HOPE - Prospective Students
Margaret Mead
Other State and National Fellowships
Echoing Green 2009 Fellowship Program
Through our two-year Echoing Green Fellowship program, we provide start-up capital and technical assistance to help new leaders launch their organizations and build capacity. We offer:
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New Jersey Summer Public Interest Fellowship
Legal Services of New Jersey sponsors a paid intern program each summer for law students in New Jersey Public Interest legal organizations. The purpose of this program is to promote awareness of and commitment to careers in public interest by offering rewarding employment opportunities to law students. LSNJ will screen the applications to identify those with the greatest potential a commitment to public interest work. Interns are paid $450 per week for 1Ls and $600 per week for 2Ls. Applications are considered based on when they are received. Apply early! Decisions are made on a rolling basis beginning December 15. Applications are available on the organizations website at www.lsnj.org and in the Career Planning Center office.
California Women's Law Center Fellowship
CWLC seeks law students interested in internships or externships. Each student is assigned to a supervising attorney and will assist on a variety of projects, which will include research and writing legal memoranda, analyzing legislation, and working with various coalitions and community groups on outreach, public education and advocacy.
Position Availability:
Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer Application
Deadline: Applications for Fall, Winter, and Spring are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications for Summer are accepted until March 1.
For more information, please click here.
The Public Defender’s Office for the 1st Circuit of Florida
The Public Defender’s Office for the 1st Circuit of Florida is seeking to hire Assistant Public Defenders. The 1st Judicial Circuit is in northwest Florida, on the panhandle, and based in Pensacola, Florida. All 3Ls are encouraged to apply. If interested, please email cdo@law.miami.edu to receive more information about this opportunity, including contact information.
ABA John J. Curtin, Jr. Justice Fund
The Curtin Justice Fund Legal Internship Program is managed jointly by the ABA Commission on Homelessness and Poverty and the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants. The Program will pay a $2,500 stipend to students who spend the summer months working for a bar association or legal services program designed to prevent homelessness or assist homeless or indigent clients or their advocates. The Legal Internship Program will provide much-needed legal assistance to organizations serving the under-represented and give students direct experience in a public interest forum. Through this, it aims both to help homeless clients and to encourage careers in the law which further the goals of social justice. Please refer to the information attached and feel free to visit our website at www.abanet.org.
Autism Legislative Project
Second and third year law students are invited to participate in a pro bono opportunity to improve state and national legislation on autism, the fastest growing developmental disability in the nation. Working under the direction of an experienced Chicago attorney, students will collaboratively research and propose legislative amendments both within their respective states and on a federal level. Regular tele-conferences will be held to discuss ongoing research and proposed legislative efforts, as well as to develop and evaluate strategies for the advancement of project objectives. Participating students will be required to volunteer a minimum of five (5) hours per week conducting research and performing additional administrative tasks. Academic credit is potentially available. Interested students should submit a resume to alprecruiting@yahoo.com for consideration.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the world’s largest animal rights organization, has a law clerkship program for second-year law students. Law clerks work in PETA’s Norfolk, Va., headquarters in the Research & Investigations Department or the Policy Department, where they gain exposure to many different aspects of animal rights law and have the opportunity to develop legal skills in a team-oriented, fast-paced, hands-on environment. To apply for a clerkship, please send a resume, a transcript, a legal writing sample, and a list of references to the address indicated below. In addition, please include a two-page, double-spaced essay in which you discuss your interest and experience in animal rights law, the skills you would bring to PETA, and what you hope to gain through your clerkship. Applications are accepted year round. A decision is usually made within two weeks. Additional information about the clerkship is available at www.peta.org. Send applications for summer clerkships to: Lori E. Kettler, Counsel, Research & Investigations Department, PETA, 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510.
Anti-Defamation League Fellowship Placement
"The immediate object of the League is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. Its ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of citizens." The Anti-Defamation League was launched in 1913 in response to the lynching of Leo Frank, rampant anti-Semitism, and discrimination against Jews. While the particular issues may have changed throughout the years, the mission remains the same: to uphold the core values of American democracy against those who seek to undermine them through word or deed. The Anti-Defamation League has several on going projects including Civil Rights, combating Terrorism, educational policy and programs, separation of church and state, hate crimes, hate on the internet and government and national affairs.
Students that chose this site will be placed with a lawyer working on special assignments in the Anti-Defamation League office depending on their interests. For a complete description of the Anti-Defamation League and the different projects they are currently working on, please go to www.adl.org.
Homeless Veterans Foundation
The mission of the Homeless Veterans Foundation (or HVF for short) is to seek the endorsement and support of all Americans, in order to totally eliminate the 200,000 + homeless veterans’ problem and the horrific veteran suicide rate over the next five years. Details regarding these two problems are outlined in web sites for two unaffiliated entities: nchv.org and suicidewall.org.
The HVF is seeking interns to work on the project that is developing into a large and successful movement to help veterans. While the internship positions are unpaid, in addition to offering excellent experience and a chance to contribute to a valuable project, interns would have the chance to have their photos and biographies listed on the project website and be mentioned in press releases. The organization is flexible with work hours, requesting just 5-10 hours per week. HVF will coach and mentor all interns and the knowledge gained should be substantial. HVF is a very high profile project with many major name people who will be asked to serve on the advisory board. Their commitment is targeted for September or October. All interns will have an opportunity to join HVF as consultants, special projects, part-time or full-time as soon as the first $1 million dollars is raised. The target date for this funding in late September if all goes as planned.
All questions regarding any aspect of HVF and working guidelines should be directed to delavan10@aol.com after reviewing the HVF site, nchv.org, and suicidewall.org.
Interested students should email their résumé to Mr. Will Kaiser, University of Miami School of Law ’62 and Korean War veteran at Delavan10@aol.com.
Summer Lawclerk Internship:
Mission
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights champions the legal rights of people of color, poor people, immigrants and refugees, with a special commitment to African Americans.
History
The Committee is affiliated with the national Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, begun in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy. San Francisco’s office was founded by leading members of the San Francisco Bar in 1968, shortly after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Lawyers' Committee --with the assistance of hundreds of pro bono attorneys--provides free legal assistance and representation to individuals on civil legal matters. In addition, the Lawyers' Committee handles policy impact cases in the areas of Race, Poverty, and Immigration.
Internships
Under the supervision of an attorney, the law clerk will prepare legal memoranda, conduct legal research, perform other litigation and non-litigation related legal assignments, and conduct client interviews. Clerks also participate in legal staff meetings. Law clerks work in all of our issue areas (race, immigration, poverty). If you have a particular interest in homelessness/poverty issues or our African-American Agenda, please indicate this in your cover letter – there may be an opportunity to work with staff on special projects in these areas. Summer law clerks are ordinarily expected to work 37.5 hours per week for 10 weeks. During the semester, law clerks are expected to work at least 15 hours per week. We encourage clerks to seek academic credit or independent funding for their work. Law clerks at the Lawyers' Committee may be considered in the future for post-graduate fellowships at the Lawyers’ Committee, including our Thurgood Marshall Fellowship and sponsorship for the Skadden and Equal Justice Works Fellowships.
To Apply
Send a cover letter, resume, and three references to the attention of Silvia Contreras to the following address:
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the S. F. Bay Area
131 Steuart Street, Ste. 400
San Francisco, CA 94105.
Prior public interest experience is preferred. If applicable, please indicate if you are fluent in a foreign language (particularly Spanish, Mandarin, or Cantonese). Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as early as possible as decisions are made on a rolling basis.
Suggested application submission periods:
- Summer: September 4 – March 15
- Fall semester: February 1 – September 15
- Spring semester: August 1 - January 1
Please visit our website for more information about our organization: www.lccr.com
The Lawyers’ Committee is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. People of color, lesbians, gay men, transgender individuals, persons with disabilities, and people over 55 are encouraged to apply.
Legal Fellowship : Southern Poverty Law Center
Expires: November 9, 2007
The Southern Poverty Law Center offers a two-year fellowship to recent law school graduates who possess excellent research and writing skills, a strong academic background, and a demonstrated commitment to public interest law.
Law fellows perform legal research and writing and actively participate in all other aspects of the litigation process. Law fellows also contribute to non-litigation aspects of the legal department’s work, including policy research, public education, and other advocacy.
Fellowship positions usually begin in September, although starting dates are flexible. Salary and benefits are excellent.
To apply for the 2008-2010 fellowship, please submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, legal writing sample, and the names and phone numbers of three references by November 9, 2007. Please include your e-mail address with your application.
Telephone interviews will be conducted in November; in-person interviews will be conducted in December. An offer will be extended in January 2008. Due to the high volume of applications received by the Center, the legal department is unable to respond to inquiries by telephone.
Please direct all application materials to:
Human Resources
Southern Poverty Law Center
400 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36104-2087
humanresources@splcenter.org
The Southern Poverty Law Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, or status with regard to public assistance.
Internships/Externships at CIEL in Geneva, Switzerland:
CIEL's internship program in Geneva offers law students and exceptionally motivated undergraduates considering entering into law school excellent opportunities to gain experience in the field of international environmental and international economic law, including intellectual property rights law and institutions. Interns work full or part-time during the school year, usually receiving credit from their schools. Summer interns typically work full-time during the summer months. CIEL's fellowship program in Geneva helps law graduates gain experience and specialize in their field of interest. Fellows may work full or part-time.
Due to limited resources, almost all internships and fellowships are unpaid and we cannot provide assistance with funding. CIEL is also unable to provide housing. It is the intern's or fellow's responsibility to locate housing in Geneva. However, we do provide housing information to the selected candidates. Housing arrangements and reservations should be made well in advance due to limited housing options in Geneva.
Responsibilities of fellows and interns include researching and writing about areas of international law and policy; assisting with policy analysis and advocacy; attending meetings and conferences; assisting with the production of CIEL publications; and otherwise working closely with CIEL staff on various projects.
Successful applicants generally possess excellent research and writing skills in English and a strong dedication to public interest law. While CIEL actively seeks applicants with diverse backgrounds, CIEL's office in Geneva particularly needs students and graduates with an interest in international trade law, or students and graduates interested in issues of globalization and sustainable development. Knowledge of French, Spanish or German is also useful. Due to our current limited infrastructure, we ask (but do not require) interns to work on their personal laptop computers.
For more information, please click here.
Defenders of Wildlife Summer Law Clerk:
Position Description
Defenders of Wildlife is a North American conservation nonprofit dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities. Our programs encourage protection of entire ecosystems and interconnected habitats while protecting predators that serve as indicator species for ecosystem health. Defenders’ staff is composed of a variety of wildlife experts, including a legal team with a successful record at the forefront of wildlife law and legal advocacy.
Defenders’ legal department offers summer clerkships to select law students with a commitment to wildlife conservation. The position is designed to provide a wide range of legal, programmatic, and administrative experience relating to conservation issues of national significance. The clerk will be expected to provide research, writing, and general support for our domestic projects. The clerkship program covers a diverse range of environmental issues from endangered species to federal lands management, and is a terrific opportunity for law students dedicated to conservation and wildlife law.
The intern will be expected to work 40 hours per week at Defenders of Wildlife’s office in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Defenders will provide a stipend of $1000 per month for three months. Interested candidates must be able to make at least a 12‑week commitment.
For more information, please click here.
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest - Summer Internship:
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest is a nonprofit, civil rights law firm that strives for social justice. In partnership with member law firms, corporate law departments and other organizations, NYLPI helps underrepresented people develop legal strategies to serve their vision for themselves and their communities. For more information visit http://www.nylpi.org. Summer Interns will have an opportunity to work with NYLPI Staff in a range of civil rights issues, including Disability Rights, Environmental Justice and Community Development, and Access to Health Care. In addition, interns will have the opportunity to work with our Pro-Bono Clearinghouse.
Although we cannot predict what our needs will be for each term, the projects will most likely involve factual and legal research, as well as writing, regarding those areas described above. We are currently accepting applications from 2L students, but applications submitted by 1L students will also be considered.
Applicants should have a demonstrated commitment to social justice issues, excellent research, writing and communications skills, and the initiative and energy necessary to see projects to completion. Applicants should send a cover letter, resume, three references, and a non-fiction writing sample of no more than 5 pages in length to:
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, 151 West 30th Street,
New York, New York 10001, Attention: Joni Carrasco or by e-mail to internships@nylpi.org.
Applications should be submitted as soon as possible. New applications will be accepted until February 15, 2008 or until space is filled. New York Lawyers for the Public Interest is an Equal
Public Interest Funding Opportunity
The Initiative for Public Interest Law at Yale is now accepting applications for one-year grants of up to $30,000 to be awarded in the summer of 2008. Complete applications must be received no later than February 1, 2008. The Initiative is a non-profit organization that provides start-up money for projects that protect the legal rights or interests of inadequately represented groups. The Initiative seeks to fund individuals who are launching new projects, not to provide funding for ongoing work at existing organizations. We fund cutting-edge projects whose successful execution might be a model for other organizations seeking new and better ways to represent clients. While the Initiative may choose to fund one project for the full $30,000 grant amount, in recent years, the Board has often chosen instead to award partial grants ranging from $9,000 to $21,000.
More information about selection criteria, the selection process, application materials, and contacts can be found at the Initiative’s website: http://www.law.yale.edu/stuorgs/initiative.htm .
Gubernatorial Fellows Program
The Gubernatorial Fellows Program provides leadership training to outstanding Florida graduate and undergraduate students interested in public service. By immersing students in key areas of government, including the Executive Office of the Governor and the Governor's agencies, these future leaders will receive first-hand, on-the-job training as well as valuable high-level experience and insight on government and how it works.
Approximately 12 students from across the state are selected to serve. Eligible candidates are enrolled as graduate students or upperclassmen at a Florida college or university. Fellows are matched with projects, based on their expertise and interest. They are treated as high-level staff and are expected to participate, perform and contribute at that level.
In an effort to make the Gubernatorial Fellows Program open to all eligible students, all of Florida's public universities and many of the state's private colleges have agreed to waive tuition for any student selected into this program.
We invite you to learn more about this exciting opportunity by exploring this Web site. Applications will be available on-line as of Monday, November 19, 2007 and will be accepted through Thursday, February 7, 2008. Due to the competitive nature of this program, early application is recommended. Public service is one of our country's most challenging and rewarding callings. Established in 2004 by former Governor Jeb Bush, the program affords Florida's best and brightest a unique opportunity to discover this important, demanding and rewarding world.
For more information regarding this fellowship, please click here.
Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson Summer Fellows Program
Legal Services of Greater Miami Inc. (LSGMI) is proud to announce the inauguration of the Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson Summer Fellows Program. LSGMI is inviting applications from Florida International University, St. Thomas University and University of Miami law students who will be entering their third year of law school in the Fall of 2008. Stearns Weaver Miller Summer Fellows will work full time in LSGMI’s Miami office and receive a weekly stipend of $560. The paid Fellowships are scheduled to run May 19th through August 8th. The Fellows will work full time, rotating among three of LSGMI’s projects (Rental Education and Advocacy Legal Lines, Disability Law Project and Affordable Housing Project) during the 12 week period. For more information, please click here.
Additional HOPE Fellow placements included:
Florida Legal Services, Trust for Public Land, Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Consortium for Street Children: London, England, Hale & Dorr Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School, Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, and Legal Services of Greater Miami .
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Each year we hope to build on these opportunities, by increasing the number of Fellowships, along with continuing to increase the breadth of placement selections for our students.
