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September 29, 2009

Etiquette Quick Tip: Holding Doors

There is a lot of confusion about holding doors.  In social situations, a gentleman opens and holds the door for a lady.  But in the business world, business etiquette is gender neutral, so the one who reaches the door first - man or woman - opens and holds the door.  If you are going through the door and there is someone right behind you, pause, so the door does not swing back and flatten his or her nose.  If someone holds the door for you - man or woman - the proper response is, "Thank you."  If you open the door for someone and the person barks at you, "I can open the door MYSELF!"  Do not respond with a personal attack and do not defend yourself. ("That's the way I was taught!")  Simply smile and go about your way. Tip provided by the Culture and Manners Institute at http://www.cultureandmanners.com/

Contents

Upcoming Events: 1L Small Group Meetings; Pathways to a Career in International Law; Public Interest Law and the College Cost Reduction and Access Act

Project Work Initiative for 2L/3L/4L Students

OCI Bid Deadline Today

Seeking 3L/4L Applicants to the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program:  APPLICATION OPEN FROM OCT. 1 – OCT. 15

Professional Development Opportunity: FREE CLE (and lunch) FOR UT LAW STUDENTS on Oct. 2^nd

Professional Development Opportunity: Toledo Women’s Bar Association Meetings

This Week’s Hot Job: The Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service

Evening Hours Schedule

Upcoming Events

1L Small Group Meetings (Sept. 30 & Oct. 1):

To make it easier to attend, we are moving the 1L small group meeting originally scheduled for Wednesday at 2:15 to Wednesday at 2:30!  

• We hope your legal education is off to a good start!  We are writing to follow up on the invitation we made at our Orientation program in August and invite you to meet with us at one of the times set forth below.  We would enjoy the opportunity to get to know you better, to learn where you’re from and where you’re going, to answer any questions you have regarding our Orientation program on the legal profession, to tell you about future professional development programs, and to get your ideas for other programs.

• We’d enjoy meeting with you at one of the following times: *September 30 at 2:30 p.m.; September 30 at 4:00 p.m.; October 1 at 5:00 p.m.

• To sign up, please contact Donna Amstutz in the Office of Professional Development. If responding by e-mail, send to lcs@utoledo.edu.   All meetings will take place in the Shumaker Loop and Kendrick Lounge located just across the hall from the Office of Professional Development. Refreshments will be provided.

Pathways to a Career in International Law (Oct. 1):

·         5:00 – 5:50 in Room 1002.  Sponsored by the International Law Society & LCS.  Pizza Provided. 

Public Interest Law and the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (Oct. 7):

·         12:00 – 1:00 in Room 1006. Attorneys from Legal Aid of Western Ohio and Advocates for Basic Legal Equality will provide a general overview of public interest law, and provide specific information about loan repayment for public service employees under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act.  

Project Work Initiative:

Attention 2Ls, 3Ls and 4Ls:

We invite you to attend a program that will build your legal skills and enhance your career opportunities.  In an effort to help firms with their workload as well as assist law students in gaining practical legal experience, we are introducing our "Project Work Initiative".  In the current economic climate, legal employers may be less likely to hire a law clerk on a long term basis when project-work assistance is what they need.  Attend a special training session which will include a Legal Research and Writing refresher course, professionalism pointers and introduction to Casemaker, Ohio's free legal research resource and you will be eligible to view paid project work assignments from local attorneys. This training will be offered twice a semester.

• The first training session is scheduled for next Monday, October 5, 2009 from 3-4:30.
• Sign up by Friday at noon through Symplicity to attend this training
• Room 1012

OCI Bid Deadline Today:

Seeking 3L/4L Applicants to the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program:  APPLICATION OPEN FROM OCT. 1 – OCT. 15

If you’re interested in working for any branch of the federal government, the College of Law strongly encourages you to apply for the Presidential Management Fellows Program.

The PMF Program attracts to Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.  The PMF Program, administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), is the Federal Government’s cornerstone succession planning program to help agencies meet their critical need for leadership continuity.

Since 1977, the PMF Program has helped Federal agencies meet their workforce and succession planning needs by attracting outstanding master’s, law, and doctoral-level students to Federal service.  Executive Order 13318, modernized the Presidential Management Intern (PMI) Program, in keeping with the emphasis on the strategic management of the Federal Government's human capital.  With this Executive Order, the name was changed to the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program to better reflect its high standards, rigor, and prestige.  Students can use this two-year fellowship as a stepping stone to highly visible and respected leadership positions in the Federal Government.

This rigorous two-year paid fellowship includes:

       Formal classroom training of 160 hours,

       Mandatory four to six month developmental assignment,

       Optional rotations of one to six months in duration,

       Challenging work assignments,

       Potential for accelerated promotions, and

       Opportunities to network with other future leaders.

Application:

The PMF Program solicits students annually.   Eligible applicants apply to the PMF Program via a vacancy announcement on USAJOBS (www.USAJOBS.gov) or via a link on the “PMF Application” webpage once activated.  Eligible applicants will be required to link a resume and complete a qualifications questionnaire during the application process.  Applicants claiming veterans’ preference will also need to provide supporting documentation.

Eligibility:

Students who will meet all graduate degree requirements, including the completion or successful defense of any required thesis or dissertation, between September 1, 2009 through August 31, 2010, are eligible to apply in the Fall of 2009, for the PMF Class of 2010.

Timelines: (all deadlines are 11:59:59 p.m., Eastern Time, and subject to change)

UT Law Nomination Procedure:

As noted above, in order to complete the application, you must be nominated by the school’s nominating official. The Nomination Official at The University of Toledo College of Law is Professor John Barrett, john.barrett@utoledo.edu , 419-530-2958.

To be considered for nomination, please submit to Professor Barrett by October 15^th, 2009:

1) Your Resume

2)  A completed OPM Form 1300 (Nomination Form)

More Information:

More information about application, nomination, and selection is available online at www.pmf.opm.gov

Professional Development Opportunity: CLE at UT on Oct. 2nd!

Lunch will include the opportunity to network and discuss various topics in ADR with local judges, magistrates and attorneys!  Please RSVP to maara.fink@utoledo.edu to reserve your seat!!

The Role of Judges in Mediation and Settlement

This program will cover topics including: Best use of a settlement pretrial and what a judge should do, or avoid doing, to maximize the potential for settlement; Ethical implications surrounding direct judicial involvement in settlement and mediation; How to settle a case and clear your docket without violating the judicial cannons; Advantages, disadvantages and dilemmas that arise when a judge becomes directly involved in settlement negotiations; Communications between the mediator and judge; how far can or should a judge go in compelling parties to participate in mediation; To whom should a case be referred for mediation - in house, private and volunteer mediators; How to manipulate a judge to your best advantage during settlement negotiations in which the judge is involved.

9:30-10:00 AM - Registration and Welcome

10:00-12:00 AM - Session Presented By: Nancy Hardin Rogers, Michael E. Moritz Chair in Alternative Dispute Resolution, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law & Robert W. Rack, Jr., Director of the Mediation Office United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

· The Proper Role of Judges in Mediation

· The Proper Role of Judges in Settlement Negotiations

· Ethical Implications Surrounding Direct Judicial Involvement in Settlement and Mediation

· The Authority Vested in Judges by Civil Rule 16

· Applicability of the UMA to Settlement Conferences and mediations in which the Judge Serves as the Neutral

12:00 – 12:30 PM Lunch (box lunch provided)

12:30–1:00 PM Break Out Session—Table Topics, Maara Fink, Director of the Dispute Resolution Clinic, University of Toledo College of Law

1:00-3:00 PM Panel Discussion Led by Nancy Rogers and Robert Rack

3:00 PM Adjourn

Professional Development Opportunity: Toledo Women’s Bar Association Meetings

·         Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, noon: Fall Kick-Off Luncheon at Georgio’s Café International (426 N. Superior St).  Student Luncheon price: $6.

·         Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.: Salute to Judiciary Reception (Eastman & Smith, One Seagate, 24^th Floor)

RSVP to Megan Burke at: meb723@sbcglobal.net

This Week’s Hot Job:

The Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service, is accepting applications for its Honors and Summer Legal Intern Programs.

With the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) as its client and 1,500 attorneys on staff, the Office of Chief Counsel is the preeminent employer of tax attorneys in the country. In addition, our General Legal Services Division hires attorneys for non-tax positions, as well. Our attorneys are valued assets and the legal experience provided in Chief Counsel is unlike any other. We have approximately 650 attorneys located in our National Office in Washington, DC and 850 attorneys in field offices throughout the US.

The IRS Chief Counsel Honors Program is available primarily to third-year law students and graduating Tax LLM students who have less than one year of post-JD legal work experience. Our entry-level positions provide the opportunity to acquire significant training and experience in tax law (or personnel and labor law in our General Legal Services Division). Honors Program positions at the IRS Office of Chief Counsel are open to individuals each year who have superior academic qualifications or relevant experience to the work of Chief Counsel. Appointments under the Honors Program are made at GS-11, Step 8 for JD applicants, and at GS-12, Step 4 for LLM applicants. These positions are available in our offices nationwide.

The Summer Legal Intern Program is available primarily to second-year law students. The program provides exposure to the Office of Chief Counsel by enabling law students to work for the Office under the supervision, and with the assistance of, experienced tax lawyers (or personnel and labor attorneys in our General Legal Services Division). The training and work experience helps prepare interns for a career as a tax lawyer and also provides an excellent view of what the practice of law is like at the Office of Chief Counsel. In the National Office, interns take part in a variety of educational and social events, as well as interagency tours and presentations. Offers of full-time employment may be made to summer interns at the conclusion of the program. Summer positions are available to second year law students at the GS-9, Step 1 level. Positions are available in our offices nationwide.

Qualifications

·        Class rank top 20% preferred

·        Work or achievement in the law school’s law review or other recognized law journal;

·        Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school, such as selection to Order of the Coif or receipt of the American Jurisprudence Award in related courses; or top grades in related course work (e.g., “A” grades in tax courses);

·        Winning a moot court or mock trial competition or membership on a moot court or mock trial team;

·        Significant participation in legal public service (e.g. public sector or non-profit organization internship, work in tax clinic as a VITA volunteer, etc.); significant legal tax related or other relevant experience while in law school (e.g. law firm internship; IRS Chief Counsel summer internship, clerkships, or other work which has substantially contributed to the candidates preparation for the position);

·        Citizenship requirements: Applicants must typically be a US citizen or a citizen of a country allied with the United States in a current defense effort. More detailed information regarding hiring of non-US citizens by the federal government is available at http://www.opm.gov/employ/html/Citizen.asp.

Chief Counsel Office Locations :

Birmingham, AL; Anchorage, AK; Phoenix, AZ; Laguna Niguel, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Oakland, CA; Sacramento, CA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; San Jose, CA; Thousand Oaks, CA; Denver, CO; Hartford, CT; Washington, DC; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Jacksonville, FL; Miami, FL; Atlanta, GA ; Honolulu, HI; Chicago, IL; Downers Grove, IL; Indianapolis, IN; Louisville, KY; New Orleans, LA; Boston, MA; Baltimore, MD; Detroit, MI; St. Paul, MN; Kansas City, MO; St. Louis, MO; Omaha, NE; Las Vegas, NV; Newark, NJ; Buffalo, NY; Long Island, NY; New York, NY; Greensboro, NC; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Oklahoma City, OK; Portland, OR; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Nashville, TN; Austin, TX; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Salt Lake City, UT; Richmond, VA; Seattle, WA; Milwaukee, WI

How to Apply
Complete application packages are composed of a resume; a law school transcript (an unofficial copy is fine); an 8 -10 page writing sample; a completed Form 6524, “Office of Chief Counsel Application;” and a completed Form OF-306, “Declaration for Federal Employment.” Copies of the Forms 6524 and OF-306 may be downloaded from our website at http://jobs.irs.gov/mn-attorney.html. Applications should be e-mailed to attyapplications@irscounsel.treas.gov or faxed to 202-927-6975.  Oct. 9^th Deadline. 

Veterans’ Preference Documentation
If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. An SF-15 may be found at http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf. If you are claiming preference but are currently in the military, you must submit a memo from your current military personnel office. This memo must include years of service, projected terminal leave date, campaign and expeditionary medals (including purple heart, if applicable) and statement about the character of service (honorable). For more information on veterans' preference, click this link: http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetsinfo.asp#Entitle

Evening Hours:  

Our office will be open until 6:00 p.m. on the following dates:

Wednesday, October 7

Tuesday, October 20

Wednesday, November 4

Tuesday, November 17

Wednesday, December 2

The University of Toledo College of Law is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in education, employment, membership and contracts. No differentiation will be made based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, veterans status or the presence of a disability except as mandated by pertinent legal requirements.