Defenders Rising Event – Fall 2022 Public Defender Panels

The Washington Defender Association (WDA) Defenders Rising initiative is hosting two upcoming Public Defender Panels. These panels are *virtual* meet-ups offered to law students who are interested in learning about internship opportunities and life and work in public defense careers in Washington state.

WDA will offer the same content on these two dates AND at different times to give students flexibility:

- Wednesday November 9th from 4:00-5:00 PM 

- Tuesday November 15th from 12:00-1:00 PM

You will hear first-hand from Public Defenders from across the state as they share their experiences working in public defense, what they love about the work, how different offices vary in sizes, types and culture, learn about opportunities for life outside of work and the communities where defenders live and work. You can learn about possible internship and externship opportunities and hiring practices (and tips!).

The goal of Defenders Rising is threefold: to cultivate the next generation of public defenders while they are still in law school, to increase diversity in the indigent defense bar, and to foster relationships between future defenders and defender offices across the state. 

Zoom link for both sessions.

Careers with the Securities and Exchange Commission

The SEC’s San Francisco Regional Office and Salt Lake Regional Office are hosting a virtual event for law students on Thursday, November 3, 2022, from 5 to 6 pm PT, to discuss careers with the SEC and give students an opportunity to network with SEC staff and interns.  Students will get to play some trivia (no financial or securities experience is necessary) and learn about the SEC and its regional offices.  They will also meet and hear from Tracy Combs, Regional Director of the Salt Lake Regional Office, and Carlos Vasquez, Assistant Regional Director for Operations of the San Francisco Regional Office, as well as current Enforcement and Examinations staff and interns. 

There will be a Q&A at the end, so students can bring their questions. If anyone has inquiries about the event, please email Marlea Furlong.

Students, register here.

Tech Bar Diversity Pipeline Program

FCBA Diversity Pipeline Program Info Session

Event: Informational session for employers, first-year law students, and law school administrators

Date/Time: Monday, October 24, 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. ET

Location: Zoom

Topic: Creating Opportunities in Tech, Media and Telecom: Highlights of the Diversity Pipeline Program & Overview of the Year 3 Kickoff for the Summer of 2023

Description: To advance the FCBA's mission of fostering meaningful diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, the FCBA Diversity Pipeline Committee created two groundbreaking programs - the Diversity Pipeline Program (DPP) and the TMT Law & Policy Certificate Program - to attract, develop, and support diverse, first year law students from historically underrepresented and disadvantaged groups in pursuing legal careers in TMT law and policy.  

In its first year, the DPP received 100 student applications from 28 law schools from across the country, facilitated 19 paid internships with DPP employer participants, comprised of law firms, companies, trade organizations and non-profit organizations, and held over 30 hours of substantive instructional sessions for students pursuing the TMT Law & Policy Certificate. Year 2 of these programs has been another great success. After receiving almost 120 applications and holding 60 interviews, the Pipeline Program was able to place 30 first year law students in summer internships with 27 different employers – a >50% increase from year one. This year FCBA intends to further raise the bar.

In this informational webinar, tech bar leaders and inaugural diversity pipeline program interns will share their perspectives on the first two years of the DPP and the importance of diversity in the law and legal opportunities in TMT.  FCBA DPP committee chairs will share details on the purpose, timeline, and application process for summer 2023 internships.

Attendees are encouraged to read this seminal piece by FCBA member Lisa Fowlkes.

Click here to register.

Department of Justice Legal Internship Program Info Session

The Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management (OARM) is hosting three webinars: Tuesday, November 8, Wednesday, November 9, and Thursday, November 10, 2022, introducing law students to DOJ’s Volunteer Legal Internship Program. OARM will share information about summer and academic-year vacancies, the application process, and answer frequently asked questions. Students may attend any one of the webinars listed below.  

Tuesday, November 8, 2022 – 3:00 PM ET

• Date: Tuesday, November 8, 2022
• Time: 3:00 – 4:00 PM ET
• Link: Volunteer Legal Internships at the U.S. Department of Justice
• Event Password: VLIPWebinar23
• Access Code (if needed): 2763 515 7626

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2022 – 12:00 PM ET

• Date: Wednesday, November 9, 2022 
• Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM ET
• Link: Volunteer Legal Internships at the U.S. Department of Justice
• Event Password: VLIPWebinar23
• Access Code (if needed): 2764 171 8934

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2022 – 1:00 PM ET

• Date: Thursday, November 10, 2022
• Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET
• Link: Volunteer Legal Internships at the U.S. Department of Justice
• Event Password: VLIPWebinar23
• Access Code (if needed): 2763 399 4715
• Call-in number: +1-415-527-5035 | Access Code: Listed Above

Need Help?  Email:  Liliana.Daniel@usdoj.gov |  https://help.webex.com

Bar Exam Accommodations Process

3Ls and 4Ls, the Disability and Inclusion Alliance and Washington State Bar Association are hosting a program on Friday, October 28, at 10am, where you will have the opportunity to learn about accommodations applications for the Washington bar exam. Join via Zoom.

Georgetown Tax LL.M. Prospective Student Open House

Georgetown University Law Center will host a virtual open house on Friday, November 4 from 12:00-1:00 pm Eastern Time for students interested in pursuing a Tax LL.M. degree. This is a great opportunity for prospective students to learn more about careers in tax law, the Tax LL.M. degree, and what makes Georgetown unique among the nation's top graduate programs in taxation. Ellis Duncan, the Director of the Graduate Tax Program, will lead a panel discussion that includes tax professors, alumni, and representatives from Georgetown's career services and admissions offices.

Please RSVP for this event here, and feel free to contact Ellis Duncan (ged5@georgetown.edu) if you have any questions about this event or Georgetown's Tax LL.M. program. 

HUD Honors Program Info Sessions

Click here to access the info sessions.

Job Talk Tuesday: Don't Decide Your Career Before It Starts

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT GETTING THE "DREAM JOB" YOUR FIRST JOB OUT OF LAW SCHOOL."

Lauren Abrams, Class of 2019

Lauren Abrams, a 2019 graduate of the law school, is currently in her dream job practicing legal aid as part of the Family Law Team for the King County Bar Association (KCBA) Pro Bono Services Department. But KCBA is not where Lauren started her career, and it was her willingness to pursue all kinds of opportunities that led her to her ultimate goal. As Lauren shares in this week’s JTT, “…apply to a lot of places and put yourself out there. Everyone needs to get their start.”

When Lauren started her time in law school, she was convinced she knew her path forward. After spending a year serving in the Lutheran Volunteer Corps., Lauren was set on a career in criminal defense and immigration work. When following the rigid path she initially laid for herself didn’t work out, Lauren pivoted and embraced a new mindset that was open to exploration. After utilizing school services by working with Cindy Yeung at the Access to Justice Institute (ATJI), Lauren discovered an unknown interest in family law work. 

Lauren’s open mindset followed her through the rest of law school, including when she discovered her interest in potential post-grad clerkships deep into her final year. While that’s not the typical time to secure such a position, a Division I clerkship opportunity unexpectedly opened and given her flexibility, she was able to start her career in such a position.

While Lauren’s time in private practice following her clerkship didn’t last as long as she had planned for, she refused to let it be viewed as a negative. As she shares, she learned a lot about family law while there and her experience gave her the skillset she needed for her dream job at KCBA. Lauren’s experience goes to show the value of an open mind, the power of a strong network, and the importance of taking your post-grad job search and career development one step at a time. As Lauren shares, “you’ve got this!”

Watch and listen to Lauren’s Job Talk Here

2022 Intellectual Property Career Showcase

Registration is open for the 2022 Intellectual Property Career Showcase, which will take place October 12, 2022 from 4 - 6 PM Eastern / 1 - 3 PM Pacific. This the event takes place at Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, but there is a virtual attendance option.

This is an excellent opportunity for law students to:

• Learn about a range of IP careers
• Network with IP professionals
• Participate in two panel discussions with Q&A

The IP Career Showcase was created to educate students about careers in intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, from the perspective of professionals in private practice, corporations, and universities. If you have questions about the Showcase, please contact Brian Giles or Sam Mullman.

Register for online attendance here.

WSAJ Bar Preparation Scholarships

The Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ) is accepting applications now through Friday, November 18, 2022 at 5pm for the following bar prep scholarships:

• Women of WSAJ Bar Preparation Scholarship
• Diversity Bar Prep Scholarship
• LGBTQ Bar Prep Scholarship

Find details here. 

Leadership Council on Legal Diversity 1L Mentorship Program

The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) is excited to offer the 2022-2023 Success in Law School Mentoring Program for 1Ls at Seattle University School of Law.  The program is launching in more than 30 cities around the country, including Seattle.  Each mentee will be paired with an experienced lawyer from one of LCLD’s member organizations.

Registration is now open on the LCLD website. Select “Seattle/Redmond” from the Metro Area Session dropdown menu, then enter your information.  City Lead, Mayank Prasad, Senior Corporate Counsel at Amazon Web Services, has recruited several great mentors this year. Mentors and mentees will be matched on a first come, first served basis. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with practicing attorneys and have a mentor to guide you during law school. Registration closes on Thursday, December 15.

Additional information is available on the LCLD website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:

Josie Mitchell, Associate Director, SU Center for Professional Development

Mayank Prasad, LCLD Seattle City Lead, Amazon Sr. Corporate Counsel

Nancy Richardson, LCLD Program Manager