Small & Midsize Firm Open House

The Small & Midsize Firm Open House (Open House) invites employers at law firms with 50 or fewer attorneys to speak to University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) students and recent graduates about their practice, area of law, and any available law clerk, summer associate, or attorney positions. Culminating after a series of career panels discussing the advantages and challenges of small, midsize, and growing firms, the Open House typically occurs in a common area, where employers can share information about their organization and employment opportunities.  For the 2020-2021 academic year, the Open Houses will take place virtually.

This event provides employers the opportunity to meet informally with students and recent graduates, collect resumes for upcoming positions, and network by introducing their organization to a large number of potential candidates and fellow members of the bar (firm literature and hand-outs are welcomed when the event is held in-person). Additionally, the event is an opportunity to expose UHLC students to the varied opportunities available in the small and midsized firm arena.

UHLC hosts two Open Houses per academic year to provide students and employers greater access to each other. Whether your practice can use the assistance of a law clerk, summer associate, or new attorney or if you would like to network with law students and recent graduates to expose them to your practice, please mark your calendars for the 2020-2021 Small & Midsize Firm Open Houses:

• Fall Open House: Friday, October 23, 2020; and
• Spring Open House: Friday, February 19, 2021.

Who can participate in a Small & Midsize Firm Open House?

The Fall Open House is open to current UHLC 2L, 3L, and LL.M. students as well as recent J.D. and LL.M. graduates.

The Spring Open House is open to participation from all current UHLC students and 2020 graduates.
Participants in both Open House sessions are interested in learning more about various practice areas, networking with local attorneys, and, where opportunities are available, securing a permanent attorney position or establishing a placement for the fall, spring, or summer.

Law firms specify their networking or available employment opportunities on their completed employer registration form.

When is the next Small & Midsize Firm Open House?

Below are the pertinent details for  the next Open House:

• What: Spring Small & Midsize Firm Open House
• When: Friday, February 19, 2021 (Register by February 10, 2021)
• Time: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Where: Virtual
• Cost: FREE!
• Format: Students/graduates attend the Open House dressed in business attire. Employer representatives are placed at virtual tables designated by the firm’s name and students/graduates move among the virtual tables speaking with the representatives about their firms and practice areas.
  
  The Symplicity Virtual Career Fair (VCF) gives employers the option to meet with students 1-on-1, in a group chat setting, or both. If you are looking to have more in-depth conversations with students, then conducting 1-on-1 chats with students would be the best option. If you would like to conduct 1-on-1 student chat meetings, on the registration form please provide the name, email address, and virtual meeting link for each representative who will individually speak to students.
  
  If you would like to meet students in a group setting (for example, if you are providing general information about your organization and do not mind if students come in and out of the session), then you will want to utilize the group chat function in the system. Please place the virtual meeting link where you will be conducting the group meeting in the “Group Chat” section of the registration form.
  
  Finally, you are welcome to conduct both 1-on-1 individual chats as well as group chats if you will have more than one representative attending the virtual reception. One representative could conduct 1-on-1 student chats and another representative could be in charge of conducting group chats.
  
  Employers may view a quick tour of the virtual reception platform: vimeo.com/446650071/5c4d65c59e.

After the Open House, employers can follow up with students/graduates in any way that they see fit—from simply informing a student/graduate that they were impressed with their credentials and will keep their resume on file if a need in their office ever arises to offering a student/graduate a formal interview or offer for a current or upcoming position.

How do I register for the Small & Midsize Firm Open House?

If your law firm would like to join us for the Spring Small & Midsize Firm Open House, please submit your employer registration by February 10, 2021 following the instructions below.

For new employers:

1. Go to the UHLC Symplicity site and select the “Sign up” button on the right-hand side.
2. Complete the requested information and you will receive an email with your password as soon as your registration has been processed.
3. Once your registration is confirmed, you will receive an email with a link to set your password.
4. Follow the instructions below for submitting your registration for the career fair.

For returning employers or employers who have posted jobs with UHLC before:

1. Log in to the UHLC Symplicity site. Reminder: Your user name is your complete email address.
2. Select “Events” from the toolbar at the left-hand side of the screen.
3. Select the “Career Fairs.”
4. Click the “Sign Up” button next to“2021 Spring Small & Midsize Firm Open House (Spring Open House)”.
5. Complete the form and submit it.
6. You will receive a confirmation email from our office after submitting the form.

If you have any questions, please contact Chandria T. Jackson at 713-743-7535 or ctjacks5@central.uh.edu.S