Wednesday, November 27, 2013

1L Diversity Reception: Save the Date

K&L Gates will host a diversity reception for 1Ls on January 2 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at their downtown Seattle office (925 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2900).

Federal Judicial Clerkships

2Ls planning to apply for federal judicial clerkships with terms beginning in 2015, if you haven't yet, please touch base with Erin Fullner. The Online System for Clerkship Application and Review (OSCAR) has officially de-linked from the Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan. Judges are free to accept online applications from law students at any time, federal clerkship candidates should apply as early as possible. Additional information is available at OSCAR's blog.

If you're not sure whether you should apply for federal clerkships and would like to discuss whether you'd be a strong candidate, please contact Erin Fullner.

State appellate clerkship applications will be on a later timeline. CPD will host a state appellate clerkship info meeting in early spring for those who plan to apply for positions in state supreme courts and state courts of appeals.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Puget Sound Area Minority Fellowship

The Puget Sound Area Minority Fellowship Program (PSAMFP) is designed to provide summer associate opportunities to minority first-year law students from the University of Washington and Seattle University Schools of Law. Students who are chosen to participate as Fellows in this highly competitive program will be placed as first-year summer associates with one of the program’s participating employers. The program is based on the National Minority Clerkship Program, which was designed and endorsed by the American Bar Association Commission on Opportunities for Minorities in the Profession. The PSAMFP was founded by representatives from interested law firms, the Loren Miller and Hispanic Bar Associations, and the two local law schools. It has been endorsed by the Asian, Hispanic, Northwest Indian, and Seattle-King County Bar Associations, and by the University of Washington and Seattle University Law School Alumni Associations. In 1997, the PSAMFP (previously the Puget Sound Area Minority Clerkship Program/PSAMCP) received the WSBA’s Affirmative Action Award, “in recognition of the Program’s contributions in creating and advancing career opportunities for minorities in the legal profession.” The program was renamed in 2010 to better reflect its similarities with other private law firm fellowship programs.

The program’s pilot year was 1991, and the summer of 2014 will mark the PSAMFP’s twenty-fourth year.

Reasons for the Program:
  • The program was started in response to various surveys, including a National Law Journal survey, showing that the level of minority lawyer involvement as associates and partners in major Seattle law firms had not increased significantly over the previous decade.
  • The PSAMFP is designed to identify students whose background, academic and otherwise, tends to predict successful career performance, and to provide those students with the opportunity to work in a major law firm or corporate law department environment.
  • Students who have the opportunity to work in a law firm or in-house legal department following their first year will gain a better appreciation of the legal profession and practice. These Fellowships offer first-year law students experiences that will assist them with their second-year studies, and in their pursuit of opportunities for employment for the following summer.

Program details, timeline and application instructions can be found on Symplicity. Check out job #4603

The application deadline is NOON on January 22nd. 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

DC Info Session

Interested in spending the summer in DC? Come hear all about our fantastic DC program - classes, internships, housing, etc will all be covered in this info session. If you are curious about how you can spend the summer in DC, be sure to attend!

Thursday, November 14, 12:00-1:00 p.m., C5.

RSVP in Symplicity.

1L Diversity Fellowship Meet & Greet

The Annual Diversity Fellowship Meet & Greet offers students the opportunity to speak directly with firms about their individual 1L diversity programs and to learn more information about program details and application instructions. If you are considering applying to diversity programs, in December and January, this event is not to be missed.

Thursday, November 21, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Second Floor Gallery. Dress is business professional.

RSVP in Symplicity.

Puget Sound Area Minority Fellowship Program Info Session

Representatives from the Puget Sound Area Minority Fellowship Program will be on campus to discuss program details and deadlines, as well as to answer questions from interested students. If you have any interest in applying to this hiring program, PLEASE plan to attend this session.

Wednesday, November 20th, 5:00-6:30 p.m., Second Floor Gallery.

RSVP in Symplicity.