2011 Public Policy Handbook Is Now Live

Interested in policy work?

Want a career in Washington or New York City?

Take the time to review this resource which lists over 200 internships and full-time positions in the area of public policy.

Contact careerservices@fcsl.edu for login and password information.

Summer 2011 Legal Internship

The Brennan Center For Justice at New York University School of Law is seeking law students to work on policy advocacy, research, and litigation initativeies at the the federal, state, and local levels. The internship will commence on May 31, 2011 and last for 10 weeks.

Qualifications: Excellent legal research, analysis, and writing skills; initiative, imagination, and versatility; and a passion for issues.

For more information, log into Symplicity today.

Summer Legal Positions for 2L Law Students

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU), founded in 1920, is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with more than 500,000 members and is dedicated to the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the U.S. Constitution. The Women’s Rights Project of the ACLU’s National Office in New York City seeks legal interns for the Summer of 2011.

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

Our Summer 2011 Legal Internship requires a 10-12 week commitment. The internship is full-time. Interns are highly encouraged to obtain funding from outside sources, as the internship is unpaid. Arrangements can be made for work/study or course credit. Summer interns who do not secure funding may be eligible for a stipend provided by the project.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Working closely with WRP staff, interns assist in all aspects of litigation including:
• Conducting legal research and factual investigation.
• Drafting memoranda, affidavits and briefs.
• Providing assistance to ACLU affiliates, private attorneys, and others who seek our assistance; screening potential cases.
• Researching or drafting materials for public education.
• Other projects as assigned.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
Second and third year law students are encouraged to apply.

Applicants must possess:
• Strong, research and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Demonstrated initiative to see projects through to completion.
• Strong interest in social justice and legal issues.
• Commitment to civil liberties.

HOW TO APPLY

Login to Symplicity today for all the details on application requirements.

Applicants should apply now through February 10, 2011. Please indicate in your cover letter where you found this job posting.

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!

AVAILABLE: Minority Law Fellowships In Criminal Defense

The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) is seeking up to three (3) Minority Law Fellows to spend up to eight (8) weeks working in a criminal defense law practice. The purpose of the fellowship is to increase diversity in the criminal defense bar by giving underrepresented populations an opportunity to gain experience in a criminal defense law practice.

Fellows will be matched with NACDL members, exceptional, experienced criminal defense attorneys, in either Washington, DC or New York City. Fellows will actively intern in the assigned criminal defense law office and will be invited to participate in NACDL events and networking opportunities throughout the summer. Fellows should be law students with a strong, demonstrable interest in criminal defense. Fellows will receive a weekly stipend of $500.

Interested applicants should send a resume, cover letter, and writing sample via email to Malia Brink, Counsel for Special Projects at Malia@nacdl.org. Applications will be reviewed beginning April 21, 2010.

To learn more about NACDL’s programs and projects visit http://www.nacdl.org/

JOB FAIR For Florida Coastal Students

Southeastern Minority Job Fair

The Southeastern Minority Job Fair (SEMJF) provides law students with the opportunity to interview with legal employers from throughout the U.S. This interviewing opportunity is for both summer and full-time attorney positions and is open to second and third year law students, as well as recent graduates. This year, SEMJF will be held in Marietta, GA (just north of Atlanta) on July 30 - July 31.

SEMJF provides an excellent opportunity to interview with employers from across the country in one location. In order to register for this event please provide the following information to Lori Lorenzo (llorenzo@fcsl.edu ) no later than Thursday April 22nd at 5:00pm:

Student first name
Student middle name
Student last name
Student email address (PLEASE NOTE: Students MUST use their school email addresses)
Student graduation date
Student year in school

Registrations received after 5:00pm on April 22nd will not be considered, so make sure to register early.

For more information about SEMJF including a calendar of important deadlines, visit the SEMJF website or contact the Career Services Department.

Interested in New York City For The Summer?

The U.S. Court of Appeals is looking for interns for the summer. Students will work in the Office of Legal Affairs. They will work closely with Staff Counsel/Circuit Mediators and will attend and assist with the preparation for preargument conferences as well as follow-up conferences. Duties include: reviewing and analyzing cases; conducting legal research; writing legal memoranda; the opportunity to draft bench memoranda; and communicating with appellate counsel as well as other Court personnel. In addition, externs will have the opportunity to attend oral arguments and observe the workings of the Second Circuit.

Qualifications
Applicants must be in good academic standing, possess excellent research and writing skills, and be able to work independently. Must be able to work full-time starting at the end of May 2010 until August 2010.

For complete instructions on this amazing opportunity, look in PSLawNet. New opportunities are posted daily!

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.

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

New Jobs On Symplicity

Do any of these sound interesting?

Washington, D.C. Area Legal Positions:
Staff Attorney, National Health Law ProgramJob Opportunities, Advancement Project
Director, Voting Rights Project, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Non-Legal Positions:
Development Associate, Ayuda
Professors, University of the District of Columbia
Knowledge Associate, Children's Law Center
Communications Associate, America’s Voice
Citizenship Promotion Americorps (8) Positions, New Americans Citizenship Project of Maryland

Internships/Fellowships:
Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia

NationwideLegal and Non-Legal Positions:
Military/Veterans Project Attorney, State Bar of Georgia Pro Bono Project, Atlanta, GA
Program Associate and Legal Assistant, Human Rights First, New York, NY
New Executive Director, The Workplace Project, Hempstead, NY
Education and Outreach Associate, Center for Constitutional Rights, New York, NY
Paralegal, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC
Pro Bono and Special Initiatives Coordinator, Pro Bono Net, New York, NY

Log into Symplicity for more information including application instructions.

Environmental Fellowship Available

The Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (NRDC), is a leading nonprofit environmental group with more than 1.2 million members and online activists. Offices are located in New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Beijing, and employ a staff of nearly 350 includes lawyers, scientists, policy analysts and educators, all working to protect the environment and public health.

NRDC is seeking a recent law school graduate to be a Charles Koob Legal Fellow. This two-year position is available starting in September 2010. He or she will work on litigation, in federal and/or state courts, addressing a variety of significant environmental problems, including air and water pollution, other public health threats, threats to natural resources, and environmental injustices. NRDC represents both its own members and a range of outside clients, including neighborhood associations, regional grassroots organizations, and environmental, labor, and public health groups.

The Fellow will work under the direction of senior attorneys and with other NRDC staff on all phases of litigation, from case development through trial and appeals. The Fellow may also engage in some administrative advocacy, policy analysis and research, and legislative analysis.
The fellowship will be based in either NRDC's Washington, DC, or San Francisco office. We will do our best to honor an applicant's location preference.

For more information including application instructions, visit www.nrdc.org/jobs.

Great Jobs & Internship Opportunities

Stop by Career Services to learn more information about the great attorney and summer internship positions listed below. Apply today!!!

ATTORNEY POSITIONS

Attorney Advisor Positions, Office of the General Counsel, Government of the District of Columbia

Chief Counsel, Maryland Legal Aid, Baltimore, Maryland

Attorney, Jeremiah’s Circle of Friends
Domestic Violence and Family Law Attorney, Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center
Legal Services Manager, Boat People SOS
Action Group Director, Humanity United
Project Coordinator, Center for Survivor Agency and Justice
Accountant, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.

Grants Manager, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
Legal Caseworker, Program Representing Immigrant Survivors of Abuse. Austin, Texas
Community Organizer, American Civil Liberties Union, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

SUMMER INTERNSHIP POSITIONS

Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, Florence, AZ
American Friends Service Comm./NY Metro Regional Office, New York, NY

Interesting Article About Pro Bono Work

A recent article, "Economy Prompts N.Y. Courts' New Program for Volunteer Attorneys" by
Joel Stashenko in the New York Law Journal highlights how one state is dealing with the current economy and need for legal services. Read below for highlights about the program.

Administrators of New York courts rolled out a new program Thursday to enlist attorneys, many of whom may be laid off or on reduced work schedules due to the sour economy, to provide legal advice and expertise to pro se litigants.The initiative will differ from traditional pro bono work in that lawyers will not represent poor clients in court nor provide assistance throughout their cases. Rather, lawyers in the new Volunteer Attorney Program will make themselves available to multiple pro se litigants to help them prepare petitions and other court paperwork, advise them about what might happen in court and interpret orders from courts, Chief Administrative Judge Ann Pfau said. The program at first will focus on providing legal services in courts in New York City and in Westchester, Suffolk and Nassau counties.Pfau said the need for attorneys to help pro se litigants is particularly acute in cases that reflect the bad economy, such as foreclosures, tenant-landlord disputes, personal debt, child support and other matters in Family Court and small estate settlements in Surrogate's Court.Both employed and unemployed lawyers can participate, Pfau said."People still want to be lawyers," she said in an interview. "We are very happy to think that we could both marry the need for more lawyers and the opportunity for lawyers to provide this very direct service when families are in crisis. That's why they are in court, because ... to continue reading the full text of the article, click HERE.

Internships & Fellowships

The Center for HIV Law & Policy offers internships and fellowships for law students interested in several areas of law. If you are a student with an interest in National HIV Law, Women's Advocacy, Youth In Detention Issues, Human Rights, and more, this may be a great fit for you. Experience or interest in human rights—particularly economic and social rights, the rights of minors, women, racial minorities, and the disabled, and LGBT issues—preferred but not required. For more information including application instructions ...

Click HERE for internships and HERE for fellowships.

Internships Addressing Human Rights

Human Rights First welcomes a limited number of interns in the New York and D.C. locations. Positions are available in five program areas as well as other departments. During the summer most interns work full-time. The work includes research, analysis and drafting of memoranda on substantive and procedural issues, legal issues and legislative matters; documenting and reporting on human rights conditions; preparing advocacy materials and assisting with outreach to designated constituencies; Bluebooking, proof-reading and cite-checking legal filings, memoranda, briefing materials and publications.

Funding may be available through two programs: Frankel Fellowship or Everett Public Service Internship Program. Applicants should note in their cover letters any interest in consideration for either of these opportunities.

For more information and application instructions, click HERE. Applications are being accepted NOW through March 2nd.