A message from Career Services

[CSO]

Dear Law Students,

In these unprecedented times, your well-being is our highest priority. We understand that the status of your current work, summer placement and graduate jobs is on your mind right now and that we are in a period of uncertainty. The Career Services Office is here for you and can help you navigate the rapidly-changing COVID-19 situation as it affects your career path.

I am writing to reassure you that we are committed to providing you a continuity of career counseling, coaching and job search services, as well as new programs designed to adapt to a socially-distant approach to interviewing and working.


1. We are open:
The CSO counselors, Lisa Patterson, Marc Davies and Lisa Bauer are available for individual counseling! All of us are working remotely during regular business hours and our office phones are forwarded to our cell phones. Please utilize LOCK (https://law-buffalo.12twenty.com/Login) to make appointments as usual. We will use zoom or a phone call to conduct the meeting. If you have an emergency, need to make an appointment on less than 24 hours notice, or cannot find an available time in LOCK, please call our office directly at 716-645-2056 or email the counselor you would like to meet with.
2. Application/Interview prep:
The CSO staff are still available for resume/cover letter review and interview prep via zoom. We can also help you prep for a video or phone interview if you have not had one before. To take advantage of these services please make an appointment on LOCK or contact an individual career counselor by email or phone.

3. Resources:
As always, check the LOCK Resource Library for interview prep materials. We have added additional resources for video interviewing. Stay tuned for future online resources.

4. Check in, share information:
It’s essential that everyone reports their job search status on LOCK, whether you have a job offer in hand or not. As information and guidance becomes available relating to hiring, we will need clarity on how many of our students need placements and how many are working in various sectors and settings. If you are receiving communication from your employer, please share that information with the CSO at law-careers@buffalo.edu.

5. Try to be patient:
At this time, employers are reacting as fast as they can to rapidly-changing work scenarios, including staffing. The hard truth is that intern/new attorney hiring is probably not highest on their list of priorities. However, we are still seeing some hiring activity and can also help you develop your own strategy for reaching out to potential placements.

If you have accepted a job offer and have not heard an update from your employer, they are likely working on a message to you. If you want help crafting a professional inquiry, please reach out to the CSO.

If you were working for an organization this semester and work has stalled please remember that it is an ethical duty of supervising attorneys to direct, manage and review your work and if they cannot do so remotely they must put all your work on hold right now. It is not about you at all, but insures their compliance with ethical canons and protects the employer from malpractice liability.

6. Reach out to your mentor:
All the 1L mentors will soon be asked to reach out to their mentees. This is also a great time for all students to reach out to their mentors and contacts in the legal community for support and advice.

7. Please take care of yourself and your family:
We understand that these changes can be overwhelming. Please reach out to members of the law school staff and faculty for support. In addition, there are excellent counseling resources available through UB. https://www.buffalo.edu/studentlife/who ... id-19.html

UB Law has always been and will continue to be a close and caring community. We are all in this together and will come through it together. Be safe, care for each other, and keep in touch.

Your Career Services Team,

Lisa Patterson, lpatter@buffalo.edu, 716-645-6262
Marc Davies, mrdavies@buffalo.edu, 716-645-3707
Lisa Bauer, lisabaue@buffalo.edu, 716-645-7881
Arlene Rizzo, law-careers@buffalo.edu, 716-645-2056