VLW's Women in Public Service

Join us for an inspiring evening hearing from women attorneys who have chosen to pursue careers in public service.

[coming soon!]

RVSP | Flyer | Panelist Bios

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VLW's Women in Big Law

Join us for an interactive evening learning from women attorneys in several markets who have chosen to pursue careers in Big Law.

[coming soon!]

RVSP Link Coming Soon | Flyer Coming Soon

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VLW's Women in Government

Join Virginia Law Women for an interactive panel with woman attorneys in government.

[coming soon!]

RSVP Link Coming Soon | Flyer Coming Soon

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Virginia Law Women's Professional Opportunities Google Drive

Event flyers coming soon

Virginia Women Attorneys Association 

VWAA offers free membership to law students and lawyers that are admitted to practice for one year or less. The VWAA supports women attorneys throughout the Commonwealth and is a great way to network, earn CLE, and get involved.

Learn more here.

Bob Barker Prize in Animal Law, Ethics and Rights Student Writing Competition

Papers should provide an in-depth analysis of a current issue relevant to animal law, rights and/or ethics. Examples of suitable topics include animal cruelty law, animal agricultural regulation, endangered species, trust law for animals, or philosophical or religious underpinnings of animal rights or welfare. We welcome the submission of papers prepared for course work, but entrants must pay attention to competition details and edit such papers accordingly. 

 1ST PLACE — $2,500 

The writing competition is designed to encourage students interested in all or any of the areas of animal law, rights and ethics to engage in scholarly endeavors involving those subject matters.

 Who Is Eligible

Entrants must be currently enrolled, or have received their degree in 2019-20, in a graduate degree program at any of the University of Virginia schools. Selected undergraduates may enter with faculty recommendation.

Direct questions to: animallaw@virginia.edu

• Staying Dry: Interviews? Don’t *sweat* it…but if we are honest, interviews are stress-inducing and Virginia is friggin’ hot in the summer, which means the conditions are ripe to become…ripe. Check out the following tip from a VLW member: 

  • "Sweat block pretty much eliminated any underarm wetness during interviews and receptions. It's like a super antiperspirant. I was able to take my suit jacket off during down time without having to worry about awkward stains. Also cut down on dry cleaning! I don't recommend for those with sensitive skin, but it really helped me.” 

  • Looking for something gentler with a similar effect? Check out Secret Clinical Strength. 

• After Getting Your Interview Schedule: Once you get your final interview schedule back, begin researching the firms with which you’ll be interviewing (especially because your time is so limited during the week—start early!). Create a one pager with information about the firm, your interviewers, the practice groups of interest to you, and information about the specific office with which you are interviewing. Leave room at the bottom to quickly write your impressions of your interviewers and the firm at the end of your interview. Pro tip: always write down what you talked about with the interviewers in case you want to reference it in a thank you note, a reception, or a callback. It’ll help keep the interviews straight in your mind, and the firms will how genuinely interested you are! 

• Reimbursements: As you prep for callbacks, get used to holding onto recipients in a save location. You’ll need them for reimbursement purposes. Keep digital receipts (i.e. Uber rides) in a folder on your email, and put physical ones in an envelope in your luggage for easy access. Note that your reimbursements won’t come until well into the fall, so don’t put yourself down and out during callbacks! Here’s a link to a fillable Travel Expense Reimbursement form. Save this now—you’ll be glad you did! 

• Multiple Markets: Are you planning on interviewing in multiple markets during OGI? Consider picking up an extra padfolio to keep resumes with different geographical ties separate. That way, if an interviewer asks for your resume, you won’t be in danger of giving the person from California a resume that screams New York. 

• New Markets: Hoping to land a job in a place where you don’t have ties? Start scoping out the local news to see what people in the area are talking about! Subscribe to the local news on Twitter, or even browse through a local newspaper’s headlines online prior to phone calls or interviews. It’ll show you have a true interest (and knowledge!) of the area. 

• Clothing: Interview clothes can be really expensive, but there are some great deals out there. Rising 3L Alicia Penn reached out to recommend the "Anne Klein Executive” line at Macy’s. They’ve got two and three piece gray and black suits for reasonable prices. Macy’s also has a good assortment of white shells, and as we’ve mentioned before, those can be notoriously difficult to find. 

  • We also got a strong endorsement from a member for Calvin Klein suit separates (also at Macy’s) as well as Ann Taylor. They’re particularly nice for those who don't want to pay for tailoring, but whose tops and bottoms aren’t the same size (*raises hand*). 

• Comfortable shoes are key. If you like heels (Note: You do not have to wear heels) and are looking for some you can wear through a long day of interviewing, check out this Buzzfeed for ideas (KB NOTE: Some of these should not be worn for OGI...unless you are trying to give K-Don a heart palpitations…) or Rockport heels (especially the Seven to 7 line). 

• Staying Connected: OGI days are long. You might have a full day of interviews and then multiple receptions/dinners to attend in the evening. Get a portable phone charger to keep your phone alive. Between sending emails, scheduling callbacks, Ubering around the city of Charlottesville, and checking in with your friends/family eager to hear about your experience, you’ll be grateful for a full battery. 

• The Right Signature: If you haven’t already changed your email signature on your phone to something more professional than “Sent from My iPhone,” consider doing so now! 

• Getting Through OGI

  • 1. Keep Your Energy Up - Grab some apples, granola bars, or other easy, high-energy snack foods to throw in your bag to help sustain you through a long day of interviews. There will be food at various hospitality suites, but Panera brownies do not qualify as lunch (...yes, that is personal experience talking). You may spend so much time talking that time to eat will be scarce—plan accordingly, and have snacks at the ready. 

  • 2. Block Out the Noise - Markets move at very different paces. Like finals, OGI is a time when you might need to be more discerning about which friends/conversations will build you up or stress you out. Keep up your confidence. Tell your friends if you’d prefer not to talk about the week, and listen when others ask you to avoid certain topics. You can still support and encourage each other without getting into details. 

  • 3. Be Mindful - No doubt in my mind that you all will rock OGI. But be mindful of where you are when you schedule callbacks, and who you are with when you discuss your interview schedule. Think about the times growing up when you heard your friends talking about a birthday party you weren’t invited to. Remember that disappointment? Level that up a little…and don’t be the person that makes another feel small. Step outside, find a quiet place, and celebrate your success away from your classmates. 

  • 4. Be Kind - Never say anything negative about a classmate, firm, section, professor, etc. to ANY lawyer, recruiter, etc. People talk. Saying negative comments about someone/something reflects more poorly on you than them. Instead of saying "I hate DC and that’s why I want to live in Richmond," discuss why Richmond is better. Instead of saying “X is such a debbie downer and gunner, I hate her", say "yes, I know X, she is a hard worker.” Talk up your friends (and yourself, this is the time for self-promotion!) and save the hot takes for another time. 

  • 5. Be Present - Go to the receptions. You might think that receptions are a formality that don’t really matter. Nope. Go. They can often serve as decision makers for callbacks and can get you interviews that otherwise might not have happened. Same for hospitality suites—if you didn’t get on their schedule and you want to interview with them, go, say why, and ask. They can often make it happen.  

  • 6. Be Prepared - If you are flying for interviews, have your frequent flier number and/or TSA Pre-Check number on hand when making your travel arrangements. It makes booking far easier, and the travel agents will appreciate your preparation. If you are heading back to a market and you haven’t heard from a firm in that area, let them know you are coming and offer to answer any additional questions they have—you may end up with additional callbacks that way. 

  • 7. Be Organized - Write down your impressions about the firm after every interview/callback. Quickly jot down what you talked about with the interviewers, and anything else that really stood out to you. The interviews will all blur together (especially on days when you have 8-10 screeners), and you’ll want to capture how you felt, who you met, and why you cared. 

  • 8. Be Responsive - Keep your phone charged, and be ready to use your off time to respond to emails and phone calls. Resist the temptation to retreat from the world—I know it’s hard, but power through your inbox at the end of every night and treat yourself after. Your future self will thank you. 

  • 9. Vent  - RELY ON YOUR TEAM. Call your PAs, your parents, your friends, your significant others…do it. Use your support system. OGI can really bring the insecurities out to play. Call someone outside of it for a breath of fresh air. Firms are different and markets are different. Don’t let hearing or not hearing freak you out. 

  • 10. Power Pose - Don’t believe me? Watch this TED talk—power posing WORKS, and it will prepare your mind and body to go in and rock your interviews. Need a confidence boost? This is how you should feel about yourself (Warning: profanity). 

The spreadsheet below is only available to VLW members. If you are a member with access, please click "Open a New Tab" in the upper right-hand corner below. If you believe you should have access, please contact a VLW board member.