Job Talk Tuesday: It's the Hustle

"It’s the hustle and that perspective that really got me through those times." 

Michelle Pham, SU Law Class of 2011

With the holiday weekend, Tuesday became Thursday, but this week's Job Talk is here! Spend some time with Michelle Pham, Senior Attorney at Helsell Fetterman. Michelle is a commercial litigation and intellectual property attorney who was in law school during the Great Recession
(2008 to 2011). Michelle sat down with us to share her story of resilience and determination.

Take Michelle's advice: #itsthehustle!

Watch and Listen to Michelle's Story

Read the Transcript

Attorney General's Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program Webinar

Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at 9 am or Thursday, June 4, 2020 at Noon

No RSVP is required, but space is limited to the first 100 participants. Log in and provide the  passcode: 10200.

Introducing Job Talk Tuesdays!

"We are certainly in unprecedented times and we don’t really know what things are going to look like, but this isn’t the first time we’ve been able to say that."

Brian Edwards, SU Law Class of 2012

Unprecedented times. We've become very familiar with that phrase, but what does it look and feel like for law students and recent graduates who are navigating a job search in this moment? CPD has checked in with many of you over these past weeks and we've appreciated hearing what's on your mind as you face an uncertain job market.

Though this moment is unlike any other, there are always lessons to be gleaned from those who've gone before. In that spirit, the Center for Professional Development is launching a summer interview series, Job Talk Tuesdays. Every Tuesday, during the months of May, June, and July, we'll share an interview with a Seattle U Law alum who was in law school during the Great Recession. Through their stories you'll learn strategies for success and helpful mindsets, and you'll have the opportunity to see what things look like once you come out on the other side. Tune in every Tuesday to benefit from the reflection and hindsight of alumni with grit!

This week, we interviewed Brian Edwards, Senior Attorney at McKinley Irvin. Brian was in law school from 2009 to 2012 and through pivoting and persistence has built a successful family law career.

Watch and Listen to Brian's Story

Read the Transcript

Addressing Mental Health During COVID-19

Women of SU Connection Café

Addressing Mental Health During COVID-19

DATE: Thursday, May 21
TIME: 6:30-8:30 p.m. PST
Online via Zoom

Join Women of SU alumnae at the May online Connection Café to address mental health and tips on how we can be thoughtful in caring for ourselves during this unprecedented time.

COVID-19 has impacted everyone in different ways. Hear Spomenka Vitman, a licensed psychotherapist, on a variety of topics including stress management, job loss, self care activities and working from home with kids.

About the Speaker
Spomenka Vitman is a licensed psychotherapist, specialized in relationship therapy, trauma and cross-cultural therapy. Vitman earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology, as well as undergraduate degrees in applied psychology and education. She has experience working educational settings, community mental health agencies and private practices. Vitman has worked with clients of all ages and diverse cultural backgrounds. She also has years of experience coaching high tech professionals to cultivate connections and to find balance and fulfillment in their family and work life.

Register for the program

For more information, visit https://www.vitmancounseling.com

Virtual Panel Invitation: Starting a Career in Times of Economic Uncertainty

The Joint Minority Bar Association Mentorship Program understands law students and new attorneys are worried about the impact of COVID-19 on their careers both now and in the long-run.

They will be hosting a virtual panel discussion via Zoom next Thursday, May 21st from 4:00-5:30 p.m. 

Discussions will be led by legal professionals from various sectors including the judiciary, law firms, government, and non-profits (including international public service), and practice areas including transactional, civil litigation, criminal litigation, in-house counsel and more! Panelists will share their experiences, job search tips, coping strategies, and how to successfully pivot during times of economic upheaval.

Please register here. 

Skadden Fellowship Information

The Skadden Fellowship provides two years of funding for recent law school graduates to work in the public interest, addressing the civil legal needs of people living in poverty in the US. 

The Skadden Foundation has recently posted the updated Fellowhip application, along with updated FAQs, on the website's application process page. The Skadden Fellowship application will be due on September 14, 2020. 

The Foundation encourages applications from individuals who are members of groups that historically have been underrepresented in the legal profession, as well as from those whose personal or professional experiences have yielded deep connections with or insights into the marginalized client communities they seek to serve.

If you would like additional general information about the Skadden Fellowship, please consider joining one of the virtual information sessions. The dates and times are listed below, and the dates, times, and log-in information are all posted on the website's application process page. 

• Wednesday, May 27 2020, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET
• Tuesday, Jun 16 2020, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM ET
• Thursday, Jul 9 2020, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM  ET
• Monday, Aug 3 2020, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM ET

Potential applicants are welcome to reach out to discuss any project ideas with Kathleen Rubinstein, Skadden Foundation Executive Director. Applicants who may need  assistance or accommodations in the application process should contact my colleague Kathy Quijije, (212) 735-5176.

Perkins Coie Webinar

Optimizing Your Summer and Future Employment Opportunities Summer jobs have been interrupted this year for countless students as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, shelter-at-home orders, and the resulting economic impact on many legal employers. If your summer employment plans have changed, fallen through, or never materialized, there is still much you can do to optimize your summer and your future employment opportunities. This program is designed to focus on you and your options. Our speakers will offer you concrete advice on how you can use your time this summer to become the “preferred candidate” employers describe in their job postings.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PT 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. MT 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. CT 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET Online Webinar Registered guests will receive a confirmation email with login instructions. RSVP today. Questions? Please contact William French via email.

SPEAKERS Mike Gotham | Director of Recruiting & Retention | San Francisco As Director of Legal Recruiting, Mike oversees law student and associate recruiting for the firm’s 17 U.S. offices. He is a past president of NALP, served on the NALP Board of Directors and chaired multiple NALP committees and task forces. Mike was director of the Career Planning Office at the University of Washington School of Law, his alma mater, for five years. Mike’s experience in all areas of recruiting gives him insight into the legal job markets nationally and in different regions across the country.

Katie Monin | Senior Attorney Recruiting Manager | Seattle Katie Monin oversees all law student, lateral associate and counsel hiring for the Seattle and Bellevue offices. She has been at the firm for six years; prior to joining Perkins Coie, Katie practiced law with a large national New York law firm. She supports the Seattle Hiring, Summer Associate and Diversity Committees, as well as the firmwide Associate & Counsel Committee. She is the current president of SALRA (Seattle Area Legal Recruiting Administrators) and is a member of NALP and SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management). Katie earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Justin Moon | Partner | Seattle Justin Moon is the current co-chair of the firm’s Technology Transactions & Privacy practice group. His practice focuses on complex intellectual property and technology transactions, licensing and services agreements. In particular, he counsels some the world’s largest technology companies on a wide range of cloud computing arrangements, from infrastructure to applications, and advises on issues involving public, private and hybrid cloud solutions, risk allocation, and privacy and data security obligations. Justin served as the Seattle office hiring partner and chair of the Seattle Hiring Committee from 2017-2019. Justin is a member of the firmwide Strategic Diversity Committee as well as the Seattle office Diversity Committee. Justin regularly speaks with and mentors law students on professional development topics and does pro bono work with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. Justin joined the firm as a summer associate in 2004.

Gwendolyn Williamson | Partner | Washington, D.C. Gwen Williamson is a partner in the Investment Management group in the Washington, D.C. office. Her practice focuses on the asset management industry and she represents registered investment companies and their independent directors, as well as investment advisers, family offices and nonprofit organizations. Gwen currently serves on the firm’s Associate & Counsel Evaluation Committee and co-chairs the firm’s LGBTQ+ affinity group. She is also a member of the Washington, D.C. Diversity & Inclusion and Pro Bono Committees. Gwen serves on the Editorial Board of the Investment Lawyer and frequently writes on governance and compliance issues. Her most recent article focused on social impact investing. Gwen also maintains an active governance-focused pro bono practice.

We Are In This Together

Happy Friday!

While we are now working remotely, CPD understands the professional needs that must be met for our students.

When you feel discouraged, remember you are not alone. CPD believes in you and all that you can accomplish if you invest in your professional development, and take that leap of faith beyond what you already know. It all starts with having grit.

We encourage you to take care of yourselves, practice the precautions we are being advised to take in regards to COVID-19, and don’t hesitate to connect with a CPD counselor. We are available to meet with you by phone or Zoom to review your application materials, and look forward to discussing ways you can digitally network during this time.

If you would like to schedule an appointment, please email the specific counselor directly. From there, we will find a time that works for your schedule.

As Michael Jordan once said, “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

Cheers to the weekend!