Programs, Workshops, and Speakers - Winter 2008
The Office of Public Service (OPS) offers a variety of workshops throughout the academic year to help our students navigate a public service career path.
Listed below are programs scheduled for the 2008 Winter Term, arranged chronologically. We also have archived workshops from previous semesters, many with digitally recorded audio. (Please note: all audio files are for Michigan Law students only and are password protected.)
The Office of Career Services also has programs throughout the year that may be of interest to public service students.
Wednesday, January 16th
A Discussion About Two Cases Involving Constitutional Rights and Prisoners (audio)
12:20 - 1:20 PM
138 Hutchins Hall
Professors Bridget McCormack and Paul Reingold will discuss their respective victories in federal cases upholding the constitutional rights of prisoners involving habeas corpus and the ex post facto clause. Professor Reingold’s talk “The Parolable Lifer Case: Why 500 - 1,000 Murderers, Armed Robbers, and Sex Offenders Should Be Released” will cover Foster-Bey v. Rubitschun, a civil rights class action in which the federal district court just granted summary judgment to the plaintiff class, based on ex post facto violations by the Michigan Parole Board. Professor McCormack’s portion of the talk will cover Vasquez v. Jones in which the 6th Circuit reversed the district court's denial of habeas corpus relief, finding that the state court violated the petitioner's confrontation right. Vasquez was convicted of murder in 1996 for an Ann Arbor shooting, primarily on the hearsay testimony of a witness whose criminal history was not permitted to be heard by the jury. The 6th Circuit ordered that he get a new trial. Lunch will be served.
Tuesday, January 22nd
Fellowship Series: Laying the Groundwork (1Ls) (audio)
12:20 - 1:20 PM
138 Hutchins Hall
1Ls can't apply for public interest post-graduate fellowships but they can learn how to lay the groundwork for a successful application. What 1Ls experience during law school in terms of summer jobs, pro bono projects, journals and clinics are all taken into account when it comes down to weeding out fellowship applications. Lunch will be served.
Friday, January 25th
Fellowship Series: Fellowship 101 (2Ls and 3Ls) (audio)
1:00 - 3:00 PM
138 Hutchins Hall
This is an overview of the post-graduate fellowship process designed to help 2Ls (and 3Ls who are doing clerkships) prepare for the upcoming fellowship "season." We will review the tools used to identify fellowships, give you a timeline to follow and discuss considerations and protocol involved in the application process. 3Ls who went through the fellowship process beginning last Spring will describe their experiences and share tips.
Sunday, February 3rd
Mooting of Mark Rosenbaum's Proposal 2 Oral Argument
1:00 - 2:00 PM
250 Hutchins Hall
Public Interest/Public Service Faculty Fellow Mark Rosenbaum will be mooted by a panel of UMLS professors in preparation for an upcoming oral argument involving Proposal 2. Professor Rosenbaum will be arguing on behalf of intervenor students and faculty that Proposal 2 (which abolished affirmative action in higher education in Michigan) should be held unconstitutional under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. A question and answer period will follow. This is a great opportunity to see how an experienced litigator hones his arguments before appearing in front of the court. Lunch will be served.
wednesday, february 13th
Inspiring Paths Series: Appellate Defense and Prosecution, Criminal Law Career Panel (audio)
12:20 - 1:20 PM
138 Hutchins Hall
Joan Kripke, '86, Staff Attorney with the Illinois Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor and Christopher Evers, '00, Assistant Appellate Defender in the Office of the State Appellate Defender for Illinois will talk about their careers in appellate criminal law. Lunch will be served.
Friday, february 15th
Fellowship Series: Fellowship Stories (2Ls and 3Ls) (audio)
1:00 - 3:00 PM
138 Hutchins Hall
For this session, two 3Ls and 2 alumnae who were recently awarded post-graduate fellowships will share their insights into the application process, provide tips on how to improve your chances of obtaining a fellowship and describe the experiences during law school that helped them in the process. The fellows on the panel will also be available to individual students for 15 minute one-on-one discussions prior to and following the presentation. A sign up sheet is available outside 217 Hutchins Hall.
Panel:
Kate Pomper, 3L, will be working with the Business and Professional People for the Public Interest in Chicago, IL as a Polikoff-Gautreaux Fellow. Kate was also a finalist for the Skadden Fellowship.
Joshua Kay, 3L, will represent parents with disabilities in child protection cases in Detroit, focusing on protecting their rights to due process, appropriate family services, and nondiscriminatory treatment under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Joshua was recently awarded a Skadden Fellowship. The project sponsor is Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc.
Molly Kovel, '06, will offer employment law services to indigent people with criminal records. She will clear errors off their records, challenge illegal job discrimination, and help them secure stable employment to break the cycle of poverty and incarceration. She will be based at the Bronx Defenders, a criminal defense nonprofit that also provides clients with holistic legal services in a wide variety of civil matters. Molly was awarded a Skadden Fellowship.
Kyle Fisher, '07, will work with the Pennsylvania Health Law Project on a Skadden Fellowship to provide direct representation to low-income veterans experiencing difficulty accessing healthcare in the Veterans Hospital Administration.
Tuesday, March 18th
Fellowship Series: Skadden Fellowship with Susan Butler Plum (audio)
12:20 – 1:20 PM
138 Hutchins Hall
Susan Butler Plum, founder and Director of the Skadden Fellowship Foundation, will be here to talk about and answer questions regarding this prestigious post-graduate fellowship. Lunch will be served.
Thursday, March 20th
U.S. Department of Justice Presentation (audio)
Hear about the many opportunities available in 2009 at the U.S Department of Justice through the Attorney General’s Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program. Our speaker, John A. DiCicco, joined the Tax Division through the Honors Program. The deadline for applications to the Attorney General’s Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program is September 2, 2008. Applications will be available on-line at www.usdoj.gov/oarm on July 25, 2008.
Thursday, April 3rd
Fellowship Series: Other Post-graduate Fellowships
12:20 – 1:20 PM
138 Hutchins Hall
Meet with representatives of post-grad fellowships to learn about their programs. Heather Jarvis will represent Equal Justice Works. Miriam Aukerman, director of the Reentry Law Project at Legal Aid of Western Michigan will discuss the Soros Criminal Justice Fellowship. Lunch will be served.
Monday, April 7th
Do I Have to do OCI if I Really Want to do Public Interest or Government Work?
5:00 – 6:30 PM
Dominick's
1Ls - the end of the school year brings the crush of anxiety for some students who aren't sure they want to do OCI but feel they have to do it. Come to Dominick’s where you can talk to public interest and government-bound 2Ls and 3Ls who survived law school even though they didn't do OCI. OPS will provide appetizers.