Dear Blog ...

Dear FCSL Blog,

I am a second year student who just finished exams. I want to make the most of my Winter Break and have set up some informational meetings with attorneys in my home town. I want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Is there anything else I can be doing to maximize my chances at gaining a summer position?

Bored 2L Law Student

FCSL Blog Says:

Absolutely! There are two specific opportunities you should be applying to RIGHT NOW. If you are interested in paid summer work, many deadlines are in January so starting your applications NOW is a really great idea. For more information about either of the below PAID positions, click the name of the program. Good Luck and Happy Holidays!

1. Florida Bar Summer Fellowship Program

These are PAID summer positions in public interest agencies around Florida. A great way to get some experience this summer!

2. Peggy Browning Fund Summer Fellowships

These are 50 paid summer positions located nationwide in cities including Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York, and more! A great way for get national experience in the area of labor and employment law!

Deadlines are in early January!!!!

Start Your Applications!!!

The Florida Bar Foundation’s 2010 Legal Aid Summer Fellowship application is now available on-line. Please note that the application deadline date is January 21, 2010. Applications submitted after January 21, 2010 will not be considered. The Florida Bar Foundation’s Legal Aid Summer Fellowship Program is a great opportunity for law students to work at a Florida legal aid program for eleven weeks during the summer to get hands-on experience while solidifying their commitment to practicing public interest law upon graduation.

Important Application Information:
Applications are accepted via the on-line application form located on the Foundation’s website (http://www.flabarfndn.org/). Students are encouraged to have their application reviewed by a Career Services Counselor prior to submission.

Selection Criteria:
Among the several factors to be considered in the selection of successful applicants are:
 The depth and breadth of the applicant’s commitment and experience in working with the low-income community;
 The applicant’s passion, insight, and personal commitment to public service and pro bono work;
 The applicant’s background and personal story, including their minority status, cultural diversity, and poverty experience;
 The applicant’s future career goals and employment objectives;
 The thoughtfulness, care, and clarity the applicant puts into completing the application; and
 The applicant’s writing skills and academic achievements.

Where Can the Application be Found:
The on-line application and other materials can be found in several places on the Foundation’s website (http://www.flabarfndn.org/ ), by looking in the News from the Foundation section and the Grant Programs section of the homepage.

The on-line application can also be found on the Foundation’s website by following these steps:

1) click on the Grant Programs tab at the top of the homepage,
2) scroll down to Law Student Assistance,
3) click on the Law Student Assistance button, and then
4) click on the Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program button.

Applicants will need to review and print out the 2010 Program Placement List (found at the Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program webpage) before submitting their application. Students may list up to 4 program placement preferences on their application.

Another Reason To Consider Federal Government

How about a half day of work? A Washington Post's recent article, "Federal Eye Eye Opener: Feds Get 1/2 Day on Christmas Eve" notes that Federal workers got an early Christmas president from President Obama late on Friday, when he ordered an extra half-day of vacation starting at midday on Christmas Eve. As he usually does with such personnel matters, Obama's order notes that agency heads can determine if certain offices must remain open or if certain employees needs to work a full day next Thursday.

Presidents traditionally give employees an extra day of vacation when Christmas falls on Tuesday or Thursday, notes Tom Shoop of Government Executive.

Shoop also notes that last year George W. Bush ordered agencies closed on Friday Dec. 26, giving most government workers a four day holiday. In 2002 when Christmas fell on a Wednesday, Bush gave federal workers a half day of vacation on the day before.

Obama's move mirrors a similar decision made by Bill Clinton in 1998, when Christmas Eve fell on a Thursday.

Concerned About The Economy?

Read "Job Search Tips for the Unemployed Law Graduate" by Alyssa Dragnich in The Legal Intelligencer

In the article, it is noted that "across the country, newly minted attorneys are proudly telling their friends and family that they have successfully passed the bar exam. But at the same time, they remain unemployed, or at least not satisfactorily employed in a legal job. The job market is tighter than ever, and law jobs are not exempt from this economy. Below are some concrete actions law graduates can take to enhance their chances for a successful job search even in a difficult economy. Our favorite tip is listed below.

• Start networking.

Even though many young lawyers consider "networking" to be a dirty word, it is an essential part of the successful job search. In addition to joining the state bar association, consider joining local and specialty bar associations, too. Do not be a passive member -- attend the association's events. Go to CLE classes in your area of interest and chat with the attending attorneys. Law schools and bar associations may offer affordable or even free CLEs.
In addition, schedule some informational interviews with attorneys in your city and/or practice area of interest. Informational interviews are the hidden secret to the job search because they arm you with information related to the particular job you seek and they provide an easy entrée into networking with practicing attorneys.

Click HERE for the full list of great advice for law students.

Paid Summer Fellowship Opportunity

The American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources is pleased to announce the sponsorship of several Diversity Fellowships for law students during the summer of 2010. The ABA Diversity Fellowship in Environmental Law program is designed to encourage disadvantaged or traditionally underrepresented law students to study and pursue careers in environmental and/or land use law and is open to first and second year law students and third year night students. Please feel free to forward this message on to anyone you know who may be interested in this opportunity.

The program will fund two summer internships at a government agency or public interest organization in Florida with a stipend of $5,000 each. The stipend does not cover travel expenses or include a housing allowance; these expenses are paid by the Fellowship recipient. The Fellowship guidelines require an 8-10 week internship (40 hours per week) commitment wherein the recipient will work on legal matters for a government agency or a public interest organization in the fields of environment, energy, natural resources and/or land use law. In addition, each recipient will be expected to attend the Annual Update meeting of the ELULS and will be assigned a mentor from the Section to aid in the pursuit of a career in environmental and/or land use law.

For full application instructions, click HERE.

Completed applications and all related documents must be postmarked or emailed no later than January 18, 2010 to be considered.

Guess Who Is Hiring???

Jeffrey Neal, the personnel chief for the Homeland Security Department, faces the most daunting hiring challenge in the federal government: The department must hire more than 65,700 employees by the end of fiscal 2012 — the most of any federal agency, according to estimates from the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service.

Bringing that many people onboard will require a hiring overhaul at the department, where component agencies now use multi-varied hiring systems that don't share information. They also don't collect data needed to find and break up logjams in the notoriously slow hiring process.

To do this, the department has started rolling out a new end-to-end hiring system called TalentLink, provided by San Francisco's Taleo Corp. The department started this year using the system at its headquarters offices, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Office of the Inspector General. It more recently started ... to read the entire article, click HERE.

Working For The Federal Government

Take a break from studying and consider the federal government. The below article gives some great reasons to think about this career path!

How to Switch Careers: Uncle Sam's Appeal
Kiplinger
By Anne Kates Smith

You can’t beat the job security of working for the federal government. A regular paycheck is partly what attracted Justin Harris, 34, to the government. Since last May, he’s been at the Environmental Protection Agency as a program specialist in the Office of International Affairs. Harris works on the China team to help advance EPA goals. What he lacks in environmental experience he makes up for in regional expertise. A native Californian, Harris speaks fluent Mandarin and had been living in Asia for years, working as a recruiter for law firms in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei and Beijing. "As the economy started to tank, so did the deals I was doing,” says Harris. “That’s when I thought it would be a good time to look for a government position.”

Make that a great time. The federal government is expected to hire 273,000 workers over the next three years-and that’s a conservative estimate, says John Palguta, of Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit that seeks to encourage public service and improve government recruiting.

The list of openings is impressive. It includes 54,000 in medicine and public health, 52,000 in security and protection, 11,000 in engineering, 12,000 in information technology, and 17,000 in accounting and budgeting. The Treasury Department is expected to hire 16,000; the Department of Justice, 19,000.

Visit WheretheJobsAre.org to see hiring projections listed by professional field or by agency. Chances are, you won’t have to live in the nation’s capital; 85% of federal-government jobs are located outside of the Washington, D.C., area, and 44,000 of them are overseas. Visit BestPlacestoWork.org to see which agencies have the highest employee-satisfaction scores. (The top three are the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Government Accountability Office and National Aeronautics and Space Administration.)

Most government-job searches begin at USAJobs.gov, which recently listed more than 31,000 jobs worldwide. The site lets you browse listings by agency, location or occupation, plus learn about special opportunities for veterans. You should also check the Web sites of agencies you’re targeting because not all agencies are required to list openings on USAJobs.gov. These include the Department of State, GAO and Federal Reserve. Job fairs are a good source of leads; scout fairs at www.govcentral.com/careers.

Corporate émigrés may find the federal hiring process arduous and baffling. Vacancies are described in government-ese. You may apply and hear nothing for months, then get an interview, then wait months more. Fortunately, efforts are under way at the Office of Personnel Management to revamp USAJobs.gov to emphasize plain English, provide timely notifications to applicants and fill positions within 80 days of the decision to hire.

Meanwhile, don’t abandon your corporate job-hunting skills, especially the art of making personal contacts. Use the Federal Yellow Book, published by Leadership Directories and available in most libraries, to find names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers for key personnel in every agency. Contact someone who can give you the skinny on working at the agency in the program area you’re interested in. “When I’m recruiting, I reach out to people who were referred to me or sent me a résumé, or whom I met at a conference,” says Kevin Mahoney, associate director of the Office of Personnel Management.

Don’t be too picky. Moving around within the government is easier than getting in. Vacancies that used to attract 10 to 20 applications get 100 or more these days, and agencies fill 90% of senior-executive positions from within. But experienced applicants might enter at a level with the potential to earn between $70,615 and $91,801, plus generous benefits.

Once hired, the challenge is adjusting to the culture. “It’s like going from New York to Tokyo,” says Michael Watkins, co-founder of Genesis Advisers, a leadership-development firm in Newton, Mass. You’ll have to contend with layers of bureaucracy, special interests and maybe the entire U.S. citizenry. But the heady sense of doing Uncle Sam’s work is invigorating. Says Harris: “Before, I’d work with a single attorney at a single law firm with a specific book of clients. Now I affect more important issues.”

A New Resource

If you are interested in public service and California, you definitely will want to start following this new Blog. The Blog is maintained by an independent collaboration of law students from Loyola, Pepperdine, UCLA, and USC who seek to provide a local forum for law students, practitioners, and community members to share and generate ideas, strategies, and research that promote social justice. If you are looking to practice out West, what a great way to keep up with what issues are going on in California!

Jobs & Internships Available NOW

Washington, D.C. Area Legal Positions:

State Capital Trial Attorney, Virginia Indigent Defense Commission
Real Estate Attorney, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (Real Estate)
Trial Attorney, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (Disability Services)
Staff Attorney, Institute for Justice
Project Attorney, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
Policy Associate, Immigration Equality
Attorney, Farmworker Justice
Advocacy Associate, Physicians for Human Rights

Non-Legal Positions:

Senior Development Specialist, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program
Program Associate/Program Specialist, Polaris Project
Mitigation Specialist/Investigator II, Virginia Indigent Defense Commission
Intake Specialist/Receptionist, Neighborhood Legal Services Program
Legal Assistant, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
Senior Project Coordinator, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.

Online Grassroots Organizer, Immigration Equality

Internships/Fellowships:

Spring and Summer 2010 Law Clerks, D.C. Employment Justice Center
Paul H. Tobias Attorney Fellow, Employee Rights Advocacy Institute for Law & Policy
Public Policy Intern, Immigration Equality
Law Clerk, District Alliance for Safe Housing, Inc.

Out-of-Town (Legal and Non-Legal Positions):

Paralegal, Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Miami, Florida
Case Specialist, BI, Incorporation (Various Locations)
Staff Attorney, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark, Newark, New Jersey
Immigration Counsel, Cabrini Immigrant Services, New York, New York
Staff Attorney, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Tacoma, Washington
Organizer/New Americans Project Associate, OneAmerica, Seattle, Washington
Organizer/Membership Coordinator, OneAmerica, Seattle, Washington
Field Organizer, OneAmerica, Seattle, Washington
Part-Time Litigation Director, Workers’ Rights Law Center of NY, Kingston, New York
Staff Attorney, Comité En Unión para Salvadoreños, Union, New Jersey

Check Symplicity for all the details!

AMAZING SUMMER OPPORTUNITY

The Florida Bar Foundation’s 2010 Legal Aid Summer Fellowship application is now available on-line. Please note that the application deadline date is January 21, 2010. Applications submitted after January 21, 2010 will not be considered. The Florida Bar Foundation’s Legal Aid Summer Fellowship Program is a great opportunity for law students to work at a Florida legal aid program for eleven weeks during the summer to get hands-on experience while solidifying their commitment to practicing public interest law upon graduation.

Important Application Information:
Applications are accepted via the on-line application form located on the Foundation’s website (http://www.flabarfndn.org/ ). Students are encouraged to have their application reviewed by a Career Services Counselor prior to submission.

Selection Criteria:
Among the several factors to be considered in the selection of successful applicants are:

 The depth and breadth of the applicant’s commitment and experience in working with the low-income community;
 The applicant’s passion, insight, and personal commitment to public service and pro bono work;
 The applicant’s background and personal story, including their minority status, cultural diversity, and poverty experience;
 The applicant’s future career goals and employment objectives;
 The thoughtfulness, care, and clarity the applicant puts into completing the application; and
 The applicant’s writing skills and academic achievements.

Where Can the Application be Found:
The on-line application and other materials can be found in several places on the Foundation’s website (http://www.flabarfndn.org/ ), by looking in the News from the Foundation section and the Grant Programs section of the homepage

The on-line application can also be found on the Foundation’s website by following these steps:

1) click on the Grant Programs tab at the top of the homepage,
2) scroll down to Law Student Assistance,
3) click on the Law Student Assistance button, and then
4) click on the Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program button.

Applicants will need to review and print out the 2010 Program Placement List (found at the Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program webpage) before submitting their application. Students may list up to 4 program placement preferences on their application.

Interesting Developments With Respect To Loans

The American Bar Association has been busy. In a recent article, "ABA proposes law student loan relief," it is noted that the The American Bar Association is lobbying the Obama administration and Congress to extend relief to recent law school graduates who went into debt to finance their legal educations but haven't been able to find a job because of the recession.

The ABA wants the government to let unemployed graduates convert private loans into federal ones. The change could allow them to defer repaying those loans for as long as three years.

The effort is in its early stages — executives of the largest provider ... to continue reading click HERE.

The Career Services Department wishes students GOOD LUCK on their fall exams!

The Blog will be on a break until Monday, November 30th. Enjoy your weekend!

A little time for refelction ...

Law students are busy people. This fact remains true no matter where or when you attended law school. While immersed in one's studies, it is often difficult to remember about the moral and ethical obligation future lawyers have to serve the under served through pro bono work. In a recent acceptance speech for a national pro bono award, one Northwestern law student reflected on his service in law school and the impact it had on his life. It is certainly worth sharing for inspiration to give back in your own way as both a law student as a future attorney.

"People often ask me why I volunteer so much. Why do I serve? It’s because I know what it’s like to be in need. I know the pain. I know the heartache, the financial hardships and emotional turmoil. Given that, how dare I ignore the hungry? Who am I to turn my back on the children who have been told they’ll never make it? How can I consider writing articles and pontificate on the foreclosure crisis or Katrina when I have the power to help make it better? I give back because I know from personal experience the type of impact one person can have on another’s life. So I don’t see volunteering as simply volunteering, I see service as an obligation, a duty.... " To continue reading the full text of this moving speech, click HERE.

10 Tips for Beginning a Successful Legal Career

The Young Lawyer Editorial Board recently published a list of great tips for attorneys entering the work force. Here are their top 10 tips to transition seamlessly into a successful legal career. While some of these tips are geared towards beginning work in a law firm, many are applicable to positions in government or public interest entities.

1. Realize how little you know, and ask questions.
In the coming years, there will be countless situations when you don't ask a question because you don't even know enough about the topic to formulate a question. Failing to disclose your ignorance on a topic when given an assignment will, ultimately, catch up with you. Don't think that, by virtue of being a smart person, you can accept the assignment and figure it out as you go.
If you develop a reputation for having a false sense of confidence, more senior attorneys will ultimately lose their ability to detect when you can actually handle an assignment, and when you are faking it. So if you have a question, ask.

2. But ask your questions at the right time and direct them to the right people.
Feel free to ask for assistance, but make sure you ask the right people at the right time. Questions about the scope or deadline of an assignment, for example, are perfect questions for partners, and should probably be asked at the time you receive the assignment.
Some questions, however, such as how to format a memo or how to find a document in the firm's document management system, are probably better reserved for fellow associates. Try to find a mentor who will support you in your career growth, anticipate your problems and answer your questions (even the stupid ones).

3. Don't live lavishly.
If you receive a big starting salary, don't spend it all. Instead, try to live on about half to three-quarters of your income and save the rest as if you never made it. This will prevent you from living a life that you cannot walk away from, and will make transition to other fields easier. The best way to deal with the prospect of one day having to take off the "golden handcuffs" is to never put them on in the first place.

4. Get to know the staff and be courteous to them.
No matter where you went to law school or who you clerked for, you're no better than anyone else in the office, and you should act accordingly. Most staff members know more about the practice of law than most new associates. They know how to file motions, they know how to serve subpoenas and they likely have relationships with key administrators at the courthouse.
You're going to need the staff members' help, often when you least expect it, and it'll be much easier and painless to get that last-minute assistance if the staff knows and likes you. The same goes for staff at the courthouse and in chambers. Get to know them and be respectful; they can be an important resource.

5. But learn to do it yourself.
Local filing rules can be quite confusing, especially for a new attorney. You need to learn the filing process. Figure out what attachments you need, cover sheets, certificates of service, other forms, etc. For litigators, learn how to electronically file, both locally and the federal courts. For corporate or transactional attorneys, learn EDGAR and the other tools available to you.
While having a good secretary that knows all these things and does them without prompting is great, you need to learn how to do this yourself and be self reliant.

6. Learn the rules of civil procedure.
Yeah, we know you took a Civ Pro course (maybe two) during your 1L year and studied the topic as part of your bar review. But young litigators need to become masters of civil procedure. If you know the rules, you can use them to gain real advantages against your adversaries. (See, for example, Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(d)). And nothing is worse than trying to explain to an irate partner or client that you lost an important motion because you miscalculated the response time.
Ask your librarian or a more senior associate to recommend a good civil procedure treatise and get a copy that you can keep in your office.

7. Become an expert and seek out new opportunities.
Become the office expert on some area so that people come to you as a resource. This may mean spending extra time that you don't get to bill for, but it makes you a valuable member of your firm and will pay off in the long run.
Closely related, raise your hand at work more often (following a theme from last month's editorial) and request opportunities that you haven't experienced yet or that have not yet been "assigned" to you. Ask for the assignment. For example, if you want the experience of defending a deposition, ask the lead attorney to let you defend some depositions.

8. Network.
While as a new associate you will be busy learning the ropes and working toward making your billable hours goal, you also need to take time to connect with a diverse range of other attorneys and non-attorneys who may be good business contacts down the road. When meeting new people, write down what aspect of their business or experience you find interesting or useful. To start a relationship with someone you met at an event, send a follow-up note to that person to set yourself apart from all the other people he/she met.
Such relationships come in useful when a novel issue arises for your managing partner, and you know the perfect contact to help out with that issue. This only works out, though, if you've done the legwork to maintain a relationship with that person. Calling someone out of the blue and having them not remember you is just embarrassing.

9. Work really, really hard.
In law school, you had almost complete control over when and how you completed your outlining and otherwise managed your time. Now you are expected to focus and make the most of the time in the office, and that can be a challenge.
Firms will no doubt vary with respect to oversight and management of associates, but do not abuse a firm environment that seems really relaxed. The firm may say, "We don't care about face time," and it may very well be true, but all firms will care about your billable hours come year-end. Partners know which associates are the worker bees, and you'll want to have your name on that list.

10. But keep perspective.
As an associate at a firm, you can tend to have "tunnel vision" and get focused on doing just work. That's probably not the best thing for you. It's preferable to get involved with other activities, whether they are bar associations, hobbies, athletics or whatever. Having a life consisting solely of going to work at a firm and then going home every night will not be as rewarding as having other things going on. It is possible to have life outside of the firm; make it a priority.

New Legislation Proposed!

Congress is taking action to make government service possible for more young people! The Partnership for Public Service is excited to announce that the Roosevelt Scholars Act of 2009 (S. 2789)has been introduced in the Senate by Senators George Voinovich (R-OH) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

The Roosevelt Scholars Act will attract our nation’s best and brightest to work for the federal government. Roosevelt Scholars pursuing degrees in high-skill, high-need fields will receive tuition, room and board, and a stipend, in exchange for a federal service commitment – the civilian equivalent to the military’s successful ROTC program!

For more information on Roosevelt Scholars and to learn how you can help, click here.

The Government & Public Interest Blog turns 1 today! Thank you to all of our loyal followers for helping contribute to making the Blog so successful! Keep your comments and suggestions coming!

Great Position For Graduates

3rd Judicial Circuit Trial Court Law Clerk
Date: November 16, 2009 Closing Date: Open Until Filled Position Number: 09340

The essential function of the position within the organization is to assist the judiciary with case management, pending litigation and issues, and/or process criminal and civil appeals. The position is responsible for drafting memoranda, opinions, orders and reports; conducting legal research; reviewing briefs and case files; and advising judges on pending litigation and issues. The position works under general supervision of the Chief Judge or designee.

The position of Trial Court Law Clerk is a professional position that entails research for and writing of legal memoranda, draft opinions and orders in all types of circuit and county court matters, including appeals from county court (both civil and criminal), complex civil litigation, constitutional questions, complex family law cases and criminal matters, including post conviction motions and related civil matters such as petitions for extraordinary relief filed by or on behalf of sentenced inmates, pretrial detainees and other litigants. Work is performed under general supervision of the Court Administrator, Judges, and is reviewed in progress, as necessary, and upon completion.

For more information including requirements and application instructions, log into Symplicity today!

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), America's foremost advocate of individual rights,
is a non-partisan organization founded in 1920. With more than 5 National offices and over 50
affiliates throughout the country, it is widely regarded as one of the nation’s premier public
interest law firms. The Drug Law Reform Project of the ACLU seeks highly motivated law students for the Summer of 2010 internship opportunities in Santa Cruz, California.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Interns may work with one or more of our staff attorneys. Legal interns will assist in all aspects
of the Project’s litigation docket including, but not limited to:
• Assisting with the full panoply of appellate and district-court litigation
• Assisting with the drafting of briefs and motions for litigation before the U.S. Supreme
Court, Courts of Appeals and trial courts
• Assisting with discovery; meeting with clients
• Assisting in the preparation of expert and percipient witnesses for courtroom testimony
• Helping to devise new litigation and assisting with Project’s non-litigation advocacy work
• Some travel may be required

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
• The position is open to 1L, 2L, and 3L students
• Applicants should have excellent writing and communication skills
• Applicants must possess the initiative to see projects through to completion
• Applicants should be self-motivated and committed to civil rights and civil liberties issues
• Experience with drug issues is not required, but preferred

The application deadline for second and third-year law students is December 1, 2009. The
application deadline for first-year law students is January 15, 2010. Applications will be
reviewed on a rolling basis. Full application instructions are located on Symplicity.

Jacksonville Externships In Environmental Law

Below is a list of available externships in the environmental program during the Spring 2010 semester. There are a few focused on government and public interest!

For each externship you wish to apply for, please send (1) a cover letter address to the supervisor, (2) a resume, and (3) an unofficial transcript. These materials should be sent to Maureen Jordan before Monday, November 23. You may apply for as many or as few of the positions as you wish.

Governmental Positions

1. Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Supervisors: Jeff Close & Rick Rachal

2. City of Jacksonville, Environmental Quality Division
Supervisor: Dana Brown
Note: EQD Externs must have completed the Environmental Law course.

3. Saint John’s County Attorney’s Office
Supervisor: Patrick McCormack

Public Interest Positions

4. St. John’s River Keeper
Supervisor: Michael Howle

5. Public Trust Environmental Institute of Florida
Supervisor: Andrew Miller


Notes: Several of the externship supervisors have indicated they will hire 2 externs. Additional private firms have agreed to accept externs in Fall 2010. Preference may be given to students who have declared their intent to complete the environmental law certificate program. Externship supervisors may prefer students who have taken environmental law courses or are enrolled in environmental law courses for Spring 2010. Interviews will be conducted before the end of the exam period whenever possible.

Michael Maggio Immigrants' Rights Summer Fellowship

The Michael Maggio Immigrants' Rights Summer Fellowship was established jointly in 2009 by the America Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law (CHRCL), and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIP/NLG), to commemorate the life and legal contributions of Michael Maggio.

The primary mission of the fellowship program is to strengthen law students' long-term commitment to promote justice and equality for vulnerable immigrant groups. Fellows will be chosen by the three sponsoring organizations, and will be selected based on the strength of their proposed host site and project.

The Maggio Immigrants' Right Fellowship program will select its first recipient in 2009, for summer 2010. One summer fellowship will be awarded to a law student each year.

Please see http://www.maggiofellowship.org/ for application form and additional information.
The current deadline is December 4, 2009. of the National Lawyers Guild

For more information, click HERE.

New Public Interests Positions In Symplicity

Area Legal Positions In Washington

Pro Bono Manager, Children’s Law Center
General Counsel, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Attorney Advisor, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Trial Attorney, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Attorney Advisor, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Staff Attorney, Children’s Law Center
Staff Attorney, Hogar Immigrant Services of Catholic Charities
Bilingual Domestic Violence/Family Law Staff Attorney, Ayuda
Case Manager, Ayuda.
Director of Advocacy, American Immigration Lawyers Association

Non-Legal Positions:

Program Assistant, ABA Commission on Immigration
Executive Assistant/Intake Coordinator, Children’s Law Center
Administrative Associate, DC Employment Justice Center
Development Consultant, Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment & Appeals Project
Health Access Project Investigator, Children’s Law Center
Pro Bono Program Coordinator, Women Empowered Against Violence, Inc.
Advocates Program Co-Director, Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project
Executive Director, Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project

Out-of-Town (Legal and Non-Legal Positions):

Detention Attorney, American Friends Service Committee, Newark, New Jersey
Program Specialist, UConn Department of International Services & Programs, Storrs, Connecticut

Does Your Opinion Matter?

The federal government is showing that they really care about what their employees have to say about increasing productivity. In the article, "Reforming from the bottom up. Employee ideas help agencies work smarter, save millions" by Gregg Carlstrom and Tim Kauffman, it was discussed that the federal government is relying on input from all levels of management. What a great way to give back in your first job!

"Federal managers are increasingly turning to their front-line employees for advice on saving money and improving business processes. The Veterans Affairs Department asked its workers how to fix the department’s disability claims processing system, which currently has a backlog of more than 400,000 claims. The Office of Management and Budget asked federal employees to submit ideas for saving money; the White House asked them for tips on making the government more environmentally friendly. The Air Force wants airmen to suggest ways to save money and streamline processes. And the Transportation Security Administration’s “Idea Factory” program has generated more than 7,000 suggestions on improving airport security. Most of these programs are new, and it’s too early to tell how much of an effect they’ll have. But managers such as ... to continue reading, click HERE.

Atlanta Fellowship Available - Childrens' Rights

The Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic at Emory University School of Law has a one year post graduate fellowship for recent law school graduates to work with the clinic on issues of child neglect and abuse. The fellowship honors late Juvenile Court Judge and former Barton Clinic Director, Robin Nash, and focuses on building the next generation of influential attorneys, judges, and community leaders specializing in juvenile law. The Robin Nash Fellowship will begin mid-August 2010 and continue through August 2011.

The mission of the clinic is to promote and protect the well-being of neglected, abused, and court-involved children in the state of Georgia, to inspire excellence among the adults responsible for protecting and nurturing these children, and to prepare child advocacy professionals. The clinic provides multi-disciplinary, child focused research, training, and support for the practitioners and policy makers charged with protecting Georgia’s children.

The Robin Nash Fellow will work under the supervision of the clinic director and faculty on a variety of projects that will include, as a minimum, the following:
• Assist with supervision of clinic students with weekly and on-going assignments.
• Research and write one law review article suitable for publication or another approved writing project on a topic relating to child neglect and abuse.
• Collaborate with clinic faculty on research and policy papers.
• Participate in on-going advocacy efforts in the Georgia General Assembly
• Assist with teaching the course Child Advocacy: The Law, the Policy, and the Players.

Qualifications: law school graduate within three years of graduation, extensive computer skills, research and writing skills, and proven commitment to public service in the area of child advocacy.

To apply: E-mail a resume, cover letter, statement of interest and commitment to long term child advocacy, transcript, (3) references, and writing sample to the address below.

Deadline: Applications will be accepted until the position has been filled. (Position posted November 2, 2009.)


For additional information or to apply, contact:

Sherry McPeeks, Administrative Assistant
Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic
Emory University School of Law
1301 Clifton Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30322
Phone: (404) 712-4643
Fax: (404) 727-7851
E-mail: smcpeek@emory.edu
Web: www.childwelfare.net

Pro Bono/Volunteer Opportunities at Public Defender’s Office

Current law students and those looking to pursue a career in the legal system are encouraged to contact the Office of Fourth Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk and inquire about Pro Bono hours or volunteer opportunities in the Investigations Unit.

“Hands-on, real world experience is invaluable in today’s job market and it is an impressive qualification on a resume to show a history of performing investigation functions for a criminal law firm such as the Public Defender’s office,” said Shirk. “We have upwards of 60,000 cases per year so there is never a shortage of work. I invite those looking for volunteer, public service opportunities or Pro Bono hours to contact my office.”

The volunteer in the Public Defender’s Office Investigation Unit is primarily concerned with the client interview, but may possibly be involved with:
• Performing online research
• Conducting interviews of witnesses, victims
• Accompanying staff to crime scenes to gather evidence
• Processing evidence for cases and sometimes trials
• Constructing court exhibits for criminal trial proceedings

Individuals interested in this type of volunteer work should contact the Office of the Public Defender either by phone or email to get started. Investigator Andrew Ewing coordinates the program; he can be reached at (904) 630-1579 or AET@PD4.coj.net. Mr. Shirk indicated that law students who enlist may be afforded Pro Bono hours through their law school and that his office will coordinate accordingly.

The Fourth Circuit Public Defender’s office consists of Duval, Clay and Nassau Counties and is centered in Downtown Jacksonville. The function of the court-appointed Defender came into existence in 1963 following the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Gideon vs. Wainwright, holding that the U.S. Constitution required the state to supply lawyers for those criminal defendants who could not afford to hire counsel. Originally, the Public Defender’s responsibilities were to represent indigents accused of non-capital felonies. Through case law and statutes, the Public Defender’s duties have grown.

Surviving Stress(ful) Interviews

Nerves are part of any interview. If you are feeling stressed about an upcoming interview situation, take a moment and read a great article from the October 2009 NALP Bulletin. In Suriving Stress(ful) Interviews, author Nicole Ayala discusses the public interest interview and provides excellent sample question to practice. Remember, preparation is the key to interviewing success! Schedule your interview preparation meeting with a Career Services Counselor today.

What I Really Want To See Is ....

Do you ever wish you could find a list of great federal opportunities for law students? Look no further by clicking HERE. The Department of Justice provides information about Volunteer Student Internships at several federal agencies. If federal government is something that interest you, take a look at this list of great opportunities for excellent experience!

Federal Job In Jacksonville Available Now!

The Department of the Navy is looking for an investigator. If you are dedicated to conducting investigations of current and former U.S. Government (USG) employees who are suspected of seeking and/or receiving fraudulent worker's compensation benefits (to include continuation of pay, medical and related expenses, loss of wages, leave buyback), this may be a great fit for you. For more information, check out USAJOBS. The job announcement is NW9-1810-02-4I523272-E-I. The deadline for applying is November 10, 2009.

Immigration

Are you interested in working in New York City? The Immigrant Defense Project is seeking an individual with experience in the criminal justice system and a demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights and social justice issues. Applicants should possess a J.D. degree and have an interest in criminal-immigration issues. For more information, log into Symplicity for all of the additional qualifications and application instructions. Applications are due by November 20, 2009.

Federal Government Work

In a recent article, USAJobs Seeing More Visits, More Listings, the boom of interest in federal employment is discussed. In the article, it is noted that more than 200,000 entry-level positions will be available in the next four years. While not all of these positions may be traditionally "legal" in nature, it is still a great time to be expanding your own knowledge about the federal government and hiring trends. For example, did you know that a federal resume looks very different than a traditional resume???? Take a look at the article and work with Career Services to start formulating your own federal govenment plan.

Washington DC Legal Internship

The DC Appleseed Center For Law and Justice is looking for unpaid interns for the spring semester in Washington, D.C. Students with an interest in DC policy issues and public interest law are encouraged to apply. Candidates should have strong research skills and an ability to work in a team.

For more information including application instructions, log into PSLAWNET today. Applications are due by November 20, 2009.

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid

Did you know that Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA) now has a Facebook page! This page will be used to promote JALA events, pro bono needs, staff profiles, CLE trainings, legislative needs and fundraising goals.

Search “Jacksonville Area Legal Aid” in the Facebook Search box and become a Fan of JALA!

The Skinny On Federal Jobs

If you are thinking about a career in the federal government, getting your foot in the door is often the most difficult step. The Wall Street Journal recently highligted the federal governement's hiring plan in a recent article. Click HERE to learn more.

Employers Are Watching

Whether you are interested in a firm position, public interest, or government, it is important to recognize that potential employers have their eyes on you and your virtual presence. This trend in investigating candidates before hiring is not limited to employers, as we have seen State Bar Associations (including Florida!!!) start reviewing websites including Facebook and MySpace.

Advice? Be careful about what you put out on the Internet. In this economy, you don't want to hurt your employment chances before you even begin looking ...

For some hints about this trend, click HERE.

Check Your Clock!!

The Pro Bono Fair is happening in the atrium TODAY from 11:30 - 1:00. See you there!

Pro Bono Fall Forum At Florida Coastal

Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 29th, when Pro Bono is holding its annual Fall Forum. Representatives of numerous public interest agencies in Northeast Florida will be attending to share information with law students about volunteer opportunities in their organizations. A few examples of organizations that will be participating include:

~ Jacksonville Area Legal Aid

~ Three Rivers Legal Services

~ Learn to Read

~ HandsOn Jacksonville

~ Women's Center of Jacksonville

~ City Rescue Mission.

The event is being held in the atrium from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please join Pro Bono to find out how you can make a difference in the lives of others.

Career Services Tip . . . Experience is key for distinguishing yourself!!!!

Have you participated in a pro bono project? Celebrate Pro Bono week by learning about the projects Coastal Law supports. Click HERE for more information.

Become Familiar With Foreclosures

Foreclosures are at an all-time high across the United States. The opportunities for new lawyers in this field will likely not disappear in the near future. To learn more about foreclosures and the legal representation during the "foreclosure crisis" click HERE. This recent report by The Brennan Center For Justice outlines how individuals and organizations are dealing with this growing area of law.

Preparing Your Federal Applications

If you are considering pursuing federal work, a little guidance never hurts. Take a moment and read "Six Common Myths of Federal Job Seeking" which contains some great tips in preparing and succeeding with your federal applications.

PUBLIC SERVICE DOES NOT STOP BECAUSE OF THE RECESSION. IT GETS BIGGER

Many of your classmates will be in Washington, DC this weekend learning more about public interest efforts across the country. If you missed out on the opportunity to attend the Equal Justice Works Conference this year, make sure you mark your calendars for next year's Conference & Career Fair. The Conference offers a fantastic opportunity to interview with public interest and government employers nationwide. For more information, click HERE.

Fellowship Opportunity - The 2010 Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program

The American Society of International Law is pleased to announce the 6th Annual Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program.

Law students, practicing lawyers, human rights professionals, scholars, and other individuals seeking assistance in conducting international fieldwork and law-related research are encouraged to apply.

The Helton application form and guidelines for a qualifying proposal, as well as general information, may be found at asil.org/helton, or through the ASIL Service Center at +1-856-380-6810. Applications are permitted from: October 12, 2009, and no later than February 12, 2010. Only the first 50 complete applications will be considered.

Destination: Atlanta

If you are a student interested in working in Atlanta during the Summer 2010, make sure to check out the new internship positing on Symplicity. This paid position is with Atlanta Legal Aid Society and accepting applications now.

New York Summer Opportunity

The HIV Law Project in New York is inviting law students from across the country to join a full-time externship program for credit. There are approximately 2-3 openings each semester in addition to our part-time interns, and students are encouraged to apply as early as possible to assist its legal team in providing comprehensive services to low-income people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

Externs are being recruited for Spring 2010 and Fall 2010 full-time externs, as well as part-time interns within commuting distance, and full-time Summer interns.

HIV Law Project was founded in 1989 in response to a growing need for innovative legal services and advocacy programs for underserved, low-income people living with HIV/AIDS, particularly women and their families; people of color; undocumented and recent immigrants; members of the LGBT community; and the homeless.

The HIV Law Project is committed to working closely with all externs and providing work in a variety of legal areas, depending on our need and the interest of the student. Typically interns will work with each of the six attorneys on staff, including staff attorneys and directors.

Intern responsibilities include: 1) Assisting legal staff in representing clients in court on housing, immigration, discrimination, negligence, future planning, family law, welfare benefits, and social security issues; 2) Researching caselaw in said substantive areas for motions and other legal memoranda; 3) Working directly with clients, conducting initial client interviews, participating in case acceptance and strategy decisions, and providing advice and/or brief services under supervision of attorney; and 4) Attending court and hearings with legal staff to gain a better understanding of the legal system and laws in practice.

Interested students should have strong research, writing, and interpersonal skills; be comfortable with public speaking and engaging in advocacy efforts; and reliable, organized, team-oriented and eager to learn more about the court system. Fluency in Spanish or French is highly desirable.

The HIV Law Project is committed to ensuring that students in our extern program get the supervision and assistance they need to fill out any necessary paperwork and/or other supporting documentation for their academic institution.

Interested applicants may submit via email the following three materials: 1) cover letter, 2) resume, and 3) a short writing sample (brief or memorandum), to Ms. Yasmin Tabi, Esq., HIV Law Project. Applications are considered incomplete without these materials included.
Email: ytabi@hivlawproject.org

Getting Your Student Loans Forgiven.

This is a must attend for anyone with high student debt working for the government or a nonprofit. This free webinar explains how you can benefit from the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, the most significant law affecting public service in a generation.

From this interactive webinar, you will learn and be able to ask questions about:
How to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
How the new Income-Based Repayment plan works
How to figure out how much you can benefit

Space is limited, so participants are required to register at:

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2 – 3:15 p.m. EDT (1 p.m. CDT, 11 a.m. PDT)https://equaljusticeevents.webex.com/equaljusticeevents/onstage/g.php?d=666556842&t=a
Monday, Nov. 2, 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. EDT (10:30 a.m. CDT, 8:30 a.m. PDT)https://equaljusticeevents.webex.com/equaljusticeevents/onstage/g.php?d=667344325&t=a

New Trend In Interviewing

Public interest and government organizations alike have taken a new direction when it comes to interviewing candidates. The below article from the ABA Journal : Why Law Firm Interviewers Are Asking ‘Tell Me About a Time’ Questions is a great discussion about these new trends.

Law firms with fewer spots for new associates are getting serious about on-campus interviews, sending more senior people to meet with potential new hires and using behavioral questions to learn more about students’ personalities. The American Lawyer covered the more rigorous approach to recruiting in a story on the ways the recession has changed law firms.
Bruce Elvin, director of career and professional development at Duke University School of Law, is one observer who has noted a change. "We're seeing better-prepared interviewers, more senior people" coming on campus, he told the American Lawyer. “As for the interview itself,” the American Lawyer says, “it's no longer about whether you like the same sports teams, at least not at places like Vinson & Elkins and McKenna Long & Aldridge.” These firms continue to rely on law school rankings and grade point averages, but they are also using behavioral interviewing techniques to learn how students have performed in specific situations.
Behavioral questions often begin with the words “Tell me about a time” or, “Give me an example of a time." Law firms that rely on behavioral interviewing have identified the characteristics of successful associates and are using the behavioral questions to find out whether the person being interviewed has those traits, according to a 2005 article in the NALP Bulletin (PDF).

Law firms are often looking for these four behavior patterns, according to the NALP article: To access the list of four behavior patterns and learn how to succeed in your interviews, click HERE.

Top 10 Reasons To Become A Public Interest Lawyer

1. Camaraderie.

Public interest law offices are places where the lawyers, and also the support staff, have a shared mission, which produces a sense of unity.

2. Mentoring opportunities.

Solid peer mentoring is a business necessity, and attorneys at all levels benefit from working closely together and developing their skills.

3. Community.

Public interest lawyers are part of a large national and international community of like-minded souls who encounter each other through their work, through periodic conferences, and through social contacts.

4. Responsibility.

A large degree of responsibility is given even to beginners. Client’s lives are in your hands – you could be assigned a major court case as soon as your first day.

5. Flexibility.

Public interest lawyers have a greater degree of mobility, because many people see the relevant specialty not as a particular subject matter but as public interest law itself.

6. Money.

Yes, starting salaries are usually low. But senior lawyers at nonprofit organizations tend to earn a comfortable living. And don’t forget – 10,000 private sector lawyers have been laid off since the beginning of 2008. A government job may be a lot more secure than a job in a private firm. Further, legislation such as the College Cost Reduction & Access Act provides public service loan forgiveness and income-based repayment options, which can make entering public service quite easy.

7. Work-life balance.

You’re not a prisoner to the billable hour. You can have a life outside of your office

8. Be on the cutting edge.

Public interest lawyers get to work on urgent issues all the time. That’s the very nature of public interest work: it is law-reforming, a challenge to the status quo.

9. Fun.

It’s fun because when they are successful, public interest lawyers usually turn the tables on more powerful institutions, and it’s fun because upsetting the status quo forces you to be creative and innovative.

10. Help others.

Public interest lawyers represent vulnerable individuals and communities – they make huge differences in the lives of those who need help the most. A public interest attorney might enable clients to remain housed; limit the amount of time they spend in jail or improve the conditions of their confinement; help them to become employed or re-employed; enable them to go to school; prevent them from being cheated; enable them to enjoy physical security or an unpolluted environment; and in so many other ways. Most importantly, public interest lawyers also help clients understand how to exercise power, to advocate effectively for themselves even when the lawyers are no longer representing them.

The full text of the lecture appears here

New Jobs For October!

Log into Symplicity today to learn all of the details, qualifications, and application instructions for any of the below positions!

Washington, D.C. Area Legal Positions:

Notice of Judicial Vacancy, District of Columbia Superior Court
Real Estate Attorney, Office of the Attorney General, Government of the District of Columbia
Trial Attorney, Office of the Attorney General. Government of the District of Columbia
Staff Attorney, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington
Supervisory Program Specialist, Department of Health and Human Services
Counsel Policy/Analyst, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
Pro Bono Coordinator, Kids in Need of Defense
Domestic Violence Staff Attorney, National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty,
Executive Director, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
Domestic Violence and Family Law Attorney, Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center

Non-Legal Positions:

President, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
Director of Immigration Initiatives and Projects, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
Paralegal, Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland
Director of Finance and Administration, Advancement Project
Part-Time Consortium Coordinator, Consortium of DC Legal Services Providers
Program Assistant, Commission on Domestic Violence

Internships/Fellowships:

Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program, Georgetown Law University
Graduate Clinical Fellowships, Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics, George Washington Univ
2010-2012 Clinical Teaching Fellowship, Georgetown University's Center for Applied Legal Studies


Out-of-Town (Legal and Non-Legal Positions):

Welcoming Campaign Organizer, Long Island Wins, Port Washington, NY
Staff Attorney, American Gateways, Austin, TX

D.C. Networking Opportunity

Are you planning on attending the Equal Justice Works Conference? Make sure to RSVP for an event sponsored by The Young Lawyers Section of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia.

Friday, October 23, 2009

**6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.**

Networking Happy Hour

Medaterra Bistro and Bar
2614 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.

(located walking distance from the Omni Shoreham Hotel)

Members want to share the great city with you. Featuring great food and drink specials, this is a great opportunity to meet and mingle with colleagues, members of the bar, and employers from the Equal Justice Works conference.

Space is limited so register early for this FREE event! Register Online Now
Happy Hour Questions? Please contact Yousri Omar at yomar@velaw.com

Interested in Veteran's Rights?

Community Legal Services of Mid- Florida has started a program to give legal assistance to low-income veterans in Volusia, Flagler, Brevard and Putnam counties. The project aims to help low-income and homeless veterans with Veterans Administration claims, including disability compensation, pensions and other benefits, as well as family law, housing, bankruptcy and other legal issues. For more information, call 1-800-363-2357.

Is Debt On Your Mind?

You are not alone. Take a moment and read an article from The American Lawyer which discusses steps to overcome law school debt (even despite leftover undergrad loans and the shrinking job market!). To access the entire article, click HERE.