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Not only was Tulane Law School very fortunate to host US Attorney General Eric Holder last Friday, but we also welcomed a panel of distinguished practitioners to speak to students about careers in Criminal Law. This panel was organized as part of the ABA Mid-Year Meeting which was held in downtown New Orleans this past week. The panelists included Judge Lance Africk of the US District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Jim Letten (TLS class of ’79), US Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and representatives from the New York City Department of Probation, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, and the Federal Public Defender’s Office of the Eastern District of Louisiana. Each of the panelists described what new attorneys in their respective offices are assigned to handle upon commencing their practice. It was very clear that practicing in criminal law allows new attorneys to have a great deal of responsibility very early in the career. In each of the offices, newly-hired lawyers are able to immediately practice in the courtroom, taking the lead on case management and trial. Judge Africk advised the room (which was predominately filled with students interested in careers in criminal law) to be prepared, work hard, get involved with the ABA and other activities, and to treat fellow attorneys with respect and courtesy. After the panel, the students had the opportunity to network with the panelists, and a few students were even able to schedule interviews with the representative offices. We are always very thankful for the wonderful opportunities presented to Tulane Law students in conjunction with great events like the ABA Mid-Year Meeting.

- this article was written by CDO Government Counselor Amanda Moeller

Although I don't always make the time to attend the wide variety of lectures and other events at the Law School, I am so glad that I did take the time today to attend the Dreyfous Lecture, named in honor and in memory of George Abel and Mathilde Schwab Dreyfous, civil rights leaders in New Orleans throughout the 20th century.  We were very fortunate to have US Attorney General Eric Holder speaking on voting rights.  General Holder is a terrific speaker, and he was most gracious (and funny, too!) in answering questions for almost half an hour after his address.  It is always so interesting to see the person behind the headlines.

Next up--a panel discussion on career opportunities in criminal law with the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana (TLS '79 alum Jim Letten) and Federal District Judge Lance Africk, among others.

The Career Development Office hosted a panel of students who have worked in various government internships to better inform other students of the many opportunities available in government. We were lucky to have both 2L and 3L students share their stories of working in a variety of agencies. The students discussed their experiences working with the Department of Justice, the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary and Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, the Texas Attorney General and other agencies. We are very fortunate to always have a number of students interested in working for all levels in government. Moreover, most of these students secured their positions through CDO job postings or via Interview Programs organized by our office. Working for the government is a wonderful way to gain a great deal of experience while serving the public. Hopefully, we will have a new crop of first and second-year students working in state and federal government internships this summer.

Tuesday we welcomed our students back to Tulane Law School after the much-deserved Winter Break.  At the CDO, we were excited to resume meeting with students, discussing summer and permanent career options, and reviewing application materials.  Although the students have been away from classes for nearly four weeks, many of our upperclassman actually returned to campus last week to participate in our innagural Intercession, a legal "boot camp" of intensive skills training. The week-long session was presented by practicing attorneys and judges, many alumni of the Law School, who graciously volunteered their time to teach students such practical skills as motion practice, pleadings drafting, client letters and general case evaluation.  In this competitive job market, the Intercession program aimed to have students learn by doing with the guidance of practitioners.  So much of the feedback we receive at the CDO from prospective employers focuses on the necessity for new attorneys to begin practicing armed with practical skills, as well as a theoretical-based legal education. The faculty and administration have taken this feedback seriously, and the "boot camp" is a wonderful addition to the hands-on activities already offered by TLS, including clinics, trial advocacy, and externship programs.  "In the complex and competitive environment of modern law practice, the need for comprehensive skills training has never been greater,” says David D. Meyer, dean and Mitchell Franklin Professor of Law. “Over the course of one fast-paced, hard-driving week, leading lawyers from around the country are putting students through the paces of representing a client in an unfolding lawsuit or business deal.”

We are so pleased that over 150 upperclass students participated in this new and innovative program. We are looking forward to assisting students in highlighting these newly-acquired practical skills on resumes and in cover letters to apply for coveted positions.

Many of our Tulane Law students are interested in working as post-graduate judicial law clerks, either in state or federal court. However, not as many are aware of the opportunities with Administrative Law Judges (ALJ), officials within federal or state agencies who preside over administrative hearings to resolve disputes between the federal government and other parties. ALJs hire law clerks to assist in their case management, just as federal and state court judges do. Finding these positions can be a tricky process, as there is no uniform hiring process across the various agencies.

To assist our students in learning about ALJs, what they do, and how to find positions within these agencies, the CDO invited Judge Lee L. Romero, Jr., an ALJ at the US Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Administrative Law Judges to speak about his duties and experiences and about the Department of Labor’s hiring process. Judge Romero sits in the DOL’s Covington, LA branch, about 30 minutes across Lake Ponchartrain from New Orleans. His office annually recruits Tulane Law students and graduates to apply for clerkship openings within the agency. One of our recent graduates, Gillian Gurley (’11) is currently serving as a law clerk for Judge Patrick Rosenow in the same office, so we invited Gillian to share her experiences as well. Judge Romero discussed the types of cases heard by the ALJs in the Department of Labor. He also mentioned that interest and experience in admiralty/maritime law would be a huge advantage, given the DOL’s large docket of Longshoremen’s disputes. Gillian served as President of Maritime Law Society while a student at Tulane and received the certificate in Maritime Law  at graduation, making her an ideal candidate for this position.

Judge Romero mentioned that the DOL would again be hiring externs for the summer and law clerks for Fall 2012 and encouraged the students to apply. Attendees were given the chance to ask questions about what the ALJs look for in an applicant, which was valuable for any student planning to submit an application. Thanks to Judge Romero and Gillian for their participation in this program!

Tulane Law is extremely fortunate to have a pre-eminent Sports Law Program. Many of our students choose TLS specifically for the extensive sports law curriculum providing students with an unparalled exposure to the relevant issues encountered by practitioners in the sports law arena. TLS also offers a Certificate of Specialization in Sports Law which includes a coherent foundation preparing students for the various practice areas encountered by the sports law practitioner. In addition to the certificate program, TLS offers its students the opportunity to participate on the staff of The Sports Lawyers Journal. Students may write short articles or assist in editing. Additionally, TLS has an active student-run Sports Law Society that regularly meets with important sports figures to discuss legal issues, and often sponsors public programs involving leading sports attorneys and business leaders. In the spring, Tulane's Moot Court Board will host the annual Mardi Gras National Moot Court Competition, based on a contemporary legal problem confronting the sports industry. Finally, we are very proud to have Professor Gabe Feldman as an Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Sports Law Program at TLS. Professor Feldman has appeared on radio and television programs and is regularly quoted in newspapers throughout the country, including recently in The Salt Lake Tribune and in USAToday. If you have any further questions about our Sports Law Program, please review the Sports Law Brochure located on this website.

Tulane Law also has a very active alumni group practicing in the sports law industry. These alumni work for teams, governing bodies, firms, and many other disciplines practicing sports law. One of our alumni, Dean Warren Zola, recently testified before the US Congress on “The Impacts of Back-Room Deals, Payoffs, and Scandals in American Collegiate Student Athletics.” Warren K. Zola is the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs in the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Tulane University in 1992 where he founded the Sports Law Society.

Last week, I attended both the Equal Justice Works Career Fair & Conference and the NALP/PSLawNet Mini-conference on public interest law in Washington, D.C. Tulane University Law School had an impressive presence at the EJW Career Fair & Conference with 16 students having 37 total interviews with employers as far reaching as the Alaska Public Defender Agency and as close to home as the Orleans Public Defenders. Several more students participated in table talk interviews with several of the more than 115 employers participating in the career fair. I personally met with representatives from the Southern Public Defender Training Center to find out exactly what they were looking for in applicants to the Public Defender Corps fellowship program.

Prior to the EJW Career Fair/Conference, I attended the NALP/PSLawNet Mini-conference, hosted by the Washington D.C. office of Arnold & Porter LLP. Along with over 100 of my closest career development colleagues, we discussed many pressing issues facing public interest law students as they seek summer and permanent employment. Of particular interest to all in attendance was the critical data from the PSLawNet Public Interest Employer Survey in the responses to what public interest employers look for in potential job candidates: a demonstrated commitment to public interest law, experience in clinical field placements (i.e. externships and clinical programs), bilingual skills, simulated litigation in either trial advocacy coursework or mock trial experience, “people skills” through client contact & interaction, and relevant coursework.

Both conferences provided great opportunities for me to network with my public interest colleagues, but more importantly, the Tulane Law students who attended EJW got the invaluable experience of networking face-to-face with public interest employers. A great time was had by all!

-Preston Meche
Public Interest Counselor, CDO