CELEBRATE PUBLIC SERVICE CAREERS MONTH! Sponsored by the Office of the Career Services Public interest law is an excellent career option for those who are committed to a cause or group and who want to make a positive impact on individual lives or society as a whole. The Office of Career Services is proud to provide those who choose public service with the information, training and guidance they need to attain successful careers. At the same time, we seek to encourage all of our students to experience the rewards of using their legal training to serve their communities and society. We hope you join us for our annual spring semester public service program series which features timely and interesting topics and a great lineup of guest speakers! *RSVP on Symplicity Events. **Note that programs may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. CONDUCTING A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC SERVICE JOB SEARCH Monday, January 12, 2015 - 12:15 to 1:00; Pauline Murray Suite Before you begin your job search, you need to assess your interests, goals and requirements that will serve as the parameters for your search. Consider the skills you want to develop and the law you would like to explore. The answer to these questions will establish some major boundaries within which to search for a job. After this initial assessment, networking, interviewing and employer follow-up are essential components of a successful search. Join this brief session to make sure you are on the right track for a successful summer job search! Note that this session is a follow-up to the Introduction to Public Service Careers held in November 2014. PUBLIC SERVICE MOCK INTERVIEWS FOR 1Ls Friday, January 16, 2015 - Individual interviews will be scheduled (on and off-campus sites) Co-Sponsored by the Greater Washington Area Chapter, National Bar Association FOR THE PEOPLE: CAREERS IN GOVERNMENT Tuesday, January 20, 2015 – 12:15 to 1:15; Pauline Murray Suite - Guest Speakers TBA Co-sponsored by the ABA Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division -- There are a wealth of opportunities for a legal career at all levels of government. Employment in the public sector can be a rewarding and challenging alternative to joining a law firm. There are positions for lawyers at the federal, state, county and city levels. The practice areas are as varied as private practice but can be quite specialized depending on the scope and jurisdiction of a particular agency or office. Government legal practice is intellectually challenging and rewarding, offering a wide range of experiences. For example, the Department of Justice (DOJ), dubbed the Nations Law Firm, provides exciting opportunities in the areas of litigation, enforcement, and investigation. Government jobs also span a plethora of practice areas—from securities, to healthcare, to international trade law—so the skills and experience gained in the government transfer to both the private and nonprofit sectors. MODERN CAREERS IN CIVIL RIGHTS LAW Thursday, January 22, 2015 – 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm; Pauline Murray Suite - Guest Speakers Followed by a reception sponsored by Wilmerhale LLP (Business casual) -- What career paths are available for new social engineers in the 21st century? From racial profiling to disparities in health care, education, wealth and incarceration to immigration policies to religious freedom - the opportunities to address the nation’s top civil rights challenges remain at the forefront of Howard Law School’s mission. A distinguished panel of top civil rights attorneys in the private and public sectors- all HUSL alumni - will discuss their practices and offer insight into current career options in the civil rights arena! LAW & ORDER: PUBLIC DEFENDER VS. PROSECUTOR CAREERS Tuesday, January 27, 2015 – 12:15 to 1:15 pm; Pauline Murray Suite Guest Speakers: LaShanta Harris – Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office Emory Cole – U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia Vernida Chaney – Fairfax County Office of the Public Defender Johanna Leshner – Maryland Office of the Public Defender A career in criminal law can be very rewarding and a valuable learning experience. The field is attractive to those who have a strong sense of justice and who are interested in public service. Furthermore, it is a good choice for individuals interested in trial work and litigation. Criminal lawyers generally work either as prosecutors or as defense attorneys. Defense attorneys work either for a public defender organization, as solo practitioners, or in a law firm. Prosecutors work for the government either at the local, city, or county prosecutors office, the criminal division of the state attorney generals office, or the U.S. attorneys office. In both prosecution and defense work, there are opportunities to work with state or federal criminal laws, or to do appellate appeals rather than trial work. Both the local prosecutors offices and public defender organizations hire graduates right out of law school, or after a short time in practice. CLIENT SERVICES VS. POLICY CAREERS Thursday, January 29, 2015 – 12:15 to 1:15 pm; Pauline Murray Suite Guest Speakers: Keeshea Turner Roberts – Neighborhood Legal Services Jodi Feldman – Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia Ashlee Davis – Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at USDA Hillary Evans – Council for Court Excellence Public interest legal positions can typically be divided into two main categories: (1) Direct client services, and (2) Policy work. Direct client service involves working directly with individuals in need of legal representation, such as working in a legal services organization (e.g., Legal Services Corporation or specialized client services/issues (such as; immigration, homelessness, or HIV). Policy work involves working on legal issues at a more global scale. Public interest attorneys engaging in policy work may work on large class action cases or impact litigation (litigation that has an impact on a broad portion of society), e.g., American Civil Liberties Union or Earthjustice. Policy work also includes working for social action organizations (e.g., Amnesty International and US PIRG) which address a wide array of policy issues, such as community education, lobbying, and policy analysis. *RSVP on Symplicity Events. **Note that programs may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 23:31:13 +0000
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