HOUSTON BAR ASSOCIATION
Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee
2014
1L MINORITY SUMMER CLERKSHIP
AND
MENTORING PROGRAM
Application Information
2014
HOUSTON BAR ASSOCIATION
MINORITY OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION COMMITTEE
1L MINORITY SUMMER CLERKSHIP AND MENTORING PROGRAM
Dear First Year Minority Law Students:
For over 23 years, Houston law firms, corporations, and courts have supported the
HBA’s Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee (“MOILP Committee”),
with the goal of creating new employment and mentoring opportunities for first-year
minority law students in the Houston area. This initiative is an important part of the HBA’s
mission to serve the needs of the legal community through a vibrant and inclusive local
bar. To reach these objectives, the HBA believes it is essential to foster the development
of ethnic minority law students before they embark on their legal careers.
As you may be aware, most law firms and companies hire only second-year law
students for summer clerkships. The HBA believes that there is a need to extend
employment and mentoring opportunities even further, to include racial/ethnic minority
first-year law students. We are pleased that many Houston area businesses, government
agencies, non-profits, judges, and law firms support this important mission. Towards that
goal, local legal employers and the HBA Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession
Committee are partnering to provide 1L clerkship opportunities through the 2014 HBA 1L
Minority Summer Clerkship and Mentoring Program (the “Program”).
Last year, fifty-six (56) first-year law students from the three Houston area law
schools were hired through the Program by 31 law firms, corporate legal departments,
non-profit and governmental entities, and Judges. While there is no obligation for an
employer to invite a 1L clerk to return, several students were asked to return after their
second year of law school. Further, several students have gone on to accept permanent
positions with private employers they first met through the Program.
To be considered for this Program, you must fully comply with the Application
Guidelines and submit your application through Symplicity no later than 5:00 p.m. on
Monday, January 27, 2014.
Our Program goal is to facilitate the process of creating as many new employment
and mentoring opportunities as possible for Houston area minority first-year law students.
For further information, please contact your law school career services office or Tara
Shockley at the Houston Bar Association at (713) 759-1133.
Sincerely,
MOILP COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS
John Spiller
Lavonne Hopkins
Yvonne Ho
2
2014 HOUSTON BAR ASSOCIATION
MINORITY OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION (“MOILP”) COMMITTEE
1L MINORITY SUMMER CLERKSHIP AND MENTORING PROGRAM
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Step 1:
COMPLETE THE EMPLOYER PREFERENCE FORM:
1. You may select up to five (5) employers.
Step 2:
PREPARE A SEPARATE APPLICATION FOR EACH EMPLOYER
In addition to the five employers selected, you must also submit a generic
application addressed to the HBA MOILP Committee. Your application may be
forwarded to additional employers at the discretion of the MOILP Committee.
EACH APPLICATION SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
1. COVER LETTER
2. RESUME (including, at a minimum, the following information):
●
Personal Information
Current mailing address, phone number(s), email address.
●
Education – Undergraduate, Graduate and Law Schools
Name of schools, degree(s) received, date(s) of graduation and GPA (Inclusion of
law school GPA is mandatory).
●
Work Experience
Name of employer(s), dates of employment, and position(s) held.
●
Extracurricular Activities, Community Service and/or Awards Received
3. PERSONAL STATEMENT
Provide a personal statement. The personal statement may include the applicant’s unique
individual qualifications, interests, aspirations for the study of law, or reasons for wanting to
participate in the Program. The personal statement should be no more than two (2) pages.
4. ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY
EMPLOYERS
Step 3:
SUBMIT THE COMPLETED APPLICATION AND EMPLOYER PREFERENCE
FORM THROUGH SYMPLICITY BY 5:00 p.m. on Monday, JANUARY 27,
2014. Failure to submit a complete application or to return the completed
employer preference form may result in rejection of a student’s
submission.
Step 4:
IF SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, STUDENTS MUST
AGREE TO COMPLY WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ATTENDING THE SPRING
ORIENTATION AND WRITING/PROFESSIONALISM PROGRAM AND
3
COMPLETING AN EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM AT THE END OF THE
SUMMER.
4
2014
APPLICATION CALENDAR
Wednesday, January 22, 2014, 6:00
p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Resume/ Interviewing Skills Workshop &
Networking Reception
All applicants must attend the Resume/Interview
Workshop on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 from
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at:
Two Allen Center
Conference Center
1200 Smith Street
Houston, Texas 77002
Students must RSVP by January 20, 2014 to Tara
Shockley at taras@hba.org or 713-759-1133.
Monday, January 27, 2014, no later
than 5:00 p.m.
Student Application Submission Deadline
All student applications must be submitted to the
MOILP Committee by this date. The HBA MOILP
Committee will review and forward the completed
application(s) to the employers selected by the
students.
The employers will select the students they wish to
interview. Employers will contact students directly to
schedule interviews at their offices.
March 7, 2014
Deadline for Employers to Complete Interviews
The length of clerkship, work performed, and salary,
if applicable, is determined by each employer.
March 14, 2014
Deadline for Employers to Extend Offers.
March 21, 2014
Offer Acceptance Deadline
By this date, students must inform the HBA and their
law school career services office about whether they
have accepted an offer. STUDENTS MAY ONLY
ACCEPT ONE (1) OFFER THROUGH THE MOILP
PROGRAM.
Summer 2014
1L Minority Clerkships Begins
5
2014
HOUSTON BAR ASSOCIATION
MINORITY OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION (“MOILP”) COMMITTEE
1L MINORITY SUMMER CLERKSHIP AND MENTORING PROGRAM
EMPLOYER PREFERENCE FORM
Student _________________________________ Law School
Select the employers with whom you wish to interview. YOU MAY SELECT NO
MORE THAN FIVE (5) TOTAL EMPLOYERS FROM THE LIST.

The employers are not considered to be listed in rank order. The employers
will not see this Preference Form.

A student may accept an offer for employment with only one (1) participating
employer.
LIST OF PARTICIPATING EMPLOYERS*
Select up to 5 employers by placing an “x” next to the employer’s name.
FIRMS
Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend
Andrews Kurth LLP
Baker Botts L.L.P.
Bracewell & Giuiliani LLP
Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry
Cozen O’Connor
Haynes and Boone, LLP
Jackson Walker L.L.P.
Law Offices of Anuj Arun Shah, P.C.
Law Offices of Seth Kretzer
Liskow & Lewis
Locke Lord LLP
Monty & Ramirez LLP
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Norton Rose Fulbright
Porter Hedges LLP
6
Reed Smith LLP
Rosas, Oweyssi & Suerken, LLP
Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan LLP
Vinson & Elkins LLP
COMPANIES
Hewlett Packard
Shell Oil Co.
NON-PROFIT/GOVERNMENT
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
City of Houston Legal Department, City Attorney's Office
Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Office of Chief Counsel
Harris County Attorney's Office
Harris County District Attorney's Office
University of Houston, Office of the General Counsel
JUDGES
Hon. Caroline Baker – 295th Civil District Court
Hon. Al Bennett – 61st Civil District Court
Hon. Kyle Carter – 125th Civil District Court
Hon. Sheri Dean – 309th Family District Court
Hon. Michael Gomez – 129th Civil District Court
Hon. Michael Landrum – 113th Civil District Court
Hon. Renee Magee – 337th Criminal District Court
Hon. Jaclanel McFarland – 133rd Civil District Court
Hon. David Mendoza – 178th Criminal District Court
Hon. Elaine Palmer – 215th Civil District Court
Hon. Elizabeth Ray – 165th Civil District Court
Hon. R.K. Sandill – 127th Civil District Court
Hon. Alexandra Smoots-Hogan – 164th Civil District Court
Hon. Wesley Ward – 234th Civil District Court
Hon. Larry Weiman – 80th Civil District Court
7
*Additional employers may be added by Friday, January 24, 2014.
By signing this form I hereby attest that I am a member of an underrepresented
racial/ethnic minority and further agree to comply with the requirements of the
program.
Signature
Date
PLEASE BRING THE SIGNED FORM TO THE CAREER SERVICES OFFICE ON OR
BEFORE JANUARY 27, 2014.
8