University of Houston Law Center students filled the Commons for the Career Development Office’s networking event on Jan. 31.
Feb. 7, 2020 - Through a series of career panels and networking opportunities, University of Houston Law Center students and recent alumni interacted with legal professionals and explored job options during the Career Development Office’s Public Interest Career Week.
The festivities concluded last Friday with the Government & Public Interest Table Talk in the Commons.
“The CDO’s Public Interest Career Week provides opportunities for UHLC students to learn more about legal practice in public interest and government agencies,” said Tiffany Tucker, Assistant Dean for the Career Development Office.
“It allows students to gain in-depth knowledge about how their lawyering skills can be applied to serve the community. These events are designed to instill in our students and recent graduates an excitement about and a commitment to public service in the legal profession.”
“Students who participate in the CDO’s Public Interest Career Week have a chance to see the wide variety of practice areas and environments available to attorneys in government and non-profit positions,” added Bill Powers, Director of Internship & Externship Programs. “Whether it’s through hearing about other attorneys’ career paths during a panel discussion, or exploring their own career paths during the Government & Public Interest Table Talk.”
The first two panels on Jan. 28, featured attorneys who described the advantages and disadvantages of practicing in government or non-profit organizations.
Panelists included Bettina Nadler ‘08 of the Internal Revenue Office, Cecilia Alvarez ‘17 of the UH Office of General Counsel, Elizabeth Karpati ‘90 of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Dustin Rynders ‘06 of Disability Rights Texas and Tariq Gladney from Lone Star Legal Aid.
Speakers discussed the amount of hours they logged, work-life balance and their career path.
“It’s really about finding your fit,” said Rynders, a supervising attorney at Disability Rights Texas. “It’s not about good or bad. What is ‘bad’ at a job for one person is a plus for another.”
The second panel, held in the Hendricks Heritage Room, featured Elizabeth Karpati ‘90 of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Lucia Romano ‘01 of Disability Rights Texas, Christina Sullivan of the Internal Revenue Service and Wesley Wittig of the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s.
On Jan. 29, Law Center students heard from Gigi Joyner, a recruiter with the FBI, who shared information about careers with the agency.
