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Chicago Careers in Lawcaps.uchicago.edu/cci/law.shtml

Office of College admissions Rosenwald Hall1101 East 58th StreetChicago, Illinois 60637

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careers inThe University of Chicago’s world-renowned faculty, dedicated advising staff, and outstanding library and research facilities offer unparalleled preparation for a successful career in law. With its emphasis on breadth of knowledge and intensive study of a particular field, as well as independent thinking and fruitful discussion, a UChicago education provides students with the skills to succeed at the nation’s top law schools and develop into thoughtful legal professionals and powerful academic leaders.

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Law schools seek candidates with a

rigorous liberal arts education. UChicago’s

curriculum stresses clear thinking, writing,

and argumentation, making any program of

study a solid basis for a career in law. Of the

49 majors offered by UChicago, more than

34 are represented each year by students

pursuing their interest in law.

At the heart of UChicago’s curriculum, the

Core provides students with both the depth

and breadth needed to become successful law

students and lawyers. The Core’s emphasis on

primary texts develops the close reading and

analytical skills needed to parse the language

of legal texts. Interdisciplinary collaboration,

vital to the Core, helps students understand

the importance of viewing an issue from

multiple perspectives. UChicago graduates are

able to undertake big questions from a critical

and rigorous approach.

Chicago Careers in Law The Chicago Careers in Law (CCIL) program

provides undergraduates interested in legal

careers with the knowledge they need to plan for

their future. Through workshops, presentations,

internships, mentoring, and one-on-one advising,

CCIL seeks to support students as they decide

whether a career in law is a good fit for them.

Special Programming

More than 40 lawyers participate in College-

sponsored programming each year; these programs

include alumni lawyers practicing in both the

private and public sectors who can give students an

accurate picture of legal work across a full range of

fields, including international law, corporate law, and

criminal law.

Recent opportunities have included a panel

where an Art Institute of Chicago lawyer explained

the legal process of acquiring and exhibiting new

works. During another panel, a federal prosecutor

MiChaeL aikinSUChicago degree aB’09, political sciencehome halifax, nova Scotia, CanadaOccupation Second-year student at Yale Law School

During his time in the College, Aikins interned at several law firms and shadowed lawyers in the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender. Last summer, he worked in the U.S. Department of Justice, and he’s interested in becoming a federal prosecutor after law school.

“at UChicago, there’s really no barrier between the College and the graduate schools. i took classes at the Law School, so i was able to get a test run before actually applying. The small class sizes also were tremendous preparation for law school. i had a seminar that had four people in it; if you’re in a class of four people, your opinion is going to be sought out, and you have to be able to articulate it.”

Breanna niCOLe kanTOrUChicago degree College Class of 2011, law, letters, and societyhome addison, iLOccupation Summer intern, Center on Wrongful Convictions, Bluhm Legal Clinic, northwestern University School of Law

With the aid of a UChicago Summer Action Grant, Kantor spent her summer working to exonerate clients and conducting research for the Wrongful Conviction Database. As a fourth-year in the College, she has already taken courses at the University’s Law School, and she has been accepted to seven law schools so far.

“Through the Chicago Careers in Law program, i found a great LSaT prep course, learned how to write my personal statement, and attended visits from various law school representatives. as a result, my applications were as solid as they could be.”

MahrUkh hUSSainUChicago degree aB’93, political sciencehome Lisle, iLOccupation Central division general counsel at McDonald’s Corporation

In her role at McDonald’s Corporation, Hussain handles many diverse matters. Two of her primary focus areas are managing franchisee relationship issues and new restaurant development. She oversees a team of 11 to handle legal matters for the central division’s seven regions.

“My UChicago education helped me to think critically, write persuasively, and manage challenges. it helped me learn there is no one answer to solving a problem, and arriving at the best solution requires coming at the problem in many different ways.”

PROGRAMPrOfiLeS

and UChicago

alumnus answered

student questions

about his work

handling corruption

cases, and he spoke

about how his

education prepared

him for his career

path. CCIL students

visited the Loop,

Chicago’s downtown

business district, to

meet with lawyers

in their offices and

observe their legal

practice. Students’ exposure is wide and includes

interactions with judges in the federal courthouse,

corporate lawyers, and public interest lawyers.

internships

Internships in law-related organizations provide

students with on-the-job experience. Students

have worked for the Public Defender Service

for the District of Columbia, where they have

conducted factual investigations and observed

criminal trials. Law firm employers rely on students

for research assistance to support complex

corporate matters. As students gain valuable

insights into the practice of law, they are able to

make thoughtful career decisions.

application assistance

CCIL helps students prepare successful applications

to law school, develop lists of target law schools,

and select the most appropriate school for

their interests and goals. CCIL advisors review

and provide feedback on students’ application

materials, including personal statements and

resumes. Advisors can provide valuable insight into

the differences between law schools as students

sharpen their applications and make their final

decisions. CCIL also sponsors on-campus visits by

admissions officers from a range of law schools, as

well as workshops on writing personal statements

and other application topics.

eMiLY TanCer BrOaCh UChicago degrees aB’08, law, letters, and society, and international studies; Law School Class of 2011home Grosse Pointe Park, Mi Occupation Third-year student at the University of Chicago Law School

Last summer, Broach worked as a summer associate for Drinker, Biddle, and Reath LLP, where she will return after graduation as a first-year associate focusing on commercial litigation. As an undergrad, she took College courses with professors from the Law School.

“i got into a few schools, and i went to my CCiL advisor’s office and said, ‘You know me; what do you think? Where should i go?’ it’s not just resume and personal statement help, even though that’s really helpful. The entire law school application process was much easier to navigate with her support.”

MiChaeL kenSTOWiCzUChicago degree College Class of 2012, law, letters, and societyhome Pittsburgh, PaOccupation Jeff Metcalf fellows intern at reed Smith LLP

As a summer intern in Reed Smith’s Employment and Labor practice group, Kenstowicz worked on labor arbitration briefs and conducted research for a Supreme Court amicus brief. Through the CCIL mentorship program, Kenstowicz was paired with a first-year at the University’s Law School, with whom he meets several times a year.

“Through CCiL, i’ve gained great exposure to the diverse employment opportunities in law. My law student mentor has provided me with a very good idea of what law school is like and its demands. She has also given me encouragement and support, which have reinforced my confidence that i can pursue a fulfilling legal career.”

JaLPiT aMinUChicago degrees aB’10, economics; Law School Class of 2013home Bloomingdale, iLOccupation first-year student at the University of Chicago Law School

While in the College, Amin interned at the Asian American Institute, where he advocated for Asian American rights in Illinois. He found the internship while serving as the president of the South Asian Students Association at UChicago. He hopes to explore constitutional and transactional law while earning his JD at the Law School.

“There was always a challenge at UChicago. in a lot of my classes, i had to take some of the most absurd viewpoints and try to defend them. That’s what we have to do in law school: see an issue from every possible angle that you can, and by doing that, understand your own viewpoint much better.”

PROGRAMPrOfiLeS

“We have great

confidence in the high

quality of students

that the University of

Chicago produces and

consequently have many

successful applications

from University of

Chicago students.”

Joshua Rubenstein Assistant dean and chief admissions officer, Harvard Law School

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Campus resourcesThe University of Chicago

Law School The College enjoys a close relationship with the University of Chicago Law School, a premier center for learning, teaching, and researching law. In 2010, the National Law Journal ranked the Law School the number one “Go-To Law School” for sending the most graduates to top law firms around the country. Many College graduates decide to pursue their legal studies at the Law School, and the College is one of the largest feeder schools for the Law School.

Student-to-Student Mentoring The CCIL mentoring program pairs undergraduates with students in the University’s Law School to meet one-on-one each quarter. More than 60 undergraduate students and 50 law students participate in the program. College students sit in on Law School classes, and mentors provide insight into the law school experience and the process of pursuing legal careers. CCIL also arranges larger group sessions for College and Law School students to foster networking and information

gathering. Special large group workshops include a negotiations session taught by Law School professors.

Law School Visits CCIL collaborates with the Law School to offer many relevant experiences for College students. Each year, CCIL brings a group of undergraduates to the Law School, where students sit in on classes, meet current students, and hear from the Law School admissions team. The law librarians offer special legal research training sessions geared toward undergraduates interested in learning more about identifying and finding sources on law.

facilities Students have access to outstanding research facilities. The D’Angelo Law Library at the Law School contains more than 675,000 volumes and serves as a depository for U.S. Supreme Court records and briefs. The University Library has been a federal depository since 1897. The Joseph Regenstein Library’s collections include parliamentary and legislative proceedings and journals, census and statistical information, and worldwide legal materials.

alumni Leaders in Law UChicago has produced some of the most prestigious leaders in the law, including:

David Bernick, AB’74, JD’78, litigator, senior vice president and general counsel of Philip Morris

robert h. Bork, AB’48, JD’53, lawyer, law professor, former U.S. Court of Appeals judge and U.S. Supreme Court nominee

Lawrence M. friedman, AB’48, JD’51, LLM’53, Marion Rice Kirkwood Professor of Law at Stanford University

edward Levi, AB’32, JD’35, former U.S. Attorney General and past UChicago president

emily nicklin, AB’75, JD’77, partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and award-winning trial attorney

Melanie Sloan, AB’87, JD’91, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

John Paul Stevens, AB’41, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice

James zagel, AB’62, AM’62, U.S. District Court judge, presiding over the trial of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich

College-Sponsored experiencesalumni Board of Governors (aBG)

externship Program Each year, the ABG Externship Program gives more than 100 first- and second-year students the opportunity to spend two or three days during spring break shadowing alumni at their places of employment. Past externs have visited such legal-focused organizations as the Brookings Institution, Fong & Associates LLP, Jenner & Block LLP, McGuireWoods LLP, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, the Office of the U.S. Attorney General, and Williams, Montgomery & John Ltd.

Jeff Metcalf fellows Program The Jeff Metcalf Fellows Program provides substantive internships exclusively to UChicago undergraduates. Over 400 internship opportunities are available to students each year in diverse fields, including law, arts and culture, business and consulting, and science and research. Past Metcalf Fellows have interned in such locations as Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington DC, with such employers as Sidley Austin LLP; Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP; and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia.

Summer Links Sponsored by the University Community Service Center, Summer Links is an intensive, 11-week paid internship program that offers 30 positions dedicated to public service, community building, and

social change. It has placed students in substantive internships with more than 150 nonprofit and public sector organizations. These opportunities often are well suited to students pursuing legal careers in the public interest.

Summer action and international

experience Grants Summer Action Grants offer undergraduate students funding to work or intern in the United States, and International Experience Grants provide stipends for students to work or intern abroad. Selected par-ticipants share their experiences with the UChicago community upon their return. Students with these grants have worked at the Coalition for the International Criminal Court and the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender, among other top legal organizations.