Minrority Job Fairs Forum

[BruceWayne]

Does anyone have experience attending these things? (like the Southeastern minority job fair and the sunbelt minority job fair). How helpful are they? A lot of the firms that I'm interested in actually come to these fairs; does it make sense to bid on a firm at the job fair and then not bid on them for fall OCI? That way I could maximize my bids/firm options.

[Aqualibrium]

Does anyone have experience attending these things? (like the Southeastern minority job fair and the sunbelt minority job fair). How helpful are they? A lot of the firms that I'm interested in actually come to these fairs; does it make sense to bid on a firm at the job fair and then not bid on them for fall OCI? That way I could maximize my bids/firm options.

I've got some experience with the SEMJF and a couple others. Got very very good results from them. As a matter of fact, both firms I'll be working at this coming summer were firms I met at job fairs, and who don't traditionally recruit at my school.

I think it's a good way to conserve your bids. Maybe take a chance with some reaches at the job fair, and be more conservative at OCI.

All in all, great experience. You interview before anyone else, you get a couple under your belt, and you might even get to walk into OCI with a couple offers already on the table.

[Grizz]

Do Asians participate in these things?

[Aqualibrium]

Do Asians participate in these things?

I saw white men who didn't have funny last names participating. I think the credited response when it comes to stuff like this is to let someone tell you you're not the type of "diversity" they are looking for by not hiring you.

To answer your question though, yes. If you are Black, Asian, Indian, Hispanic, Female, etc... I would advise you to go to the diversity job fairs.

[BruceWayne]

Thanks aqua; this was very helpful! In regards to the SEMJF did you find that there were many URMs from UVA, Duke, and Vandy?

[Aqualibrium]

Thanks aqua; this was very helpful! In regards to the SEMJF did you find that there were many URMs from UVA, Duke, and Vandy?

No problem.

There were kids from all over. Great schools like Duke and UVA, as well as schools like Florida Coastal and Ave Maria.

[moandersen]

Thanks aqua; this was very helpful! In regards to the SEMJF did you find that there were many URMs from UVA, Duke, and Vandy?

No problem.

There were kids from all over. Great schools like Duke and UVA, as well as schools like Florida Coastal and Ave Maria.

do you mind sharing how the process of securing an interview at the SEMJF works? also, do you have any idea how a person (such as myself: T40 school, top 1/3 in class) in a non-T14 school would fare? I appreciate any feedback, as I think this may be my best opportunity to get into a larger firm.

[Aqualibrium]

Thanks aqua; this was very helpful! In regards to the SEMJF did you find that there were many URMs from UVA, Duke, and Vandy?

No problem.

There were kids from all over. Great schools like Duke and UVA, as well as schools like Florida Coastal and Ave Maria.

do you mind sharing how the process of securing an interview at the SEMJF works? also, do you have any idea how a person (such as myself: T40 school, top 1/3 in class) in a non-T14 school would fare? I appreciate any feedback, as I think this may be my best opportunity to get into a larger firm.

Sure.

It's really just the same symplicity system most law schools use. You upload your docs (cover letter, resume, transcript - they have their own template for this) onto Symplicity, and you place your bids. Last year each person got 20 bids, but there were a bunch of late adds too, and you get to bid on them automatically if you want, so there ended up being about 25 bids. Some time in may I think you'll find out if you've been selected for any interviews, then you have the option to accept or decline them.

I can't tell you how you will do, but at the time of SEMJF, I was a t30 student who was somewhere in the top 1/3 (once the semester started a successful grade challenge moved me past the top 25% cutoff). I got 5 interviews and 4 offers.

I don't think you should go in with any trepidation, or be worried about what school you go to. If you get an opportunity to get in the room, you need to be confident that you can get the job. Confidence wins.

[moandersen]

Thanks aqua; this was very helpful! In regards to the SEMJF did you find that there were many URMs from UVA, Duke, and Vandy?

No problem.

There were kids from all over. Great schools like Duke and UVA, as well as schools like Florida Coastal and Ave Maria.

do you mind sharing how the process of securing an interview at the SEMJF works? also, do you have any idea how a person (such as myself: T40 school, top 1/3 in class) in a non-T14 school would fare? I appreciate any feedback, as I think this may be my best opportunity to get into a larger firm.

Sure.

It's really just the same symplicity system most law schools use. You upload your docs (cover letter, resume, transcript - they have their own template for this) onto Symplicity, and you place your bids. Last year each person got 20 bids, but there were a bunch of late adds too, and you get to bid on them automatically if you want, so there ended up being about 25 bids. Some time in may I think you'll find out if you've been selected for any interviews, then you have the option to accept or decline them.

I can't tell you how you will do, but at the time of SEMJF, I was a t30 student who was somewhere in the top 1/3 (once the semester started a successful grade challenge moved me past the top 25% cutoff). I got 5 interviews and 4 offers.

I don't think you should go in with any trepidation, or be worried about what school you go to. If you get an opportunity to get in the room, you need to be confident that you can get the job. Confidence wins.

thanks for the insight. Im not worried about confidence, but more so not being given the opportunity to interview because of what school I got to/rank/etc. Do you mind sharing what markets you bid on, and which ones you had success in?

[Aqualibrium]

thanks for the insight. Im not worried about confidence, but more so not being given the opportunity to interview because of what school I got to/rank/etc. Do you mind sharing what markets you bid on, and which ones you had success in?

Spent two bids on ATL, got interviews and offers at both. Spent one on Bham, got an interview. Spent the rest of my bids on DC, NOVA, Richmond, and got two offers out of it.

I'd advise someone in your position to not get all wide eyed at the opportunity to interview with a bunch of mega firms. They are most likely out of your reach. There will be a lot of good solid, 60-300 or so man firms there that you may not have heard of before. You'll have much better luck if you make sure to spread your bids around to them.

[Anonymous User]

I saw white men who didn't have funny last names participating. I think the credited response when it comes to stuff like this is to let someone tell you you're not the type of "diversity" they are looking for by not hiring you.

ummm...diversity includes more than race and skin color....a white man could be gay or disabled for example...isnt this diversity as well?

[Anonymous User]

Did a lot of fairs and got a lot of interviews. Very few callbacks. I'm almost definitely a bad interviewer. T14, slightly below median.

[Aqualibrium]

I saw white men who didn't have funny last names participating. I think the credited response when it comes to stuff like this is to let someone tell you you're not the type of "diversity" they are looking for by not hiring you.

ummm...diversity includes more than race and skin color....a white man could be gay or disabled for example...isnt this diversity as well?

Wasn't that the point of the statement you quoted?

[BruceWayne]

When is the deadline for submitting bids for the SEMJF?

[Aqualibrium]

When is the deadline for submitting bids for the SEMJF?

Pre-registration opens: Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Pre-registration closes: Monday, April 25, 2011
*Check with your Career Development Office for pre-registration instructions

Online bidding opens: Thursday, May 12, 2011
Online bidding closes: Friday, May 27, 2011

Interview/Alternate status available online: Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Deadline to accept/decline interview offers: Thursday, July 7, 2011

Final interviews schedules available online: Monday, July 18, 2011

http://www.semjf.org/

[BruceWayne]

When is the deadline for submitting bids for the SEMJF?

Pre-registration opens: Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Pre-registration closes: Monday, April 25, 2011
*Check with your Career Development Office for pre-registration instructions

Online bidding opens: Thursday, May 12, 2011
Online bidding closes: Friday, May 27, 2011

Interview/Alternate status available online: Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Deadline to accept/decline interview offers: Thursday, July 7, 2011

Final interviews schedules available online: Monday, July 18, 2011

http://www.semjf.org/

Thanks! They must have just put that up! Unfortunately this means that the employers will only have first semester grades to go on.

[Aqualibrium]

Thanks! They must have just put that up! Unfortunately this means that the employers will only have first semester grades to go on.

Yes, but you'll have second semester grades by the time you get to the conference. Of course that means you are selected for interviews with only your first semester grades, but I don't think that is such a big deal. I got plenty of interviews despite not having excellent first semester grades, and was able to walk into every interview and start off with something positive when I would hand over my updated resume and transcript that had my much improved grades.

[BruceWayne]

Thanks! They must have just put that up! Unfortunately this means that the employers will only have first semester grades to go on.

Yes, but you'll have second semester grades by the time you get to the conference. Of course that means you are selected for interviews with only your first semester grades, but I don't think that is such a big deal. I got plenty of interviews despite not having excellent first semester grades, and was able to walk into every interview and start off with something positive when I would hand over my updated resume and transcript that had my much improved grades.

I hope you're right. My top 3 firm choices all interview at the SEMJF. If I were to get an offer from one of them, I wouldn't need to sign up for OGI. That would be an incredible burden off of my back.

[thexfactor]

are most of these minority job fairs open to people who are currently 2Ls? or are they mostly for current 1Ls

[Aqualibrium]

I hope you're right. My top 3 firm choices all interview at the SEMJF. If I were to get an offer from one of them, I wouldn't need to sign up for OGI. That would be an incredible burden off of my back.

Well you'll still need to sign up for OGI, just not with those firms (assuming you get an interview with them). Sometimes you'll be lucky enough to get an offer or two before school even starts back up, but for the most part you won't hear anything from them until callback season/offer season.

are most of these minority job fairs open to people who are currently 2Ls? or are they mostly for current 1Ls

I participated in all of the ones I went to as a 1L, but at many of them I spoke to 2L's who were also interviewing. From my understanding, where there may have been 40-50 employers interviewing 1L's, only 10-15 would be there for 2L's.

[BruceWayne]

I hope you're right. My top 3 firm choices all interview at the SEMJF. If I were to get an offer from one of them, I wouldn't need to sign up for OGI. That would be an incredible burden off of my back.

Well you'll still need to sign up for OGI, just not with those firms (assuming you get an interview with them). Sometimes you'll be lucky enough to get an offer or two before school even starts back up, but for the most part you won't hear anything from them until callback season/offer season.

are most of these minority job fairs open to people who are currently 2Ls? or are they mostly for current 1Ls

I participated in all of the ones I went to as a 1L, but at many of them I spoke to 2L's who were also interviewing. From my understanding, where there may have been 40-50 employers interviewing 1L's, only 10-15 would be there for 2L's.

Oh. So it's an advantage but not quite as big of one as I was thinking. Basically (as you said) it allows you to conserve bids when fall OCI comes along.

[GMVarun]

Can people share information about the other common minority fairs? I know there is one in California, and the one in Chicago. Are there others? Generally when do you need to apply for these? etc.

[moandersen]

I hope you're right. My top 3 firm choices all interview at the SEMJF. If I were to get an offer from one of them, I wouldn't need to sign up for OGI. That would be an incredible burden off of my back.

Any way to figure out what firms with be at the SEMJF without looking up each firms info on NALP?

[Aqualibrium]

I hope you're right. My top 3 firm choices all interview at the SEMJF. If I were to get an offer from one of them, I wouldn't need to sign up for OGI. That would be an incredible burden off of my back.

Any way to figure out what firms with be at the SEMJF without looking up each firms info on NALP?

Don't think you'll know for sure who will definitely be there until the event gets closer, but this is who was there last year:

Bracewell & Giuliani (New York, NY)
DLA Piper (Atlanta, GA)
Mayer Brown LLP (Charlotte, NC)
Arnold & Porter LLP (Washington, DC)
Baker Botts L.L.P. (Austin, TX)
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP (Washington, DC)
Sidley Austin LLP (Washington, DC)
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC (Charlotte, NC)
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP (Washington, DC)
Bryan Cave LLP (Atlanta, GA)
Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs LLP (Atlanta, GA)
Ford & Harrison (Atlanta, GA)
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz (Birmingham, AL)
Swift Currie McGhee & Hiers (Atlanta, GA)
LeClairRyan (Richmond, VA)
Williams Mullen (Richmond, VA)
Adams and Reese LLP (New Orleans, LA)
Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. (Houston, TX)
Hunton & Williams (Miami, FL)
Jones Day (Atlanta, GA)
McGuireWoods LLP (Charlotte, NC)
Alston & Bird LLP (Atlanta, GA)
Arnall Golden Gregory LLP (Atlanta, GA)
Atlanta Legal Aid Society Inc. (Atlanta, GA)
Bass, Berry & Sims PLC (Nashville, TN)
Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod LLP (Miami, FL)
Bracewell & Giuliani (Houston, TX)
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLC (Multiple Locations)
Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Martin (Atlanta, GA)
Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. (Chattanooga, TN)
Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (Raleigh, NC)
Day Pitney (Hartford, CT)
Fowler White Boggs Banker (Tampa, FL)
Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. (Minneapolis, MN)
Greenberg Traurig (New York, NY)
Gunster (West Palm Beach, FL)
Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo, LLP (Charlotte, NC)
Holland & Knight LLP (Atlanta, GA)
Hopping Green & Sams (Tallahassee, FL)
Hunton & Williams LLP (Charlotte, NC)
Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP (St. Louis, MO)
Kilpatrick Stockton LLP (Atlanta, GA)
King & Spalding, LLP (Atlanta, GA)
Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. (Miami, FL)
Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan, PLLC (Chattanooga, TN)
Littler Mendelson (San Francisco, CA)
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell (Austin, TX)
Mason LLP (Waltham, MA)
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (Atlanta, GA)
Miller & Martin PLLC (Chattanooga, TN)
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP (Multiple Offices)
New York City Law Department (New York, NY)
Office of the Legislative Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives (Washington, DC)
Orleans Public Defenders (New Orleans, LA)
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, LLP (Charlotte, NC)
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP (Atlanta, GA)
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (Washington, DC)
Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson (Charlotte, NC)
Schiff Hardin LLP (Chicago, IL)
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP (Los Angeles, CA)
Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P (Kansas City, MO)
Smith Anderson Blount Dorsett Mitchell & Jernigan, (Raleigh, NC)
Stites and Harbison PLLC (Louisville, KY)
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP (Atlanta, GA)
Tennessee Attorney General (Nashville, TN)
Troutman Sanders LLP (Atlanta, GA)
U. S. Air Force JAG Corps (Washington, DC)
U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Enforcem (Washington, DC)
U.S. Senate Office of the Legislative Counsel (Washington, DC)
Watkins Ludlam Winter and Stennis, P.A. (Jackson, MS)
Zelle Hofmann Voelbel & Mason LLP (Waltham, MA)

[Kohinoor]

Can people share information about the other common minority fairs? I know there is one in California, and the one in Chicago. Are there others? Generally when do you need to apply for these? etc.

--LinkRemoved--
outdated info but decently comprehensive list.

Summer 2010

July 29-30, 2010, Loyola Patent Law Interview Program, Embassy Suites Chicago. Sponsored by Loyola University Chicago Law School. For more information visit http://www.luc.edu/law/career/patent.html.

July 30, 2010, Vault MCCA Legal Diversity Career Fair, Washington, DC. Open to all 2L, 3L and Lateral Candidates. For information contact Laura Kittredge, events@vault.com. Web site: http://www.vault.com/legaldiversity.

August 4, 2010, Wake Forest New York Interview Program, New York City. Sponsored by Wake Forest School of Law. Fair is limited to students of sponsoring school. Web site: http://law.wfu.edu/career/employers/. Contact Kim M. Fields, 336-758-5058, fieldskm@wfu.edu.

August 6-7, 2010, Heartland Diversity Legal Job Fair, Crowne Plaza Hotel Kansas City. Sponsored by Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. For more information visit http://www.heartlanddiversity.org.

August 7, 2010, DuPont Minority Job Fair, Wilmington, DE. For information contact Bonnie Bell, bellb@ballardspahr.com.

August 7, 2010, DuPont Minority Job Fair, Houston, TX. For information contact Jane Callender, janecallender@mehaffyweber.com.

August 7, 2010, DuPont Minority Job Fair, Los Angeles, CA. For information contact Anja Heidenreich, Anja.Heidenreich@alston.com.

August 12-13, 2010, Northeast Interview Program, Doubletree Guest Suites, New York City. Sponsored by William & Mary School of Law and Washington & Lee School of Law. Fair is limited to students of sponsoring schools. Web site: http://www.law.wm.edu/careerservices/em ... /index.php. Contact Julie Waskey, (757) 221-3805, jawaskey@wm.edu.

August 13, 2010, IMPACT Career Fair for Law Students and Attorneys with Disabilities, Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, Arlington, VA. Open to Fall 2010 Returning Law Students, and Graduates Nationwide. For more information visit http://www.law.arizona.edu/Career/Impact/welcome.cfm.

August 19-20, 2010, Indianapolis Bar Association 2010 Diversity Job Fair, where Metropolitan Meets Midwest. Open to 2L students (graduating in spring 2012) from ABA-accredited law schools for summer placement in 2011. For more information go to http://www.ibadiversityjobfair.com.

August 20, 2010, Mid Atlantic Legal Recruiting Conference, Embassy Suites Hotel, Washington DC. Sponsored by 7 top-tier law schools: University of Florida Levin School of Law, The University of Georgia School of Law, University of Illinois College of Law, University of Kentucky College of Law, University of South Carolina School of Law, The University of Tennessee College of Law and Wake Forest University School of Law. Open to students of sponsoring schools. For more information visit --LinkRemoved--. Contact: Robert Birrenkott, rbirrenkott@law.ufl.edu, Phone: 352-392-0499.

August 21, 2010, Louisiana State Bar Association's Minority Involvement Section's Annual Minority Job Fair, Southern University Law Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sponsored by Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, Louisiana State University Paul Hebert Law Center, Southern University Law Center, Tulane Law School. Fair is limited to students and alumni of sponsoring schools as well as students who atttend law school outside the State of Louisiana and have been granted reciprocal services through the Louisiana State Bar Association. Web site: http://www.lsba.org. Contact Kelly Legier, 504.566.1600, kelly.legier@lsba.org.

August 21, 2010, St. Louis Diversity Job Fair, St Louis, Missouri. Sponsored by Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP; thompson coburn llp; Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale; Association of Legal Administrators - Gateway Chapter; armstrong teasdale llp; Bryan Cave LLP; heplerbroom llc; Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis; Centene Corporation. Students in the Classes of 2011-2012 (rising 2Ls and 3Ls) from the following schools are invited to participate: Law schools ranked among the Top 30 as determined by U.S. News & World Report; Law schools at a Historically Black College or University; Law schools located in the Midwest as defined by NALP; and Law schools located in Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Arkansas. Web site: http://www.stldiversityjobfair.com. Contact Danielle Carr, 314-335-6833, jdc@Greensfelder.com.

August 27, 2010, Sunbelt Minority Recruitment Program, Dallas, TX. Sponsored by Association of Corporate Counsel; Liskow & Lewis; Schwartz, Junell, Greenberg & Oathout, L.L.P.; among other Firms and Businesses. Fair is limited to students of sponsoring schools. Web site: http://www.sunbeltjobfair.com/. Contact Suzanne Hill Patrick, 2010 Chair, 210-431-2265, info@sunbeltjobfair.com.

Fall 2010

Fall, 2010, National Recruitment Program, Boston, MA. Sponsored by Massachusetts Law School Consortium: Boston College Law School; Boston University School of Law; Harvard Law School; New England Law | Boston; Northeastern University School of Law; Suffolk University Law School; Western New England College School of Law. Fair is limited to students of sponsoring schools. Web site: http://www.maconsortium.org. Contact Michelle Dobbins, 617-305-1674, mdobbins@suffolk.edu.

September 1, 2010, Public Interest Career Reception, NY City Bar Association. Sponsored by 20 NYC metro-area law schools. Fair is limited to students and alumni of sponsoring schools. Web site: http://law2.fordham.edu/ihtml/cal-2uwcp ... ?idc=11046. Contact Hillary Exter, 212.636.7789, hexter@law.fordham.edu.

September 24, 2010, The GPALS Washington, D.C. Job Fair, St. Gregory Luxury Hotel & Suites, Washington, DC. Sponsored by Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law, Villanova University School of Law, University of Pennsylvania School of Law, Rutgers University School of Law-Camden, Temple University Beasley School of Law, The Dickinson School of Law at the Pennsylvania State University, and Widener University School of Law. Limited to students of sponsoring schools. Contact Alexandra Vecchio, Esq., 215-571-4725, alv35@drexel.edu.

October 1, 2010, The GPALS Philadelphia Job Fair, Temple University-Center City Campus. Sponsored by Villanova University School of Law, university of pennsylvania law school, Rutgers University School of Law-Camden, Temple University Beasley School of Law, The Dickinson School of Law at the Pennsylvania State University, the Widener University School of Law, and the Drexel School of Law. Fair is limited to students of sponsoring schools. Web site: http://www.law.villanova.edu/Employers/Hiring Students.aspx. Contact Kristin Archibald, Esq., 610-519-7032, archibald@law.villanova.edu.

Spring 2011

January 27-28, 2011, January Government & Public Interest Program, Suffolk University Law School, Boston. Sponsored by Massachusetts Law School Consortium: Boston College Law School; Boston University School of Law; Harvard Law School; New England Law | Boston; Northeastern University School of Law; Suffolk University Law School; Western New England College School of Law. Fair is limited to students of sponsoring schools. Web site: http://www.maconsortium.org/. Contact Michelle Dobbins, 617-305-1674, mdobbins@suffolk.edu.

January 29, 2011, Georgetown/George Washington Law Public Service Recruiting Program, George Washington University Marvin Center. Sponsored by Georgetown Law & George Washington Law School. Fair is limited to students of sponsoring schools. Contact Constantine A Efstathiou, (202) 662-9314, cae26@law.georgetown.edu.

February 4-5, 2011, Northwest Public Service Career Fair, Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. Sponsored by Northwest Consortium Law Schools. The Northwest Public Service Career Fair will be held on February 4, 2011 at Seattle University Campion Hall in Seattle, Washington and on February 5, 2011 at Lewis & Clark College Templeton Student Center in Portland, Oregon. For detailed information about the fair and attending visit http://www.nwpifair.org.

February 10-11, 2011, Public Interest Legal Career Fair, NYU School of Law. Sponsored by Albany Law School, Brooklyn Law School, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Columbia University School of Law, Cornell Law School, CUNY Law School, Fordham University School of Law, Hofstra University School of Law, New York Law School, New York University School of Law, Pace University School of Law, Quinnipiac University School of Law, Roger Williams University School of Law, Rutgers University School of Law-Newark, St. John's University School of Law, Seton Hall University School of Law, Syracuse University College of Law, Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, University at Buffalo Law School, University of Connecticut School of Law, Yale Law School. Fair is limited to students of sponsoring schools. Web site: law.nyu.edu/careerfair. Contact Rachel Peckerman, 212-998-6679, rachel.peckerman@nyu.edu.

February 25, 2011, Georgia Law School Consortium's Public Sector Career Fair, Georgia State University College of Law. Sponsored by Emory University School of Law, Georgia State University College of Law, John Marshall Law School, Mercer University School of Law, University of Georgia School of Law. Open to students of sponsoring schools. Contact Sue McAvoy, 404-727-5503, smcavoy@law.emory.edu.