What is the International Student Interview Program?
The International Student Interview Program (ISIP) is a job fair for foreign-trained attorneys attending a broad range of law schools nationwide. Over 1600 LL.M. candidates representing 75+ countries will have an opportunity to be considered for internship and permanent positions in the United States and abroad during this interview program.
When will the program be held?
Interviews will take place on Friday, January 24, 2014 on NYU’s Campus.
Which schools participate?
American University-Washington College of Law
Boston University School of Law
Brigham Young University Law School
University of California Berkeley School of Law
University of California Los Angeles School of Law
Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology
University of Connecticut School of Law
Cornell University Law School
Duke University School of Law
The University of Florida College of Law
Fordham University School of Law
Georgetown University Law Center
The George Washington University Law School
The University of Georgia School of Law
The University of Houston Law Center
The University of Illinois College of Law
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
University of Miami School of Law
University of Minnesota School of Law
New York University School of Law
Northwestern University School of Law
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law
University of Pennsylvania Law School
Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law
University of San Diego School of Law
University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
Southern Methodist University School of Law
Temple University School of Law
The University of Texas School of Law
Tulane University Law School
Vanderbilt University Law School
Wake Forest University School of Law
Which students are eligible to participate?
Students currently enrolled in a U.S. graduate (LL.M. or J.S.D.) program from one of the participating law schools (see above), who received their first law degree from another country, are eligible to interview in this program. Participation is limited to one event per degree earned at one of the participating schools. Students currently enrolled in a U.S. J.D. program are not eligible to participate under any circumstances.
J.S.D. students may participate in ISIP. Participation is limited to one ISIP event while a J.S.D. student. Students continuing their studies during the following fall semester will need to make their need for a summer associate/intern position very clear in a required cover letter to be submitted along with their resume to each ISIP employer. Anticipated date of graduation must also be made clear on the resume. J.S.D. students graduating in May 2014 do not need to submit a cover letter with their resume since their availability is the same as that of the LL.M. students.
Which employers participate?
ISIP attracts more than 120 of the top legal firms worldwide and continues to grow each year. Information on participating employers will be available through the online registration system, Symplicity, in October.
How are interview schedules created?
The International Student Interview Program is 100% pre-screened; employers select their candidates after reviewing student resumes. Employers will submit position requirements through the online system. Students will review this information starting October 14, 2013 and submit their resumes for consideration by November 4, 2013. Employers make candidate selections by December 4, 2013, and preliminary interview results are available for students to view online by December 11, 2013. Students will then accept or decline the employers’ invitations by January 3, 2014. Students will review second round openings starting January 7, 2014 and submit their resumes for consideration by January 9, 2014. Final schedules will be released on January 15, 2014.
October 14, 2013 Student bidding period opens 9:00 AM (EST)
November 4, 2013 Student bidding deadline 5:00 PM (EST)
December 11, 2013 Interview invitation results available 12:00 PM (EST)
January 3, 2014 Interview Preselect/Alternate accept or decline deadline 5:00 PM (EST)
January 7, 2014 Second round of bidding opens for students 12:00 PM (EST)
January 9, 2014 Second round of bidding closes for students 11:59 PM (EST)
January 15, 2014 Final schedules released
January 23, 2014 Early student registration opens at 3:00 PM (EST)
January 24, 2014 International Student Interview Program 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (EST)
How many interviews can I request?
There is no limit to the number of interviews students may request from employers provided that the student's background matches the employer's requirements. If a student is selected by more employers than can be scheduled due to time conflicts, a student may not get every interview for which s/he has been selected. Students selected as pre-select or alternate candidates will have the opportunity to accept or decline those interview invitations prior to the system scheduling interviews. One interview schedule can accommodate 18 individual interviews during the course of the day. Each interview is twenty minutes long, with five minute breaks in between to allow students to move between rooms.
How many interviews will I receive?
This depends greatly on the country from which you received your law degree, the need for that background among the participating firms, and the number of employers to whom you submit your resume. There are students who are not selected at all and others who have an abundance of interviews. You are encouraged to work with your career counselor on the best job search strategy for you; ISIP should be just one of your options.
How closely should I follow employer specifications when submitting my resume?
When you log into the bidding tab on the ISIP Symplicity site, you will only be able to see the employers that have requested resumes from your country of law degree. You may view the complete list of participating employers through the Resources Tab on the ISIP Symplicity website.
Please remember that employers have requested students with training in certain countries because of their needs for specific legal skills based on existing business relationships. If you believe your home country or background is "related" to the country requested but not specifically listed, or you have another strong reason to believe your credentials qualify you for a particular position, you may submit a request with your cover letter and resume to your ISIP coordinator in order to have it submitted to the employer for review. Detailed instructions for this process are in the Student Instructions section. One word of caution: students have in the past taken unreasonable latitude in this regard, i.e. a student with a Mexican law degree should not submit a consideration for hire to an employer requesting students from Spain. If a request for Spain is being made, this is rather specific -- if an employer is looking for Spanish-speaking lawyers, it will be indicated in the system. Speak with your career counselor if you are unsure of your eligibility to apply to a particular employer/position.
What should I bring to the interview?
Employers will specify which materials they require, including transcripts, writing samples, and letters of recommendation. You are expected to bring extra copies of your resume to each interview. You may also want to bring foreign law school transcript(s), a typed sheet of your U.S. law school fall and spring courses (and grades when available) if a transcript is not yet available, and an English writing sample. Foreign law firms generally prefer resumes in the home-country format. You do not need to upload these materials to the ISIP Symplicity system, as employers will only receive resumes.
Where will the interviews be held?
All interviews are scheduled for Friday, January 24th and will take place in NYU’s Kimmel Center for Student Life on the corner of Laguardia Place and Washington Square South. Students are responsible for making travel arrangements and securing overnight accommodations.
Are there any inexpensive hotels in the area?
We recommend making reservations as early as possible, noting the cancellation policies.
Rooms to Let
www.abingdonguesthouse.com
83 Horatio Street
212-675-5481
Chelsea Inn
www.chelseainn.com
46 West 17th Street
212-645-8989
Chelsea Savoy
www.chelseasavoynyc.com
204 West 23rd Street
212-929-9353
Comfort Inn Chelsea
http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-new_york-new_york-NY329
18 West 25th Street
212-645-3990
Holiday Inn Soho
www.TheHolidayInnSoho.com
138 Lafayette Street
212-966-8898
Hotel 17
www.hotel17ny.com
225 East 17th Street
212-475-2845
Larchmont Hotel
www.larchmonthotel.com
27 West 11th Street
212-989-9333
Sohotel
http://www.thesohotel.com/
341 Broome Street
212-226-1482
The Gem Hotel
http://www.thegemhotel.com/chelsea/
300 W 22nd Street
212-675-1911
What are some “tips” for approaching this process?
· Be sure to keep in touch with your school’s ISIP coordinator for updates, since additional employers sometimes register after the deadline.
· Do not contact employers or NYU directly. If you need additional information or clarification, ask your school’s ISIP coordinator. The majority of employers do not want to receive calls from students prior to the program, and NYU will refer non-NYU students to their respective school’s ISIP coordinator.
· Be able to clearly explain your visa status and the procedure for employment in your case, how your educational system works (grades, rank, bar exam, etc.), and the courses you are taking. Also, be ready to answer the frequently asked question, “So why did you decide to get an LL.M. degree?”
· Start gathering law school transcripts, writing samples, and references now. Be sure to ask references whether you may use their names.
· Read employer information thoroughly, and prepare intelligent questions based on this information. Do not ask questions which have been covered in the materials provided. Be ready to discuss the reason for your interest in the employer!
Please contact your school's coordinator if you have any questions.
