More than 300 students graduated from The John Marshall Law School in May, and though their résumés boast a fresh JD, LLM or MS, some employers are looking for real-world experience that could make the applicant a stand-out.
John Marshall’s Career Services Office (CSO) connects its students to externships while they attend law school, but fellowships remain an untapped resource for its graduates. In May, the CSO placed approximately 20 graduates in fellowships lasting up to six months, with government agencies or nonprofits.
Fellows serve as attorneys and practice law with the agency on a specific project—a venture that speaks fluently to employers.
According to Laurel Hajek, assistant dean for Career Services, the agencies tend to hire new graduates who have shown prior experience and interest in what a specific agency does.
“For example, if a state’s attorney’s office (SAO) is hiring, they tend to look for a new graduate who has already worked in a SAO, or who has ties to that county,” Hajek said. Other agencies look for new graduates who have a passion for assisting their clients.
The Career Services Office is in contact with many public interest organizations that offer fellowships for graduating students, such as the Illinois Department of Human Rights, Cook County State’s Attorney, Department of Children and Family Services and Illinois Guardianship & Advocacy Commission. Students were placed in government agencies, as well as a few non-profit organizations, including Illinois Legal Aid Online, where graduates provide research and community outreach.
Claudia Fantauzzo (JD ’10), started her fellowship with the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office in November 2010. Having also worked on and off as a law clerk for the office, Fantauzzo was offered a position in March as an assistant state’s attorney in the Misdemeanor Division.
As a fellow at the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, Fantauzzo helped prepare a high profile murder case for trial and worked closely with many of the veteran assistant state’s attorneys in the Felony Division and with law enforcement officers. She drafted pretrial motions, interviewed witnesses, gathered evidence and played a part in almost every step of the trial process.
“Being able to participate in the fellowship program was an invaluable experience because it allowed me to work on cases that I would not have otherwise been exposed to,” Fantauzzo said. She advises prospective fellows to have a commitment to public interest work, a desire to gain litigation experience and an interest in the criminal justice system.
“The relationships I formed and the knowledge I gained during this fellowship played an important role in launching my career,” Fantauzzo said.
Hajek encourages students to keep an open mind when looking at fellowships.
“The graduates who have been placed in the fellowships have found them to be very rewarding,” Hajek said.
Vince Coyle (JD ’10) had an experience similar to Fantauzzo’s. Through his fellowship with the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office, Coyle was able to prove his abilities and demonstrate his work ethic.
“After three months of the fellowship the office offered me a full-time position,” Coyle said. “I am currently working in the Domestic Violence Unit in Kane County and have already participated in nearly 10 trials in my first six months.”