Law Firm Guide - produced by Columbia Law School and Harvard Law School, this guide provides an overview of public interest career opportunities in for-profit law firms, including advice on how to land jobs.
- Internship Opportunities in Capital Defense Offices - This webpage is maintained by the Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law and includes current internship opportunities with public defender and capital defense (death penalty defense) programs.
- How to Make the Most of Your Summer Job - a Harvard Law School publication that is quite useful to law students beginning internships and summer public interest work experiences.
- Yale Guide to Firm-Sponsored Split Public Interest Summers - Several law firms have instituted programs that enable law students to work part of the summer with the firm, and part of the summer with a public interest organization, with the firm paying the students' salaries for the entire summer. These generous plans allow law students to explore two types of legal practice and demonstrate the firms' strong commitment to pro bono work.
Government Service - PSLawNet's Resources for Government Careers
- NALP's Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide - this annually-updated publication, produced by NALP, the Partnership for Public Service, and the ABA, offers tips for seeking federal attorney positions, definitions of terms used in the employment application process, descriptions of dozens of federal offices that employ attorneys, and much more.
- 2008-09 Guide to Public Sector Legal Job Applications - this Georgetown University Law Center publication includes tips for constructing resumes and other application materials. Working on Capitol Hill - Yale Law School=s guidebook breaks down the types of employment opportunities available on The Hill and includes personal narratives from Hill employees.
- May 2008 Report on Federal Student Loan Repayment Programs - this report by the 0ffice of Personnel Management outlines executive branch agency use of loan repayment programs in recruitment and retention efforts.
- Guide to Criminal Prosecution Careers - a Yale Law School Publication providing information on both summer and permanent hiring processes in U.S. Attorney=s and local prosecutors= offices. (For more information on careers in criminal justice, see our Prosecution/Public Defense Career Resource Page.)
International Public Interest Law - PSLawNet's International Resources
- Finding and Funding International Public Interest Opportunities - This online guide provides useful background info and recommendations for students/attorneys embarking on international public interest careers. It is annually updated by NALP members at the Universities of Arizona and Georgia, and at the William & Mary School of Law.
- Intergovernmental Organizations - Harvard Law School provides helpful background information about Intergovernmental 0rganizations (IG0s), explaining types of IG0s, types of legal issues, and more.
- Finding Employment Opportunities with International Governmental Organizations (IGOs) and Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) - Pick up tips on how to pursue a broad array of legal careers on the international stage. Created for NALP by the New York University=s Public Interest Law Center.
- Tips for Students Seeking International Internships - A concise, valuable tip sheet drafted by an international human rights attorney at New York University=s Public Interest Law Center.
- Postgraduate International Fellowships Guide - A listing of international fellowship opportunities around the globe, produced by Columbia Law School=s Center for Public Interest Law.
- Yale Law School Guide to International Public Interest Careers - Provides background-level and detailed information for those pursuing public interest careers.
Postqraduate Fellowship Resources
PSLawNet's Postgraduate Fellowships - Information & Resources - Guide to Postgraduate Public Interest Fellowships - Produced annually by Yale Law School, this guide is ideal for law students who are beginning to explore postgraduate fellowships as a career option.
- The PSLawNet 0pportunities Database contains between 200-300 fellowship listings, updated annually to provide current application deadlines and job descriptions. If you are a registered PSLawNet user, log in on the homepage; or, register here. PSLawNet's Fellowship Application Deadline Calendar organizes fellowships by application deadline.
- The NALP/PSLawNet Comprehensive Fellowships Guide is an annually-produced print compendium of fellowship listings in the PSLawNet database. It is purchased by law school career services and public interest advising offices. Check with your school to see if they have it.
- Postgraduate International Fellowships Guide - A listing of international fellowship opportunities around the globe, produced by Columbia Law School=s Center for Public Interest Law.
Useful web sites/electronic newsletters-stay up-to-date on important issues!
http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/ - E-Clips - News about Equal Justice Works, public interest law, legal education, and other items of interest
http://www.brennancenter.org/ - The Brennan Center issues two regular "E-Lerts." The Fair Courts E-Lert alerts you to important developments concerning judges and the judiciary. The Legal Services E-Lert summarizes news and opinion pieces about free and low-cost civil legal aid.
http://www.nlada.org/ - The National Legal Aid and Defender Association's Equal Justice News contains the latest news items affecting the public defense and civil legal aid communities.
www.abanet.org/legalservices/probono The ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service is the national source of information, resources and assistance to support, facilitate, and expand the delivery of pro bono legal assistance. The Standing Committee and its project, the Center for Pro Bono, encourage lawyers to do pro bono work and help them connect with opportunities that meet their needs. Programs, projects and services help pro bono programs, advocates and policymakers address the legal needs of the poor.
http://www.lsc.gov/ - publishes LSC update, an E-newsletter for the legal services community.
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