WCL Summer Forum

Please note that the Washington Council of Lawyers’ Summer Forum will take place on Tuesday, June 12, from noon – 2:30pm.  The fee to attend is $25 for legal interns at public interest organizations or government agencies and $60 for private sector summer associates.  The Honorable Ricardo M. Urbina of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia will deliver the keynote address, and there will be panel presentations on various substantive legal areas, from representation of children to criminal and immiration law.

 

The registration form is available here: http://washingtoncounciloflawyers.org/WCL%20Summer%20Pro%20Bono%20Forum%20Registration%20Form%202012.pdf

 

Please let Jen Tschirch (tschirch@law.edu) know if you plan to attend.

 

Brief description of the event from WCL:

 

The WCL Summer Forum, attracting nearly 200 summer associates and legal interns each June, has established itself as a must-attend event for aspiring lawyers. This unique event brings law students, working in Washington for the summer, face-to-face with public interest lawyers and private sector lawyers who have incorporated pro bono service into their law practices.

Students will have the opportunity to meet other summer associates and legal interns as they learn more about how – and why – lawyers use their law degrees for public service in the face of pressure to increase billable hours and take on popular causes.

Pro Bono Opportunity

TASSC – http://tassc.org/blog/, is located within walking distance of the law school at 4121 Harewood Road, NE; it is the only U.S. organization founded by survivors of torture for survivors, to oppose torture and to empower a community of survivors. Most TASSC members arrive in the U.S. seeking political asylum based on the torture and persecution they experienced in the home countries they fled. TASSC provides pro bono legal representation.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to engage in policy advocacy, but their primary focus will be on asylum representation. Students will take lead responsibility, under the supervision of TASSC pro bono attorneys, for initial screening of cases and for developing the case once members are accepted for asylum representation, from drafting documents and gathering evidence to preparing the client for interviews and hearings at Immigration Court (Arlington, Baltimore) and the DHS Asylum Office (Arlington). To the extent possible, students will be authorized to act as counsel in those venues in the presence of the attorney of record.

Requirements

Students must work at TASSC for the bulk of their hours. They will be given a desk, a computer and telephone access; as well as orientation and ongoing guidance at least once a week, including overviews of substantive legal principles and processes.

To apply, send a cover email and resume to Steve France, Esq., Asylum Coordinator (steve@tassc.org) and cc Demissie Abebe, Executive Director (demissie@tassc.org) by June 8. TASSC is likely to ask for a writing sample and will interview applicants before accepting them into the program.