Have you started your Equal Justice Works Fellowship Application? The 2011 application is available here!

Florida Coastal has had GREAT success with applicants in the past. Continue the tradition and apply today. All submissions are due by September 15, 2010.

Go out and befriend the poor and the oppressed wherever you may find them. Identify those who impoverish and oppress them. And then make some trouble!

A recent article on the Equal Justice Works Blog provides the above advice along with other recommendations for landing a public interest legal job. If you are interested in working in the public sector, this is a great article for some inspiration!

125 Legal Jobs

A recent search of USAJOBS found 125 legal positions available in the United States. Have you set up your account with USAJOBS yet???

Click USAJOBS and then First Time Visitor to get started today.

Important Changes to IBR as of July 1, 2010

Updated rules for Income-Based Repayment recently went into effect to make the program more fair for married borrowers and those who owe more than when they finished school. Last year, more than a thousand IBRinfo subscribers sent letters urging the Department of Education to fix these problems, and those efforts paid off.

The updated calculator to determine if you qualify is available here. It is definitely worth checking out as some people will be eligible for IBR who weren't before.

Here is a summary of the changes that are now in effect:
Married Borrowers: When married couples both have federal student loans, they will no longer face higher IBR payments than their unmarried peers. For married borrowers who file their taxes jointly, lenders will factor in the couple's total federal student loan debt, as well as their total income, to calculate payments. Originally, IBR did not recognize that joint income has to cover both spouses' federal loan payments, resulting in payment requirements up to twice what two equivalent single people would have to pay.
Baseline Debt: IBR eligibility will be based on either the balance when the loan first entered repayment or the current loan amount, whichever is greater. This will allow borrowers whose loan balances have increased (often due to accrued interest during periods of deferment or forbearance) to qualify based on what they actually owe. (Note: This change only affects IBR eligibility, not payment amounts - your IBR payment amount is based on your income.)

For additional questions, click HERE.

Want To Work For The Federal Government?

The online application periods for two Department of Justice Programs have been announed as opening on July 26 and closing on September 7

1) 2010-11 Attorney General's Honors Program

2) 2011 Summer Law Intern Program

Info on the AG Honors Program: http://www.justice.gov/oarm/arm/hp/hp.htm
Info on the Summer Law Intern Program: http://www.justice.gov/oarm/arm/sp/sp.htm

If you want to work for the federal government, this is a great opportunity to explore!!!

Spending the summer in Tampa?

Consider joining the local bar association, the Hillsborough Bar Association. Local bar associations are a great way to meet attorneys in the area YOU WANT TO PRACTICE. Often memberships are available for law students at a reduced rate. Look into your local bar association today!

The Attorney General's Honors Program

The highly competitive Attorney General's Honors Program is the only way that the Department hires entry-level attorneys. Selection for employment is based on many elements of a candidate's background including academic achievement, law review or moot court experience, legal aid and clinical experience, and summer or part-time legal employment. The Department also considers specialized academic studies (including undergraduate and post-graduate degrees), work experience, and extracurricular activities that directly relate to the work of the Department.

FOR THE 2010 - 2011 HONORS PROGRAM, APPLY ONLINE BETWEEN JULY 26 AND SEPTEMBER 7, 2010.

For all of the instructions, click HERE and remember to utilize Career Services in perfecting your application.

Ged Educated About Veteran's Work

According to a recent posting ont he Equal Justice Works Blog, there are currently 22.4 million veterans in the United States, a figure which represents 10% of the nation’s adult population. After having courageously served their country, thousands of veterans are now living in poverty, facing homelessness, and in desperate need of help.

The economic crisis has had a disproportionate effect on veterans, especially those who have recently returned home and those who have been homeless for years. The National Alliance to End Homelessness reported the rate of homelessness for veterans is more than twice the rate of the general population. Further studies have shown that veterans, particularly those suffering from the effects of combat, face higher levels of unemployment, incarceration and homelessness than the population at large. In addition to the staggering rate of homelessness ... to continue reading about this important issue, click HERE.

Good News From the Federal Government

The federal government is interested in promoting pro bono work. Earlier this month, the Department of Justice kicked off a New York City branch of a federal program that partners lawyers with low-income residents in need of legal services.

The Federal Government Pro Bono Program was established in 1996. Under the program, federal government lawyers volunteer their time with legal services organizations and represent indigent defendants, often in cases involving landlord-tenant issues, domestic violence and family law or personal injury. (The lawyers are not permitted to represent criminal defendants or those facing deportation.) The program began in Washington, D.C., expanded to Chicago in 2008 and, as of this week, will also include federal government lawyers in New York City.

If you are interested in practicing in Washington, Chicago, or New York ... learn more about this great program!

Great Position Available!

Fellowship Announcement
Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center’s Workplace Justice Project
__________________________________________________________
The Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center is a non-profit public interest law firm which was founded in 1996 and specializes in advocacy on behalf of immigrants. FIAC is interested in sponsoring a highly-qualified law student entering his/her third year to apply for a post-graduate Skadden fellowship to work with FIAC’s Workplace Justice Project.

The Workplace Justice Project was started in 2007 to advance the employment rights of low-wage immigrant women in “cleaning and caring” industries in South Florida through a mix of litigation, policy advocacy, outreach, and education. The WJP has litigated wage-and-hour and human trafficking cases on behalf of domestic workers; developed a corps of worker-activists; and engaged in policy reform efforts. As a result of this experience, domestic worker advocacy has emerged as a core priority, and we are interested in helping a student to develop a project to address employment issues faced by immigrant domestic workers.

Candidates must have a commitment to immigrant, women’s, and worker rights; excellent writing skills; a strong academic record; and the ability to speak Spanish. Popular education or organizing experience is preferred.

Students interested in being sponsored for a fellowship should send a letter expressing your interest and describing your relevant experience, a resume, an unofficial transcript, three references, and a legal writing sample to jhill@fiacfla.org by July 25, 2010.

FIAC is an equal opportunity employer and encourages people of color, women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender individuals, and persons with disabilities to apply.

Your Government At Work

The federal government is getting technical. Earlier this month, USA.gov (the officially home page for federal services and resources) was revamped to feature mobile applications, a more sophisticated search engine and other enhanced navigation aides.

One mobile app allows consumers to scan a product's barcode with their smartphones to immediately determine if it appears on a recall list, represents the direction where federal services are headed, said Dave McClure, GSA associate administrator of citizen services and innovative technologies.

"It illustrates where we want to drive service delivery in the government so we can make it as real-time as possible. We're not quite there yet," he said during a call with reporters on Thursday.

The Obama administration over the past year has installed numerous online dashboards, which keep tabs on the progress of projects and services, in an effort to demonstrate the federal government can keep pace with private sector customer service and productivity standards.

For example, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services now provides applicants with real-time information on the status of their cases, as well as the processing timetables for specific forms at specific offices. And the Office of Management and Budget hosts several sites dedicated to monitoring information technology investments and improper payments. The challenge has been prodding agencies to provide ... to continue reading the entire article, click HERE.

Highlight On Americorps Fellowships

Fellowships in the areas of domestic violence, homeless preventation and veterans' rights are available NOW in Gainesville and Jacksonville for recent graduates. Log into PSLAWNET today to learn more about the requirements and application process.

* Americorps Fellowship (Domestic Violence), Three Rivers Legal Services, Gainesville, FL
* Americorps Fellowship (Homeless Prevention), Three Rivers Legal Services, Gainesville, FL
* Americorps Fellowship (Homeless Prevention), Three Rivers Legal Services, Jacksonville, FL
* Americorps Fellowship (Veterans Rights), Three Rivers Legal Services, Jacksonville, FL

Where Is Your Counselor This Week?

The CSD Counselor responsible for maintaining the Government & Public Interest Blog is taking time this week to meet with recruiters from the federal government as part of the Southeastern Federal Recruiter Conference. As the Blog highlights all the time, the federal government is a wondeful avenue for new attorneys and is an employer who is actually hiring! Start your government job or internship today by signing up for USAJOBS!

New Jobs Available

Assistant Jury Administrator, U.S. District Court - Southern District of Florida, (Miami)
Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office - Southern District of Florida, (Miami)
Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office - Southern District of Florida, (Miami)
Attorney, Public Services, University of Miami School of Law (UM Law), (Coral Gables)
Legal Intern, United Voices, (Tampa)
Official Court Reporter, U.S. District Courts - Southern District of Florida (FLSD), (Miami)
Outreach Paralegal/Asistente Legal, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), (Atlanta, GA)
Staff Attorney, Atlanta Legal Aid Society - Atlanta, GA, (Atlanta, GA)
Superior Court Administrator, Superior Court, (Atlanta, GA)

Log into PSLAWNET today!

Looking for a job in Atlanta?

The Atlanta Legal Aid Society seeks a staff attorney to work in its South Side Office. The office is a branch of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society and is located in the Wagon Works Building near the East Point MARTA station. The staff is comprised of a managing attorney, four staff attorneys, a pro bono coordinator, a Hispanic Outreach paralegal, and three support staff. The office represents low-income persons in South Fulton and Clayton Counties in a variety of civil legal problems including domestic relations, housing, consumer, public benefits, juvenile deprivation, education, and health law. The job requires client representation, community outreach, and participation in local bar and social service associations.

Qualifications
Qualified candidates must possess excellent legal writing, oral advocacy and work ethic. Communication and listening skills, ability to work in a team and independently, adaptability, and appreciation of diversity are required. A Georgia bar license or eligibility for the next exam is required. Demonstrated commitment to public service, participation in law school clinics, trial advocacy courses, familiarity with areas of poverty law, and previous work with low-income persons are strongly preferred. Fluency in Spanish and experience working with non-English speaking communities are highly valued in applicant selection.

For more information including salary information and application instructions, log into Symplicity today.

Application Deadline: 08/12/2010

Register For A Career Fair

6th Annual IMPACT Career Fair for Law Students and Attorneys with Disabilities
The IMPACT Career Fair for Disabled Law Students and Attorneys will take place August 13 at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, VA. The deadline for students to upload materials is Sunday, July 11 at 11:59 pm. For more information visit www.law.arizona.edu/Career/Impact/welcome.cfm

Five million dollars is now available for distribution to qualified civil legal assistance attorneys. The online application is accessible here: http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/attachments/siteresources/CLAARPapp.pdf

Applying as soon as possible is critical because the Department of Education will commit these funds to eligible civil legal assistance attorneys on a first-come, first-served basis.

Completed and signed applications can be returned to the Department of Education as follows:

• Fax Number: 1-315-738-6674

• Mail: U.S. Department of Education
Civil Legal Assistance Attorney
Student Loan Repayment Program
PO Box 4399
Utica, NY 13504

• Overnight mail: Call 1-877-699-1834 for courier/overnight address

Complete and signed applications will be date and time stamped and processed in the order they are received. Do not submit an incomplete application-- if the application is denied because it is incomplete, the Department of Education will send a letter explaining the reason it was denied, and a resubmitted request will receive a new date and time stamp.

Registration for the Public Defender Advocacy, Training & Hiring Conference (PATH) is now available at http://www.pdsdc.org/LegalCommunity/CalendarItem.aspx?TrainingID=75 This biennial conference will take place at Georgetown University Law Center on Saturday, July 31, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Immediately following the conference, a networking happy hour at a local venue follows.

PATH is a free conference for law students committed to, or interested in exploring careers in, indigent criminal defense representation – the ‘PD committed’ and the ‘PD curious’. Students may choose from 12 sessions on the Advocacy, Training or Hiring tracks to self-direct their learning.

If you are interested in learning more about the Conference, please contact Jocelyn Donahue for a copy of the agenda.

The Legal Department of the Service Employees International Union has immediate openings for law fellows, starting in August 2010. Recent graduates are welcome to apply! The Fellowships will be based in Washington, DC with a significant amount of extended travel to Florida. The SEIU Law Fellowship Program was established to expose recent law graduates to legal work within an international union and offers an excellent opportunity for new lawyers to work with experienced union-side lawyers on a variety of cutting-edge issues related to the advancement of workers’ interests. SEJU is a progressive, dynamic and growing labor organization representing over 2 million workers in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, principally in the building service, public service, and health care fields. For more information including all application instructions, log into Symplicity today.

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Student Hiring In The Federal Government

In a recent article, it was noted that "the Office of Personnel Management rolled out a major hiring reform effort, which included eliminating knowledge, skills and abilities essays in favor of resumes and cover letters. But on Wednesday, Director John Berry showed little sign of resting. Berry told participants at a Senior Executives Association conference that the next two "things to come" would focus on hiring students and improving diversity in government. Berry said OPM wants to build on current programs and successes and is looking into how to make it easier for students to get into government. . . to continue reading these exciting details about student hiring, click HERE.