2012 February Public Service OGI - Employer Information

Happy New Year, everybody! Though you're not back on-grounds yet, now is the time to start preparing for our 2012 Public Service OGI, which will be held February 6-11, 2012. We know there's a number of employers who will definitely sign up by January 9th, so please check Symplicity over the next several days to see who's participating.

Every year we hear from employers that some students don't seem to know what the employer does.  This is a sure way not to get the job.  In my own experience as a former county attorney, I always got a few cover letters from students who thought my office prosecuted crimes.  Those students never got interviews, no matter how well qualified they were.  We've also heard from employers who participated in our February OGI last year that some students got to the interviews without knowing what the employer did. Not surprisingly, those students failed to impress them. 

So, to make sure you avoid these pitfalls, take a few minutes to review the information below.

Key Things to Know about our Employers

• Resume Collects (RC) vs. Interviews.  Some employers are participating through resume collects.  There are various reasons why employers choose this option over interviews.  For most, it's about time and money. Unlike firms, most public service employers do not participate in single school OGIs because of staffing and cost.  Many have small internship programs.  We also have some new employers this year from New York and California for whom distance plays a big factor.  The thing to know, though, is that your applications will get reviewed and employers will respond directly to you--not through Symplicity--if they wish to interview you.

• Commonwealth's Attorneys vs. County/City Attorneys. Commonwealth's Attorneys are prosecutors.  This term is specific to Virginia and some other states.  Elsewhere, they're known as district or state's attorneys.  On the other hand, county, city, or town attorneys work exclusively on non-criminal law matters unless they prosecute selected ordinance misdemeanors (if they do, these cases form just a small part of their jobs). Our participating county and city attorneys' offices handle a wide range of civil work on behalf of their localities--land use/zoning, employment law, police & fire, contracts, finance and bankruptcy, child protective services, and litigation, to name several areas.  If you're interested in litigation experience, apply to the Henrico and Chesterfield County Attorney offices, as they both handle a large volume of litigation.
  

• Staff Attorney's Offices and Administrative Law Judges. Staff Attorneys are either term-appointed or career attorneys who advise judges.  Working for a staff attorney's office is similar to working at a judicial internship, as you will get experience handling and preparing cases for judges.  Administrative Law Judges or ALJs (for example, our returning employer, the ALJ for the Federal Mine Safety & Health Review Commission) are federal judges who handle administrative cases for their agency.  Internships with ALJs are also very similar to judicial internships.

• Client and Witness Contact.  Learning how to talk to clients and witnesses is a big part of becoming a good lawyer.  You will get an excellent opportunity to do this at the legal aid organizations participating at our OGI, as well as the Public Defender and Commonwealth's Attorney's offices.  While most of your client and witness interactions will center on litigation, some of it will be to help them understand the legal system and other legal assistance options.

Quick Plug for Cover Letters

• It's tempting to use the same cover letter for all your employers coming to a single OGI.  Don't.  Remember to research your employer and hit in the first or second paragraph of your cover letter WHY YOU WANT TO WORK FOR THAT EMPLOYER.  You can't do this effectively unless you know what they do.
• Stuck?  Need some quick cover letter advice?  Email publicservicelaw@virginia.edu and get help. Or email me (Annie Kim) directly at ak5m@virginia.edu. 

Enjoy, good luck, and remember that January 11th at 10 p.m. is your deadline!