Office of Law & Social Justice Initiatives

Advice for Law Students looking for Public Interest jobs

jogilvy — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:08:26 +0000

It’s simply a tough time to be looking for public interest work. But it’s important to remember two things:

Accept what you cannot control. Control what you can control. Life happens and we have to react accordingly. We are much more subject to the course of events around us than we are masters of it. This is certainly true of the job market. Job seekers are stuck, at present, with poor economic conditions. You cannot control those. What you can control is the strength of your candidacy for public interest jobs. Because the market is so tight, now more than ever it’s necessary to makes yourselves the best job applicants possible. Work with career services staff. Use PSLawNet and other resourcesto polish your cover letters and resumes. Do mock interviews. Network, network, network. I know, it may seem to some of you like trite advice. But the strength of your candidacy for jobs is one variable you can control. It’s a hugely important variable. Control it.
There Are Jobs Out There. ”If it bleeds, it leads” is the saying used to convey the fact that bad news is what makes news. Media will cover the laying off of 15 public defenders much faster than they will cover the hiring of 15 public defenders. Just because most of the news you read focuses on the tightness of the job market, that doesn’t mean there aren’t jobs. In the last week we posted 120 jobs on PSLawNet. There are over 1100 job listings on the site right now. Layoff news notwithstanding, there are jobs. Again, the key is to make yourself the best job candidate possible. From the PSLawNet Blog

Michigan State College of Law Teaching Fellow Position

jogilvy — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:36:50 +0000

Michigan State University College of Law invites applications for a two-year teaching fellowship in its Immigration Law Clinic to start on or about July 1, 2012.
In coordination with Immigration Law Clinic faculty, the Fellow will supervise students in representing clients and in advocacy projects, teach clinic seminar classes, evaluate students and participate in the general development and functioning of the clinic. In anticipation that the Fellow will pursue opportunities to enter a career in law teaching, the law school will support the Fellow’s efforts at scholarly development including research and conference travel support. The Fellow will receive an annual salary of $50,000.00, together with benefits including retirement annuity and health and dental insurance.
Applicants must have a JD degree from an ABA-accredited law school and membership in a state bar. Preference will be given to applicants with practice experience representing noncitizens, strong academic records and writing ability, a demonstrated commitment to public interest law, and potential for success as a teacher.
To apply, please submit a law school transcript, curriculum vitae and cover letter explaining your interest in the position to:
Professor Veronica Thronson
Director, Immigration Law Clinic
Michigan State University College of Law
610 Abbot Road
East Lansing, MI 48823
veronica.thronson@law.msu.edu
Applications are now being accepted and will be considered on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to apply before February 3, 2012.
For more information about the Immigration Law Clinic, prospective applicants are encouraged to visit the Clinic’s website at http://www.law.msu.edu/clinics/immigration/about.html or contact David Thronson at david.thronson@law.msu.edu, 517-913-9674 or Veronica Thronson at veronica.thronson@law.msu.edu, 517-336-8088 x 1014.
Michigan State University College of Law is committed to the diversity of its faculty, staff, and students, and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and those whose background, experience, and perspective would contribute to diversity.

Paid Externship Positions

jogilvy — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:33:01 +0000

The Migrant Legal Action Program (MLAP) is delighted to announce that it has been awarded an Equal Justice America grant to employ two Catholic University of America School of Law students for part-time work in the 2012 Spring Semester.

MLAP staff is actively involved in legislative and administrative advocacy, as well as providing training and technical assistance to local migrant and non-migrant service providers across the country.

This non-profit, non-governmental organization has a strong reputation for its leadership in the areas of Migrant and Immigrant Education, Access to Public Benefits, and Immigration Policy and Immigrant Rights.

Law clerks will undertake federal and state legal research and writing under the direct supervision of the Executive Director who is an experienced attorney. Such work will be in support of individual cases, law reform activity, policy work, and technical assistance.

The EJA grant requires for each position at least 120 hours during the spring semester for the full grant of $1500 or a pro-rated amount for fewer hours. Students will be temporary, part-time employees of MLAP for the semester due to the conditions of the EJA grant and, therefore, there will be Social Security and Medicare deductions taken from the $1500 grant total, and possibly federal and state taxes as well, as required.

Please visit their Symplicity job posting to apply.

These positions are available to 2Ls and above who have excellent research and writing skills and can demonstrate a commitment to and interest in public interest law.

Law School Recognized as a Top School of Public Service Employment

jogilvy — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:30:41 +0000

The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law is among 20 law schools recognized as best preparing students for public service employment in the field of government, according to a new list released by The National Jurist.

The announcement was made in early December as a preview of the winter 2011-2012 issue of the publication, which will appear in print in January. The legal education magazine is read by an estimated 100,000 law students.

The National Jurist recognized law schools in five different categories as the best in preparing students for public service: government, prosecutor/public defender, state judicial clerks, Federal clerks and public interest.

The magazine reviewed each law school’s employment data, curriculum, and standard of living to determine three of the categories; the standard of living calculation included debt, loan forgiveness options, salary, and regional cost of living. The National Jurist used employment placement data exclusively for the category of state and federal judicial clerkships.

See the complete article online here.

DC Law Students in Court – contract attorney position

jogilvy — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:32:49 +0000

Position: D.C. Law Students in Court Program seeks an experienced attorney, licensed in the District of Columbia, as a full time student supervisor in its Civil Division. This contract position begins as soon as possible and will go through June 30, 2012.

Program Description: D.C. Law Students in Court Program (LSIC) is a non-profit legal education/legal services program associated for over 40 years with five major District of Columbia law schools: American, Catholic, Howard, Georgetown and George Washington. LSIC provides free legal services to low-income clients with cases arising in D.C. courts and agencies, and provides third-year law students with a high-quality introduction to the skills of lawyering and advocacy. <www.dclawstudents.org>

Responsibilities: The successful candidate will supervise law students during the intake process as the students interview and counsel clients, and provide advice, referrals and brief services. He or she will also supervise student representation during limited appearances in the Landlord-Tenant Branch of the D.C. Superior Court. Related duties include participating in weekly case acceptance conferences, attending staff meetings, overseeing the accurate and complete input of data in the office’s case management system, and providing in-put and comment towards student grades.

Qualifications: Must be a member of the D.C. Bar, be able to work both independently and as part of a team, have prior landlord-tenant litigation experience, excellent writing and communication skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Prior legal services background is a plus. Alumni of the LSIC Civil Division are encouraged to apply. Ability to speak Spanish highly desirable though not required.

Salary: $50,000 per annum, prorated to the length of the contract.

Contact:

Richard C. Goemann, Executive Director

D.C. Law Students in Court Program, Inc.

616 H Street, N.W. Suite 500

Washington DC 20001

Phone: 202/638-4798 Fax: 202/638-0304

E-mail: rgoemann@dclawstudents.org

Please include a resume, cover letter, writing sample and 3 professional references and indicate “civil supervisor” in the subject heading of any e-mail communications.

Free Webinar Series: The Summer Public Interest Job Search

jogilvy — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:18:48 +0000

Free Webinar Series: The Summer Public Interest Job Search: Expert Tips on Cover Letters, Resumes, Interviewing, and Networking

This two-part webinar series, cosponsored by NALP and Equal Justice Works, will provide law students with insight on the key elements of the summer public-interest job application process. Attorneys with years of application review experience will highlight do’s and don’ts; explain how and why public interest application materials may substantively differ from law firm materials; and explore the dynamics of personal interactions in interviews and networking situations.

Part One: Wed., 1/25/12 at 3pm Eastern – Best Practices in Drafting Cover Letters and Resumes. Reserve your Webinar seat now!

Presenters:

Steve Grumm, Director of Public Service Initiatives, NALP
Stuart Smith, Director of Legal Recruitment, New York City Law Department
Nicole Vikan, Assistant Director for Public Interest & Government Careers, Georgetown University Law Center

Part Two: Wed., 2/1/12 at 12pm (Noon) Eastern – Best Practices in Interviewing and In-person Networking. Reserve your Webinar seat now!

Presenters:

Nita Mazumder, Program Manager for Law School Relations, Equal Justice Works
Nicole Simmons, Career Counselor, The University of Texas School of Law
David Zisser, Associate Counsel, The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Professor Michelle Alexander on the new Jim Crow era

jogilvy — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:08:33 +0000

Professor Michelle Alexander (Ohio State College of Law), former Supreme Court clerk to Justice Blackmun and civil rights activist will speak about her book The New Jim Crow, at noon, on January 26, in the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel on the main campus of Howard University. For a brief introduction to Ms. Alexander’s ideas about the unending effects of mass incarceration, and how so many policies and practices work together to create, essentially, a new Jim Crow era, view this six-minute clip of her speaking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnqjDVhjM0w

PSLawNet summer funding resource pages and career fairs

jogilvy — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:57:46 +0000

Summer Funding Resources –https://pslawnet.org/summerfundingresources

2012 Career Fairs – https://pslawnet.org/careerfairs

Cleveland, OH Legal Aid summer externships

jogilvy — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:55:17 +0000

Legal Aid Cleveland is a Cleveland, OH based non-profit law firm focused on areas of consumer rights, disability, domestic violence, education, employment, family law, foreclosure, health, housing, immigration, public benefits, and tax. In 2012, we are seeking 12 – 15 dedicated, hard-working, and public-interest minded students to work in Legal Aid Cleveland’s four Northeast Ohio offices during our 11 week summer associate program.

Founded in 1905, Legal Aid is the fifth oldest legal aid organization in the United States. Legal Aid’s 53 staff attorneys, 90 staff members, and 1,400 volunteer lawyers ensure access to justice for low income people. For more information please visit www.lasclev.org.

The application deadline for this position is February 10, 2012. Please contact Amy Schuster with any questions.

Amy Schuster, PHR

Human Resources Generalist

The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

1223 West Sixth Street

Cleveland, OH 44113

(216) 687-1900 main

(216) 861-5023 direct

amy.schuster@lasclev.org

“Check out Legal Aid’s new website at www.lasclev.org”

Bridges Across Borders SE Asia International Externship

jogilvy — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:49:18 +0000

Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education Initiative (BABSEA CLE) is currently accepting applications for its 2012 Legal Studies International Externship Clinic. The BABSEA CLE Legal Studies Externship Clinic offers an opportunity to make a real contribution to helping people achieve access to justice in Southeast Asia while being involved in a remarkable experience of living and working in the region.

The BABSEA CLE 2012 Legal Studies International Externship Clinic’s proposed activities emphasize four main areas: community legal education research and curriculum development, community service, education & culture, and self reflection. During the 12 week experience, activities include a variety of community based legal education teachings, service projects with local & rural communities and many educational events & cultural experiences. The interns will be given the opportunity to work and interact with the BABSEA CLE International Community Legal Education team as well as local lawyers, legal educators and BABSEA CLE ‘s community organization and institution partners in the Southeast Asia region.

The deadline for applications is March 1st, 2012. To be considered for the program, applicants should submit the following: Complete and submit the application form, current resume, statement of purpose, writing sample, 2 personal references, the liability and waiver form, and a photocopy of the applicant’s valid passport. Preference will be given to applicants who display a strong academic record, interest in human rights and community service, awareness of different cultures, and a willingness to commit to the full 12 week program.

For more information on the BABSEA CLE Legal Studies International Externship Program please visit http://www.babseacle.org/legal-externship-clinic/ or contact BABSEA CLE Legal Externship Coordinator, Ms. Pimtida Makar pim@babseacle.org, BABSEA CLE

Co-Director, Ms Wendy Morrish wmorrish@babseacle.org, BABSEA CLE Co-Director/Supervising Lawyer, Bruce Lasky www.blasky@babseacle.org