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Volume 4, Issue 20, May 5, 2008
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Volume 4, Issue 20, May 5, 2008 |
THIS WEEK AT OCU (05/03/2008 - 05/09/2008)
Important Deadline: Deadline for the Ed Edmondson Scholarship
Click Here for more information.
NEXT WEEK AT OCU (05/10/2008 - 05/16/2008)
Important Deadline: Deadline for the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers Writing Competition
Important Deadline: Deadline for the Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest
Click Here for more information.
Important Deadline: Submissions Deadline for the 2008 Brown Award for Excellence in Legal Writing
Click Here for more information.
Important Deadline: Submissions Deadline for the International Association of Defense Counsel Legal Writing Contest
Click Here for more information.
Important Deadline: Deadline for the Tenth Annual Andrew P. Vance Memorial Writing Competition
Click Here for more information.
4th Annual Colloquium on the Law of Futuristic Persons Writing Competition
ABA Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Journal Law Student Writing Competition
American Judges Association Writing Competition
Announcing the Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest
Best Wishes To Graduating Students
Career and Job Fair Application Info & Deadlines
Congratulations to Summer Fellowship Recipients!
Corporate Law Association Bowling Tournament Winners
December 2006 Graduation photos available
EJW National Advisory Committee Seeking Students
Fall 2008 Recruiting and On-Campus Interviews
Fall 2008 tuition/payment plan
Freede Center Closings/Summer Hours
Going to Another Place? Request Reciprocity
Hooders/Marshals at May Graduation
Judicial Clerkship Application Preparation - OSCAR Details
Law Library Extended Hours: Sunday, April 13 - Thursday, May 15
Licensed Legal Intern Exam Date
Log Your Summer Jobs, Pro Bono & Volunteer Time
May 2006 Commencement Text: What will your place in history be?
May 2007 Graduation Photos Now Available
May 2007 Graduation Video Available
New Writing Competition - ABA Section of Family Law
OCU student group helps promote Animal Law (Journal Record Article)
PCDC Office Hours - Dead Week & Summer
Register to Receive Graduation Photography Proofs
Robert J. Turner Student Nomination Announcement
Special Committee on Animals and the Law's First Annual Student Writing Competition
Summer 2008 Food Services Information
The 2008 Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition
The Tenth Annual Andrew P. Vance Memorial Writing Competition
The Twenty-Fifth Annual Smith-Babcock-Williams Writing Competition
Monday, May 5: Deadline for the Ed Edmondson Scholarship
Click Here for more information.
Thursday, May 15: Deadline for the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers Writing Competition
Thursday, May 15: Deadline for the Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest
Click Here for more information.
Friday, May 16: Submissions Deadline for the 2008 Brown Award for Excellence in Legal Writing
Click Here for more information.
Friday, May 16: Submissions Deadline for the International Association of Defense Counsel Legal Writing Contest
Click Here for more information.
Friday, May 16: Deadline for the Tenth Annual Andrew P. Vance Memorial Writing Competition
Click Here for more information.
This competition is open to law students and other legal and policy professionals. You must submit an informational, analytical paper by July 10, 2008.
Click on the following link to access: http://www.okcu.edu/law/academics/academics_writingcompetitions.php
Contact: Gwyneth Davis
ABA Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Journal Law Student Writing CompetitionContact: Gwyneth Davis
Twentieth annual law student essay competition. Open to all full-time law students enrolled in and attending an accredited law school in the US or Canada. First prize is $3,000; second prize is $1,500; and third prize is $1,000. Deadline is June 2, 2008. See rules and regulations, and the entry form for more information.
Contact: Jennifer Holling
The ABA Section of Family Law is pleased to present its Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest. This contest is held annually to encourage interest in the field of family law. This competition may provide an opportunity for recognition and publication in the scholarly journal Family Law Quarterly. Applicants may submit an essay on any aspect of Family Law and entrants are encouraged to write on subjects of national interest. However, if the law in one state reflects a significant development or trend, that too could be an appropriate subject for an entry. With the vast scope of family law, the possibilities are endless. The breadth of originality and analysis of past winners is a great testament to the quality of our nation's law schools and educators. Past topics of winning essays include transsexuals and the legal determination of sex, same-sex marriages, federal responsibility for indigent elderly, interpretation of Islamic marriage contracts, the Indian Child Welfare Act, polygamy and marital counseling laws. We look forward to an outstanding pool of entries this year as we continue to marvel at the outstanding thought produced by future attorneys. Additional information about the Schwab Memorial Essay Contest can be found at www.abanet.org/family/lawstudents/schwab.shtml. The deadline for entries is May 15, 2008.
Contact: Gwyneth Davis
All of us in the PCDC wish the Class of 2008 congratulations. This is a bittersweet time for us as we have worked closely with so many of you that it is hard to say goodbye. On the other hand, it is so gratifying to see how your hard work, perseverance and dedication to your goals have paid off. Best wishes!
The PCDC is actively involved in organizing and promoting off-campus recruiting opportunities through job and career fairs each year. Because many of these opportunities will take place at the end of the 2008 summer or beginning of the fall semester, the application process occurs during the summer months with critical deadlines. Students interested in participating in Minority Recruiting, Public Interest, and Specialized Recruiting Programs should click on this link for details about the programs with which OCU LAW is involved. In addition, students are encouraged to watch the Symplicity CSM job listings for information about these and other opportunities.
Occasionally, there are changes made to the final exam schedule between the original posting of it (when you enrolled) and now. NOW IS THE TIME TO CHECK THE FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE VERY CAREFULLY to ensure that you know exactly when your exams will be given:
http://www.okcu.edu/law/academics/pdfs/Spring2008ExamSchedule_005.pdf
Contact: Dean Fathree
Please join us in congratulating the following students who were selected to receive a Dean's Summer Public Interest / Pro Bono Fellowship award. This was the largest student response in the history of the program and also represents an increase from last year in that the total amount of money awarded was close to $50,000 this year. These funds are made possible through the generous giving by OCU LAW alumni and friends and the student-organized PILG Auction.
On behalf of the Corporate Law Association I would like to CONGRATULATE the winners of yesterday’s bowling tournament!
Contact: Jennifer Owens
Equal Justice Works is seeking five students to serve two-year terms on our National Advisory Committee (NAC). The NAC provides advice, support and action to advance the Equal Justice Works mission to mobilize the next generation of public interest attorneys. The NAC convenes a diverse group of law students and law school professionals to provide feedback on the effectiveness of their work and to strategize on several initiatives. These initiatives include membership benefits, The E-Guide to Public Service at America's Law Schools, the Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair and law school outreach.
For more information and how to apply, visit www.equaljusticeworks.org. If you choose to apply, please notify Professor Laurie Jones, Pro Bono and Public Interest Law Coordinator, of your intention.
All applications are due June 13, 2008 by 5:00 p.m. EDT.
This week we sent out invitations to employers for fall recruitment of OCU LAW students. Students eligible to participate in on-campus interviews should note that interviews will begin on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. Information about available opportunities will be listed in Symplicity CSM.
PLEASE NOTE: The deadline for students to submit their application materials will occur before the fall session begins.
Contact: Shanna Hrachovy
This edition represents the final issue of the PCDC eNews for this semester. We will produce special issues over the summer as needed to convey important and timely information. So, please keep an eye on your OCU LAW email account so that you do not miss information that could be helpful to your professional development and career pursuits!
Freede Center Closings/Summer HoursThe Freede Center Gym Floor will close on Thursday, May 8th at 4:00pm and will remain closed until Wednesday, May 14th.
The Freede Center Weight Room will be closed on Saturday, May 10th and Sunday, May 11th for Graduation Ceremonies. The Wellness Center will reopen Monday, May 12th at 7:00am and our summer hours will be in effect.
The Freede Center will also close on Tuesday, May 13th at 5:00pm and will reopen on Wednesday morning, May 14th at 7:00am.
Freede Center Summer Hours:
Contact: Dean Fathree
Going out-of-state? You can request reciprocity to utilize the career development office and access job listings of another law school. Each law school has its own policy as to what is made available and if there is a charge for the service. The request must be made through the OCU LAW PCDC.
For details and instructions, click on this link.
Hooders/Marshals at May GraduationContact: Dean Fathree
To all:
Announcing a new scholarship sponsored by the Indian Law Section of the OBA. For complete details see: http://www.okcu.edu/law/academics/Scholarships/OCULawScholarships.php
Contact: Jordan King
Contact: Dean Fathree
If you are considering applying for a federal judicial clerkship this coming fall, please make sure you tend to the following tasks before the end of this semester.
Extended Hours at the Law Library begin this Sunday, April 13th
During this period, from April 13 to May 15, our regular hours will be:
Study Rooms will be available this semester from Sunday, April 27th through Friday, May 16th.
(You will receive a more detailed announcement about Reserved Study Room procedures in a few weeks.)
Contact: James Gettys
The Law Library Will Have 5 Study Rooms Available By Reservation ONLY To Groups of Law Students (2 or more)
With Sign-Ups Possible Up To 1 Week in Advance
From Sunday April 27th through Friday May 16th, 2008
Sign-Ups Accepted Starting Tuesday, April 22nd (In Person or By Phone)
Visit or Call the Circulation Desk (208-5271) for Details.
Reservation procedures are available for review at the Circulation Desk.
Contact: James Gettys
If you missed the April LLI exam, you have one more opportunity this semester! Students interested in becoming Licensed Legal Interns should note that the next exam date is Friday, May 30, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. For details on the program and what is required to apply, click on this link. The deadline to apply for the above exam is Friday, May 23, 2008, at 5:00 p.m. Questions can be directed to Carol Kinser at ckinser@okcu.edu or (405) 208-5332.
The legal profession is one of accountability and service. Lawyers serve their clients, their communities, our nation, and our world. At OCU LAW, you have many opportunities to serve as a member-in-training of the legal profession and to begin building the skill set for tracking such activity.
The purpose of keeping track of your summer jobs and volunteer hours is two-fold: we want to recognize and support you in these efforts and our accrediting entity, the American Bar Association, encourages us to keep track of these job activity and volunteer hours.
Below are the instructions on how to keep track of your service hours:
Thank you for taking care to keep your record up-to-date. Regarding pro bono/community service activities, please keep track of all hours, whether for a one-time activity like a Habitat for Humanity building project or for a semester or year-long activity like mentoring elementary school students or volunteering at a legal clinic once a week. If you have a question about whether an activity qualifies, please contact Professor Laurie Jones, Pro Bono and Public Interest Law Coordinator.
For general career related and Symplicity CSM questions, please contact the PCDC by calling (405) 208-5332 or email and we will be happy to help you.
The May 2006 OCU LAW Hooding and Commencement Ceremony took place at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City with OCU President Tom J. McDaniel awarding the juris doctor degree to 173 candidates. OCU LAW Dean Lawrence K. Hellman and Justin Meek ’06, president of the OCU LAW Student Bar Association, provided remarks. Emmanuel E. Edem ’82, a partner in the Oklahoma City law firm of Norman & Edem, delivered the commencement address. The following is his address:
In the past, photos taken at the Hooding and Graduation Ceremony were sold to graduates. This year, for the first time, graduates will be allowed to download these graduation photos FREE.
Please enjoy these photos and the memories that they represent; compliments of OCU School of Law.
There is a new writing competition posted on-line at http://www.okcu.edu/law/academics/academics_writingcompetitions.php. It is sponsored by the ABA Section of Family Law.
Contact: Jordan King
Contact: Gwyneth Davis
The 2008 Brown Award for Excellence in Legal Writing
Any law student seeking a J.D. or LL.B degree is eligible to receive the award. The stipend is $10,000. The submission must be postmarked no later than May 16, 2008.
The International Association of Defense Counsel Legal Writing Contest
Entries must cover the fields of tort law, insurance law, civil procedure, evidence or other areas of practical concern to lawyers engaged in the defense of management of the defense of civil litigation. First place award is $2,000, second place is $1,000 and third place is $500. The Deadline is May 16, 2008.
Please go to http://www.okcu.edu/law/academics/academics_writingcompetitions.php for more detailed instructions.
Contact: Gwyneth Davis
Contact: Chelsea Baldwin
Looking for cost effective, on campus housing options for the 07-08 academic year?
OCU will be offering low cost, private room, meal plan optional units to law and graduate students in Draper Hall starting Fall ’07.
And don’t forget you can live in the New Residence Hall too!
New Housing:
Draper-Grad/Law (Meal Plan Optional):
*Buy additional Stars Bucks at 10% discount prior to the first day of class
Come by Farmer’s House-Student Life or call 208-7911 to sign up.
Contact: Matt Mullican
As classes are not in session, the PCDC will not have evening hours on Tuesday, April 29, 2008.
Our regular office hours for the summer and contact information are as follows.
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday – 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
Tuesday – 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (when classes are in session)
Friday – 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Walk-ins are always welcome. However if you desire more in-depth, individual assistance, then setting an appointment is recommended. To make an appointment with a career counselor, call (405) 208-5332, drop by Sarkeys 216, or send an email.
ATTENTION OCU LAW RACE FOR THE CURE TEAM MEMBERS AND PARTICIPANTS!
Can't wait to see everyone there!
Contact: Andrea Painter
Just a reminder – ALL Cap and Gowns are now available to be picked up in the BOOKSTORE.
They have just notified us of an additional shipment. So, please stop by soon and pick up your Cap and Gown.
Caps and Gowns
If you ordered your cap and gown at Countdown to Commencement in February, YOU MAY PICK YOUR REGALIA UP FROM NOW THROUGH FRIDAY, MAY 16, IN THE BOOKSTORE DURING REGULAR BOOKSTORE HOURS. Warning: On Friday, May 16, the Bookstore closes at 3 p.m. There is no way to get your regalia after 3 p.m. that day.
Once you have your cap, hood, and gown, take them out of the bag and inspect them. Make sure that the hat is the proper size. Also, make sure that the velvet stripes on the sleeves of your gown are PURPLE not black. You will feel very awkward marching with the wrong gown on. If you have any regalia issues, return to the Bookstore immediately.)
The hood and the gown WILL need to be ironed. You can either do this yourself or the cleaners can do it.
Contact: Saundra Miller
Contact: Dean Fathree
ROBERT J. TURNER AMERICAN INN OF COURT NOMINATIONS
The Robert J. Turner Inn of Court (“RJT Inn”) is accepting nominations for Student Membership in the Inn for the 2008-2009 academic year. All students in good standing who will be 3Ls or 4Ls during the 2008-2009 academic year are eligible to apply. The RJT Inn Admissions Committee will select students for membership.
APPLICATION: Pupil Nomination forms are available in your student email box and at the Registrar’s office in Sarkeys. Complete the Pupil Nomination form and return it to Joan A. Renegar as instructed on the Pupil Nomination Form.
PROGRAM ATTENDANCE: RJT Inn programs are scheduled on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. approximately 2-3 times per semester. Program attendance is an extremely important part of student participation. Be mindful of this commitment when you seek admission to the Inn.
WHAT IS THE ROBERT J. TURNER AMERICAN INN OF COURT?
The Robert J. Turner American Inn of Court is an Oklahoma City association of federal and state judges, master lawyers, less experienced lawyers, students and law professors modeled after the English Inns of Court who together constitute a chapter of the national American Inns of Court organization.
The American Inns of Court concept was the product of a discussion in the late 1970's among the United States' members of the Anglo-American exchange of lawyers and judges, including Chief Justice Warren E. Burger and Chief Judge of the Ninth Circuit J. Clifford Wallace. Chief Justice Burger subsequently invited Rex E. Lee (then Dean of the J. Reuben Clark School of Law at Brigham Young University and later United States Solicitor General) and Dallin Oaks (then president of Brigham Young University and later Justice of the Utah Supreme Court) to test the idea. The mission of the American Inns of Court is to foster excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills for judges, lawyers, academicians, and students of law in order to perfect the quality, availability, and efficiency of justice in the United States.
The Goals of the American Inns of Court Foundation
If you have questions, please contact Prof Mitchelson at 208-5182 or mmitchelson@okcu.edu.
Contact: Shannon Wolford
Shiv Naimpally, OCU LAW JD05, has contributed to an ABA SciTech Section article on job search tips. While the focus of the article is on science and technology, the foundation and basic elements of the information transcend any practice area. To view the article, click on this link.
Law students are invited to submit an article concerning any area of animal law. The winner will receive $500.00 and publication by the New York State Bar Association. The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2008.
Contact: Gwyneth Davis
Summer 2008 Food Services InformationPlease note where food will and will NOT be available this summer.
Our plan is to publish cafeteria information each week on our website at www.ocudining.com The Friday before the following week, we will update the Weekly Menus tab with information regarding menus, hours of operation, venue openings, etc.
Alvin’s will be undergoing some minor renovations and will be unavailable during most of the summer. However, Catering services will still be available.
CALC will open again on Monday, August 11.
Contact: Dean Fathree
Established in memory of Michael Greenberg, former National Lesbian and Gay Law Association (NLGLA) board member and Philadelphia attorney who died in 1996 from complications of AIDS, this exciting competition is dedicated to encouraging and recognizing outstanding law student scholarship on the legal issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex persons. The topic should be a cutting edge legal issue affecting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and/or Intersex community. The deadline is June 1, 2008.
Contact: Gwyneth Davis
The Customs and International Trade Bar Association (CITBA) and Brooklyn Law School (BLS) are sponsoring this writing competition to encourage law students who are interested in careers in customs and international law. Winning papers will be considered for publication in the Brooklyn Journal of International Law. The deadline is May 16, 2008.
Contact: Gwyneth Davis
The competition honors the memory of three leading figures in American city planning law. R. Marlin Smith, Richard Babcock and Norman Williams. This is open to law students and planning students, writing on a question of significance in planning, planning law, land use law, local government law or environmental law. The winning entry will be awarded $2,500. and will be submitted for publication on the Urban Lawyer. The deadline for submission is June 9, 2008.
Read the rules for submission.
Contact: Gwyneth Davis
The Victoria Fisher Memorial Prize Essay 2008The purpose of this prize is to stimulate interest in women and the law. The Deadline for submission is September 30, 2008.
Please visit the Writing Competitions page for more information.
Contact: Gwyneth Davis
The time period from late April through May typically sees a high turnover of legal positions as some school-year clerks and interns will graduate and vacate their positions. Many of these positions are situated in small- to medium-sized law firms. Typically, these employers do not engage in an involved recruitment process like large law firms do, and instead try to fill positions through word-of-mouth recommendations as well as posting on job boards such as ours here at OCU LAW Symplicity CSM. So, if you are still seeking employment for this summer, make sure you are networking with your fellow classmates and are keeping up with the new listings on Symplicity CSM.
Wireless digital certificates for the OCU wireless network will expire on Saturday, May 10th. You may renew your certificate no earlier than May 10th by browsing to http://wifi.okcu.edu and following the instructions. You do not have to be on campus to renew your wireless certificate. All you need is an active Internet connection.
We understand that certificates expire in the middle of finals. This is especially important for those of you using ExamSoft. As we have done during previous semesters, Law Technology Services will be available at the table in the atrium on the 1st floor in Sarkeys Law Center. This includes Saturday, May 10th, for those of you taking finals on Saturday. We will have multiple wired Internet connections available to upload your ExamSoft exam file. Additionally, we will be ready to help you install the new certificate should you need assistance. You may also visit the computer lab office in the law library during library hours and a workstudy will be happy to help you renew your certificate as well.
Good luck on your final exams!
Contact: Law Technology Services
Saturday, May 17
Graduation and Hooding Ceremony
10:00am, Civic Center Music Hall, 201 North Walker
Stephanie Seymour, Federal Judge of the Tenth Circuit, speaker
Contact: Dean Fathree
Friday, May 30
1:00pm, Sarkeys Room 110
Application Deadline: Friday, May 23, 2008