SCHOLARSHIPS & FELLOWSHIPS

AFL-CIO Fellowship Program

The Legal Department of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations ("AFL-CIO") is offering a one-year fellowship beginning in September 2010. The fellowship offers an excellent opportunity for recent law school graduates to work with experienced union-side lawyers on a wide variety of issues.

The AFL-CIO is a voluntary federation of 56 national and international unions which represent 11 million working women and men in the United States. The AFL-CIO works on a variety of fronts to improve the lives of working families, to secure social and economic justice in the United States, and to protect the interests of working people in the global economy. The AFL-CIO and its affiliates have been instrumental not only in negotiating good pay and benefits for union members, but also in the enactment and enforcement of laws that protect important rights for all workers, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

The Legal Department works on a wide range of litigation, policy, regulatory and legislative matters, and assists with organizing campaigns, corporate governance issues, and other AFL-CIO initiatives. The Legal Department also administers the Lawyers Coordinating Committee, a national organization of union-side attorneys, which issues various publications and holds educational conferences on a regular basis.

The AFL-CIO Fellow will work with lawyers in the AFL-CIO Legal Department and with other union lawyers around the country on a wide range of activities. The Fellow will assist experienced lawyers working on cases and regulatory matters that affect the labor movement and the rights of workers. The AFL-CIO’s litigation caseload includes cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals, the NLRB and a small number of state appellate suits. In addition, the AFL-CIO Legal Department frequently presents the views of the labor movement on federal regulatory initiatives affecting workers. Whenever possible, the Fellow will be given the opportunity to participate in meetings with union lawyers and to attend oral arguments. The AFL-CIO Fellow will also participate in Lawyers Coordinating Committee activities, including preparation for attorney conferences, outreach to new labor lawyers and law students, and regular opportunities to attend LCC meetings and conferences.

The fellowship salary is in the range of $55,000 to $60,000 depending on experience. Benefits include excellent medical and dental insurance plus paid vacation.

Recent law graduates, judicial clerks, and third-year law students are welcome to apply. Applicants should have excellent legal research and writing skills and enjoy legal research and appellate work. Applicants should also have a commitment to workers’ rights and a desire to practice union-side labor law. The AFL-CIO is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all qualified applicants to apply.

To Apply: Applicants should mail a cover letter explaining their interest in the fellowship, a current resume, a transcript, a short writing sample, a letter of reference and a list of two additional references to the AFL-CIO's Office of the General Counsel ATTN: Fellowship Position, 815 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006. The application process is rolling and will remain open until the successful candidate is selected. Telephone inquiries are discouraged.

Now Accepting Applications for the Wellstone and the Villers Fellowships!

The Villers Fellowship 

 

The Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice was created in 2005 by Philippe Villers, Founder and President of Families USA. Villers Fellows work in the health policy department and assist the organization's efforts to improve access to health coverage for all Americans, especially for low-income and other vulnerable communities. Specifically, Villers Fellows will conduct research on a range of health care policy issues, and write and contribute to publications that are relevant to current health policy debates. 

 

In creating the fellowship, Mr. Villers aspired to develop a network of young leaders who share a passion for health care justice. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to health care justice work following their year as a fellow. Additionally, in order to encourage the development of future leaders, Villers Fellows must commit to mentoring at least one person over the course of their careers.

 

The application deadline for the Villers Fellowship is January 15, 2010. You can find more information, including a downloadable application form, on the organization's web site: www.familiesusa.org/about/the-villers-fellowship.html.  

If you have any questions about the Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice, or would like to request hard copies of the application brochure, please contact villersfellowship@familiesusa.org. 

 

The Wellstone Fellowship

 

The Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice aims to advance social justice through health care advocacy by focusing particularly on the unique challenges facing communities of color. Through this fellowship, established to honor the memory of the late Senator Paul D. Wellstone, we hope to expand the pool of talented social justice advocates from underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups.

 

The ideal candidate must demonstrate an interest in health care policy and racial/ethnic health disparities. Additionally, the organization is looking for an individual who displays the potential to contribute to social justice work after their year of hands-on experience as a fellow.

 

The application deadline for the Wellstone Fellowship is February 5, 2010. You can find more information, including a downloadable application form, on the organization's web site at www.familiesusa.org/about/wellstone-fellowship.html.

                                         

If you have any questions about the Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice or would like to request hard copies of the application brochure, please contact wellstonefellowship@familiesusa.org.

 

Both fellowships are year-long, full-time, salaried positions at the office in Washington, DC. Each year, one candidate will be selected for each fellowship. Selected fellows will receive a compensatory package that includes an annual salary of $38,000 and excellent health care benefits.

Presidential Management Fellows Program (3L, LL.M.)

Presidential Management Fellows Program 

ATTENTION 3Ls and LL.M.s 

The 2009-2010 Presidential Management Fellows ("PMF") Program application season will open on Thursday, October 1, 2009. The PMF Program offers paid two-year federal government fellowships to graduate students interested in the public sector. More than 80 federal agencies recruit through this program and offer positions in public policy and administration, domestic or international issues, information technology, human resources, engineering, health and medical sciences, law (very limited), financial management and many other fields in support of public service programs.  

PMF Application Open Period:   

Thursday, October 1, 2009 – Thursday, October 15, 2009 

How to Apply: 

Applicants must (1) complete an online application, (2) link a USAJOBS resume and (3) submit a Nomination form and Statement of Interest to their school’s Nomination Official, Karen Warren at the CDO, by 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 16. 

•        Applicants apply online using USAJOBS at www.USAJOBS.gov or via a link from the PMF website’s “How to    Apply/PMF Application” https://www.pmf.opm.gov/HApplication.aspx.  

•        During the application process, applicants will be required to link their online resume, complete an online qualifications questionnaire, and print the PMF Nomination Form (OPM Form 1300) for the nomination process.  On-line application deadline is Thursday, October 15. 

•        The Statement of Interest should describe your objectives and motivation in seeking a PMF fellowship. Statement of Interest and Nomination Form are submitted to Karen Warren in the CDO on or before 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 16.  

More Information:  

Further information on the PMF Program can be found on the PMF website at: www.pmf.opm.gov and on the CDO’s Student Portal at https://wss-02.law.miami.edu/sites/cdo/students/default.aspx. 

If you have further questions after reviewing the PMF website and CDO Student Portal, please feel free to contact Karen Warren at kwarren@law.miami.edu.

K&L Gates Public Interest Fellowship Program

2009-2010 Application Guidelines

The Pittsburgh Foundation and K&L Gates LLP are proud to offer the K&L Gates Public Interest Fellowship Program.  The fellowship was established in September 1999 to offer law students the opportunity to assist public service organizations located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Each summer, the program awards up to three successful candidates a fellowship that enables them to spend four weeks of their summer working at one of four designated public interest organizations. The following four organizations offer placement opportunities to K&L Gates fellows:

• Allegheny Conference on Community Development. Provides research, analysis, planning and development to improve the economy and quality of life in Southwestern Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit www.alleghenyconference.org.
• Education Law Center. Provides free legal assistance and advice to parents, advocates and other professionals on issues of public education. For more information, please visit www.elc-pa.org.
• KidsVoice. Provides legal representation to abused, neglected and other at-risk children. For more information, please visit www.kidsvoice.org.
• Neighborhood Legal Services Association. Provides legal representation to poor and vulnerable residents of Western Pennsylvania who have financial, landlord-tenant, domestic violence or other legal problems. For more information, please visit www.nlsa.org.

In 2010, each recipient will be paid a stipend of $1,000/week (less applicable taxes) for his/her public interest service.  All stipend checks will be made payable to the student, and mailed to the organizations at which they will be working.  K&L Gates will pay a supplemental salary to any recipient who receives and accepts an offer to spend the remainder of the summer as a K&L Gates summer associate.  The supplemental salary and stipend will equal the weekly salary of K&L Gates' summer associates during the fellowship period.  K&L Gates fellows, however, are not required to spend the rest of the summer with K&L Gates. 

To be considered for a fellowship award, candidates must complete and submit an application on or before October 10, 2009. Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors of The Pittsburgh Foundation, an Advisory Committee will recommend the fellowship winners based upon academic merit, demonstrated commitment to public service, other information provided through the application process and interviews with finalist candidates. Family members of Advisory Committee members are not eligible for this fellowship. The Pittsburgh Foundation will notify chosen fellowship winners of its decision. 

To request a copy of the application materials, or to address any questions, please visit www.klgates.com, contact the CDO or contact:

Jessica L. Gangjee
Regional Recruiting Manager
K&L Gates LLP
Henry W. Oliver Building
535 Smithfield Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 355-6547
jessica.gangjee@klgates.com

OR

Deborah L. Turner
Scholarship Coordinator
The Pittsburgh Foundation
Five PPG Place, Suite 250
Pittsburgh, PA  15222-5414
(412) 394-2649
turnerd@pghfdn.org

Humane Studies Fellowship - Application Now Available!

Apply Now!
Deadline: December 31 

Scholarships up to $12,000 for undergraduate or graduate study in the United States or abroad.

Humane Studies Fellowships are awarded by the Institute for Humane Studies ("IHS") to students interested in exploring the principles, practices and institutions necessary for a free society through their academic work. IHS began the program in 1983 as the Claude R. Lambe Fellowships and in 2009 awarded more than 165 fellowships ranging from $2,000 to $12,000.

IHS considers applications from those who will be full-time graduate students, including law and journalism students, or undergraduate juniors or seniors during the 2010-11 academic year and who have a clearly demonstrated research interest in the intellectual and institutional foundations of a free society.

Previous award winners have come from a range of fields such as economics, philosophy, law, political science, anthropology and literature. Their research focused on a variety of topics:

• market-based approaches to environmental policy
• the legal development of privacy and property rights in 18th-century England
• the role of patient autonomy in bioethics
• impediments to economic growth in developing countries
• the relationship between U.S. presidential politics, fiscal policies and economic performance

Select winners are invited to present and discuss their research at the annual Humane Studies Research Colloquium and to attend other colloquia throughout the year. Fellows also join a network of more than 10,000 IHS academics committed to the ideas of liberty and intellectual freedom.

To be eligible for the fellowship, you must be an undergraduate in your junior or senior year, or a graduate student pursuing a degree in any subject at any university full-time during the 2010-2011 academic year. Citizens of all countries are eligible to apply. For more information or to apply online, visit www.TheIHS.org/hsf.

The Carter Center/W&L Transnational Law Institute Liberia Law Fellowship Program

The Carter Center / W&L Transnational Law Institute

Liberia Law Fellowship Program

Seeks Applicants for 2010 Fellowships  

The Carter Center ("TCC") and the Transnational Law Institute of Washington and Lee University School of Law (“W&L”) are pleased to announce the opportunity for recent law school graduates to work as law fellows for a variety of government and non-governmental institutions in Liberia.  Fellows will be placed according to their backgrounds and interests at: the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Public Works, the James A. A. Pierre Judicial Institute and The Carter Center. These unfunded fellowships offer a unique opportunity to engage in legal reform and legal development at a critical time in Liberian history, as well as a challenging and interesting personal experience.

These positions are unpaid, and there is currently no funding available from either W&L or The Carter Center.  The Liberia Law Fellowship Program facilitates the placement of qualified applicants who are sponsored by foundations, law schools, law firms or other funding source.  This is also an excellent opportunity for deferred law firm associates or public interest sabbaticals. 

The Transnational Law Institute at Washington & Lee was established in 2006 to globalize the study of law at W&L. The Transnational Law Institute supports and coordinates teaching innovations, global externships and fellowships, a speaker series, and visiting faculty to help prepare students for the increasing globalization of legal practice.  The Transnational Law Institute has functioned in Liberia since the spring of 2008, conducting The Liberia Access to Justice Practicum; a joint program at Washington and Lee School of Law in Lexington, Virginia and the Louis A. Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime.

The Carter Center, in partnership with Emory University, is committed to advancing human rights and alleviating unnecessary human suffering. Founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, the Atlanta-based Center has helped to improve the quality of life for people in more than 70 countries.   The Carter Center, with offices based in Liberia, has operated an Access to Justice Project since 2006. Working with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Judiciary and the James A. A. Pierre Judicial Institute, The Carter Center is working to help build the capacity necessary within the justice system to provide accessible, fair, and consistent justice.

Application Details 

Timing:

Applicants are invited to apply for 6 – 24 month placements. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, beginning on September 8, 2009. 

Qualifications:

JD or expected JD by Fall 2010;

excellent legal research and writing skills;

excellent communication skills;

commitment to working for underprivileged populations;

flexibility and patience to work in a developing context;

self-motivated with the ability to handle multiple tasks;

international experience desired, but not necessary; and

willingness (and enthusiasm) to travel to rural areas within Liberia. 

Facilitators, Funding and Sponsorship: 

The Transnational Law Institute at Washington and Lee University School of Law promotes and establishes the fellow placements, and The Carter Center facilitates in-country aspects of the fellowship and provides a local point of contact in Liberia. TCC and W&L are fellowship facilitators only.  There is no academic credit or funding available from either organization for the fellowships.  

Once accepted to the Liberia Law Fellowship Program, the program will work with candidates to develop proposals for funding from firms, foundations, or public interest / human rights fellowships. 

To Apply: 

E-mail a resume and cover letter detailing interest in position, potential funding sources, relevant deadlines, length of availability and available start date to: 

Speedy Rice

Professor of Practice

Transnational Law Institute

Washington & Lee School of Law

WLUTCC@wlu.edu 

Applicants to the program will receive a more detailed description of the program offerings, terms and conditions.  

The Georgetown Law Center Clinical Fellowships

The Georgetown University Law Center is pleased to announce the availability of 14 to 15 clinical graduate fellowships commencing in the summer of 2010.  Unique in American legal education, Georgetown Clinical Graduate Teaching Fellowships offer new and experienced attorneys alike the opportunity to combine study with practice in the fields of clinical legal education and public interest advocacy.  Each fellowship is associated with one of the Law Center's clinical programs, and each program varies in purpose, requirements and duties.  All of the clinical fellowships, however, share a common goal: to provide highly motivated lawyers the chance to develop skills as teachers and legal advocates within an exciting and supportive educational environment. Graduates of Georgetown's clinical fellowship program have gone on to prestigious positions in law teaching and public interest law settings. More than 100 Georgetown fellows are now teaching at law schools across the country, including five Deans of law schools and several more Associate Deans or Directors of clinical programs.  Many others are leaders in public interest law, across a wide variety of subject areas.

Fellows enroll in a two-year program during which they are in residence at a Georgetown clinic.  Fellows directly supervise J.D. students enrolled in the clinics, assist in teaching clinic seminars, and perform work on their own cases or other legal matters. Fellowships usually begin in the late summer, with an intensive orientation designed to introduce fellows to clinical teaching methods. The orientation is part of a year-long teacher training course, entitled Elements of Clinical Pedagogy.  Upon completing the requirements for graduation, fellows are awarded the degree of Master of Laws (Advocacy). We are currently seeking fellows to work in the following areas: appellate litigation; communications law; criminal defense; domestic violence; environmental law; federal legislation, housing and community development; international women's human rights; juvenile delinquency, trade policy and health care policy; political asylum and street law. 

The fellowship program currently offers an annual stipend of approximately $51,000 (taxable), plus all tuition and fees in the LL.M. program.  Health insurance and other benefits are also provided. As graduate students, fellows are eligible for deferment of their student loans during their two years in the fellowship.  They may also be eligible for their law school’s loan repayment assistance program.

With the exception of fellows in the Center for Applied Legal Studies and the Street Law Program, all fellows must be members of the D.C. bar. Fellowship applicants who are admitted to a bar elsewhere must apply to waive into the D.C. bar upon accepting their fellowship offer. The Law Center will reimburse the expense of waiving into the D.C. bar incurred by those fellows who have already taken the bar exam elsewhere prior to accepting their fellowship offer.

Applications must be sent directly to the director of the clinic or program in which the fellowship is sought and not to the Graduate Programs Admissions Office. Application deadlines vary by fellowship. For descriptions of each fellowship and a list of application deadlines, please visit our web site at
http://www.law.georgetown.edu/clinics/fellowships.html, or request a brochure by e-mailing at clinics@law.georgetown.edu or calling (202) 662-9100.

Baker Hostetler Diversity Fellowship Program (2L)

Dickstein Shapiro Diversity Scholarship

A key component of Dickstein Shapiro’s diversity efforts is aggressively recruiting diverse candidates, and in furtherance of these efforts, the firm is pleased to announce the creation of the Dickstein Shapiro Diversity Scholarship.

Dickstein Shapiro will award up to three scholarships annually to diverse law students who have completed their first full year of law school. Diverse second-year law students from all law schools are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Diversity scholars will receive $15,000 (minus any applicable taxes and withholding) upon completion of their second-year summer at Dickstein Shapiro to help defray the cost of law school tuition and related expenses. Recipients of the scholarship must spend their entire second-year summer in the firm’s summer associate program.

Selection Criteria

To qualify, candidates must: (1) meet the academic and hiring criteria of Dickstein Shapiro’s summer associate program; (2) receive an offer of summer employment for their second-year summer; (3) be a member of one of the racial/ethnic groups set forth by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or be a member of the LGBT community; and (4) complete an application form and submit a brief essay on diversity.

Application Process and Dates

Applications are due by Friday, October 9, 2009.

Find application materials at www.dicksteinshapiro.com/careers/diversity/.

For more information, please visit the firm's website, www.dicksteinshapiro.com.

JUDICIAL INFORMATION & OPPORTUNITIES

Applications are now Being Accepted for the Florida Supreme Court Internship Program

The CDO is now accepting applications for the Florida Supreme Court Internship Program for Distinguished Florida Law Students. 

The Florida Supreme Court Internship Program for Distinguished Florida Law Students is open to qualified law students from accredited Florida law schools. Internships are available for the fall, spring and summer semesters. For one semester, the intern will function as a law clerk to an individual justice or as a central staff law clerk working for all of the justices.  This application cycle is for the spring 2010 semester only.  

Interns’ duties will include: reviewing and making recommendations on petitions for discretionary review, attorney discipline matters, and extraordinary writ petitions; conducting legal research; and preparing memoranda on pending cases. Interns will have the opportunity to attend oral argument, discuss cases with staff attorneys and justices, and assist in the drafting of orders or opinions. Interns also will attend special lectures, group discussions, and training sessions.  

Students accepted into the program are entitled to receive up to 6 UM Law course credits for participation in the program.  Students are also eligible to register for courses at FSU College of Law if accepted into the Visiting Student Program. 

The Spring 2010 program will begin with orientation on Monday, January 11th, and the term will end on Friday, April 23rd. 

The deadline to submit applications to Dean Marcy Cox (CDO, Rm. A112) is Friday, October 2nd at 5:00 p.m. 

If you have any questions concerning the program or application materials, please contact Dean Cox at mcox@law.miami.edu.

Federal Judicial Clerkship Opportunities for October 2,  2009

The following are federal clerkship opportunities recently listed on the Online System for Clerkship Applications and Review (“OSCAR”).  You may access the OSCAR website at https://oscar.uscourts.gov.  If you require assistance navigating the OSCAR system or have general questions regarding judicial clerkships, please contact Maggie Austin, Director of Judicial Clerkships, at maustin@law.miami.edu.

Judge William Duffey, United States District Court, Atlanta, GA
Applications accepted: September 15, 2009 - December 15, 2009

Term Start: January 2, 2010
Application Methods: On-line, E-mail

Judge Rosemary Pooler, United States Court of Appeals, Syracuse, NY
Applications accepted: September 15, 2009 - October 31, 2009

Term Start: August 24, 2010
Application Methods: On-line, Paper 

 

Judge Joan Lenard, United States District Court, Miami, FL
Applications accepted: September 11, 2009 - August 1, 2010

Term Start: August 1, 2010
Application Methods: On-line

Judge Arthur Votolato, United States Bankruptcy Court, Providence, RI
Applications accepted: September 11, 2009 - October 30, 2009

Term Start: October 1, 2009
Application Methods: On-line, E-mail

Judge C. Clevert, United States District Court, Milwaukee, WI
Applications accepted: September 11, 2009 - March 11, 2010

Term Start: September 1, 2010
Application Methods: On-line

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITIES

The FTC's Bureau of Competition Has Established a New Email Address for 2L Summer Intern Applications

The FTC’s Bureau of Competition established a new email address for 2L Summer Intern Applications – bcrecruit@ftc.gov – yet is responding to student submissions with a message that reads:  “Due to a record amount of applications, the application acceptance period has been closed."   

Unfortunately, the FTC was not willing to re-open their application process for 2Ls. An updated copy of the entry for the FTC Bureau of Competition’s Summer Intern Program, reflecting that the 2L program was closed early due to a high volume of responses, and also reflecting that, while the 1L program will go forward as announced, it is strongly recommended that 1Ls submit their applications well in advance of the published Jan. 31^st due date, can be accessed on  www.law.arizona.edu/career/honorshandbook.cfm. The username is cookie, and the password is dough.  Beginning mid-November, the weekly email deadline updates will reflect the recommendations, as well as the published deadline.

North Carolina Government Internship Program

The North Carolina State Government Internship Program will be offering 55-75 paid summer internships for Summer 2010 in a variety of majors. Applications will be due January 20, 2010.  Details about the Summer 2010 Internship Program will be posted on the website at www.ncyaio.com by the end of October, including a full listing of available internships. You can also find a viewable or printable tri-fold brochure on http://www.doa.state.nc.us/yaio/internbrochures.htm.

Eligible applicants must be permanent residents of North Carolina, be completing at least their second year of college (or first year of community college), enrolled through at least fall 2010 and carrying at least a 2.5 overall GPA. 

Visit them online: http://www.doa.nc.gov/yaio/intern.html.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Legal Honors Program - 2010-2011

The Office of General Counsel ("OGC") plays a vital role in helping the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") accomplish its mission of assuring decent and affordable housing, enabling all Americans to achieve homeownership, providing resources for communities to build strong neighborhoods, preventing homelessness, and enforcing fair housing laws. OGC attorneys provide legal opinions, advice and services with respect to all departmental programs and activities.

HUD primarily recruits its attorneys through the Legal Honors Intern program. If you are interested in applying for the OGC's Legal Honors Intern Program, please visit http://www.hud.gov/offices/ogc/. This is an excellent opportunity  for students who are interested in public service. 

Update on the Federal Bureau of Investigation Honors Internship Program

The Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI") has cancelled its 2010 Honors Internship Program and will instead focus on hiring 400+ professional staff and an unknown number of Special Agent positions.  This entry will remain posted in the Government Honors & Internship Handbook as best means of notifying interested students. 

The FBI originally planned to accept undergraduate and graduate students (including 1Ls, 2Ls and 3Ls going into LL.M.s) for a 10-week paid (GS-7) 2010 Summer Honors Internship Program at 14 FBI Headquarters Divisions in Washington, DC; Clarksburg, WV; and Winchester, VA, among other locations.  Now, the office has re-directed its efforts to entry-level hiring needs for professional staff and Special Agents. 

The FBI originally planned to accept 50 1Ls and 2Ls for its 10-week, unpaid summer Volunteer Internship Program, with placements in the DC Headquarters and 56 Field Offices.   Now, the office has re-directed its efforts to entry-level hiring needs for professional staff and Special Agents. 

For the most up-to-date information, see the FBI’s website at www.fbijobs.gov. 

The Attorney General Honors Program  (Washington, DC)

The Honors Program offers graduating law school students, graduating LL.M. students and judicial law clerks a unique opportunity to join the 7th largest attorney general's office in the United States. The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (“OAG”) performs the legal functions of a local district attorney’s office, as well as those of a state attorney general’s office. OAG’s nearly 400 attorneys work as criminal prosecutors, civil litigators or lawyers in one of the general counsel offices located in each of the 28 agencies under the Mayor’s authority.  

Applications are accepted beginning October 1st of each year. The application period closes on February 1st of each year. Interviews begin December 1st, and selections are made on a rolling basis after December 1st. Final decisions are announced by March 15th. 

For more information, visit http://occ.dc.gov/occ/cwp/view,a,1224,q,615849.asp.

Public Interest INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITIES

The Florida Justice Institute Seeks Rising 3Ls for Public Interest Fellowship

Description:

The Florida Justice Institute ("FJI"), a small public interest law firm, seeks rising third year law students to recommend to a private foundation to receive a public interest law fellowship to work at the Institute during the 2010 summer. The position is full-time and pays $7,000 for 11 weeks. FJI is a statewide, public interest law firm providing civil legal services to persons in prisons and jails, to victims of housing discrimination, civil rights and civil liberties trials and appeals, and handling class action, impact work on behalf of low-income persons. Since the bulk of FJI's work is in federal court, there is a considerable amount of written legal pleading and practice work. The Fellow will be exposed to all phases of federal practice starting from client interviews, public records requests, substantial research projects, depositions, discovery tours of prisons and jails, hearings, mediations, trials and oral arguments as they may occur throughout the summer. The Fellow will receive direct supervision, assignments, direction and feedback from the assigning attorney. There would be a two day introductory course on public interest legal representation prior to beginning work. The Institute has three full-time attorneys to supervise the Fellow. The Institute handles cases statewide, so there may be some travel involved. There is also a seminar weekend with other public interest lawyers, usually held in Key West.

Additional Qualifications:

Rising third-year law students at accredited law schools are eligible to apply provided they are in good standing. Minority students are specifically encouraged to apply. Among the factors to be considered in selections are experience in working with the low-income community, academic achievement, writing skills, and previous contact with and long-term commitment/interest in public service/pro bono work. The fellowship commences with a training and orientation seminar to be held May 20 and 21, 2010. Housing, meals and reasonable travel expenses for the seminar will be provided. Fellows are scheduled to report to work on Monday, May 24, 2010, with the fellowship ending Friday, August 6, 2010.

How to Apply:

Applicants should send their resume and a cover letter of interest by e-mail to Jessica M. Pla at Florida Justice Institute. The deadline for applying is December 1, 2009. The Institute will in turn recommend two applicants to the private foundation for serious consideration for the fellowship. Those selected will have to complete a two-page application for the foundation. The Institute will notify the persons selected by January 8, 2010. Applications will be e-mailed to the persons selected, and will need to be returned by January 21, 2010. Selection and notification to students will be completed by late February 2010. E-mail cover letter and resume to JPla@FloridaJusticeInstitute.org. No telephone calls please.

The Emory Public Interest Committee is Announcing Their Conference Titled “Expendable People?:  A Human Rights Perspective on the Impact of Global Economic Migration on Georgia.” 

The Emory Public Interest Committee (Emory Law School’s public interest student group) is delighted to announce their conference entitled “Expendable People?:  A Human Rights Perspective on the Impact of Global Economic Migration on Georgia.”  The conference will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, and it will address three aspects of economic migration—human trafficking, the guest-worker program, and the undocumented workforce—and aims to challenge current law and culture to examine the health of human rights within U.S. borders.  

Student conference organizers seek to engage conference participants in an open discussion of each of these topics: their causes, incidences, and effects—on those directly involved and on the greater Georgia community.  The conference will serve as a space where individual, government and community responses to economic migration can be examined and even challenged. Specifically, the plan is to discuss the relationship between human rights and citizenship. 

Information is available at http://www.law.emory.edu/academics/conferences/epic-conference.html, and registration is open now.  There is no fee to attend (small charge for those seeking CLE credits), but registration is requested in order to plan for materials and meals.  Please email conference co-chairs Jenny Hernandez and Sarah Stein at emorylawconference@gmail.com if you have any questions. 

Who:      Emory Public Interest Committee ("EPIC")

What:     6th Annual Public Interest Law Conference

When:    9:15 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009

Where:   Tull Auditorium, Emory Law, 1301 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia

The sixth-annual Emory Public Interest Committee (EPIC) conference, Expendable People?: A Human Rights Perspective on the Impact of Global Economic Migration on Georgia, aims to examine the human rights issues that accompany global economic migration.

It will focus on three aspects of economic migration:
(1) human trafficking,
(2) the guest worker program and
(3) the undocumented workforce

Join in an open discussion of each of these topics: their causes, incidences and effects—on those directly involved and on the greater Georgia community. The conference will serve as a space where individual, government and community responses to economic migration can be examined and even challenged. Specifically, the conference will discuss the relationship between human rights and citizenship. 

REGISTRATION REQUIRED. 

For more information and to register, please visit our website: www.law.emory.edu/expendablepeople. Registration is free of cost for all participants not seeking CLE credit*.

*Georgia Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit: up to three credits will be made available for practicing attorneys.

The Brennan Center for Justice Summer 2010 Legal Internship

The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to redistricting reform, from access to the courts to presidential power in the fight against terrorism. A singular institution—part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group—the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector.

The organization seeks interns to work alongside staff in their New York and Washington, DC offices on the Brennan Center’s policy advocacy, research and litigation initiatives. Activities may include legal and policy analysis; legislative drafting at federal, state, and local levels; administrative and legislative advocacy; public education and scholarship; and litigation in trial and appellate courts.
 

The Center’s Program Areas
 

Democracy Program

The Democracy Program seeks to bring the ideal of representative self-government closer to reality, by eliminating barriers to full and equal political participation and by striving to ensure that public policy and institutions reflect the diverse voices and interests that make for a rich and energetic democracy. The Program collaborates with grassroots groups, advocacy organizations, and reform-minded government officials to eliminate barriers to full and equal political participation and to promote institutions that meaningfully reflect diverse interests and views.

Assignments will be drawn from work on voting rights (including the rights of people with felony convictions); reform of election administration (including voter registration restrictions, photo ID requirements for voting, and other practices likely to suppress the vote and have a disproportionate impact on communities of color); campaign finance reform at the federal, state, and local level; and protecting the independence, impartiality and integrity of the courts.

Justice Program

The Justice Program seeks to bring the ideal of a just society closer to reality. The Program collaborates with grassroots groups, advocacy organizations, and reform-minded government officials to promote equal treatment in our courts and to protect civil liberties in the wake of the war on terror. Each intern will work within a specific project of the Justice Program: Access to Justice, Criminal Justice, or Liberty and National Security.

The Access to Justice project is working to close this “justice gap” by expanding the types of civil cases in which low-income people have a right to counsel, increasing funding for the federal Legal Services Corporation ("LSC"), removing onerous restrictions on LSC-funded organizations, and improving language access in the courts. The Criminal Justice project is leading a national indigent defense reform movement that is dedicated to strengthening defender services and to securing the promise of Gideon. It is also working to ensure that a new generation of “fees and fines” does not unfairly shift the costs of criminal justice systems onto those least able to shoulder them.

Through the Liberty and National Security Project, the organization fights to preserve constitutional values against erosion in the post-9/11 world and to set meaningful limits on the exercise of executive power. They develop innovative policy recommendations, and then use litigation and public advocacy to ensure that the nation’s commitment to national security does not trump the nation’s commitment to fairness, accountability and due process.

Washington, DC Office

Interns working in the Washington, DC office can expect their work to have a greater emphasis on advocacy and lobbying than on research and litigation, though you will gain exposure to all facets of the organization's work. The office is hiring one legal intern to work with their Liberty and National Security Project and 1-2 interns to work with the Director of the DC office on a variety of Brennan Center issues.

Qualifications: Excellent legal research, analysis and writing skills; initiative, imagination, and versatility; and a passion for the issues.

The Brennan Center, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, is strongly committed to diversity and welcomes applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations, including people who have been previously incarcerated.

How to Apply: Interested students should send (1) a cover letter explaining which particular programs or projects they are interested in joining: Democracy (NY), Justice-Access to Justice/Criminal Justice (NY), Justice-Liberty & National Security (NY or DC), or DC Office; (2) a current law school transcript; (3) a legal writing sample; (4) a current resume; and (5) contact information for three references. These items should be sent by e-mail to brennancenterjobs@nyu.edu with “Summer Legal Internship” in the subject line.

The deadline for applications is February 15, 2010, but interested students are strongly encouraged to apply early.

The Brennan Center for Justice's Counsel, Liberty and National Security Project

Brennan Center for Justice

Counsel, Liberty and National Security Project

Position: The Brennan Center seeks an attorney for its Liberty and National Security Project. The Project works to advance national security policies that respect the rule of law, human rights, and the constitutional separation of powers, with a focus on policies in the areas of government secrecy and accountability; privacy and ethnic/religious profiling; and detention policy.  The attorney’s responsibilities will include engaging in policy analysis, writing reports and other public education materials, conducting media outreach, engaging in legislative drafting and advocacy, advising officials and activists, and litigating at the trial and appellate levels.  The position is based in the Brennan Center’s Washington, D.C. office and requires occasional travel to New York City.    

Qualifications:  At least three years’ relevant experience (more preferred); excellent research, analytical, and writing skills; comfort with public speaking; ability to work with media; ability to work in coalition with other organizations and with diverse constituencies; and excellent organizational skills.  The ideal candidate would have a strong background in one or more of the following areas: civil liberties and/or national security law; legislative advocacy (or other legislative experience); and litigation. 

Compensation:  The Brennan Center offers a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package. 

The Center:  The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to redistricting reform, from access to the courts to presidential power in the fight against terrorism. A singular institution – part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group – the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector. The Center has approximately 50 staff, including attorneys, researchers, and public affairs professionals.  The Center operates offices in New York and in Washington, D.C.  For more information, visit: http://www.brennancenter.org.  

Applications:  Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, with a preference for those submitted by September 30, 2009.  Applications must include: cover letter, resume, two writing samples, and the names and telephone numbers of three references.  Please e-mail applications to: brennancenterjobs@nyu.edu, with “LNS Project Counsel” in the subject line.

The 11th Annual National Law Students Workers' Rights Conference

What:       11th Annual NATIONAL LAW STUDENTS WORKERS’ RIGHTS CONFERENCE.  Includes a networking reception, small group discussions and interactive workshops for students who are interested in public interest labor law.

When:       October 16 & 17, 2009

Where:      National Labor College, Silver Spring, MD

Deadline: August 27th if you ask The Peggy Browning Fund to pay for airfare; October 2nd for all others. Register early to ensure admission!

Brochure: Conference brochures are available in the CDO Resource Library.

More Info: Visit the Peggy Browning Fund website at http://www.peggybrowningfund.org/ or speak to your CDO advisor.

Prestigious Awards and Fellowships

The Office of Academic Enhancement for the University of Miami addresses the unique demands of the academic careers of highly talented undergraduate students, particularly in relation to their applications for national fellowship programs and graduate or professional degrees. Self-exploration and personal discovery are important aspects of the application and mentoring process for prestigious awards.

The office provides undergraduate students with a range of services to maximize their candidacy for prestigious awards, fellowships, and scholarships. The office is actively promoting awareness of scholarship and fellowship opportunities and provides individual mentoring to help students prepare their applications. Their Prestigious Awards and Fellowships advisors meet with each potential applicant to review the application packet, personal statement, and other materials to ensure that each student is submitting the strongest, most complete impression of his or her candidacy.  

There is now a brochure titled “Prestigious Awards and Fellowships” produced by the Office of Academic Enhancement. The brochure contains valuable information regarding fellowships and awards, many of which are open to graduate and law students. You may access the brochure at:

http://www6.miami.edu/honors-program/PAF_Booklet_Links.pdf

Requirements for each award are noted in this booklet, as well as on the Honors Program and Office of Academic Enhancement Web sites— www.miami.edu/honorsprogram and www.miami.edu/oae.

Business and Professional People for the Public Interest - Polikoff Gautreaux Fellowship

Business and Professional People for the Public Interest ("BPI") offers the Polikoff-Gautreaux Fellowship, an exceptional fellowship opportunity for a recent law or public policy graduate.  One of the country’s foremost public interest law and policy centers, BPI seeks out and addresses compelling issues of social justice and quality of life in the Chicago region.  Currently, BPI works to transform segregated public housing, revitalize economically disadvantaged communities, improve Chicago’s public schools, and increase the availability of affordable housing throughout the metropolitan region. 

 

Fellows receive an attractive salary and benefits (including school loan repayment assistance, based on need).

 

The flyer and fact sheet describing the Fellowship can be accessed via the Student Portal.  Applications for the 2010 Fellowship are due October 16, 2009.  Interested applicants may also consult the website, www.bpichicago.org, for more information on BPI’s programs.   

 

Please feel free to contact Kate Pomper at (312) 641-5570, or via email at kpomper@bpichicago.org with any questions about the fellowship, BPI or the application process.

The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty Seeks a Domestic Violence Staff Attorney for Washington DC Office

The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty ("NLCHP") in Washington, DC is seeking a Domestic Violence Staff Attorney. The candidate should have a Juris Doctor degree with 2-3 years of legal practice with experience in class action litigation, domestic violence and policy preferred. Research, writing, strong oral communication skills and interest in public speaking are also required. The candidate should be a self-starter and be able to work independently with a demonstrated commitment to work on behalf of survivors of domestic violence.

 

To apply, please email a resume, cover letter and writing sample to Vibha Bhatia at vbhatia@nlchp.org. No phone calls please.