AFL-CIO Fellowship-Program

The Legal Department of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations ("AFL-CIO") is offering a one-year fellowship beginning in September 2010. The fellowship offers an excellent opportunity for recent law school graduates to work with experienced union-side lawyers on a wide variety of issues.

The AFL-CIO is a voluntary federation of 56 national and international unions which represent 11 million working women and men in the United States. The AFL-CIO works on a variety of fronts to improve the lives of working families, to secure social and economic justice in the United States, and to protect the interests of working people in the global economy. The AFL-CIO and its affiliates have been instrumental not only in negotiating good pay and benefits for union members, but also in the enactment and enforcement of laws that protect important rights for all workers, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

The Legal Department works on a wide range of litigation, policy, regulatory and legislative matters, and assists with organizing campaigns, corporate governance issues, and other AFL-CIO initiatives. The Legal Department also administers the Lawyers Coordinating Committee, a national organization of union-side attorneys, which issues various publications and holds educational conferences on a regular basis.

The AFL-CIO Fellow will work with lawyers in the AFL-CIO Legal Department and with other union lawyers around the country on a wide range of activities. The Fellow will assist experienced lawyers working on cases and regulatory matters that affect the labor movement and the rights of workers. The AFL-CIO’s litigation caseload includes cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals, the NLRB and a small number of state appellate suits. In addition, the AFL-CIO Legal Department frequently presents the views of the labor movement on federal regulatory initiatives affecting workers. Whenever possible, the Fellow will be given the opportunity to participate in meetings with union lawyers and to attend oral arguments. The AFL-CIO Fellow will also participate in Lawyers Coordinating Committee activities, including preparation for attorney conferences, outreach to new labor lawyers and law students, and regular opportunities to attend LCC meetings and conferences. The fellowship salary is in the range of $55,000 to $60,000 depending on experience. Benefits include excellent medical and dental insurance plus paid vacation.

Recent law graduates, judicial clerks, and third-year law students are welcome to apply. Applicants should have excellent legal research and writing skills and enjoy legal research and appellate work. Applicants should also have a commitment to workers’ rights and a desire to practice union-side labor law. The AFL-CIO is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all qualified applicants to apply.

To Apply: Applicants should mail a cover letter explaining their interest in the fellowship, a current resume, a transcript, a short writing sample, a letter of reference and a list of two additional references to the AFL-CIO's Office of the General Counsel ATTN: Fellowship Position, 815 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006. The application process is rolling and will remain open until the successful candidate is selected. Telephone inquiries are discouraged.

NYSBA Career Development Conference 2010

Sponsored by the Law Practice Management Committee and the Committee on Lawyers in Transition

Monday, January 25, 2010

Hilton, Avenue of Americas
New York, NY
518-487-5596

Free - Must register prior to January 20, 2010

For more information: www.nysba.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Events1&Template=/Conference/ConferenceDescByRegClass.cfm&conferenceID=3736

Agricultural Law Update Course

The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Committee, The General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section, the Agricultural Law Committee and the Environmental & Land Use Law Section present:

Agricultural Law Update
Course Classification: Intermediate Level
November 20, 2009

Florida Farm Bureau Federation Building • 5700 SW 34th Street
Gainesville, FL • 352-374-1504

CLE Credits: 5.0 General credit hours
Certification Program:
Labor & Employment Law: 1.0 hours
State & Federal Gov't & Administrative Practice: 5.0 hours
Wills, Trusts & Estates: 1 hour

To register on-line, go to: www.floridabar.org/CLE

"Beat the Dawgs" Reception in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE: Alumni Reception 10/29

Attend the annual "Beat the Dawgs" alumni reception in Jacksonville on Thursday, October 29th from 5:30-7:30 at the River Club (The Florida Room) on the 35th floor of the Modis Building. To join Dean Bob Jerry and other UF Law Alumni please RSVP at http://www.law.ufl.edu/alumni/events/beat_the_bulldogs_reg.shtml

Thank you to our current sponsors: Law firms: Volpe, Bajalia, Wickes, Rogerson & Wachs; and Harris, Guidi, Rosner, Dunlap & Rudolph, P.A.; Individuals: W.C. Gentry, Joe Milton, Matthew N. Posgay and Evan J. Yegelwel.

BBQ - Oct. 16th

Centennial Homecoming Barbecue Oct. 16

Reconnect with your UF Law family and be our guest during the UF Law Centennial Celebration following UF’s Homecoming Parade Friday, Oct. 16, from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. in the Marcia Whitney Schott Courtyard. Enjoy barbecue chicken, pulled pork, baked beans, cole slaw, dinner roll and tea. Gator fans, large and small, will enjoy special appearances by Gator mascots Albert & Alberta. Barbecue dinners are free for UF Law alumni, students, faculty and staff. All food is on a first-come, first-served basis and registration in advance is necessary for complimentary meals. Walk-up and/or extra-guest dinners are $8 each. RSVP to rsvp@law.ufl.edu. For more information contact Lindy Brounley at 352-273-0655 or brounley@law.ufl.edu.

6th Annual Law Practice Management Symposium Jumping in and Staying Afloat in Your Solo or Small Firm Practice

Thursday, November 5, 2009 8:30 am - 5:00 pm

* Attend valuable workshops for start-ups and growing firms

* Explore the ways to expand your client base

* Attend exhibits by vendors who serve Small Firms

* Network at the breakfast, luncheon and late-afternoon live-music reception as well as in our "Seasoned Solo" Drop-In Center

* Do not miss the sessions on Escrow Accounts, On and Offline Marketing and Networking and the NYC Bar’s Legal Referral Service

* Meet representatives from companies providing products and services specifically for the small law firm attorney.

Admission includes exhibition hall, workshops, networking breakfast and lunch, plenary sessions, and wind down reception with live music.
$25 for City Bar Members
$50 for Non-Members
Space is limited, please register by October 27. We can not provide refunds after November 5.

For more information or to register online,
please visit: http://www.abcny.org/EventsCalendar/show_event.php?eventid=1208

Florida Bar Young Lawyer Division Upcoming Events

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Date: Tuesday, October 20 - December 29, 2009
Event: YLS Sports League / Co-Ed Kickball League
Location: Fishweir Elementary
Registration: Contact Charlie Jimerson (cjimerson@jimersonlawgroup.com)

Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Event: Happy Hour
Location: St. Joe Building
Time: 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Sponsor: Jackson Lewis
Charity Fundraising: $5.00 donation collected at the door for Breast Cancer Foundation

Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009
Event: JBA Ask-A-Lawyer Pro Bono Project
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
To Participate: Please contact one of the following: Michael Fox Orr (mforr@mforrlaw.com), Kimberly Killian Law (kimberly.law@hklaw.com) or Melanie Griffin (mgriffin@deanmead.com).

Info : The Florida Bar YLD is working in conjunction with JALA to provide a Pro Bono day on 10/24. This date falls squarely within the ABA's Celebrate Pro Bono Week, during which the JBA is planning many pro bono-related activities. One of the activities planned is the JALA Ask-A-Lawyer Project. The Jacksonville Bar Association is aware that for many in our community, legal representation is cost prohibitive. Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and many pro bono attorneys assist with representing low-income clients in their legal matters, but the need far exceeds the legal resources. In some cases, legal representation may not be required and in some cases brief counsel and advice from a licensed attorney may be all the assistance a person needs. The JBA would like to offer "Ask-A-Lawyer" opportunities in low-income neighborhoods in the Fourth Circuit. These forums will be staffed by pro bono attorneys. Neighborhoods will be identified by members of the Jacksonville City Council. The forums may take place in community centers and may be held in conjunction with other neighborhood events. Residents who participate will sign statements verifying that they understand that the interviewing attorney will not be opening a case, but is simply there to provide some legal guidance and information on additional community resources. For matters that may require full representation, residents may be referred to Jacksonville Area Legal Aid or to the Jacksonville Lawyer Referral Service. The Jacksonville Bar Association is committed to bringing legal assistance to our low-income and under-served residents.

Date: Thursday, November 12, 2009
Event: Judicial Breakfast (Circuit Civil/Probate/Criminal)
Location: Duval County Courthouse, Room 505 (Old Jury Room)
Time: 8:00am to 9:00am
RSVP: To Elizabeth Howard (ehoward@rtlaw.com) by 11/5/09

Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Event: Movie Night
Location: 5 Points Theatre
Time: 6:00pm to 9:00pm (Happy hour starts at 6:00pm. Movie to follow beginning at 6:45pm)
RSVP: To Christian George (cgeorge@lgcglaw.com) by 11/12/09
***What movie would you like to see? Please forward your requests to Christian.***

Date: Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Event: Judicial Breakfast (County/Family/Juvenile)
Location: Duval County Courthouse, Room 505 (Old Jury Room)
Time: 8:00am to 9:00am
RSVP: To Elizabeth Howard (ehoward@rtlaw.com) by 2/24/10

Date: Saturday, April 3, 2010
Event: YLS 5K Run to Benefit the Florida Skin Cancer Foundation
Location: TBD
Time: 5:30pm
Info: Run for Cover! is one of several races around the state of Florida that are run in memory of Alan C. Sundberg, Jr., who died of skin cancer in 1998 at the age of 33. Alan is the son of former Florida Supreme Court justice Alan C. Sundberg, and the brother of Tallahassee lawyer Bill Sundberg, who is one of the founding members of the Florida Skin Cancer Foundation. Founded in 1996, the Florida Skin Cancer Foundation is dedicated to educating Floridians about the dangers of prolonged exposure to the sun. Free skin cancer screenings will be offered to everyone (runners, volunteers and spectators) by local dermatologists. As usual, YLS is partnering with 1st Place Sports to put on this great event. If you would like to run, please see the attached registration form, go to your nearest 1st Place Sports store or visit them online at www.1stplacesports.com. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact Christian George at cgeorge@lgcglaw.com.

***Logo Competition*** The YLS is looking for a new logo for our annual run. If you are interested in submitting a logo, please contact Christian George at cgeorge@lgcglaw.com. The winner will receive a free entry in to the race!


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YLS SPORTS LEAGUE SCHEDULE / 2009 - 2010

10/20/09 - 12/29/09 Fall Co-Ed Kickball
1/5/10 - 2/18/10 Winter Co-Ed Basketball (4 on 4)
2/23/10 - 4/13/10 Spring Co-Ed Flag Football
4/1/10 - 5/28/10 Spring Co-Ed Golf
4/20/10 - 6/1/10 Spring Co-Ed Ultimate Frisbee
6/1/10 - 8/3/10 Summer Co-Ed Basketball
8/30/10 - 10/5/10 Fall Co-Ed Softball
10/12/10 - 12/14/10 Fall Co-Ed Kickball

To register a team, contact Rick Britton (brittonlaw@bellsouth.net) or Charlie Jimerson (cjimerson@jimersonlawgroup.com).

JACKSONVILLE BAR ASSOCIATION CO-ED KICKBALL LEAGUE

Game start date: October 20th, Tuesday evenings
Cost: $140 per team
Location: Fishweir Elementary

For registration, contact
Rick Britton or Charlie Jimerson ASAP at:
brittonlaw@bellsouth.net
cjimerson@jimersonlawgroup.com
(904) 389-1994 or (904) 389-0050

Highlights:
• Min 4 females on field
• Games every Tuesday
• 10 players on the field
• 7 inning games
• End of the season tournament

Applications Accepted for 2010-2011 EJS Judge Constance Baker Motley Civil Rights Fellowship

The Equal Justice Society is accepting applications for its 2010-2011 Judge Constance Baker Motley Civil Rights Fellowship, named after the first African American woman to serve on the federal bench. Applicants for the one-year paid fellowship should be recent law school graduates with up to five years of work experience after law school. The application deadline is December 7, 2009.

EJS is a national strategy group heightening consciousness on race in the law and popular discourse. As heirs of the innovative legal and political strategists of Brown v. Board of Education, the organization broadly models its programmatic efforts after the late Honorable Constance Baker Motley and the Brown litigation team. Using a three-prong strategy of law and public policy advocacy, cross-disciplinary convenings and strategic public communications, EJS seeks to restore race equity issues to the national consciousness, build effective progressive alliances, and advance discourse on the positive role of government.

Motley Fellowship applicants should demonstrate experience in civil rights advocacy and a strong commitment to racial justice. The Fellow will work under the supervision of staff attorneys for a 12-month period. During the fellowship period, the Fellow may lead new research, advocacy, coalition building, and public education efforts related to transforming anti-discrimination law and policy. The Fellow will be a full participant in office events and activities, including staff meetings and strategic planning sessions.

Location: San Francisco, California

Period: October 1, 2010 - September 30, 2011 (flexible)

Deadline: December 7, 2009 (application must be received in our office, not postmarked, by the date listed)

Requirements: Applicants should be recent law school graduates with 0-5 years of work experience after law school. Bar passage is not required.
Candidates will be evaluated based upon criteria including:
• Demonstrated commitment to racial and social justice.
• Demonstrated interest in civil rights law and policy.
• Excellent research and oral /written communication skills.

Application: To be considered for the Judge Constance Baker Motley Civil Rights Fellowship, please send a cover letter, resume, list of four (4) references and a writing sample (preferably on a racial/social justice topic) to info@equaljusticesociety.org with the subject line "Motley Fellowship Application."
OR mail hard copies to:
Motley Fellowship Applications
Equal Justice Society
260 California Street, Suite 700
San Francisco, CA 94111

Applications must be received in the office, not postmarked, by the dates listed above.

First Task for Law-Firm Hires: Finding an Interim Job First

(By DANA MATTIOLI OCTOBER 6, 2009 Wall Street Journal article at A18)

When Rosemary McKenna completed a summer associate job with Blank Rome LLP in Philadelphia, she was happy to receive an offer of full-time employment. But instead of starting her new position last month as planned, Ms. McKenna, who graduated from Temple University's Beasley School of Law in May, will be working as a hostess at a local restaurant.

Law firms are asking new hires to defer their employment start dates, an unprecedented step for many firms that have weathered previous economic downturns without wide-scale postponements. Large firms such as Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP have delayed the start dates for their new associates for a full year or more. Summer internships -- usually the surefire way to land a job -- produced fewer offers than ever before, law firms and students say. And because law firms budget for hiring a year or two in advance, law-school classes of 2010 and 2011 face an equally difficult environment.

To cope, some would-be attorneys are seeking pro-bono fellowships, while others are taking jobs ranging from temporary work for their alma maters to waitressing or bartending. And law school career-service officials are advising students to take whatever work they can find to pay their bills.

Ms. McKenna has been working two hostess jobs at restaurants in Philadelphia to make ends meet. The 26-year-old was told she will be able to start work at the law firm in January.

Unlike some deferred attorneys, Ms. McKenna won't be paid a stipend to help compensate for the loss of income. At many firms, those stipends -- given in exchange for working on pro bono assignments in the nonprofit sector -- range from $45,000 to $90,000, a respectable salary in many fields, though as little as one-third of what a first-year lawyer typically earns at a large firm.
Some deferred law-firm hires manage to land jobs that draw on their education. Five days before graduating from William & Mary Law School, Jenny Case found out she had been deferred from an associate position with Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, a midsize firm in Charlotte, N.C., for an entire year. After hearing the news, William & Mary hired the 26-year-old, who was president of the Student Bar Association and an editor of the law review, as assistant director of the legal skills program. "I do kind of see it as a blessing in disguise," says Ms. Case of her delayed law-firm start. "I have an opportunity that not many people have."

Sean McConnell was offered a spot with Dechert LLP in Philadelphia after completing a summer associate position with the firm. The 27-year-old was slated to start this fall, but in April he learned that he, like many of his law school friends at Villanova University, would be deferred until fall 2010. The firm helped Mr. McConnell find pro bono work with the Homeless Advocacy Project for the year, and he will be given a stipend of about half of what he would earn as an associate. Still, he is worried about paying his student loans of around $60,000 and providing for health insurance in the meantime.

With options limited, some law school career offices advised their graduates to take on any job they can find until the hiring picture improves. "I told them they need to do anything to keep from putting their rent on their credit cards, and they should not feel ashamed about that," says Melissa Lennon, assistant dean for the office of career planning at Temple's law school.

Some law firms are developing plans to help deferred associates find interim work. When Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, which has nearly 1,000 attorneys in 21 offices world-wide, decided to defer 46 of its 79 U.S. hires from the class of 2009 until January 2011, Rene Kathawala, firm-wide pro bono counsel, gave deferred associates names of nonprofit organizations and advised them on applying for jobs. During the course of their yearlong fellowships, the delayed starters will receive a $75,000 stipend from Orrick, about half of what they would have earned in salary over a 15-month period at the law firm.

While there is a risk some deferred lawyers will find other jobs, law firms say the risk of losing talented graduates is limited in a weak economy. So far, most firms are honoring employment offers once the deferral periods end, though a few firms have rescinded offers.

There are indications that delayed starts will become more common for future classes -- and those deferrees might not get stipends, says Abbie Willard, dean of career services and policy initiatives for the University of Chicago Law School.
Law firm White & Case LLP, which employs 2,100 attorneys world-wide, has alerted its 2010 class in the firm's New York and Washington offices that they will be deferred, but hasn't specified how they will be compensated. "We told them that we would make a decision on a stipend early next year and that it would be market-competitive," says Owen Pell, partner and chairman of White & Case's career development and recruiting committee.

Tallahassee Bar Association Upcoming Events

RSVPs are now being accepted for any and all of these events; email arrantk@tallahasseebar.org or call 222-3292.

1. October 6, 2009 (Tuesday) – TBA Monthly Meeting
2. October 22, 2009 (Thursday) – 2.5 Hour CLE
3. November 3, 2009 (Tuesday) – TBA Monthly Meeting
4. November 13, 2009 (Friday) – 4 Hour CLE

October 6, 2009 (Tuesday) – TBA Monthly Meeting
6:00 p.m. FSU College of Law Student Reception – 1 Complimentary Drink ticket will be provided to FSU Law Students/Faculty
7:00 p.m. Dinner/ Program:
The Florida Bar President Jesse Diner
The Florida Bar Foundation President Adele Stone
The Honorable William Van Nortwick
Capital City Country Club
$22 for dinner (includes 1 drink ticket) Cash bar available

October 22, 2009 (Thursday) – 2.5 hour CLE
The Basics – Marketing Your Firm Online
11:30 lunch served
12:00 noon – 2:15 p.m. CLE
Aloft Hotel, 200 N. Monroe St.
FREE to TBA Members
Sponsored by FindLaw (a Thompson Reuters business)

November 3, 2009 (Tuesday) – TBA Monthly Meeting
6:00 p.m. Networking with Commercial Realtors, Mortgage Bankers and CPAs
Hotel Duval
$25 per person (includes appetizers and 1 drink ticket) Cash bar available
$5 Valet Parking

November 13, 2009 (Friday) – 4 hour CLE
Family Law Legislation Update
8:00 a.m. Registration/Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CLE
Capital City Country Club
Presenters will include local Judiciary
More details to come.

YLD LUNCH & LEARN CLE SEMINAR

BEING A YOUNG LAWYER: THINGS I WISH I KNEW BACK THEN…
CLE APPROVED: 1.0 general, 1.0 ethics hours

Presented by: Philip J. Bonamo, Esquire President, Volusia County Bar Association

-Issues Facing New Attorneys: What they didn’t teach you in law school!
-What the Judge is REALLY Looking For
-Law Office Management: Importance of office environment & its dynamics
-Ethics & Professionalism: What’s the difference?

Friday, November 13, 2009
747 Office Suites, 747 S. Ridgewood Avenue

Seminar will begin promptly at 12:00 noon – lunch will be set up at 11:30. Boxed lunches: $10 for VCBA YLD Members & $15 Non-members. RSVP: volusiabar@bellsouth.net -- Please include your sandwich preference: ham, turkey or vegetarian.


Kathie Selover
Volusia County Bar Association
Executive Director
PO Drawer 15050
Daytona Beach, FL 32115
386-253-9471
volusiabar@bellsouth.net