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Each year, the Rappaport Fellows Program in Law and Public Policy hires law students from Boston area law schools for summer internships in state or local government offices with an emphasis on public policy and issues relevant to the Greater Boston region. The 10-week program includes a generous stipend as well as a mentoring program and weekly seminar series. Stephanie Rogers, a third-year day student, was the 2012 Rappaport Fellow from New England Law | Boston. As part of our blog series highlighting student work Stephanie writes about her experience working as a Fellow at the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.
Once I confirmed my placement at the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCA), I knew I would enjoy the work, but I had no idea how diverse my experience would be, or just how much I would learn over the summer. During just my first week, I was exposed to veterans’ issues, insurance topics, antitrust law, conflicts in the Department of Professional Licensure (DPL), problems with for-profit schools, and the general inner workings of the OCA office. As a Fellow, I not only sat in on regular staff meetings and meetings with OCA’s under-agencies, but also a hearing at city hall about for-profit schools, a pitch from a private company OCA sought to hire to update its website, an OCA press conference to release results of a major survey, and a day-long conference about consumer credit issues.
One of the pieces of advice about how to get the most out of your Rappaport experience was to attend as many meetings as possible. I began doing this right away by attending five meetings and a hearing during my first week in the office. At one of those first meetings, I discovered that the DPL would be assuming oversight of occupational schools beginning August 1st, per a recently passed statute with the backing of Governor Patrick. I had several projects on my plate already, but I requested and was granted permission to work with the DPL on this transition. I had no idea I would be able to contribute to an initiative I found so important, and it remains my favorite part of my Fellowship experience.
I got more out of the Rappaport Fellowship than I ever thought possible. Not only did I gain legal knowledge, but I also learned how to interact in a government office, both a small one with a tight-knit staff when at the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, and a large one with several smaller departments interacting when at the Department of Professional Licensure. I also had a glimpse into the life of a government lawyer at several angles, from chief counsel to hearing officer. I am very thankful to all responsible for my acceptance into the program and for giving me this opportunity. Government works, and I am anxious to begin my career within it.
- Stephanie Rogers, Class of 2013
Want to learn more about the Rappaport Fellows Program? Stephanie Rogers and Gregory I. Massing, Esq., Executive Director of the Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service, will speak more about the program and the application process on Thursday, November, 15th , 4:30pm – 5:30pm in Room 505. To RSVP, please email rappaportcenter@suffolk.edu.
Christina Bailey is a second-year day student at New England Law | Boston. This past summer she worked as a legal intern for the Massachusetts Securities Division. As part of our new blog series highlighting student work Christina writes about her summer experience and explains how she found her internship.
Throughout high school and undergrad I was opposed to the idea of networking to find a job. I wanted to know that I got the job entirely based on my own efforts and merits. But with the legal job market the way it is, I realized that I should welcome help, not reject it. In the end, having a connection is how I found my summer job.
In March 2012, my mom ran into one of her friends who is an Assistant Secretary for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and mentioned to him that I was in law school. He told her that the Secretary’s Office hires legal interns and that if I was interested, to e-mail him my resume. I had just begun thinking about jobs for the summer and so decided to take him up on the offer. Aside from several quick back and forth e-mails, I didn’t hear back for about a month. I wanted to have as many options as I could so I also applied to several small firms in Boston using the JobNet on the CSO’s Simplicity site. On the last day of classes, I received a phone call from the Secretary’s Office offering me a position with the Securities Division. I know that I was extremely lucky to get this job because I was hired based off my resume alone without having an interview.
I started the full-time position at the end of May. I was the only legal intern for the Registration, Inspection, Compliance, and Examination (RICE) section of the Division. As such, I was given a lot of responsibility. Throughout the summer, I constantly conducted researched and wrote memoranda. The skills that I learned in my Legal Research & Writing (LRW) course were extremely useful. I created detailed Excel files to help organize the production from several investigations and keep track of Investment Advisers who were in the processing of switching from the Securities and Exchange Commission to the Massachusetts registration. I also helped draft and proofread subpoenas, consent orders, and complaints; and I attended and took notes at several on the record depositions. In addition, I was entrusted with writing inquiry letters asking about certain disclosures made by broker-dealer agents attempting to register in Massachusetts.
The hardest part of my job was learning how to prioritize and complete multiple projects efficiently while in a working environment. However, I’m very happy that I was exposed to that difficult experience because I know that it will help me be better prepared in the future. My favorite part of the internship was doing real-world legal work in a professional environment. It definitely confirmed the fact that I want to be a lawyer.
I was extremely surprised by how much I liked working in securities. Before working for the Division, I hadn’t even considered securities as a field I might be interested in and honestly, didn’t expect to enjoy the work. I am so happy that I decided to take the job because I now want to pursue a career in securities and business law. This internship experience taught me to not be closed minded about working in different areas of law. As a law student, especially a 1L, there are so many fields of law that we don’t know about or aren’t exposed to. How are we to know we don’t like something before we try it?
Towards the end of the summer my supervising attorney asked if I wanted to continue working part-time during the school year. Currently, I work 20 hours per week while keeping a full class schedule. Fall semester has been busy, but working part-time has been worth it because working for the Securities Division has absolutely helped me with my future plans. Knowing I wanted to work at a large firm after graduation, I applied to 2013 summer associate programs this fall and received an offer for a summer associate position from a top firm with a large securities practice. I am certain that I would not be in the position I am in today had I not taken a chance by sending in my resume and accepting an internship with the Securities Division at the Secretary’s Office.
- Christina S. Bailey, Class of 2014
Michael Card is a third-year day student at New England Law | Boston. This past summer he worked as a legal intern for a New England Law alumnus at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. As part of our new blog series highlighting student work Michael writes about his summer experience and explains how he found his internship.
My summer internship came about as a last minute surprise from a friend’s connection. I slowly began looking for internships around Thanksgiving time of my second year. I had numerous promising leads that either eventually lost funding or required school credit which is not a possibility for internships not done through a school clinic. So, I was very disappointed and stressed as summer was quickly approaching. Right before the end of the second semester I had a number of job offers but none that I was really interested in. Then a friend called and told me a New England Law | Boston graduate was looking for help at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Under the supervision of this alumnus and two other attorneys in the Office of Faculty Activities, I was responsible for reviewing consulting and confidentiality disclosure agreements for, and between, Dana-Farber, Harvard Medical School faculty and pharmaceutical companies. This position was contract and intellectual property-based so I had a great opportunity to apply what my first year contracts course taught me and gain a head start on what I would learn in my intellectual property class. I was also able to apply what I had learned in my negotiation course as I reviewed the agreements and negotiated their terms with the pharmaceutical companies in favor of Dana-Farber’s faculty, the Institute’s protection of intellectual property and against liability.
The hardest part of my internship was learning the current regulations as well as the future changes, that were scheduled to go into effect in August 2012. In order to effectively negotiate agreements I had to learn the current rules and regulations. However, to make sure the faculty and institution would not be in violation come August, I also had to learn the new regulations. I definitely learned the most as I researched the current and future regulations as well as the applicable intellectual property laws.
My favorite part of my experience was being able attend the conflict of interest advisory board meetings in which the board members discussed the current and future problems/positions of the partnership between cancer research institutions and the private sector. This was a completely unexpected and amazing experience, and something I will always remember.
This summer internship truly opened my career interest spectrum in terms of seriously considering healthcare and similar areas of law. Upon entering law school I was sure I only wanted to practice regulatory or securities law but now may also pursue a post-graduation position in this area of law due to this summer experience. Finally, I found my internship in part because the hiring attorney likes looking out for New England Law | Boston students and graduates which makes me extremely proud to be part of the New England Law | Boston network.
-Michael Card ’13
Presented by the ABA’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono & Public Service and the Center for Pro Bono, the Celebration focuses on the nation’s increased need for pro bono services and equal access to justice. In addition to a number of local events scheduled this month featuring pro bono trainings and activities with area organizations, there are also upcoming student-sponsored programs highlighting pro bono and public service work. On Thursday, October 25th, 4:30pm - 6:00pm the Women's Law Caucus and the Career Services Office are co-sponsoring a speed networking night featuring work in domestic violence advocacy. The event will feature practitioners from domestic violence advocacy organizations as well as attorneys who have incorporated pro bono domestic violence work into their private practice. And on Monday, October 29th, 4:30pm - 6:30pm the Public Interest Law Association is presenting a panel on public interest sector careers featuring representatives from Greater Boston Legal Services, the Legal Advocacy and Resource Center, the National Consumer Law Center, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
New England Law | Boston provides opportunities for students to participate in public service and pro bono activities throughout the school year. The Center for Law and Social Responsibility (CLSR) sponsors pro bono and public service activities through which faculty, students and alumni support socially responsible goals. Center projects include work in criminal justice, immigration law, environmental advocacy, and women's and children's rights. To stay up to date on the CLSR’s activities and other public interest programs, visit their homepage to view their calendar of upcoming events.
Students whose public service legal work is unpaid and without credit may be eligible to obtain transcript recognition through the Public Service Transcript Notation Program, approved by the Public Service Project at the Center for Law and Social Responsibility. The approved work is legal work that meets the definition of MA Rule 6.1 (Voluntary Pro Bono Publico Service). Once students complete 25 hours of the approved work, they may submit a hard copy of the completed verification form to Professor Engler in the Clinic Office.
For more information on how to get involved, our Pro Bono Guide provides information on pro bono opportunities at New England Law | Boston as well as a list of public interest organizations in Massachusetts. Students are encouraged to pursue pro bono work as a way to obtain academic credit and gain real world experience while also making a positive contribution to the community at large.
Michael Martucci is a second-year day student at New England Law |
Boston. This past summer he worked as a law clerk at the Law Office
of Susan, T. Aguiar, a busy solo
practice in Boston, MA. As part of our new blog series highlighting student
work Michael writes about his summer experience and explains how he found his internship.
My summer job search began
around the middle of March. Having absolutely no legal connections in the area,
the NEL|B CSO Symplicity
site was my only resource for finding a summer internship—and it proved to
be a valuable one. It was really important for me to be in Boston for the
summer, so I dedicated about 8-10 hours each week looking through the site for
new job postings and preparing cover letters. I kept a detailed record of dates
and places that I applied, and made sure to follow up on every application and
email. By the end of April the persistent effort paid off when I received an
offer for a summer law clerk position at a busy solo practice. It was exactly
what I was looking for: small firm atmosphere, located in the city, and to top
it all off, it was a full-time, paid position.
I was very fortunate in
that the attorney I worked for truly enjoyed teaching law students the
practical “ins” and “outs” of the profession. I expected to spend my summer filing papers
and answering phones, so I was quite surprised on the first day when the
attorney handed me a stack of files and asked me to begin research for a
summary judgment motion. In fact, she allowed me to participate in almost every
aspect of her personal injury law practice. My responsibilities included legal research,
drafting memoranda and legal documents, filing documents at the courthouse,
meeting with clients, and communicating with opposing counsel over the phone. It
was a great hands-on experience of what it was like to work as an attorney.
My favorite part of the
internship was gaining practical legal experience—it really helped to boost my
confidence in school. I have no doubt that I am a better student this semester
because of the work I did over the summer. The practical knowledge has helped
me frame my classwork in a way that allows me to comprehend the material
quicker and more thoroughly than before. This has been especially helpful given
the heavy workload that accompanies the second-year of law school. The hardest
part of the position was constantly juggling several different projects at the
same time, especially since I had no prior legal experience. The biggest
challenge was time management. However, successfully completing all the
projects was by far the most rewarding part of my summer, and the constant juggling
actually became enjoyable.
Throughout my whole
experience, I found the skills I developed in my first-year Legal Research and
Writing (LRW) course to be most useful as I spent the majority of my summer researching
cases and drafting arguments. Not only did I get to bolster my research and
writing skills, but I also drafted a wide array of court documents, which ended
up being very helpful for my LRW class this fall.
Overall, the biggest
take-away from my summer internship was the confirmation that I made the right
choice to go to law school. I find the work challenging and engaging, and I can
honestly say that I want to make a career out of it. Furthermore, it ended up
being one of the best summers I can remember. For my next internship, I would
like to challenge myself by working in a larger firm as the contrasting
atmospheres would be helpful in pinpointing a direction for my future. However,
regardless of what I do next, I know that the knowledge and experience I gained
working this past summer will put me in a great position to succeed.
- Michael J. Martucci, Class of 2014
Students
have access to internship and postgraduate job postings and can participate in
on- and off-campus recruitment programs through our Symplicity site. To
access, you will need your Student ID# and a password (sent to you in November
of your first year.) If you don't have a password, please email the Career
Services Office (CSO) at cso@nesl.edu. To identify your own career goals and create a
personalized job search strategy, call the CSO at 617-422-7229 to schedule an
appointment with a career counselor.
A recent New York Law Journal article provided details on the new 50-hour pro bono requirement for applicants to the New York bar. Beginning January 1, 2015 every applicant to the New York state bar will be required to fulfill this mandate. If you are a current first- or second-year law student planning to take the New York bar upon graduation, you have up to 34 months to complete qualifying pro bono work. Current third-year students are exempt.
What is qualifying pro bono work? Law-related work for persons of limited means, non-profit organizations, and public service in the judiciary and state and local government would meet the New York bar pro bono rule. The work must be supervised by an attorney in good standing, judge, or law school faculty member. Participation in a law school clinic or work performed for recognition in the school's Public Service Transcript Notation Program would also qualify. The work may be completed anywhere in the country or abroad.
Upon completion of the pro bono work, applicants will need to complete the Form Affidavit of Compliance available on the New York State Court's website. All pro bono work must be completed before submitting an application for bar admission.
More complete information, including answers to frequently asked questions, is available on the New York State Court's website. Applicants with further questions on the new requirement should contact ProBonoRule@nycourts.gov or call 1-855-227-5482.
For more information on pro bono opportunities available at New England Law | Boston, read our Pro Bono and Volunteer Opportunities Guide which provides information on pro bono opportunities at the school and includes a directory of public interest organizations in Massachusetts. Additional directories for public interest organizations in the New England area as well as in California, New Jersey, and New York are available in the handouts section of Symplicity.
 This year 192 New England Law students completed our 2012 Summer Employment Survey giving us valuable information about where students worked and how they found their jobs. Of the students who completed the survey 52% were from the class of 2014 and 48% were from the class of 2013.
Types of Employment
The majority of students who responded worked in a legal job.
- 84% worked in a summer or permanent legal job
- 12% worked in a non-legal summer or permanent job
- 3% participated in a study abroad program
- 1% did not work
Of those who worked in either a summer or permanent legal position, 42% of the class of 2014 were in paid positions and 55% of the class of 2013 were paid.
How Students Found Employment
It is important to remember to use a variety of methods when searching for employment. While many respondents found their summer employment through a job posting on the CSO's JobNet many others found their job through someone they knew, a networking connection, or by contacting the employer directly.
- 28% found their job through a referral from someone they knew
- 26% found employment by responding to a job posted on the CSO JobNet on Symplicity
- 14% found their job through networking or contacting the employer directly
- 12% found employment through a law school program (such as a clinic or the Honors Judicial Internship Program), an outside organization, or other means not specified
- 11% returned to or continued with a pre-law school employer
- 7 % found their job through an on-campus interview or job fair
- 2% responded to a job posting on a commercial job website
Where Students Worked
- 78% remained in Massachusetts
- 18% worked out of state
- 4% worked internationally or participated in a study abroad program
While the majority of New England Law students worked locally, a number of students gained experience in Florida, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Washington, DC. Students also participated in study abroad programs in Malta, Galway, London, and Prague.
Below are just a few of the law firms and organizations who hired New England Law Students this summer:
Boston Municipal Court Department
Cetrulo & Capone LLP
Committee for Public Counsel Services
Community Legal Services And Counseling Center
Conway, Homer & Chin-Caplan, P.C.
Devine Millimet & Branch
Doherty, Cella, Keane & Associates, LLP
EMC Corporation
Essex County District Attorney's Office
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Legal Division
Greater Boston Legal Services
Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project
Healing Abuse Working for Change
Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies/International Law Institute
Lubin & Meyer, P.C.
MA Attorney General's Office
MA Department of Transportation
MA Securities Division
MA
Supreme Judicial Court
New Jersey Attorney General's Office
New York State Division of Human Rights
Rosencranz & Associates
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Shapiro & Associate
Suffolk County District Attorney's Office
Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General
U. S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Solicitor
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Where did you work last summer? If you have not already completed your 2012 Summer Employment Survey, log on to Symplicity to tell us about your experience!
Looking for a job for next summer? The Career Services Office is here to help you. Call 617-422-7229 to schedule an appointment today.
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