Administrative Announcements March 7 - March 14, 2016

Administrative Announcements March 7 - March 14, 2016

Externship Programs 

Summer 2016 Externship Applications are due by Tuesday, April 19, 2016f. Updated Summer 2016 Externship Applications are available online and in the Externship Programs Office (KN 235). Questions, please call 415-422-4467 or email akgreen@usfca.edu.

Financial Aid Office

  • Fall 2016-17 Financial Aid
  • Summer 2016 Financial Aid and Intent to Enroll Form
  • Bar Loans for Graduating Students
  • Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines

    • Fall 2016-17 Financial Aid

    The Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA, for the Fall 2016 & Spring 2017 academic year is now available online.  All students who wish to receive financial aid for the 2016-17 academic year are required to complete the new FAFSA.  The FAFSA should be completed as soon as possible but no later than March 1, 2016 in order to receive the maximum financial aid consideration for 2016-17 (this date is especially important for those continuing students who wish to be considered for the Federal Work Study award). You can access the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Our Title IV code is 001325 and must be included in your FAFSA application.

    Financial aid awards for the 2016-17 academic year will be made be made available to continuing law students by early April 2016 as long as the 2016-17 FAFSA is completed and USF receives your FAFSA information by mid-March 2016.  You will be sent an email notification at that time by the University One Stop Financial Aid Office at that time indicating that you can review your financial aid award online via your myUSF online student portal.

    The University Financial Aid Office will begin downloading 2016-17 FAFSA information for all USF students in early March.  If you recently completed a 2016-17 FAFSA, we will not be able to verify receipt of your 2016-17 FAFSA until that time.

    Please note that all students including those who are currently receiving financial aid must complete an updated FAFSA every year in order to be considered for financial aid.  In addition, those students who wish to be considered for the Graduate PLUS loan program for the Fall 2016 & Spring 2017 academic year, must also complete a new PLUS loan application for each academic year.  Graduate PLUS loan applications for the 2016-17 academic year are available online at www.studentloans.gov.  Students can begin applying for a PLUS Loan only AFTER you have completed a FAFSA and have been offered the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and have “accepted” the Unsubsidized Loan online via your myUSF student portal. 

    Bar Loans for Graduating Law Students

    Graduating students needing financial assistance for living expense during the bar preparation period this summer may be eligible to apply for a credit-based private loan. These private loans are based on credit-worthiness and are subject to lender discretion. Information on bar loans and lenders who have been used by previous law school graduates is available on our financial aid web site at: https://www.usfca.edu/law/admissions/tuition-aid/jd/types-of-aid/loan-programs 

    Please note that all bar loans require the Law School Financial Aid Office to certify your loan. Be sure to contact Rosanna Woods, the Assistant Director of Law Financial Aid, at rlwoods@usfca.edu, once you have applied online and have been approved for a bar loan.  In addition, bar loan funds are disbursed directly to the student and not to the University.

    Summer 2016 Financial Aid and Intent to Enroll Form

    If you are interested in receiving financial aid for any USF School of Law Summer 2016 program (IAP, Regular Summer Session, Summer Externships for unit credit including local and International Summer Externships Abroad), you must complete and submit aSummer 2016 Intent to Enroll (ITE) form to the Law Financial Aid Office.  You must be registered in a minimum of 3 Summer units in order to be eligible for any federal Summer financial aid.

    Information on Summer financial aid as well as a Summer 2016 ITE form can be obtained online at: 

    https://www.usfca.edu/law/admissions/tuition-aid/jd/types-of-aid/summer 

    In addition to submitting the Summer 2016 ITE Form, once you are registered for summer, you will need to complete a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS application online at www.studentloans.gov.

    The priority deadline to submit the Summer 2016 ITE form is April 1, 2016.

    IMPORTANT: Summer 2016 ITE forms and online Summer Graduate PLUS Loan applications submitted AFTER the April 1 priority application deadline will be processed on a first-come, first-serve basis.  If forms are received after the priority deadline, we cannot guarantee that summer loan processing will be complete by the May 1 summer tuition payment  deadline.  Therefore, it is imperative that you submit your Summer 2016 ITE form and Graduate PLUS loan application by the priority deadline noted above. 

    Processing of any Summer 2016 ITE form/financial aid will not begin until AFTER you have registered for Summer classes. Summer registration is tentatively scheduled to begin at the end of March.  More detailed summer registration information will be available on the Law Registrar web site at: http://myusf.usfca.edu/law/registration

    Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines

    Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship

    Applicants for the Jones Johnson Scholarship must be a member of the NAACP and under 25 years of age. Awards are based on GPA and academic achievement.

    Award Amount: Up to $2,000
    Deadline: March 2016

    http://www.poisefoundation.org/programs/scholarships.html

    California Bar Diversity Scholarship

    The California Bar Foundation's Diversity Scholarship financially supports first-year California law students with the goal of furthering diversity in the legal profession.  Diversity includes a broad array of backgrounds and life experiences, including students from groups or with skills or attributes that are underrepresented in the legal profession, and specifically including students from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

    Award Amount: $7,500
    Deadline: Apps Available March  20, 2016

    http://www.calbarfoundation.org/1l-diversity-scholarship.html

    Chicana / Latina Foundation Scholarship Program

    Each year the Chicana Latina Foundation awards merit-based scholarships to Latina college students, valued at $1,500 dollars each. This year we are delighted to offer 31 scholarships.

    Award Amount: $1,500
    Deadline: March 31, 2016

    http://www.chicanalatina.org/scholarship.html

    Farella Braun + Martel 1L Diversity Scholarship

     Applicants must be current first-year, full or part-time (attending first-year classes) law students who are students of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, disabled, or whose background or experience would otherwise contribute to the diversity of the legal profession.

    Award Amount: $10,000
    Deadline: March 7, 2016

    http://www.fbm.com/Diversity_Scholarship_Program/

    La Raza Lawyers Association-Central Valley Chapter/Hon. Mario Olmos Memorial Scholarship

    Applicants must be presently enrolled in the first, second, third or fourth year of legal study. Application materials can be picked up in the Law Financial Aid Office. 

    Award Amount: $1,000 to $3,000
    Deadline: March 4, 2016

    http://larazalaw.com/events/banquet.html

    LULAC National Scholarship Fund

    The LULAC National Scholarship Fund was established to provide scholarships to qualified Hispanic students attending accredited colleges, universities, and graduate schools in the United States.

    Award Amount: $250 to $2,000
    Deadline: March 31 of each year

    http://www.lnesc.org/site/338/Scholarships/LULAC-National-Scholarship-Fund  

    If you have any questions related to financial aid, please feel free to contact the Law Financial Aid Office at 415.422.6210 or email lawfinaid@usfca.edu

    Intensive Advocacy Program

    Now accepting applications for the Intensive Advocacy Program ("IAP") for May 23-June 5. Applications and information available in Kendrick 300 or online at https://www.usfca.edu/law/professional-skills/intensive-advocacy-program. Applications due April 6. See Andrea Crawford in Kendrick 300 with questions, call 415-422-2673 or email USFLawIAP@usfca.edu.

    Office of the Registrar

    ADMISSION & BAR EXAM REQUIREMENTS FOR CALIFORNIA

    Our educational requirements are designed to qualify graduates to take the California bar exam.  There are additional requirements for bar admission, including character and fitness standards.  General information about eligibility to become a member of the California Bar is available on our website at California Bar Exam and Admission Requirements.  Detailed information about California’s determination of moral character is available on the California Bar website athttp://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/MoralCharacter.aspx.  To assist students in planning and meeting deadlines, we have developed a California Bar Checklist.

    ADMISSION & BAR EXM REQUIREMENTS FOR JURISDICTIONS OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA

    Every jurisdiction has its own admission and bar exam requirements.  Students who intend to practice law or take the bar exam outside of California should consult the regulations for that jurisdiction in advance.  Eligibility may include requirements which must be met during law school.  There are also character, fitness and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. First year students should review the all the bar exam and admission requisites for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek bar admission. Contact information for all of the relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

    Office of Student Affairs

    Pro Bono Opportunities of the Month!

    Volunteer with OneJustice - Spanish Interpreters Needed for Immigration Clinic in Half Moon Bay

    OneJustice is currently seeking Spanish language interpreters for an immigration clinic in Half Moon Bay. No experience necessary and transportation may be available.

    When: March 17, 2016

    Where: Main Street Apartments 1101 Main Street Half Moon Bay, CA Time: 4 PM to 7 PM

    Community Partners: Coastside Hope and Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto

    Duties: You will assist with form filling and interpreting

    For sign up instructions please email sandrahernandez@one-justice.org with your :

    1. Law School

    2. Graduation Year

    Volunteer with the DA's Office

    The San Francisco District Attorney is looking to find students willing to devote 8­10 hours per week reviewing police reports involving 14 San Francisco police offers who sent racist emails or tweets. This is a short term volunteer project to be completed by the end of the semester.

    Information on the mandate of the task force for which students will be providing the reports and analysis can be found here:

    http://sfdistrictattorney.org/district­attorney­expands­taskforce­investigating-officer­misconduct

    Reviewing and filling out a matrix takes approximately 30 minutes per report.

    Students will be provided 2 hours training on Fourth Amendment issues by District Attorney staff here at the law school and can do the work here. Students will be provided access to a Sharepoint site but the work can’t be done on laptops.

    Contact Megan Watt at mwatt@usfca.edu by March 11 to sign up!

    PILF 2016 Summer Grant Application

    The Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) is a student-run organization that supports USF law students working in unpaid summer internships in the public interest/public sector and provides support to help them pursue careers in the public interest/public sector upon graduation. 

    PILF is made up of USF law students, alumni, faculty, and friends devoted to public interest advocacy. PILF promotes its goals by sponsoring public interest and community service events to educate students about the rewarding career possibilities in public interest law. PILF’s annual fundraising efforts directly support summer grants for law students with a demonstrated commitment to public interest who work in unpaid, full-time summer positions at local, national, and international public interest/public sector agencies, organizations, and firms.

    The 2016 USF PILF Summer Grant Application is available online or in the Deans' Office, the Office of Career Planning, and the PILF Student Office. 

    Contact Megan Watt at mwatt@usfca.edu fwith any questions. 

    LLM in Tax

    Deloitte Info Sessions

    Meet USF alum Brian Keegan and hear about what it's like to work as an attorney at one of the biggest accounting firms in the world! Learn about job opportunities for students and new graduates and how to position yourself for a career at Deloitte.

    March 21 at 5:30 pm in KN 240
    March 22 at 12:30 pm in KN 240

    Food will be served! RSVP to esstrauss@usfca.edu.