Stetson Law -- Career Development Handbook

Stetson University College of Law

CAREER SERVICES HANDBOOK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION:

This Career Development Handbook has been prepared as an aid to Stetson University College of Law students. The Handbook will acquaint students with the services of the Career Development Office as well as furnish basic information regarding job seeking in today's legal market. The Career Development Office is constantly exploring ways to assist students in their job search. However, in the final analysis, the responsibility for securing employment rests with the individual student. Looking for a job is a job in itself. It is a time consuming, but necessary, task. In this tough job market, it is not a task that can be put off until the third year of law school.

PURPOSE AND FUNCTION:

The Career Development Office has two major purposes: to act as a depository for employment information and job opportunities and to counsel students and alumni as to their career paths and job seeking skills. Although the office does not "place" people or "find them a job", the office is an active liaison between Stetson students and alumni and the legal community. The following are functions of the Career Development Office:

Coordination of on-campus interviews for legal employers during Fall and Spring semesters.

2. Assistance in defining career goals and the creation of a career plan.

Counseling of individual students on their job seeking skills, i.e. resume preparation, cover letter composition, interviewing skills and networking techniques.

Processing and posting of employer requests for permanent, summer and part-time employment.

Presentation of educational forums/seminars related to placement and employment.

Coordination with and assistance to student groups interested in career-related programs or speakers.

Membership and participation in regional and national Job Fairs.

Membership and participation in the activities of the National Association of Law Placement.

Publication of public relations and informational material relating to the office.

Preparation, collection and distribution of educational materials, handouts and books related to placement and job seeking.

Publication of a monthly alumni newsletter detailing current job openings.

Collection and compilation of statistical information regarding graduate employment.

FACILITIES, HOURS AND PERSONNEL:

The Career Development Office is located on second floor of the new Student Center. The office is open Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. With advance notice, arrangements for evening use of the office can be arranged with the Director. All Stetson students and alumni are encouraged to use the facilities. The telephone number is (727) 562-7815, and our e-mail address is career@law.stetson.edu.

The Director of Career Development is Cathy Fitch. The office enjoys an "open door" policy for meeting with the Director; but, appointments can also be made.

CAREER SERVICES:

Resource Room

The Resource Room is located on the second floor of the newew Student Center. Here you will find computers, a printer, a fax machine (local faxes only), a typewriter, a phone (local calls only), reference books, ABA and other legal magazines, newspapers, and job listings, etc. These are available to make your life easier. Remember the Resource Room is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. .

Job Posting Board

The Job Posting Board is located in second floor hallway opposite the interview rooms in the Student Center. Postings include traditional full-time, part-time and summer positions as well as postings for fellowships, teaching positions, internships, judicial clerkships and volunteer work. The office also keeps a copy of each job listing on file in case it disappears from the binders. Because the Job Posting Board is kept in numerical order and up-to-date, it is the most convenient method for a student to keep on top of new job openings. Students should get in the habit of checking the board every day to see what new opportunities have been posted.

On-Campus Interviews

On-Campus interviews are held during the Fall and Spring semesters. The majority of on-campus firms come on campus in the Fall. All students who started law school during the prior Spring semester or before are eligible to participate in the Fall on-campus program. At the beginning of the Fall semester, the Career Development Office will have a list of all scheduled on-campus employers. Most of the participating firms are larger firms with strict hiring criteria. Many will require a class rank of 30% or above and/or participation on the Stetson Law Review or the Moot Court Board. DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED if you are not picked for an on-campus interview. Only a small percentage of law school students find permanent or summer employment through on-campus recruiting.

To submit a resume for an on-campus employer, an interested student must first sign an obligations sheet which states that his or her resume is accurate and that he/she will attend a scheduled interview. Every resume is checked for accuracy before it is sent to an employer. An inaccurate resume will be withheld from the employer's resume packet. Students must submit one resume for each employer which they are interested in plus one additional resume to be kept on file in the office. KNOW THE DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSION. The list of employers will state the deadline for submission for that employer. All resumes are due in the office by 3:00 p.m. so they can be sent out with the evening mail.

After the resumes are collected, they are sent with other information to the employer. The employer then selects the students to be interviewed and forwards that list to the Career Development Office. Most interviewee lists are received five to seven days before the employer's on-campus date. These lists are posted in the hall outside of the office. If your name appears on an interview list, you should sign yourself into a time slot and cross your name off the list. If you are unable to interview, you must tell the Career Development Office immediately. An informational meeting regarding the on-campus process will be held at the beginning of the semester to answer questions.

Job Fairs

Stetson University College of Law participates in several regional and national job fairs. The office also publicizes additional job fairs in the office and in the Brief.

Stetson participates in the following fairs:

SOUTHEASTERN MINORITY JOB FAIR - Held in Atlanta, GA in August. Thirty-eight southeastern law schools participate in and sponsor this fair for minority students.

EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS PUBLIC INTEREST JOB FAIR - Held in Washington, D.C. in October. Sponsored by NALP (National Association for Law Placement) and EJW (Equal Justice Works). Each year SAPIL and Stetson's Public Service Fellows organize a trip for all interested students to this annual conference and job fair.

Reciprocity Services with Other Law Schools

Students who wish to secure employment outside of Florida or even outside of the Tampa Bay area may take advantage of the placement services available through other law schools. Reciprocity can be arranged with other law schools by this office through a letter from the Director. If you are interested in setting up reciprocity, be aware of the following considerations:

You must request reciprocity services through this office at least five working days before your anticipated visit to the other law school.

You may not visit the school and then call this office for a letter. A letter must precede your visit.

The services available to reciprocity students vary greatly from school to school. Our office has a list of available services from each school.

Generally, reciprocity is unavailable at any law school (including ours!) from mid-August to mid-November because of heavy traffic from the on-campus season.

More and more schools grant reciprocity on a one-to-one basis. You cannot assume that reciprocity will be automatically granted. Check with this office.

Be aware that you are representing this school during your visit and your conduct may affect future relations with that school's placement office.

Other Services

The office also has many other resources available to Stetson students and graduates:

Telephone: A telephone for student use is located in the office. Only placement-related calls are allowed. A limit of three calls per day exists. This limitation may be lifted with the permission of the Director.

Computer equipment: The office has two computers with laser printers for student use on resumes, cover letters, writing samples and any other placement-related materials.

Copier: The office also has a forty-bin sort copier for the reproduction of resumes, writing samples, and office resource materials.

Fax machine: There is a Fax machine in the office that students may use to send resumes.

On-line computer services: LEXIS and Westlaw are available in the office to assist in computer-assisted job searches.

Typewriter: There is also a typewriter available in the office.

Books & Tapes: Library resources are available for check out.

Information on LL.M. programs and other law school catalogs.

CAREER PLANNING:

Career Opportunities

Traditional Practice

Law Firms

A large portion of Stetson graduates enter the practice of law with an established law firm. Firms vary in size and type of practice. Generally, the size of the firm dictates its hiring practices. Larger firms tend to hire during the Fall and will often want students in the top of their class and with Law Review or Moot Court Board experience. Today, most large firms hire only summer clerks (also called summer associates) during the Fall and fill their associate openings exclusively through their summer clerking program. Some medium-sized firms also have summer clerking programs which they fill during the Fall months. Many of these firms come on campus to interview during the Fall. However, to reach those firms that do not come on campus, a student must send a resume and cover letter to the firm no later than September 30th to receive serious consideration.

The majority of firms (small and mid-sized firms) hire on an as-needed basis. These firms find associates through referrals or by posting job notices. These openings can occur at anytime in the calendar year. The Job Posting Board is a means of receiving notice of these jobs. The Career Development Office also subscribes to a variety of newsletters and newspapers which contain job listings.

Some students start up their own law firms upon graduation. A successful sole practitioner requires sufficient start-up capital, office space, community contacts and the ability to attract and keep new clients. It is helpful if the sole practitioner can find an experienced attorney who is willing to share office space or is interested in training a young attorney. The Florida Bar Association and the local bar associations often have resources available to new practitioners. The Career Development Office has resource materials on how to start your own firm, holds "How To" seminars and keeps classified listings which are available to students and alumni.

Judicial Clerkships

Each year 5-8% of Stetson students take advantage of the opportunity to serve as a judicial law clerk for a state or federal judge. Clerkships are an excellent means of obtaining an intimate knowledge of the legal system and a unique opportunity to grow intellectually. Law firms and government agencies frequently seek the experience obtained by a judicial clerk, and some firms may even offer compensation for the time spent in a clerkship. Also, as a legal assistant to a member of the judiciary, law clerks often develop a working relationship that is of great personal value. Competition in this area is great. A solid academic record and superb research and writing skills are required. All students considering a clerkship as an option should have confidence in their research and writing abilities.

Students interested in federal clerkships should start preparing for the application process during the summer following their second year. in order to have the very best chance with the most competitive clerkships. Application materials should be ready to mail once the fall semester begins. A target date of on or after September 2, of the year prior to the desired beginning of your clerkship. If you find out that a judge will not be accepting applications prior to a certain date, do not send your materials before that specified date. Your application may be thrown in the trash. Federal judges interview during the fall semester ( anywhere from September to December) for clerkships beginning in the fall of the following year. Deadlines for state clerkships are not as strict. In most cases, students can wait until their third year to apply for state court clerkships. Many state court judges only hire when the current clerk decides to leave. Therefore, many positions may not become open until after graduation.

Typically, a clerkship application consists of a cover letter, resume, writing sample and transcript. In addition, many judges require two to three letters of reference. Even if a judge does not require reference letters, it is a good idea to have such letters sent. Judges can receive hundreds of applications and a letter of recommendation may be the difference between an interview and a rejection. Generally, those selected for an interview are responsible for their own travel expenses.

The spectrum of opportunities available in the federal courts is very broad and includes the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. District Courts of Appeals, U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, Tax Court, Magistrates Court, Court of International Trade and several others. Very few judges give a student time to wait for other offers. In most cases a quick response is necessary so an offer may be extended to an alternate choice in the event the offer is rejected. Therefore, protocol demands that an applicant be in a position to accept an offer immediately. Therefore, do not apply for a position you have no intention of accepting.

State and local courts vary from state to state and city to city. Generally, positions become available at more sporadic intervals than federal clerkships. Some information on application dates is available in the National Association of Law Placement Judicial Clerkship Directory. An application usually consists of a cover letter, resume, transcript and two to three letters of reference. Most judges also require a writing sample. With the possible exceptions of state supreme courts and appellate courts, academic qualifications are more flexible than for the more exclusive federal clerkships. Good research and writing skills are still of tantamount importance. Also, it is advisable that students seek clerkships that are located in geographical areas where they plan to pursue permanent careers. In Florida, there are five district courts of appeal, twenty circuit courts, and sixty-seven county courts. The office has compiled a handout with information on all of the state judges in Florida, including addresses, phone numbers, and some biographical information. Florida clerkship openings are often sent to the office and are quickly posted. In addition, openings are posted in the classified section of the Florida Bar News.

Public Interest Sector

Public Interest Law encompasses a wide range of career opportunities. The Harvard Public Interest Job Search Guide defines public interest work as follows: (a) public-spirited service, (b) on behalf of individuals and causes not often served by the for-profit bar, and (c) entailing financial sacrifice. Public interest lawyers tend to represent clients and causes which might otherwise lack meaningful representation. The necessity of such representation cannot be emphasized enough; because without the public interest bar, the nation's legal system would serve only those who can afford legal counsel.

Most public interest work is done through public interest organizations; although some private firms do public interest work. A major concern to most law students is the salary range of most public service jobs. Generally, jobs in the public service area are among the lowest paying legal positions - for this reason they tend to attract students who have a very strong sense of commitment to their work. There may exist programs to assist the public interest attorney with his or her finances (i.e. grants, fellowships, loan assistance programs, loan forgiveness, etc...). While a student's debt load may prohibit him or her from taking a full-time public interest job after graduation, a summer job or part-time clerking job in this area is an excellent alternative. The Career Development Office has several directories and publications available in the office that can help guide you in your search for public service employment. The office also receives information on summer internships and part-time clerking jobs from time to time. Often these positions and their deadlines are published in the Brief as well as being placed in the clerking book. There is a separate folder for public interest information/postings in the Career Development Office as well as a separate notebook for public interest firm resumes.

Stetson students also can receive exposure to certain aspects of public service through various clinical programs. Members of the third-year class may be eligible to participate in the following clinics:

Public Defender Clinic: Students assist the Pinellas County, Hillsborough County and Manatee Public Defender Offices in rendering aid to indigent criminal defendants.

Civil Clinic: Students work with local legal services offices to help represent low income individuals with their civil legal problems.

Elderlaw Clinic: Students are exposed to the various issues that impact the elderly through the representation of elderly legal service's clients.

Criminal Appeals Clinic: Students work with the Office of the Pinellas County Public Defender in the representation of criminal defendants on appeal or during post-conviction proceedings.

Civil Government Clinic: Students work in municipal or county attorney offices in all aspects of civil government law

Opportunities in public interest law can be divided in a number of ways. The following is a general list of those opportunities. It is by no means an all-encompassing list.

Public Interest Organizations

Legal Services & Legal Aid Offices

Public Defenders

Prosecuting Attorneys

Governmental Offices/Agencies

Private Public-Interest Law Firms

Pro Bono Departments of Law Firms

Federal and State Legislatures

Governmental Agencies

Federal, state, city and county governments provide many employment opportunities for attorneys. In fact, the federal government is the largest employer of attorneys in the United States. Because of the diverse areas of operation, governmental agencies can offer a wide variety practice areas and geographic locations. Many federal agencies have honors programs for recent graduates and summer clerkships for second-year students. At the beginning of the Fall semester, the Department of Justice begins its recruitment of graduates and second year students. A special application and informational materials are generally available in the Career Development Office by the end of August. The deadline for application submission is usually late September. Each October, The Summer Legal Employment Guide is sent to the office. This guide lists the various federal clerkship positions (paid and volunteer) which are available. Several resource guides to federal and state agencies are located in the office as well as copies of the standardized employment application forms, state and federal handouts and folders containing information on each agency. The office also subscribes to several publications which contain job listings for governmental positions: The National and Federal Legal Employment Reports, the Federal Jobs Digest, the National Law Journal, the Florida Bar News.

Government hiring is always the first to feel the effects of economic changes. A bad economy can produce a hiring "freeze" at any level of government. Good economic times can create a marked increase in government openings.

Non-Traditional Practice

Corporations

Traditionally, corporations seek experienced attorneys. However, as in-house counsel opportunities increase, there are more openings for recent law school graduates. As with law firms, the larger corporations place more emphasis on grades. Banking, Insurance, Accounting and Lobbying are fields in which a law degree is often beneficial. The Career Services Office has several resources directed toward corporate counsel positions. The annual Directory of Corporate Counsel, the Florida Corporate Counsel handout, Florida Trend magazine, and the corporate directories and information available through LEXIS and Westlaw are all available in the office.

Teaching/Graduate Fellowships

Teaching opportunities and Graduate Fellowship positions are often sent to the Career Services Office for posting. These positions are available upon graduation and are therefore listed in the associate positions binder. The AALS Placement Bulletin and the weekly Chronicle of Higher Education also list faculty and administrative openings and can be found in the office. Most tenure-track faculty positions require past work experience in a certain field of expertise; however, other positions (ex. research & writing instructors) will consider recent law school graduates. Undergraduate institutions may also need instructors for classes which favor a law graduate (i.e. business law, law enforcement, paralegal courses).

Legal Publishing

Some law graduates enter the field of legal publishing upon graduation. Most legal publishers hire attorneys either as writers or editors. Some publishers, like West Publishing, hire attorneys as sales and regional representatives. There is a list of legal publishers available in the Career Development Office.

Other Alternative Careers

A law degree may be a benefit in a variety of other careers. The office has several resource materials on non-traditional or alternative careers. Oftentimes, the student's background and pre-law school experience are a big factor in obtaining employment.

PERSPECTIVES BY CLASS YEAR:

First-year Students

During your first year of law school, your primary focus must be on your coursework. Every student must complete that transition from undergraduate institution or career to law school. The American Bar Association and Stetson discourages employment during the first year of law school. Employment after the first-year is favored; however, the employment opportunities for first years are very limited. The changes in the job market have drastically reduced the number of 1L summer clerkships with large firms. First year students who want to apply for summer jobs with these large firms must send their resumes before Christmas break. The National Association of Law Placement guidelines prohibit firms from interviewing or considering first-year candidates prior to December 1st. Check the OCI cabinet, the NALP Directory of Legal Employers or the Westlaw NALP Directory for those firms willing to interview 1Ls.

Smaller firms should be approached during the second semester or during the Christmas break. There will be lots of competition from second and third year students for these positions, so do not be discouraged. It is sometimes easier to find part-time summer work. Watch the Job Bulletin Board closer to semester end for these positions.

Students who can afford it might consider volunteer work. Judges, state and federal agencies and even law firms may be receptive to free assistance. You will gain experience, contacts in the legal community and resume credentials.

The first contact with the Career Development Office for most first-years is through a Resume/Cover Letter writing assignment in Research & Writing. Feedback is given by the Director on each exercise, and all first-years are encouraged to come into the office for a one-on-one review of his or her resume and current career plan.

Second-Year Students

Clerking during the second year is very important. Part-time clerking during the school year will depend heavily upon your class schedule and outside commitments. Full-time clerking during the summer is also subject to school and other limitations. However, a second year student should try to obtain some clerking experience if at all possible. In this highly competitive legal market, clerking has become a practical necessity.

The best resource for part-time positions is the Job Bulletin Board and corresponding Clerking binder. Generally, these openings are currently available clerking positions. The information sheets in the Clerking binder will tell you who to contact, the employer's hiring criteria and the preferred method of contact (calling vs. sending a resume). Check the board daily for new postings. Sometimes the first person to call gets the job. Your classmates can also be a good resource. Many times a fellow classmate will have to leave a good clerking job for one reason or another (clinics, class schedule, new position) and would like to help find a replacement. Let your friends know that you are interested in clerking.

The search for summer employment can take many paths. All second year students are invited to participate in the Fall On-Campus Interviewing Program. Larger firms generally hire summer clerks during the Fall semester. Large firms who do not come on campus should be sent a resume and cover letter no later then September 30th to receive serious consideration. Small and most medium-sized firms should be approached at the beginning of the second semester. Christmas break should be used to refine your resume, cover letter and writing sample as well as obtaining letters of recommendation and putting together employer lists. Also, students interested in obtaining employment out-of-state or in cities outside of the Tampa Bay area should spend their Christmas break making contacts and networking in the area. Reciprocity services can be set up with local law schools so that their placement services can be utilized.

Job Fairs are another method of obtaining summer employment. Job Fair notices will be publicized in the office and through the Stetson Brief well in advance of their application deadlines. Summer clerkships are also posted on the Job Bulletin Board throughout the Fall and Spring semesters. Applications for summer clerkships with the Department of Justice are available in the office by the end of August and have a late-September deadline. Other federal agencies advertise their summer positions through the Summer Legal Employment Guide which comes out in October.

Students interested in federal judicial clerkships after graduation must use the Fall semester to assemble their application packets. Applications for federal judicial clerkships should be mailed by December 31st. Information regarding judicial clerkships can be found in the office.

Third-Year Students

During the summer preceding the third year, each student should take the time to create a career strategy. Do not wait until the last semester to think about job hunting. If you are unsure of what path to take, come into the office and speak to the Director. Inaction is the worst possible course of action. Although your efforts early in the third year may seem futile and unproductive at that time, it is often these contacts that ultimately lead to later employment. Looking for a job is a time consuming endeavor; but, it is also a necessary one.

Third year students are welcome to participate in On-Campus Interviewing and in the Job Fairs publicized through the office. Again, most large firms will hire exclusively through their summer clerking programs. Large firms without summer programs will fill their associate positions during the Fall. Resumes must be sent to these firms no later than September 30th. Generally, small and mid-sized firms will not hire this far in advance. They will hire on a need basis. Good timing and outside contacts come into play for these firms. Many firms post associate openings with the office. These openings are posted on the Job Bulletin Board and in the Associate binder in the office. Fellowships, teaching positions, full-time clerking opportunities, and judicial clerkship information are also posted on the board and in the Associate binder.

The office has many resources available for the creation of mailing lists. Martindale Hubbell, firm directories, the yellow pages of different cities, office handouts/lists, resource books, LEXIS, and Westlaw are all available in the office. Alumni lists can also be obtained through the Career Development Office as well as Martindale Hubbell.

State judicial clerkships are another viable career option upon graduation. While the deadline for most federal judicial clerkships is during the second year, most state judicial clerkships are applied for during a student's third year. A list of both federal and state judges are available in the office.

Students interested in receiving an LL.M. can find information in the office. School brochures and other information has been collected and placed in a filing cabinet for students to peruse. The student telephone can also be used to call and order admission applications. There is also a handout on the available programs throughout the nation as well as a videotape of past LL.M. seminars. In addition, many of our faculty have advanced degrees and can answer questions about the advantages and disadvantages of an LL.M. degree.

OUT-OF-STATE EMPLOYMENT:

A handful of Stetson students wish to pursue employment opportunities outside of the state of Florida. Because Stetson is not as well known on a national scale as some schools and because the majority of our alumni stay within Florida, the search for out-of-state employment requires more time, planning and networking. Out-of-state contacts should be cultivated early and rekindled during each semester break. A student should take time during every trip home to establish new contacts. A list of Stetson alumni in that geographical area can be obtained from the Career Development Office. Additional alumni can be found through computer searches in the different on-line career directories. The office also receives associate postings from out-of-state through the mail and through newsletters from other law schools. The office has compiled information on each state in a file cabinet. If you are going to be visiting the area, our office can send a letter to the local law school requesting reciprocity services. Reciprocity allows a student to visit and use that school's Career Development office and materials. Information about a certain area can also be obtained through faculty members who practiced or went to school in that area. Finally, the office has informational brochures about Stetson and its student body. If you are going to be visiting an area or sending resumes, the office would be happy to send this information in advance of your mailing or visit to acquaint employers with the school and its many accomplishments.

COVER LETTERS:

For information about cover letters and access to sample cover letters, see our Cover Letter Pages.

RESUMES:

For information about resumes and access to sample resumes, see our Resume Pages.

INTERVIEWING:

For interviewing tips and techniques, see our Interviewing Page.

THANK YOU LETTERS:

For information about thank you letters and sample thank you letters, see our Thank You Letter Page.

NALP GUIDELINES:

Stetson University College of Law is a member of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP). The membership of NALP includes both law school Career Development personnel and legal employers. The organization was created to promote the exchange of information and cooperation between law schools and employers. NALP members agree to abide by the principles and standards adopted by the membership. The NALP Principles and Standards for Law Placement can be obtained in their entirety in the office.

Stetson University College of Law
1401 61st Street South,
Gulfport, FL 33707-3299
Phone: 727-562-7800
URL: http://www.law.stetson.edu
(Click here for departmental contact information.)

We welcome your comments.
Please e-mail us at career@law.stetson.edu.