Keystone Professionalism & Leadership Program
2012-2013 Keystone Professionalism & Leadership Program (“Keystone Program”)
The Law School is launching the second year of the Keystone Professionalism & Leadership Program, a professionalism and leadership program designed to help students prepare for their legal careers. The name of the Keystone Program derives from the concept of a “keystone.” When an arch is built, the keystone is the last piece placed during construction and locks all of the other stones into position, allowing the arch to bear weight. Similarly, without professionalism and leadership, one’s professional career cannot ascend to the heights it is capable of reaching.
Last year, more than 120 programs qualified for the Keystone Program and more than 90 students completed the program and were recognized at a luncheon sponsored by Skadden and featuring remarks by Dean Michael H. Schill, Dean of Students Amy M. Gardner, and Chuck Smith, ’87, a partner at Skadden who also serves as the Attorney Development Partner for the Chicago office of the firm.
This summer, Dean Gardner, Dean Abbie Willard from the Office of Career Services, and Shannon Bartlett, Associate Director of Student Affairs, met and spoke with representatives of various law firms and legal employers around the country to discuss the Keystone Program and to gather suggestions for ways to enhance the program and ensure it pinpoints those skills employers have identified as essential to the success of junior attorneys. Based on those discussions, as well as the results of student surveys, the Keystone Professionalism & Leadership Program has been enhanced and expanded for the 2012-2013 academic year.
Changes to this year’s program include: (1) an opportunity for 2L and 3L students who did not complete the program during the 2011-2012 academic year to complete the program during the Autumn Quarter; (2) an opportunity for transfer students new to the Law School to complete the program during the Autumn Quarter; and (3) special programming and/or priority for special programs for 2Ls and 3Ls who completed the program during the 2011-2012 academic year.
Special Keystone Programs for the 2012-2013 Year
Although the schedule has not been finalized, the Law School anticipates that the following new Keystone programs will be offered during the 2012-2013 year, for which priority will be given to 2Ls and 3Ls who completed the program during the 2011-2012 academic year:
Oral Advocacy Boot Camp (Oral Communication)
This program, which will be organized by the Law Women’s Caucus, is designed to provide an intensive introduction to techniques for making an effective oral argument.
Improv Communications & Listening Training (Oral Communication/Interpersonal Skills)
This program will use improvisational techniques to help participants learn to think on their feet while also honing their ability to listen carefully to those around them.
Building Your Professional Brand (Managing & Building Your Career)
This program will bring to the Law School an expert in using social media and other resources to build a professional brand, which is now a necessity for attorneys at all levels of their careers.
Business Etiquette Lunch (Interpersonal Skills)
This program will guide students through how to navigate a business and professional lunch, including the basics (cutlery, food selection, etc.) and the substantive (when to produce a business card, subjects to avoid, etc.).
How To Be An Effective Leader (Managing & Building Your Career)
Everyone likes to think of himself or herself as a leader, but one can only lead if others are willing to follow. This program will highlight the characteristics of an effective leader.
Gendered Communication (Oral Communication)
Multiple studies confirm that men and women communicate differently—a difference that can result in misunderstandings in the workplace. This program will make participants aware of the differences in how men and women communicate, with an emphasis on workplace communication.
Mocktail Reception (Oral Communication/Interpersonal Skills/Managing & Building Your Career)
This program is modeled after a Booth program that all first-year MBA students are required to attend, and it recreates a cocktail reception so that students can be made aware of how to handle the basics (what to hold in your hand, what to drink, how to enter and leave a group, etc.), as well as the substantive (topics to avoid, how to introduce yourself, etc.). First impressions are important, and this program is designed to ensure that students always create a positive impression at networking receptions.
Inter-Generational Differences and How They Affect the Workplace (Interpersonal Skills/Managing & Building Your Career)
Multiple studies confirm that different generations have different approaches to the workplace—differences that can create conflict in a workplace within which multiple generations are represented. This program will make participants aware of the differences in how individuals from different generations think about the workplace.
Handling Your First Court Appearance & Client Meeting (Practical Skills)
This program will cover the basics on what to expect during your first court appearance and client meeting. Everything will be covered, including what to wear, what to bring, what is typically expected from the junior person in the room, and more.
Receiving Constructive Feedback & Evaluations (Interpersonal Skills/Managing & Building Your Career)
This program is designed to let students know what to expect from the evaluative process and when they are given constructive feedback.
How the Keystone Program Works
As with last year, the program will operate much like the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs licensed attorneys participate in throughout most of the United States. If you decide to complete the program during the 2012-2013 academic year, you will be eligible to list your participation on your résumé, will be eligible for special recognition at the end of the year, and students who earn the highest number of points will be eligible for a special lunch in recognition of their achievement.
For information on how the Keystone Program works, please go to http://www.law.uchicago.edu/2012Keystone.
If you have any questions about the Keystone Professionalism & Leadership Program, please contact Dean of Students Amy M. Gardner or Associate Director of Student Affairs Shannon P. Bartlett.