Contact Career Services

Contact Information:

Location: College of Law, 526 Pine Street, Room 402
Broadway Campus map

Hours: Effective April 27, 2009 Office Hours for Summer

8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday - Thursday
8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Friday
And by appointment.

Mailing Address:
Loyola University New Orleans
Law Career Services
7214 St. Charles Avenue, Box 910
New Orleans, LA 70118

Phone: 504-861-5562 Fax: 504-861-5774

MEET THE STAFF

Biography:

Pam Occhipinti, Esq., Director, Career Services, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Loyola University New Orleans College of Business. Prior to law school, she received her chef’s certification from Gaston Lenotre in Bois D’Arcy, France, and worked as a professional chef for fourteen years. Following law school graduation in December 1994, Ms. Occhipinti accepted the position as Director of Career Services. Ms. Occhipinti is currently an active member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Association of Women Attorneys (Louisiana Chapter), the Jefferson Bar Association , the John Boutall Inn of Court, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), and the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), to name a few. Ms. Occhipinti is currently serving as a Board Member on the Kenner Civil Service Board and was elected to the 2009-2010 Southeast NALP Nominating Committee. Ms. Occhipinti recently served on the 2008 National Advisory Board for the MCCA’s Annual Diversity Conference held in New York City. Ms. Occhipinti presented a program at the 2009 NALP Annual Educational Conference in Washington, D.C., “Turning Chaos Into Opportunity: Managing Expectations and Ensuring Resiliency In An Economic Downturn,” and will be presenting a similar program at the 2010 American Association of Law Schools (AALS) Conference. Ms. Occhipinti has served on NALP’s National Research Advisory Council (2003-2005), presented a program on Compensation Negotiations at the 2004 NALP Annual Conference, and previously co-chaired NALP’s Alternative Careers Committee. Ms. Occhipinti has published articles on Alternative Career Paths and Compensation Negotiations in both the NALP Bulletin and the Texas Bar Journal. Ms. Occhipinti served as the public speaker on legal matters for the U.S. Small Business Administration/SCORE (Louisiana Chapter) Program (1994-2005), the Loyola University College of Business, Small Business Development Center’s BEST Program (1992-2003), and the University of New Orleans Small Business Development Center (1994-2005). Additionally, she taught an Entrepreneurship class for Tulane University’s Doctoral Engineering Program from 1994-2005. Ms. Occhipinti is an avid outdoorsman and will gladly share her fishing stories with you!

Biography:

Since joining Career Services in May 2004, Amy has offered law students and alumni insight into legal career paths in both private firms and corporations. As the 1L Career Counselor, Amy enjoys working with first year law students as they initiate the legal job search process. Amy coordinates Freshmen Orientation and spearheads the publication of the Legal Career Handbook that contains in-depth information including law student timelines, resume writing, interviewing, networking, examples of professional correspondence, and researching career paths. Amy also coordinates the on-campus interview programs in the fall and spring, organizes an annual mock interview day, conducts a variety of professional development programming such as professional etiquette and networking events. She provides database training, oversees the office's web site, administers the LawLink Mentor Program, and recruits guest speakers. Amy was the 2006 Chair of the Southeastern Minority Job Fair - the largest minority job fair in the United States and has been the school representative to the job fair every year since 2004..

Amy is an active member of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) and its Law Student Professional Development Section. A member of the New Orleans Association of Law Librarians (NOALL), Amy also enjoys counseling students interested in pursuing law librarianship.

Prior to joining Career Services at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, Amy held the positions of both Legal Recruiting Manager and Librarian at Adams and Reese, LLP. There, Amy administered attorney recruiting, the associate training and mentoring programs and served on the firm's Knowledge Management Committee. She brings with her extensive knowledge of online legal and career development resources. Prior to working in the legal industry, she performed consulting to companies regarding their Internet marketing, web development and information management strategies. She first worked as an Information Specialist and then Division Chief at Innovative Emergency Management, a consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Amy obtained a Master of Library and Information Science from Louisiana State University. Graduating cum laude from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, Amy earned a Bachelor of Arts in both History and Art History. Amy graduated from Benjamin Franklin Senior High School in 1988. Amy is married to Dan Schwarzenbach, a May 2004 graduate of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and Corporate Counsel for Wink, Inc. She is the mother of two boys - Lee, 11 and Evan, 8.

Publications:

How Should Professionalism Be Cultivated: A Comparison of Employer and Student Perspectives. NALP Bulletin, July 2007

What to Pack for A Hurricane NALP Bulletin, March 2006

Biography:

Heather Gattuso Lambert, Judicial Internship and Clerkship Advisor and 2L Career Counselor in the Office of Career Services at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law in May 2004.

Heather received her undergraduate degrees from Our Lady of Holy Cross College where she was on the Dean’s List majoring in Social and Juvenile Counseling.

In 2001, Heather entered Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and while attending law school, she clerked for her father, Philip A. Gattuso, a Loyola University New Orleans School of Law alumnus (‘69). While there, Heather assisted in the general civil practice with primary emphasis in Real Estate, Successions, Contracts, Family Law, Bankruptcy, Personal Injury and general civil litigation. In addition, Heather worked as a research assistant for Professor Monica Hof Wallace where she assisted in the drafting of the law review publication entitled, The Pitfalls of a Putative Marriage and the Call for a Putative Divorce, 64 La. L. Rev. 71 (2003). As a student member, from 2002 to 2004, Heather was active in the St. Thomas More Inn of Court. Heather was admitted to practice law in October 2004.

After graduation, Heather clerked for the Honorable Robin M. Giarrusso of the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, where she was engaged in all aspects of civil litigation.

In 2006, Heather desired to return to the academic setting and accepted employment as a Career Counselor in the Office of Career Services, at Loyola’s College of Law, focusing on assisting students with internship and clerkship opportunities in the judicial sector. In addition to judicial internship and clerkship counseling, Heather counsels all second year day students on their career interests.

Since October 2006, in her capacity as career counselor, Heather has individually counseled 2L students and students interested in working as judicial interns and clerks. Heather has marketed her program, “A Day in the Life of A Judicial Clerk,” has accompanied students to Rule/Exception/Motion days in local courts, has conducted multiple informational sessions concerning judicial internships and clerkships, has hosted the judiciary on campus for informational sessions and has attended seminars and conferences to boost productivity in career services, professional development and recruitment of professionals. Each spring Heather educates and advises students on the hiring plan for the federal judiciary including the Online System for Clerkship Application and Review (OSCAR).

Heather is a member of the John C. Boutall Inn of Court, the Jefferson Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association and the Association for Legal Career Professionals (NALP). Heather is a member and treasurer of the Association of Women Attorneys and a previous Board Member of the SUNBELT Minority Recruitment Program which is held in Dallas, Texas every September.

The September 2007 issue of The Association For Legal Career Professionals (NALP) featured Heather’s article entitled, “The State of Legal Services in New Orleans Two Years Following Katrina.”

Heather is married to Alex Donner Lambert, a Loyola University alumnus (‘95) and a Loyola College of Law alumnus (‘98), a partner in the Law Firm of Lambert and Lambert, and a trial attorney for the Indigent Defender Board in Jefferson Parish. Heather and Alex have three children: Eleanor and twins, Henry and Angelina.

Things to look for:
During the summer of 2009, Heather will create the judicial section of Loyola’s Office of Career Services’ website which will function as a guide for judicial clerks including links to the judiciary, judicial internship and clerkship opportunities, quotes from judges, clerks and interns and a spotlight section. Additionally, Heather will spearhead the Professional Correspondence Track in the Office of Career Services, educating students on resumes and cover, follow-up and thank you letters.

Heather welcomes any suggestions on how to help better counsel students.

Biography:

Vanassa Douglas, Esq., Career Counselor for the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, received her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law, in May 2005.

While attending law school as an evening student and after graduation, Vanassa was employed full time as a law clerk for the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). Located in Washington, D.C., the BBG is an independent federal agency responsible for all U.S. government and government sponsored, non-military, international broadcasting.

Vanassa served as the legal and administrative assistant to the General Counsel and the staff attorneys. She worked with the office attorneys on various federal legal issues, including equal opportunity, civil rights, employment, government contracts, appropriations, copyrights, and legislation. Her duties involved working on cases for federal administrative hearings and for litigation in federal court. Furthermore, she also worked as student attorney in the University of Maryland's Community Development Clinic, assisting local residents with community development and revitalization matters.

Vanassa has also received a Master's of Arts in Urban Education, with an emphasis in Guidance and Counseling, from Norfolk State University. She has extensive experience counseling individuals in employment, educational and career planning, and in job seeking skills and professional development. Her background also includes experience as a trainer, facilitator, and instructor of adult education and training programs.

In addition to her counseling and legal experience, Vanassa also has a military background, having served as an officer in the United States Navy. Her naval experiences have included working as a Legal Officer, serving as the Director of an outpatient counseling, treatment, and education center, and working as an Assistant Inspector General. She brings to the Career Services Office experience in federal and state government, as well as in private industry.

As a Career Counselor in the Office of Career Services, Vanassa will be working with 2L's, as well as offering assistance to all students on the opportunities available in government and public interest law.

A New Orleans native, Vanassa has lived in California, Virginia, and Maryland, but she has happily returned home at last!

Biography:

Li Yong Seghers, Programs and Communications Assistant, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, was born in Nanning, Guangxi Province, China. She received her Associate Degree in economics and international trade in 1996 from Guangxi University in Nanning. She also studied Fine Arts at William Carey College, Gulfport, Mississippi.

Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and English, Li has been a professional translator for television stations and film studios in China. A highly skilled potter and artist, her creative studies have brought her to Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Jiangxi Province's Jin De Zhen, home of the world's porcelain trade. She also has worked for film and advertising studios in Beijing and in the banking and restaurant industries in the United States.

Li is married to Mark Seghers, a former journalist and teacher, and Juris Doctor candidate, 2009. Li and Mark have two children, Mika, 4 and Hans, 2.