Real Property, Probate and Trust Panel Presentation

The Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar (“RPPTL”) is pleased to host a lunchtime program for the University of Miami School of Law on Wednesday, February 25, 2009, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. in Room F-108.

Lunch will be provided. A panel of local attorneys will share their career paths, experiences and perspectives. Panelists:

Al Gomez-Vidal – Chicago Title Insurance Company
Sol Genet – Meland Russin & Budwick, P.A.
Aniella Gonzalez – Krinzman, Huss & Lubetsky
Marjorie Wolasky – Law Offices of Marjorie E. Wolasky
Daniel Vega – Vezina Lawrence Piscitelli, P.A.

Student Judicial Clerkship Panel

Attention 1L and 2L Students: Interested in applying for a post-graduate judicial clerkship?

The judicial clerkship application process begins as early as the spring semester of your second year. To help you get started, current students who have successfully navigated the judicial clerkship application process will speak about their experiences and provide tips on how to secure a clerkship. If you have any interest in a judicial clerkship, you will not want to miss this insightful presentation.

Student Judicial Clerkship Panel
Monday, February 9, 2009
12:30 p.m.
Room 108

Want to Know More About Small Firm Practice?

Last week, the Career Development Office welcomed Ana Veliz, the chair of the Florida Bar’s General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section to campus to discuss small firm practice. During her discussion, she shared the following information which students may find helpful.

The largest entry level law firm market in Florida is the small firm market;

Firms of 10 attorneys or less comprise of 73% of Florida Bar membership;

According to the ABA, 86% of law students expect to practice at a small firm;

According to NALP, 22.4% of graduates obtain their entry level position through targeted mailings;

The GPSSF welcomes student members. The rate to join is $35/year and among the benefits to membership is access to a small firm directory that is on their website. Students may obtain an application form online.

Each March, the GPSSF hosts a conference in Orlando. In conjunction with the conference, the section hosts a job fair for those students interested in interviewing with small firms. This year’s conference is Friday and Saturday, March 20-21 and the job fair will be held on Saturday, March 21. More information about the job fair will be forthcoming from the CDO shortly.

Opportunity in Social Justice / Community Organizing

Representatives from the DART Center will be on the University of Miami campus on Tuesday, February 10 @ 6 PM in the Toppel Career Center Library to discuss careers in the field of community organizing. Anyone interested in pursuing a career working towards social and economic justice in low-moderate income communities is encouraged to attend.

Please RSVP if you are interested by contacting Key at key@thedartcenter.org or calling 785.841.2680 with your name, phone # and email address.

DART is now accepting applications for the 2009 DART Organizers Institute – the paid, four-month field school for people interested in launching a career in community organizing. Participants will undergo a combined classroom and field training covering such topics as:· Entering a community· Identifying and training local leaders· Strategic planning and issue cutting· Relationship and community building· Direct Action on community issues·

Fundraising The DART Center, has built coalitions throughout the country that have won important victories on a broad set of justice issues including:· Education reform in low-performing public schools· Job Training· Drugs and Violence· Criminal Recidivism· Living Wage· Neighborhood Revitalization, etc. The DART Organizers Institute combines a 7-day classroom orientation with 15 weeks of infield training at a DART host organization. This is a paid training program that includes: a $7,000 living stipend, transportation to the classroom orientation and host city, and mileage reimbursement during the infield training. Room, board, and tuition will also be paid by DART during the 7-day classroom training. After successful completion of the program, DART will work to place graduates into permanent full time salaried positions. Graduates from the four month DART Organizers Institute have gone onto Associate Community Organizing and Executive Director positions throughout the country. The 7-day classroom orientation and 15 week infield training starts mid summer 2009 and runs through early Fall 2009. Training locations will include placements in several states around the country. Although it may be helpful, no direct experience is necessary. Organizer Trainees (OTs) hired to participate in the DART Organizers Institute must demonstrate a desire to pursue community organizing as a long-term professional career. A master’s degree or similar life experience is preferred though unnecessary. Candidates must have a college degree or be graduating prior to June 1, 2009. Also, candidates must display a workmanlike diligence, be driven to produce sustained results, have proven capacity to build relationships of trust, create and execute a plan, act professionally, feel comfortable working with religious institutions, be accountable and willing to hold others accountable, demonstrate disciplined thought and action, and work in a team setting. OTs must also have access to a car during their training and be flexible regarding relocation. Fluency in Spanish/English is a plus and people of color are encouraged to apply.

To find out more about DART or to apply, we encourage you to email your resume to Key at key@thedartcenter.org. If you have any questions, please call: (785) 841-2680. Also, you can download applications or view profiles from previous OTs at the DART website: www.thedartcenter.org.

Second Annual Central Florida Diversity Picnic

For those students interested in practicing in Central Florida, the Second Annual Central Florida Diversity Picnic will be an excellent opportunity to network with attorneys in the area. Alumni who are interested in attending should also reach out to the various sponsoring bar associations.

When: Saturday, February 28, 2009, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Where: Stetson University College of Law, Tampa Law Center
1700 North Tampa Street, Tampa, FL 33602

Why: All law school students from all Florida law schools are invited to attend the
Second Annual Central Florida Diversity Picnic. The event will allow law
students from diverse backgrounds an opportunity to meet and establish
mentoring relationships with attorneys and members of the judiciary from
all of Central Florida.

Sponsored By: The Tampa Bay Hispanic Bar Association, George Edgecomb Bar
Association, Sarasota County Bar Association’s Diversity Committee, The
Hillsborough County Bar Association, Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division,
and more.

RSVP: rsvp@hillsbar.com

Resume Writing Tips

One big component to any job search is building a successful resume. If you have not already started or updated your resume, now is a good time to get it ready for your summer or post-graduate job search.

To get started, review the CDO’s Resume Guide, which discusses the elements of a resume and provides useful examples. Then, have your CDO advisor review your resume. It is important to have a fresh set of eyes look at your resume as they may catch any typos or other errors.

Students often find the drafting of their job descriptions to be the toughest part of any resume building experience. You should work with your advisor to craft language that accurately and effectively details your prior work history. To help you, here are Six Words That Make Your Resume Suck.

Don’t forget to speak with your advisor for more useful resume tips.

Student Panel: Summer Opportunities for You with the Government and Judiciary

The Career Development Office invites you to attend our “Summer Opportunities for You with the Government and Judiciary” panel discussion featuring students who worked in government and the judiciary last summer.

If you are considering an internship with a judge or in government, come hear first-hand what to expect from these types of internships. Students will talk about how they found their positions, the interview process, their work assignments, practical legal experience they gained, and will answer any questions you may have.

This presentation is at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 5 in Room 352. We hope to see you there!

Immigration Law Employment Opportunities

The Career Development Office & The Immigration Law Society Invite You to:

Immigration Law Employment Opportunities

Presented By: Tamesha Keel, CDO Asst. Director

Wednesday, February 4, 2009
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Room F108

Lunch will be served

February Calendar

February 2009
Important Deadlines, Workshops and Events

February 4th

Immigration Law Opportunities with Tamesha Keel
12:30 pm, Room 108

February 5th

Opportunities for You with the Government and Judiciary
12:30pm, Room 352

February 9th

Judicial Clerkships Student Panel
12:30pm, Room 108

February 12th

Student to Student Public Interest Career Fair
12:30pm, The Bricks

February 16th

Florida Supreme Court Informational Meeting
12:30pm, Room 108

February 18th

Flying Solo: Everything You Need to Know about Opening Your Own Shop with Spencer Aronfeld
12:30pm, Room 108

February 19th

How to Manage Your Loans and Land the Right Job for You
12:30pm, Room 108

February 24th

Women and the Law: Pathways to Success, A Panel Discussion
12:30pm, Room 108

February 25th

Public Interest Career Fair
12:30pm, The Bricks

The Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar (RPPTL) Luncheon Workshop
12:30 p.m., Room 108

This Week at the CDO

Monday, February 2

FIRM NIGHT INFORMATION SESSION (1L students)
1L students participating in Firm Night should attend this session to learn important information about the process. The session will take place at 12:30 p.m. in Room 108.

Tuesday, February 3

INTERVIEWING AND NETWORKING SKILLS WORKSHOP (all students)
Prepare for interviews and networking events like Firm Night by getting tips on the interviewing and networking process. The workshop is at 12:30 p.m. in Room 108

Wednesday, February 4

IMMIGRATION LAW OPPORTUNITIES (all students)
Interested in immigration law? Learn more about employment opportunities at 12:30 p.m. in Room 108.

Thursday, February 5

SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU IN GOVERNMENT AND THE JUDICIARY (1L and 2L students)
Join a group of students as they discuss their summer experiences with the government and judiciary. Learn how they obtained and prepared for their positions and get tips on how to have a successful summer experience. 12:30 p.m. in Room 352.