The University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) is on the cutting edge when it comes to educating law students about the multifaceted in-house practice of law. Through a combination of innovative class instruction, real-world legal experience, and essential professional development training, our business law-focused students have a knowledge and skillset of complex, client-centered in-house legal services unmatched by their similarly situated peers.
UHLC’s Corporate Fellowship Program (CFP) and Corporate Internship Program (CIP) offer the exceptional legal services of recent UHLC graduates (CFP Fellows) and current JD students (CIP Interns) to in-house corporate legal departments while helping these corporations provide legal services to their clients in a more cost-efficient manner. With increasing restrictions on departmental budgets, corporate legal departments are seeking innovative ways to minimize costs while continuing to provide clients with top-notch legal services. UHLC created these innovative programs as a unique solution to this pervasive challenge in the legal market.
CFP Program Description
The CFP is specifically designed to offer transferable legal skills to recent law school graduates with while providing corporations the flexibility to create a fellowship program that meets their unique needs:
CFP Participation
If you are a 3L interested in participating in the CFP, please upload your application to Symplicity following the instructions detailed below. Your application should consist of two documents: 1) a generic cover letter (addressed to the Career Development Office; attention Kourtney James) that speaks to your interest in the program and 2) a resume. Please make sure the cover letter does not exceed one page. Combine these documents into one file and either upload it to your Symplicity profile or save it to your computer files.
The Career Development Office (CDO) will process your application pursuant to the timeline detailed below.
Date |
Activity |
Details |
CFP Timeline (Round 1) |
||
Dec. 7, 2020 |
Send invitation to companies to register |
Companies interested in participating in the program will be able to sign up and submit a registration form with basic information about the fellowship opportunity. |
Dec. 18, 2020 |
Application for students opens |
Students will prepare a resume and cover letter which will be general (i.e., not tailored to a particular company) and submit the 2 documents as an application. |
Feb. 22, 2021 |
Application for students closes |
The application process will close for all students. |
Feb. 22, 2021 |
Registration form from interested companies due |
Companies interested in participating in the program must submit their registration form by this date. |
Mar. 1, 2021 |
Resume books created and distributed to companies |
The CDO will distribute a resume book to each employer based on an employer’s specific needs and requirements as well as resume book with all candidates. |
Mar. 1-19, 2021 |
Companies conduct interviews |
Companies will conduct in-person interviews with candidates of their choice. Companies must conduct at least 3 in-person interviews.* Companies may make offers on a rolling basis once interviews have started. |
Apr. 1, 2021 |
Final date for companies to make offers |
Companies must make all offers by this date. The companies are invited to be in direct contact with the students regarding any offers. Companies will report offers and acceptances to UHLC. Students have 14 days from the date of the offer to respond. |
CFP Timeline (Round 2) |
||
Aug. 6, 2021 |
Send invitation to companies to register |
Companies interested in participating in the program will be able to sign up and submit a registration form with basic information about the fellowship opportunity. |
Aug. 16, 2021 |
Application for students opens |
Students will prepare a resume and cover letter which will be general (i.e., not tailored to a particular company) and submit the 2 documents as an application. |
Sept. 29, 2021 |
Application for students closes |
The application process will close for all students. |
Sept. 29, 2021 |
Registration form from interested companies due |
Companies interested in participating in the program must submit their registration form by this date. |
Oct. 8, 2021 |
Resume books created and distributed to companies |
The CDO will distribute a resume book to each employer based on an employer’s specific needs and requirements as well as resume book with all candidates. |
Oct. 8-29, 2021 |
Companies conduct interviews |
Companies will conduct in-person interviews with candidates of their choice. Companies must conduct at least 3 in-person interviews.* Companies may make offers on a rolling basis once interviews have started. |
Nov. 8, 2021 |
Final date for companies to make offers |
Companies must make all offers by this date. The companies are invited to be in direct contact with the students regarding any offers. Companies will report offers and acceptances to UHLC. Students have 14 days from the date of the offer to respond. |
CIP Program Description
The CIP is specifically designed to offer transferable legal skills to current JD students with while providing corporations the flexibility to create an internship program that meets their unique needs:
CIP Participation
If you are a 2L interested in participating in the CIP, please upload your application to Symplicity following the instructions detailed below. Your application should consist of two documents: 1) a generic cover letter (addressed to the Career Development Office; attention Kourtney James) that speaks to your interest in the program and 2) a resume. Please make sure the cover letter does not exceed one page. Combine these documents into one file and either upload it to your Symplicity profile or save it to your computer files.
The Career Development Office (CDO) will process your application pursuant to the timeline detailed below.
Date |
Activity |
Details |
CIP Timeline |
||
Dec. 18, 2020 |
Send invitation to companies to register |
Companies interested in participating in the program will be able to sign up and submit a registration form with basic information about the fellowship or summer internship opportunity. |
Jan. 18, 2021 |
Application for students opens |
Students will prepare a resume and cover letter which will be general (i.e., not tailored to a particular company) and submit the 2 documents as an application. |
Feb. 22, 2021 |
Application for students closes |
The application process will close for all students. |
Feb. 22, 2021 |
Registration form from interested companies due |
Companies interested in participating in the program must submit their registration form by this date. |
Mar. 1, 2021 |
Resume books created and distributed to companies |
The CDO will distribute a resume book to each employer based on an employer’s specific needs and requirements as well as resume book with all candidates. |
Mar. 1 - 19, 2021 |
Companies conduct interviews |
Companies will conduct in-person interviews with candidates of their choice. Companies must conduct at least 3 in-person interviews.* Companies may make offers on a rolling basis once interviews have started. |
Apr. 1, 2021 |
Final date for companies to make offers |
Companies must make all offers by this date. The companies are invited to be in direct contact with the students regarding any offers. Companies will report offers and acceptances to UHLC. Students have 14 days from the date of the offer to respond. |
Current JD students interested in participating in the CFP/CIP should contact:
Kourtney James, Director of Employer Relations and Development
Career Development Office, University of Houston Law Center
713.743.5622/kljames3@central.uh.edu