Frequently Asked Questions About the Fall Recruitment Program

Q:  What is the Fall Recruitment Program?
A:  The Fall Recruitment Program (FRP) includes a variety of public interest, government, law firm, and judicial employers seeking 2012 summer and post-graduate associates and clerks.  FRP begins in July and will continue throughout the Fall semester. 

Q:  How do I apply for the Fall Recruitment Programs?
A:  If you are applying for an on-campus interview, resume collection, or the New Hampshire Legal Interview Program, apply through the CSO’s Symplicity site.  If you are applying for the National Recruitment Program, or the Government and Public Interest Interview program, apply through the Massachusetts Law School Consortium’s (MLSC) site.  For detailed, step-by-step instructions, please refer to the Fall Recruitment Instructional Packet, which was emailed to your New England Law account on July 8th, and can also be found in the Document Library on the CSO’s Symplicity site.

Q:  When I’m in Symplicity, and I click on the “OCI” tab, it says something about a summer survey and I can’t find the participating employers.  Where do I go from here?
A:  Every Fall, all 2LD/3LEs and 3LD/4LEs are required to complete summer surveys and update their profiles including the Transcript Waiver and Interview Policy Acknowledgement before they are able to view the OCI section.  When prompted to complete the summer survey, click “Add New” and fill in the required survey fields.  After you submit your survey, you should automatically be taken to the OCI section. 

Q:  My grades aren't great.  Should I even bother applying to big firms?
A:  You should be realistic when applying to large firms.  They typically are very strict about their grade requirements and most likely will not interview students who do not meet the standards which they have set. That said, occasionally there are exceptions to that general rule when a student exhibits better than average grades with special skills or highly relevant experience. However, there are plenty of other legal job opportunities that are not heavily grade driven.  Review the Job Search Timelines section in part I of the Fall Recruitment Instructional Packet for more information on law firm, government, public interest and judicial clerkship employers.

For Further Reading:  
What are Memorandums? Frequent Resume Mistakes and Questions
Frequent Resume Mistakes and Questions: Part II
Tips for Writing the Perfect Cover Letter
Frequently Asked Questions About Writing Samples