Immigration Staff Attorney Position at Tahirih

By providing holistic legal services and engaging in national public policy advocacy, the Tahirih Justice Center (Tahirih) works to promote access to justice in the United States for immigrant women and girls who are fleeing violence. Tahirih is a Bahá'í-inspired non-profit organization that offers pro bono representation to women and girls seeking protection from such gender-based human rights abuses as domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, female genital cutting, honor crimes, and forced marriage. Winner of the 2007 Washington Post Award for Excellence in Non-Profit Management, Tahirih has a staff of 29 with offices in Falls Church, VA, Houston, TX and Baltimore, MD (January 2010).

Position Summary: Tahirih is currently seeking to hire a full-time Staff Attorney to represent immigrant and refugee women in gender based asylum cases, claims brought under the Violence Against Women Act, and other related immigration matters, including T and U visas. The ideal candidate will possess foreign language skills and have experience working with female victims of violence from multi-cultural backgrounds. Additionally, the candidate will be detail-oriented, self-motivated, and a team player. S/he must be committed to the promotion of justice for women and girls, and to the foundational values of Tahirih.

Note: This position will be split between our Falls Church, VA main office (3 days per week) and our Baltimore, MD satellite office (2 days per week) with a possibility of increasing time spent in Baltimore.

Primary responsibilities will include:

General

* Conduct intake interviews

* Represent clients before the DHS, Immigration Courts, and BIA

* Train and mentor pro bono attorneys who co-counsel Tahirih cases * Supervise paralegal, and legal and other interns

* Conduct trainings and outreach activities

* Attend coalition meetings and network with like-minded organizations Fundraising

* Contribute to the development of grant proposals and reports

* Occasionally attend meetings with potential funders

* Provide client stories and articles for periodic Tahirih publications

* Generally promote the Center and its work

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

* Experience representing immigrant women in asylum, VAWA, T visa, and/or U visa cases

* Experience working with female survivors of trauma and those from diverse cultural backgrounds

* Excellent legal analysis, written and oral communication skills

* Admission to any bar, or eligibility for admission to any bar

* Foreign language skills (Spanish preferred)

* Meticulous organizational habits with an ability to manage large amounts of information, establish priorities, and meet deadlines

* Extremely responsible, self-initiating, and focused

* Ability to multitask and work in a fast paced environment with people from diverse cultural backgrounds and personalities.

Annual salary and benefits: Salary ranges from $39,000 to $43,000, depending on experience. Benefits include: 15 days of paid accrued vacation during the first year (20 days of vacation after the first year), additional week of vacation between Christmas and New Years, fully-paid health and dental insurance coverage, 403(b) plan, flex-spending account, in-house training programs, professional development stipend, and staff enrichment retreats.

Submissions: Please email a cover letter, resume, and a list of 3 references to:

Human Resources Department

Tahirih Justice Center

6402 Arlington Blvd, Suite 300

Falls Church, VA 22042

mailto:22042justice@tahirih.org

Fax: 571-282-6162

Community Development Cilinic Fellow at University of Baltimore

The University of Baltimore School of Law invites applications for a fellowship to start on or about July 1, 2010 in the Community Development Clinic (CDC).

This public interest fellowship program offers practicing attorneys exposure to law school clinical teaching. The CDC offers transactional advice and representation to community-based nonprofit groups as well as small businesses headed by low-income entrepreneurs. The Fellow's duties include direct supervision of case work of clinic students and clinic classroom teaching in coordination with clinic faculty. Fellows also pursue professional goals in conjunction with his/her clinic director, including opportunities for scholarship. This position is a contractual appointment for up to two years and can be extended for a third year under certain circumstances.

Qualifications: excellent oral and written communication skills; at least two years of experience, preferably transactional, as a practicing lawyer a strong academic record and/or other indicia of high performance ability; a commitment to work for low income clients and a strong interest in teaching. Fellows must be members of the Maryland Bar in order to supervise law practice by students.

Salary: The current salary is $50,000 year 1; $53,000 year 2. The position includes full benefits, including retirement annuities, research support, and travel allowance. Applications are now being accepted. The deadline for letters of interest and resumes is January 15, 2010.

For a detailed job description position, please view our website at http://law.ubalt.edu/template.cfm?page=541.

To apply, submit a letter of interest and curriculum vitae to:

Professor James J. Kelly, Jr.

Director, Community Development Clinic

University of Baltimore School of Law
40 W. Chase Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Phone: 410-837-4094; Fax: 410-333-3053

jkelly@ubalt.edu

The University of Baltimore is an equal opportunity employer and minority candidates are encouraged to apply. UB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/ADA Compliant Employer & Title IX Institution. Web: http://www.ubalt.edu/hr.

Fellowship in Family Mediation Clinic at University of Baltimore

The University of Baltimore School of Law invites applications for a Fellowship in its Family Mediation Clinic to start on or about April 1, 2010, although the start date is negotiable.

This public interest fellowship program offers practicing attorneys exposure to law school clinical teaching. The Fellow's duties include direct supervision of clinic students in the Family Mediation Clinic, representing clients who have family mediation issues and clinic classroom teaching in coordination with clinic faculty. Fellows also pursue professional goals in conjunction with his/her clinic director, including opportunities for scholarship. This position is a contractual appointment for up to two years and can be extended for a third year under certain circumstances.

Qualifications: Excellent oral and written communication skills; at least two years of experience as a practicing lawyer including experience in mediation; a strong academic record and/or other indicia of high performance ability; a commitment to work for low income clients and a strong interest in teaching. Qualification as a Child Access Mediator in the Maryland Circuit Court is strongly preferred and the Fellow must be a member of the Maryland Bar.

Salary: The current salary is $50,000 year 1; $53,000 year 2. The position includes full benefits, including retirement annuities, research support, and travel allowance. Applications are now being accepted. The deadline for letters of interest and resumes is February 28, 2010.

For a detailed job description, please view our website at http://law.ubalt.edu/template.cfm?page=541.

To apply, submit a letter of interest and curriculum vitae to:

Robert Rubinson

Professor of Law and Director of Clinical Education University of Baltimore School of Law
40 W. Chase Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Phone: 410-837-4094; Fax: 410-333-3053

rrubinson@ubalt.edu

The University of Baltimore is an equal opportunity employer and minority candidates are encouraged to apply. UB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/ADA Compliant Employer & Title IX Institution. Web: http://www.ubalt.edu/hr.

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.

Michael Maggio was an extraordinary immigration attorney and individual who was a life-long advocate for justice, equality, and peace. Throughout his career, Michael received countless professional awards and was honored for his extraordinary legal representation, astute strategizing, unwavering commitment to the highest ethical standards, and his deep passion for justice and upholding the rule of law. He was an active member of AILA, the National Lawyers Guild, and served on the Board of Directors of the National Immigration Project. He was also an active supporter of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law. Michael died in February 2008 after a courageous battle with cancer.

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 deadline has been extended to December 31, 2009.

The Fund for Justice and Education Project Fellows Program

During these challenging economic times, the ABA Commission on the Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Profession and Legal Needs and the ABA Fund for Justice and Education (FJE) have collaborated to create the FJE Project Fellows. The FJE Project Fellows program will provide meaningful volunteer experience for recent law school graduates who may be unemployed, underemployed or deferred and who would like to engage in substantive law-related activities. The experience of volunteering for these public service programs will allow Fellows to build their resumes, work with well-known lawyers and make professional connections, and produce substantive work for the public good. Substantive tasks may include editing newsletters and magazines, conducting research, assisting in planning conferences and panels, and outreach to direct beneficiaries of programs, among others. Fellows will be supervised by the staff director of the project for which they are volunteering. It is anticipated that Fellows will work remotely using their own computers, although it may be possible for Fellows located in Chicago or Washington, D.C. to volunteer in the ABA offices on occasion if space is available.

Prospective Fellows are asked to complete application, indicating preference for one of five categories of substantive public service programs supported through the FJE: 1) Access to Justice; 2) Children and the Law; 3) Public Education; 4) International Justice; and 5) Professionalism and the Profession. Through a matching process coordinated by the FJE with entity staff directors, Fellows will be assigned to a project. Every effort will be made to assign projects that align with stated preferences. To view more about the Fellows Program or the application, click here.

2010 EPA Honors Attorney Fellowship

The Environmental Protection Agency is hiring an Attorney Fellow for its Chicago Office. To view the duties, necessary qualifications and application process please see the following announcement: http://jobview.usajobs.gov/getjob.aspx?jobid=84650305.

Teaching Fellowship at Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

University of California, Hastings College of the Law

Teaching Fellowship in the Refugee and Human Rights Law Clinic at U.C. Hastings, with Joint Placement at the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS) is seeking applications for the Teaching Fellowship in Refugee and Human Rights Law, a two-year position beginning on June 1, 2010. The Fellowship is designed for lawyers with at least three years of practice experience who are interested in preparing for a career in law school clinical teaching, as well as being engaged in the cutting edge legal work of CGRS.

The 2010-2012 Fellow will co-teach the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. The Clinic exposes students to the related fields of refugee and international human rights, and to the varied strategies undertaken in these substantive areas. In the refugee area, students represent clients in individual proceedings, and may also engage in litigation or policy work. In the international human rights area, students engage in fact-finding, draft human rights reports, or participate in advocacy at regional human rights bodies, such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, or at inter-governmental bodies, such as the United Nations. The Fellow will work closely with clinic faculty, sharing responsibility for designing and teaching clinic classes, selecting and supervising law students, and other related matters.

The Fellow will have significant involvement and responsibilities with CGRS on the full range of its national policy, appellate and advocacy work on behalf of women seeking asylum from gender persecution. The Center works to advance women’s human rights by focusing on gender-based asylum law and broader migration policies, both in the U.S. and internationally. For more information on CGRS, see .

CGRS is based at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, which houses one of the largest clinical programs on the West Coast. The law school has demonstrated a strong commitment to clinical education, with 20 clinical faculty and clinical offerings including the Civil Justice Clinic (which operates in-house clinics in Individual Representation, Community Economic Development, Group Advocacy and Systemic Reform, and Mediation), and outplacement clinics in Criminal Practice, Environmental Law, Immigrants' Rights, Legislation, Local Government Law, and Workers' Rights.

Applicants must have:

1. A minimum of three years practice experience in refugee law, and substantial exposure to international human rights law;

2. Exceptional written and oral communication skills;

3. A strong academic record;

4. Experience with supervising or mentoring students or colleagues in a legal setting; and

5. The ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Bar admission required.

Fellows receive excellent University of California health benefits, and access to law school facilities. Working on one’s own scholarship is supported and encouraged. Salary range is $46,000-$50,000.

To apply, please send a resume, an official or unofficial law school transcript, a writing sample, and a statement of interest (maximum length five pages). The statement of interest should address: a) why you are interested in this fellowship; b) what you consider to be your strengths, and strongest potential contributions to the Clinic and to CGRS, c) your experience with asylum and other immigration cases, as well as any experience with international human rights law; and d) anything else you consider relevant. All applications must be received by February 1, 2010, and addressed to:

Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Refugee and Human Rights Clinic Teaching Fellowship

UC Hastings College of the Law

200 McAllister Street

San Francisco, CA 94102

Attn: Teaching Fellowship Committee

clinfell@uchastings.edu

If applying by email, please put “Refugee and Human Rights Teaching Fellowship” as the subject of the email and ensure that your last name is included in the filename of all attachments.

Rappaport Fellows Information Session

Rappaport Fellows Information Session

Wednesday, December 2nd

3:30pm - 4:30pm

Room 306

Featuring: Susan Prosnitz, Executive Director,
Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service

The Rappaport Fellows Program in Law and Public Policy is built around a series of experiences and activities that blend the practical and the intellectual elements of public service law and civic leadership. Fellows are placed primarily at Boston-area government agencies or in some cases at non-profit organizations where public policy initiatives are a critical part of the enterprise. Each Rappaport Fellow will complete a paid summer internship with a Boston-area government employer that focuses on urban law and policy issues. The summer internship stipend is $7,000 for ten weeks of full-time work and the completion of a paper addressing legal or policy issues arising out of his/her internship.

Panel Discussing the Legalization of Sex Work

On Monday, November 16, 2009, there will be a panel discussion on the legalization of sex work from a civil rights and civil liberties perspective at Harvard Law School. The panel will feature Vednita Carter, Melissa Farley, Samantha Majic, and Elizabeth Wood.

• Vednita Carter is the founder and executive director of Breaking Free, an organization that provides services and education to girls who have become victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
• Melissa Farley is the director of Prostitution Research and Education and is known for her studies on prostitution, trafficking, and sexual violence.
• Samantha Majic is an assistant professor of gender and American politics and public policy at John Jay College who does research on sex workers.
• Elizabeth Wood is an assistant professor of sociology at Nassau Community College who maintains a blog on sex worker's rights at http://sexinthepublicsquare.wordpress.com/.

The discussion will take place from 5:30-7:30 in Pound 107 on the Harvard Law School campus (Harvard Law map). Prof. Cohen from the law school will moderate.

2010 Conference on Environmental Justice, Air, and Green Jobs: Evolution and Innovation

January 25-27, 2010

New Orleans, Louisiana

This Conference provides an opportunity for participants to learn about the following:

• Goods Movement– new initiatives to reduce the impacts of transporting goods or produce.
• Sustainability/Green Jobs – sustainability in the context of jobs aimed at preserving ecosystems and reducing consumption.
• Ambient Air/Climate Change – impacts of ambient air pollutants and greenhouse gases on disproportionately affected communities.
• Hazardous Waste Cleanup/ Job Training – impacts and challenges of hazardous materials, waste exposure and cleanup activities.

For more information, please click here.

Part-time Family Law Staff Attorney Position in Michigan

THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL seeks applicants for a part-time staff attorney position at our Auburn Hills campus. This position is to be filled as soon as possible. The staff attorney will work in the Family Law Assistance Project, which is part of a partnership with Lakeshore Legal Aid. The staff attorney will share with another part-time staff attorney the responsibilities of one-half of a domestic violence/family law case load and supervising clinical students. Both part-time staff attorneys will work 20 hours over 3 days per week and handle all staff attorney obligations that arise on their scheduled work days. The staff attorney will keep current on family and domestic violence law and act as a liaison between FLAP and the community. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of five years of litigation experience, preferably in family law, and experience with poverty law and domestic violence. This is a non-contract staff position.

Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter. Send these materials to Mr. Scott Harrison, Director of Human Resources, P.O. Box 13038, Lansing, MI 48901 or via email to hr@cooley.edu. Please include “FLAP Staff Attorney” in the subject line. Resumes will be accepted through November 29, 2009. Cooley is the national leader in minority enrollment among all accredited law schools in the 50 states, values diversity in the legal profession, and is an equal-employment-opportunity employer. For more information, please go to www.cooley.edu.

Jobs in International Human Rights Law Panel

Jobs in International Human Rights Law panel, Wednesday, November 11, in the Cherry Room at New England Law Boston beginning at 4:45. Panelists will discuss how to find jobs in the international human rights field. Speakers including Professors Dina Haynes and John Cerone and two practitioners from the community with field experience in Afghanistan, Bosnia and a multitude of other field missions.

Summer 2010 Law Clerk Positions

CENTER FOR GENDER & REFUGEE STUDIES

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, HASTINGS COLLEGE OF THE LAW

The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS), one of the nation's leading refugee advocacy organizations, is seeking full-time Judith Stronach Women's Rights Fellows for summer, 2010. The Center, which is based at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, works to advance women's human rights by focusing on gender-based asylum and broader migration and refugee policies, both in the U.S. and internationally.

The law clerks will be involved in the full range of CGRS's work, including research and writing on key legal issues, appellate advocacy, involvement in international human rights projects, the preparation of expert witness affidavits, and national policy work.

Experience or background in asylum law is required. Experience with related areas, such as international human rights law or women’s rights, should be mentioned. Fluency in Spanish is desirable, but not required.

The position runs for 10 weeks during summer 2010.

For more information about the application process, please contact Professor Dina Haynes at dhaynes@nesl.edu.

Boston Bar Association Immigrant Law Committee

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER PROGRAMS

Friday, November 13th

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00pm

Place: Boston Bar Association @ 16 Beacon Street, Boston

Event: Why is the Department of Homeland Security Visiting U.S. Employers? Worksite visits to H and L employers by the USCIS’s Division of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS)

In the last several weeks, USCIS has started to send investigators to H and L employers all over the United States to conduct unannounced visits and interviews of company personnel and H and L foreign workers. Employers and H/L workers should know what is happening and how to respond.

The panel will discuss:

• What the FDNS is and their legal authority for conducting worksite visits
• How the visits are conducted, who they interview, and what questions are asked
• How to prepare your clients, both employers and foreign workers, for these unannounced visits - the documentation they should be familiar with and what they should and should not do when the USCIS investigator shows up
• Recent actions by other government agencies relating to fraud detection and employment law compliance, specifically the Department of Labor and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Tuesday, December 1st

Time: 5:30pm – 7:00pm, followed by cocktail reception

Place: John Adams Courthouse @ One Pemberton Square, Boston

Event: Immigration Judge’s Panel: Presenting Your Case to the Court

Back again by popular demand, we are privileged to have several of Boston’s federal immigration judges join us for an intimate panel discussion and reception. The judge’s will discuss several case hypothetical, their preferences when handling different elements of cases (direct, cross, experts, evidence, etc.), and the latest court process and procedures. The panel discussion will be followed by a meet and greet reception with the judges and a great networking event with local immigration attorneys.

First Annual Human Rights Student Scholars Writing Competition

SPONSORED BY THE Human Rights Program of the University of Virginia School of Law and the Virginia Journal of International Law (VJIL)

WE INVITE PAPERS relating to human rights law from J.D., L.L.M. and S.J.D. students from the United States and abroad. May 2009 graduates may submit papers written as part of their law school curriculum.

THE TOP AUTHOR WILL RECEIVE:
• A cash prize of $500
• Featured presentation in an online symposium on Opinio Juris
• An invitation to present the paper at a special Student Scholars Workshop at UVA
• Expedited consideration for publication in VJIL

Submission Deadline: March 1, 2010

Visit www.vjil.org for specific guidelines and eligibility requirements.

Immigration Detainee Shares Story

Join Eddy Zheng as he shares his words and vibes with the Boston Progress community about his inspiring story.

Eddy Zheng is a community organizer and writer in the Bay Area, who spent over 20 years as an inmate in California and an immigration detainee facing deportation. He was released from immigrant detention in 2007, but still faces deportation.

Eddy came to the US with his family when he was 12 years old. When he was 16, he participated in a robbery with his friends; he was arrested and pled guilty to all counts. Charged as an adult, Eddy was sentenced to 7-years-to-life in 1986. While incarcerated, he learned English, completed his GED, and earned a college degree. Eddy worked with at-risk youth in crime prevention workshops in prison, pushed for the creation of ethnic studies courses in the prison college program, and organized the first poetry slam at San Quentin state prison.

The campaign to win Eddy’s freedom was supported by the judge who sentenced him, the district attorney who prosecuted him, more than a dozen legislators, and many community leaders. Although he was sentenced to 7-years-to-life, Eddy served more than 19 years as a model inmate before he was finally granted parole in 2005, at the age of 35.

Instead of being released to his family and community upon his parole, Eddy was simply transferred to immigration detention and placed in deportation proceedings, even though the state of California officially decided that he was fully rehabilitated and posed no threat to society.

After two years in immigration detention, Eddy was finally released in March 2007. As a community organizer, he has been very active in violence prevention among at-risk youth. The mayor of San Francisco recently appointed him to the city’s Council on ex-offender re-entry. Eddy also edited a collection of writings by Asian American inmates, Other: an Asian & Pacific Islander Prisoners’ Anthology (foreword by Helen Zia).

Although Eddy was released from immigration detention, his deportation order is still in effect and he continues to face the likelihood of being deported.

Date: Friday, November 6, 2009
Time: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Location: East Meets West Bookstore
Street: 934 Massachusetts Ave

City: Cambridge, MA

2010 American Inns of Court Pegasus Scholarship Trust

Applications Due by December 1, 2009

"As a Pegasus scholar, I had opportunities, which many practicing barristers would not have, to shadow great advocates and jurists. The program has been the most rewarding experience of my legal career, and I encourage any young lawyer to apply for this remarkable six-week journey, which provides a wealth of knowledge and friendships that will last a lifetime."
—Elizabeth-Anne Larsen, former American Inns of Court Pegasus Scholar

The American Inns of Court is pleased to offer an invaluable experience to talented young American lawyers. Through the Pegasus Scholarship Trust, two American Inn of Court members travel to London, England, for four to six weeks to study the English legal system. All members admitted to the bar in the past few years are encouraged to apply for this "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity.

The four to six week 2010 Pegasus Scholarship will begin April 12, 2010. The 2010 Pegasus Scholarship brochure and Pegasus Scholarship application are now available on our Web site for download. Deadline for application is December 1, 2009. Selection will be made in mid-January 2010.

Pegasus scholarships provide opportunities for young American lawyers to visit London and learn first-hand about the English legal system and work directly with English barristers and judges.

For more information, please contact Cindy Dennis at (703) 684-3590 ext. 104 or cdennis@innsofcourt.org.

Electronic submissions welcomed. Send to Cindy Dennis at cdennis@innsofcourt.org

Submissions should be addressed to:
American Inns of Court
Attn: Cindy Dennis
1229 King Street, Second Floor
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

MIRA Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon

WHEN: Tuesday, November 17, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Great Hall of the State House.

The luncheon includes the public release of the New American's Agenda by Governor Deval Patrick, who commissioned the report from the Governor's Advisory Council for Refugees and Immigrants, in joint partnership with the Massachusetts Office of Refugees and Immigrants and MIRA.

Numerous elected officials are expected to attend, as well as community, labor and business leaders, not to mention a large media contingent. Governor Patrick's release of the NAA report underscores the theme of the luncheon, "Celebrate the Immigrant Family." With 131 policy recommendations to better integrate immigrants and refugees into the civic and economic life of the commonwealth, the report is indeed a celebration of immigrants, their families, and the communities of which they form an integral part. These policy recommendations recognize that immigrant families form a vital cornerstone in our communities, and that their hopes and needs deserve respectful attention and response.

The next phase of this ambitious and crucial agenda is a response. Some of the policy recommendations require further legislative action; others need only administrative implementation, which the Governor has promised to bring about as quickly as possible. But they also call for legislative and administrative advocacy by MIRA and its members to bring them fully to fruition.

To attend this free luncheon, RSVP by contacting Kirsten Dees at dees@miracoaltion.org or 216-350-5480, ext. 218.

The Personal Economics of Domestic Violence

Guest Lecturer: Deirdre Hunter M.S.W., L.C.S.W.
WHEN: Friday, October 30, 2009 Noon-1pm
WHERE: Greater Boston Legal Services, 197 Friend Street, Boston, MA

South Gate Conference Room, 2nd Floor

Please join Greater Boston Legal Services' Family Law Unit on October 30, 2009 for a brown bag lunch presentation on the personal economics of domestic violence. Guest lecturer, Deirdre Hunter M.S.W., L.C.S.W, will discuss the economic challenges faced by victims of domestic violence and how these challenges are used by abusive partners to control their victims. Ms. Hunter received her M.S.W. from the University of Connecticut and is currently a Lecturer in Women's and Gender Studies at Brandeis University and the director of programs at Justice Resource Institute. Ms. Hunter has over 20 years of experience working with victims of domestic violence and will be available to take questions during the event. Coffee and sweets will be served.

Please RSVP by emailing Lisa Locher at llocher@gbls.org and indicate if you are a student from New England Law.

October Designated as Pro Bono Month

Governor Patrick has signed a proclamation designating October 2009 as Pro Bono Month at the request of the SJC Standing Committee on Pro Bono Services. Click here to see the proclamation.

Temporary Family Law Position at WilmerHale Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School

January 2010 through June 2010

POSITION SUMMARY:
The WilmerHale Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School (“LSC”) is the community law office and largest clinical program of Harvard Law School (HLS), serving over 100 HLS students annually (see below). Among its many clinics, the LSC offers a Domestic Violence/ Family Law Clinic to students each semester. The primary work of the Domestic Violence/ Family Law Clinic is its collaboration with the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, called the Passageway Health Law Collaborative (PHLC). Through this innovative health-law collaboration, law students and LSC attorneys provide comprehensive legal services to low- to moderate-income victims of domestic violence. The PHLC, with its multi-disciplinary and holistic service model, is staffed primarily by two LSC staff attorneys, one of whom is going on temporary leave from January 2010 through June 2010. In order to fill this temporary vacancy, the LSC is looking to hire a temporary family law attorney to be responsible for implementing the PHLC and supervising students in the Domestic Violence/ Family Law Clinic, beginning January 1, 2010 and ending June 30, 2010.

The temporary family law attorney will provide direct legal assistance to low- to moderate-income victims of domestic violence in the area of family law, and closely supervise and mentor student attorneys in that case work. The attorney’s (and students’) caseload will include family law cases involving issues of domestic violence, paternity, custody, support, visitation, asset division, removal, and restraining orders. The attorney will also conduct client intakes, deliver legal trainings for hospital-based staff and patients, and provide technical assistance and program support to hospital-based social workers. The attorney will work collaboratively in a team setting with hospital-based staff at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and affiliated health canters, as well as with the staff and clinical instructors at LSC.

The WilmerHale Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School has a dual mission of providing high quality legal services to low-to moderate-income residents in the greater Boston area, while offering Harvard Law students hands-on lawyering experience in a heavily supervised setting. Our students work side-by-side with experienced practitioners on their casework. You may learn more about the LSC at http://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/clinical/lsc/.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide full representation and limited assistance to low- to moderate-income victims of domestic violence in the area of family law.


• Work closing with, and provide technical assistance to, hospital-based social work staff.


• Conduct legal trainings and presentations for hospital-based staff on various areas of law.


• Directly supervise law students on cases, including reviewing and editing all written work, preparing students for court appearances and meetings, and providing constructive feedback.


• Participate in student trainings on substantive law and practice skills.


• Prepare detailed written evaluations of students’ work, as well as in-person performance evaluations at mid-semester and the end of the semester.


• Attend and participate in weekly clinical class at Harvard Law School.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Law degree and admission to Massachusetts Bar.


• At least three years family/ DV law experience, which may include internship or student clinical experience.


• Experience supervising and/or teaching students in a clinical setting, preferred.


• Strong writing, legal analysis, legal research and oral advocacy skills.


• Litigation experience, including motions practice and trial preparation.


• Experience working with domestic violence survivors, social justice issues, diverse communities, and social change preferred.


• Strong people skills, including ability to communicate and work well with diverse groups and individuals.


• Spanish language skills preferred.

COMPENSATION: $28,000 plus benefits.

JOB STATUS: Full-time, six-month contract to begin January 1, 2010 and end June 30, 2010.

SUPERVISORS:
Director of Family Law Unit, Lecturer on Law, Robert Greenwald, Esq.
Staff Attorney, Clinical Instructor, Nnena E.J. Odim, Esq.

TO APPLY:
Apply online through the Employment @ Harvard Website: http://www.employment.harvard.edu/. (Requisition # 37908)

Community Action Poverty Simulation for Pro Bono Volunteers

Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston invites you to participate in a Community Action Poverty Simulation. The Poverty Simulation is an invaluable experience for volunteers interested in providing pro bono representation to patient-families living in poverty.

The Poverty Simulation is an interactive tool that educates participants about the day-to-day

realities of life with a shortage of money and an abundance of stress. The goal of the

simulation is to promote a greater understanding of poverty and of the experiences of many

pro bono clients. Participants will take part in short sessions representing a four-week period in

the life of a low-income family, followed by a facilitated discussion about the experience.

Friday, October 30, 9am - 12 pm

Hosted by and held at:

Ropes & Gray

One International Place

Boston, MA 02110

Please RSVP by October 23, 2009 to Margarita Warren at Margarita.Warren@bmc.org.

Space is limited.

2010 Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law Essay Contest

The Public Justice Foundation is sponsoring the 2010 Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law Essay Contest. The topic is Can Coal Be Clean? Litigation Remedies for Coal Contamination from Mining to Combustion to Sequestration. The intent-to-enter form submission deadline is January 29, 2010 and the essay submission deadline is March 31, 2010. Below is the link for additional information about the contest.

http://www.publicjustice.net/What-We-Do/Awards/Law-School-Essay-Contest.aspx

Domestic Violence in the Legal Profession, Featuring Diane Patrick

WHEN: Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
WHERE: Suffolk University Law School, First Floor Function Hall



A Women's Bar Foundation event featuring Diane Patrick, First Lady of Massachusetts and Partner at Ropes & Gray, LLP, as the Keynote Speaker. A panel discussion will follow. Click here for more information about the panelists participating. To RSVP email Kim Votruba at programs@womensbar.org.

Opportunities in Criminal Law

The Suffolk Lawyers for Justice (SLJ) Law School Network partners Boston-area law students with SLJ panel attorneys in semester or year-long mentoring relationships. The program aims to improve the quality of representation available to indigent clients by providing attorneys with assistance from dedicated and motivated law school students. In turn, students benefit from having the opportunity to learn how to prepare a case for trial. Students attend attorney-client meetings, participate in the client interview process, interview witnesses, conduct legal research, draft memos, and prepare cross-examination and jury instructions.

SLJ attorneys who participate in the program do so voluntarily and expect their students to handle cases with a high degree of professionalism. All students who apply to the program should do so with the understanding that if accepted, they will be expected to work in a responsible, energetic and committed manner.

To apply, submit a completed application, a current resume, and a letter of interest to: 101 Tremont Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02108.

The Legal Needs of Immigrant Children: How Attorneys, Advocates, and Service Providers Can Help

Save the Date: December 8th

MCLE*, 10 Winter Place, Boston 9:30-4: 30
*Mass. Continuing Legal Education

There are thousands of immigrant children in Massachusetts. They face issues with language, acculturation, immigration status, education level, and trauma. They are caught up in complex systems and face distinctive barriers to accessing benefits, services, and education.

MCLE's experienced faculty will provide practical advice for attorneys, advocates and service providers working with immigrant children and their families, including:

• Immigration rights: Strategies for obtaining legal residency
• Education rights: Preventing school exclusion based on residency and legal mandates governing language-accessible education
• Rights to accessing benefits and health programs
• Child welfare laws for immigrant children
• How immigration status plays out in probate court proceedings
• Children's status in ICE raids

Faculty includes staff from: The Children's Law Center of Massachusetts, the Department of Children and Families, Greater Boston Legal Services, Mass. Advocates for Children, MIRA Coalition, Mass. Law Reform Institute, Multicultural Education Training and Advocacy, and South Coastal Counties Legal Services.

This program is open to eveyone who works with immigrant children, including community center and school staff.

Registration information will be available at www.mcle.org.

New England Journal on Criminal and Civil Confinement Symposium

CONFRONTING FORENSIC EVIDENCE:

IMPLICATIONS OF MELENDEZ-DIAZ V. MASSACHUSETTS & BRISCOE V. VIRGINIA

New England Journal on Criminal and Civil Confinement 2009 Fall Symposium

November 13, 2009

8:30 AM to 1:30 PM

Radisson Hotel, 200 Stuart Street, Boston, MA

On June 25, 2009, the United States Supreme Court handed down a contentious decision, which many legal practitioners argue will dramatically change procedures for admitting forensic evidence in criminal trials. In Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts, Justice Scalia, writing for the majority, held that the Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause requires forensic experts, whose reports are admitted into evidence, to be made available for cross-examination. The Court found that the introduction of state forensic-lab reports constitutes testimonial evidence, thus requiring lab technicians to appear at trial pursuant to Crawford v. Washington.

The precedent set by the high court sent a wave of concern across the country regarding the insufficient number of forensic experts available to appear in the thousands of cases requiring lab results each year. Consequently, critics of the Court’s decision have characterized the ruling as a crisis, leading to a potential distortion of the criminal justice system. Other practitioners, however, endorse Justice Scalia’s belief that “the sky will not fall after [this] decision,” given that some states already comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling.

This term the Court will hear Briscoe v. Virginia, and answer the question of whether the state can avoid the Melendez-Diaz obligation by providing the accused a right to call the analyst as his own witness at trial. Unlike the Massachusetts law challenged in Melendez-Diaz, which prohibited defendants from calling lab analysts as witnesses, the Virginia law at issue in Briscoe puts the burden on the defendant to subpoena the lab analyst. As a result, Briscoe provides the Court an opportunity to overrule or significantly limit the Melendez-Diaz ruling.

The Symposium’s first panel will provide a forward-looking discussion regarding the impact of the Court’s decision on criminal prosecution. Litigants from both Melendez-Diaz and Briscoe will revisit their fundamental arguments, and the underlying rationales, facilitating dialogue about how these decisions will alter the practice of forensic analysis. The panel will also present an opportunity to explore where the Supreme Court will go with Briscoe.

Our second panel will provide a forum for academics and practitioners to weigh in on the state of forensic science in the aftermath of the National Academy of Sciences’ Report, while examining the role of legal rules in fostering effective forensic analysis. Panelists will examine procedures necessary to ensure the fair and accurate admission of forensic evidence in court. The second panel’s discussion will build upon the first panel’s evaluation of the Melendez-Diaz decision in state courts.

This year’s Symposium offers an excellent opportunity for scholars, practitioners, and the judiciary to contemplate the future admissibility of forensic evidence in criminal trials.

For more information click here.

Applications for Environmental Justice Exchange Program Posted

The China Environment Forum and the Vermont Law School (VLS) have been awarded a federal grant to support a U.S.-China exchange program for young professionals working on environmental justice issues.

Funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State, the educational and cultural exchange will provide leadership training opportunities to 18 Chinese and American women and men, particularly members of minority groups, who are active in environmental justice efforts. Participants in the program will jointly examine the environmental burdens, including climate change impacts, on minority communities and low-income populations in the U.S. and China and will be mentored in designing projects to advance environmental justice for those communities.

To view the application click here.

Student Volunteer Opportunity at Second Step

Second Step, located in Newton, MA, is accepting applications for 1 to 2 student volunteers. Second Step's Legal Advocacy Program helps survivors of domestic violence resolve crises and achieve stability by accessing their legal rights and remedies. Volunteers will assist a Legal Case Manager with identifying and prioritizing survivors' legal issues; facilitating access to comprehensive legal assistance, including referrals to outside agencies; accompanying survivors to court or other legal hearing when appropriate; and assisting in areas including: family law (retraining orders, divorce proceedings, child custody), landlord/tenant issues, utility shut-offs, immigration issues, children's issues, government/health benefits, tax and employment issues, and work related issues.

For more information about Second Step, please visit our website at http://www.thesecondstep.org/WhatWeDo.aspx.

Volunteers should be in their second or third year of law school and have an interest in domestic violence advocacy, family law, and public interest law. Please submit cover letter, resume, references and writing sample to Alison Klein at aklein@thesecondstep.org.

Ten Reasons to Become a Public Interest Lawyer

At the end of September 2009 Georgetown University Law Center appointed Georgetown Law Professor Philip Schrag to the newly established Delaney Family Professorship in Public Interest Law. The Delaney Family Chair is one of a few chairs that recognize achievements in the field of public interest law. Schrag’s achievements are vast and include starting out as a staff attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, followed by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, then becoming a professor at Columbia Law School in the vanguard of the clinical legal education movement, joining the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and finally settling at Georgetown Law School. At Georgetown Law School, he created and ran the Public Interest Law Scholars program, directs the Center for Applied Legal Studies clinic and its post-graduate fellowship program, and played a role in ensuring the passage of the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007.


Schrag’s used his inaugural lecture as an opportunity to promote public interest work. His inspiring speech lays out ten reasons to become a public interest lawyer. Click here to read this speech.

CSO Event: Pro Bono Work and Your Career

Pro Bono Work and Your Career
Thursday, October 22, 2009
4:00pm – 5:30pm, Cherry Room

Featured panelists:
Gerry Cahill, Suffolk County DA’s Office
Andrew Cornell, Attorney At Law
Dina Haynes, New England Law Boston
David Siegel, New England Law Boston
Maya Sethi, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP

Moderator: Daniel McCabe, Petrucelly, Nadler & Norris, P.C.

Refreshments will be served.

RSVP with the CSO: cso@nesl.edu

Join members of the BBA, Pro Bono Committee, Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Section, and the Center for Law & Social Responsibility as they discuss the benefits of making pro bono work a part of your law school experience and post-graduate career.

This will also be an occasion to learn more about current opportunities for law students through the BBA's Pro Bono Committee and New England Law's Public Service Transcript Notation Program.

Pro Bono Opportunities Fair

Suffolk University Law School’s Rapapport Center for Law & Public Service
and the Boston Bar Association’s Litigation Pro Bono Committee

present

A Pro Bono Opportunities Fair
Monday, October 26th
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Suffolk University Law School
120 Tremont Street, Boston MA
Function Room, First Floor

Participating Agencies Include:

• Community Legal Services and Counseling Center
• Disability Law Center
• Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project
• Health Law Advocates
• Lawyers Clearinghouse
• Legal Advocacy and Resource Center
• Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation
• Medical Legal Partnership Boston
• MetroWest Legal Services
• National Lawyers Guild
• Political Asylum & Immigration Representation Project
• Senior Partners for Justice
• Shelter Legal Services Foundation
• Victim Rights Law Center
• Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
• Volunteer Lawyers Project
• Women's Bar Foundation
  
  Please R.S.V.P. to Senka Huskic at shuskic@suffolk.edu or call (617) 573-8644.