Summer 2011 Internship at Children's Law Center of Massachusetts

Job Type: Internship, unpaid
Application Deadline: 02/15/2011
Practice Areas: Children/Education/Juvenile Issues, Family Law

Job Description
The Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts (http://www.clcm.org/), with offices in Lynn and Lawrence, accepts 3-4 law student interns each summer. These internships provide students a great opportunity to assist in advocacy on behalf of young clients in critical legal matters.

The Children’s Law Center (CLCM) is a private, non-profit legal services agency with 501(c)(3) status. CLCM provides direct representation to indigent children and youth in child welfare, CHINS, delinquency, mental health, and educational matters. During the twelve-week summer program, student interns concentrate on one or two of the five substantive practice areas. Each student is assigned to a specific mentoring attorney who they accompany to court and/or education meetings and hearings and provide case support. Students have direct client contact and assist in client interviewing, investigation, and preparation of motions and memoranda. In addition, CLCM provides appellate advocacy in delinquency and child abuse and neglect cases. If a case is pending during the summer months, a student may be asked to assist in research and writing of appellate briefs.

Qualifications
Law student interns contribute a great deal to our mission – we have high expectations of our interns and we look for law students who want a challenging and diverse internship experience.
Applicants with Spanish language skills encouraged to apply.

Application Instructions:
To apply, please e-mail a cover letter, completed application form (click here for application form), resume, law school transcript and writing sample to the e-mail contact below.

Applications must be received no later than February 15, 2011 and are accepted on a rolling basis.


Contact Information:
Jessica Berry, Children's Law Center of Massachusetts
jberry@clcm.org
P.O. Box 710
298 Union Street
Lynn, MA 01903

Summer Funding Resources

The following list contains numerous summer funding resources for public service positions : http://pslawnet.org/summerfundingresources

Equal Justice Works Summer Corps: Application Available January 2011

The Summer Corps application will be available in January 2011, but get your application materials ready now!

The Equal Justice Works Summer Corps program engages law students around the country who are expanding the delivery of legal services to those who need it most. Summer Corps members provide critically needed legal assistance in low-income and underserved communities in the United States on a broad range of issue areas.

Summer Corps is an AmeriCorps-funded program that in 2010 provided 577 law students with the opportunity to earn a $1,000 education award voucher for dedicating their summer to a qualifying legal project at a nonprofit public interest organization.

As part of your application, you will need a host organization (any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or qualifying public defender programs) for your qualifying project. Summer Corps supports projects in which students provide primarily direct legal services to low-income and underserved individuals. Community outreach and education components are also encouraged.

Check back here for updates: http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/programs/summercorps/general

Public Service Internship in the Family Court With Senior Partners for Justice

Senior Partners for Justice, a unique pro bono initiative at the Volunteer Lawyers Project, is pleased to offer an internship program for law students who want to provide critical assistance to low-income clients while gaining hands-on experience in the family court.

ABOUT SENIOR PARTNERS FOR JUSTICE
Founded in 2002 by Hon. Edward M. Ginsburg, a retired justice of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court, Senior Partners for Justice (www.spfj.org) includes practitioners of all levels of experience, from retired attorneys and judges to new bar admittees and law students, who handle family law and other matters pro bono for low-income clients who would otherwise go unrepresented.

ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Interns are placed in the Suffolk, Middlesex, and Norfolk Probate and Family Courts, working directly alongside courthouse staff. This is an unpaid, non-credit internship, but it offers invaluable experience and a flexible schedule that can fit around other commitments.

The program is offered in the summer, fall, and spring semesters and runs for approximately ten weeks. If possible, interns should spend at least one full day (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or two half days, preferably mornings, at their courthouse each week.

The nature of the internship is a little different at each court:
• At Suffolk, interns staff the very busy Register’s office and have the chance to help the Lawyer for the Day and observe court proceedings.
• At Middlesex, interns rotate between different departments, gaining broad exposure to areas including Divorce and Paternity.
• At Norfolk, interns work directly with the court staff members who assist unrepresented litigants, and they have a chance for more one-on-one interaction at a less busy court.

All participants in the internship program will receive support from the Senior Partners staff and invitations to trainings, luncheons, and other events through Senior Partners and VLP.

REGISTRATION
If you have questions or would like to sign up, please contact Dyana Boxley at 617-423-0648 x129 or dboxley@vlpnet.org and indicate which days you are available and which courts you prefer. You may also sign up online at http://vlpspj.wufoo.com/forms/pro-bono-internship-in-the-probate-family-court/.

International Summer Internships in Refugee and Asylum Law

The Immigration Law Project is now seeking applicants for two summer positions in refugee and asylum law and processing, one in Malta with an international NGO preparing asylum applications and one in Kenya, with an international NGO processing refugees for resettlement. In both instances, the clients will be variously Somali, Sudanese, Chadian, Ethiopian, Congolese, and Rwandan.

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, CV and transcript, detailing: international experience, experience with refugee and asylum law processing, particular proven interest in refugee or asylum law, languages spoken, international experience, and ability to work abroad for at least 8 weeks during the summer of 2011 to martha.s.drane@nesl.edu. Applications must be submitted by 5:00pm on Monday, November 29th.

All students are eligible (including current 1L's and 3L's who will be graduating). The Center for Law and Social Responsibility will offset some of the travel costs associated with the internship, but the remaining travel costs and living expenses are the responsibility of the student. There is no credit associated with this internship. Interviews will be conducted on campus during the first week of December and the ILP will then forward the selected applicants to the NGO's for consideration. For questions, please contact Martha Drane or Professor Haynes at dhaynes@nesl.edu.

CLSR Fellow’s Project Focuses on Education Law

Martha Drane, the 2010-2011 CLSR Fellow, assists the center in all of its areas of public interest law, while her substantive work focuses on education law. Handling the education cases at the Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston (MLP | Boston), her work encompasses special education issues, particularly for those who suffer from autism; transitional services for children either entering public schools from early intervention programs or aging out of the public school system; and disciplinary issues for children with disabilities. As MLP | Boston collaborates with various law firms, she has developed a project to produce an Education Law Toolkit to assist those pro bono lawyers working on education matters. She is also working closely with MA Appleseed in exploring the issues low-income children with autism face in the school system and how such issues affect a child’s health and well-being. Additionally, she has joined the Education Law Task Force—a group dedicated to addressing the important education issues low-income children face.

Indigent Defense Fellowship Program

Equal Justice Works (EJW) and the Southern Public Defender Center have partnered to develop the Public Defender Corps, a pilot project that will provide fellowships for top students to engage in indigent defense with a strong training and support structure. These will be three year fellowships inside select public defender offices. This initiative addresses the ongoing national crisis of failing to provide quality representation to accused persons who cannot afford counsel.

Applicants to Public Defender Corps will undergo a rigorous selection process. Once selected, they will receive expert advocacy training and mentoring, and be integrated into a community of defenders to help them develop the skills needed to provide the highest quality of representation to clients and imbue them with a commitment to indigent defense reform.

Public Defender Corps is scheduled to launch as a pilot program in the fall of 2011 and EJW is currently accepting applications for approximately 20 Fellowship positions. Application and supporting documents are due by 5:00 PM on December 17, 2010.

Application instructions and additional information about the Public Defender Corps Fellowships are available online at www.equaljusticeworks.org under the Programs tab.

If you have any further questions please contact the Public Defender Corps at publicdefendercorps@equaljusticeworks.org.

Work Study Position: Law Clerk for the Center for Public Health and Tobacco Policy

Hours: Part-time (10-20 hours/week)
Pay: $10.00/hour

The Center for Public Health and Tobacco Policy (Center) at New England Law | Boston’s Center for Law and Social Responsibility is seeking current day or evening students who have completed their first full year to work part-time during the spring semester.

The Center works with the New York State Department of Health and communities around New York to develop policies to reduce the availability of tobacco products, protect non-smokers from secondhand smoke, and minimize or remove tobacco advertising. The Center is directed by Professor Berman.

Duties:
• Assist with legal and policy research projects by conducting research, drafting memoranda, creating fact sheets, and working on policy reports.
• Assist with workshop preparation and logistics.
• Other items as assigned by the Center’s director, assistant director, or center administrator.

Preference will be given to those students showing a sincere interest in public health law or public interest law.

Please contact Financial Aid to determine work-study eligibility.

Interested students should e-mail a resume, writing sample, (unofficial) transcript, and a cover letter explaining their interest in working at the Center to tobacco@nesl.edu. Deadline for applications is Monday, November 15, 2010.

Any students who would be interested in volunteering with the Center for at least 5 hours a week are encouraged to send an email to tobacco@nesl.edu expressing their interest and availability. Students who volunteer with the Center are eligible for the Public Service Transcript Notation Program.

CLSR Open House

The Center for Law and Social Responsibility (CLSR) is holding its annual Open House on Thursday, November 4th at 4:00 p.m. in the Cherry Room. Through the CLSR faculty, students and alumni support socially responsible opportunities and goals. The diverse nature of the CLSR's projects reflect the varied interests of its members, as well as the breadth of issues facing public service lawyers today.

At the Open House, CLSR Faculty Professors Russell Engler, Dina Haynes, Monica Teixeira de Sousa and David Siegel will be available to discuss their work. Their projects deal with substantive areas such as criminal justice, education, immigration, and public service. There will also be students present to discuss the recent work of Professor Peter Manus, Victor Hansen and Micah Berman.

Come, enjoy some light refreshments, and learn about the CLSR projects, faculty, and ways to get involved!

Upcoming Program: Public Interest Fellowship Application Tips

Join past Skadden Fellow, Professor Monica Teixeira de Sousa, and current Equal Justice Works Fellow, Zoe Paolantonio, to learn the ins and outs of putting together a successful post-graduate fellowship application. Anyone interested in pursuing a career in public interest - especially second year day and third year evening students - should plan on attending this valuable program.

Wednesday, October 27
5:00pm - 6:00pm

Cherry Room
* Refreshments will be served *

Please RSVP with the CSO

Pro Bono Fair for Law Students

Over 25 non-profit agencies will be available to speak with attorneys and law students about pro bono opportunities that will make a positive difference in the lives of Boston-area residents. The fair will take place on October 25, 2010 from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Suffolk Law.

Please click here for more details about the Fair and to RSVP.

Projects Launched by the Center for Law and Social Responsibility

Criminal Justice Project
As the director of the Criminal Justice Project (CJP), Professor David Siegel’s work involves participation in the New England Innocence Project (NEIP), where students are given the opportunity to examine cases of alleged wrongful convictions. The students review transcripts, discovery and other materials; identify issues for further investigation; and prepare research memoranda for a presentation to a committee of practitioners. Students involved in NEIP are simultaneously enrolled in a seminar—Wrongful Convictions—taught by Professor Siegel.

Education Law Project
Professor Monica Teixeira de Sousa, the director of the Education Law Project, created opportunities for New England Law | Boston students to become involved in education law and policy work outside of the classroom as well as expand their knowledge of the field. The project includes providing technical assistance on issues of education law and policy to the deputy minister of instruction for the Republic of Liberia.

Environmental Law Project
Professor Peter Manus serves as the director of the Environmental Law Project (ELP). The ELP has created a Green Guide to promote and improve environmental advocacy within the New England Law | Boston community. In a collaborative effort, students and faculty will be able to view, edit, and contribute to the Green Guide.

Immigration Law Project
As the director of the Immigration Law Project (ILP), Professor Dina Haynes offers students a unique and hands-on approach. Work associated with the ILP includes: assisting area firms with pro bono asylum cases; participating in the Human Trafficking Task Force; and creating ongoing opportunities for students to work abroad on human rights, refugee and asylum law, and migration issues.

Public Service Project
The CLSR’s Public Service Project supports and provides opportunities for Public Service Work at New England Law. Through Professor Russell Engler, as director of the Public Service Project, students may obtain transcript recognition for appropriate public service work, which includes a minimum of twenty-five hours of legal work performed on a volunteer basis.

The Center for Public Health and Tobacco Policy
The Center for Public Health and Tobacco Policy (Center), directed by Professor Micah Berman, works with tobacco control advocates in New York to support the adoption of evidence-based policies that reduce the availability of tobacco products, protect non-smokers from secondhand smoke, and minimize tobacco advertising and promotion. The Center’s first annual conference will be October 21 in Albany and will focus on point-of-sale issues.

Panel Discussion on Tobacco Control Issues

Please Join...
The Center for Public Health and Tobacco Policy
The Center for Law & Social Responsibility
NEL|B Chapter, American Health Lawyers Association
NEL|B Chapter, Public Interest Law Association

For a LawMatters event, a discussion of—

Hot Topics in Tobacco Control

Thursday, Oct. 7
4:00 PM
Cherry Room

With panelists:

• Professor Micah Berman
  Assistant Professor and Director, Center for Public Health and Tobacco Policy
  
  
• D.J. Wilson, J.D., M.P.A
  Tobacco Control Director, Massachusetts Municipal Association
  
  
• Christopher Banthin, J.D.
  Senior Staff Attorney, Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University School of Law
  

Refreshments will be served.

Research Assistant Position

Prof. Haynes seeks a research assistant to work 10 hours per week on research, footnoting and bibliographies for a book and multiple articles. Must be financial aid eligible. Experience with bluebook, interest in international law and feminist legal theory a plus, but not essential. Please send a cover letter highlighting your interest and qualifications to dhaynes@nesl.edu by September 30th.

'Outrage' Needed for Civil Gideon Success

Professor Russell Engler made an impassioned and knowledgeable case for Civil Gideon before a standing-room only forum in July 2010, as recounted by the Philadephia Bar Reporter

Volunteer with Shelter Legal Services

Shelter Legal Services offers many different opportunities for law students, including first year students, to gain legal experience working directly with low income clients. They offer several legal clinics on-site at homeless shelters and other facilities throughout the Boston area.

Fall Volunteer Orientation: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 6:30PM – 8:30PM

Location: Boston University School of Law, Room 1270

Food and Materials Will Be Provided

***All class years and divisions welcome***

If you are interested in attending and volunteering with Shelter Legal Services, please RSVP by 5:00pm on Monday, September 27, 2010 to ShelterLegalTraining@gmail.com

Have you already attended a training and haven’t yet had the opportunity to volunteer? Email ShelterLegalTraining@gmail.com with your availability. Please indicate Previously Trained Volunteer as the subject.

Participation will be determined by availability and interest.
We will make every effort to accommodate as many students as possible but cannot guarantee placement in a particular clinic.

Volunteer Opportunity: The Domestic Violence Institute at Boston Medical Center

The Domestic Violence Institute at Boston Medical Center (DVI at BMC) is looking for law students to volunteer in its innovative Emergency Department program. Students are trained to conduct educational interviews with female patients about domestic abuse and provide basic advocacy services for domestic violence victims.

Interviewer Advocate positions are geared toward students with no previous domestic violence experience interested in learning about the rights and remedies of domestic violence victims. Each Interviewer Advocate (IA) is placed on a team led by the more experienced Team Leader. The IA is primarily responsible for interviewing women in the Emergency Department about their thoughts on partner violence and opinions about the effectiveness of abuse prevention services. No domestic violence experience is necessary and 1Ls are strongly encouraged to apply!

Team Leader positions are geared toward students who have previously participated in the program as an IA or have prior advocacy experience. In their role as peer supervisors, the TL oversees evening shifts, provides feedback and support to the IA, and works in close collaboration with DVI at BMC attorneys. Students selected as Team Leaders must have some experience in domestic violence work.

For more information, and to fill out an application, visit www.dvi.neu.edu or contact Zoe Paolantonio at z.paolantonio@neu.edu or (617) 373-3939

Public Service Internship in the Family Court With Senior Partners for Justice

Senior Partners for Justice, a unique pro bono initiative at the Volunteer Lawyers Project, is pleased to offer an internship program for law students who want to provide critical assistance to low-income clients while gaining hands-on experience in the family court.

ABOUT SENIOR PARTNERS FOR JUSTICE
Founded in 2002 by Hon. Edward M. Ginsburg, a retired justice of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court, Senior Partners for Justice (www.spfj.org) includes practitioners of all levels of experience, from retired attorneys and judges to new bar admittees and law students, who handle family law and other matters pro bono for low-income clients who would otherwise go unrepresented.
ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Interns are placed in the Suffolk, Middlesex, and Norfolk Probate and Family Courts, working directly alongside courthouse staff. This is an unpaid, non-credit internship, but it offers invaluable experience and a flexible schedule that can fit around other commitments.

The program is offered in the summer, fall, and spring semesters and runs for approximately ten weeks. We ask interns to spend at least one full day (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or two half days, preferably mornings, at their courthouse each week.

The nature of the internship is a little different at each court:
• At Suffolk (located near North Station and Government Center), interns staff the very busy Register’s office and have the chance to help the Lawyer for the Day and observe court proceedings.
• At Middlesex (located in East Cambridge, at the Lechmere stop of the Green Line), interns rotate between different departments, gaining broad exposure to areas including Divorce and Paternity.
• At Norfolk (located in Canton, accessible only by car), interns work directly with the court staff members who assist unrepresented litigants, and they have a chance for more one-on-one interaction at a less busy court.

All participants in the internship program will receive support from the Senior Partners staff and invitations to trainings, luncheons, and other events through Senior Partners and VLP.

REGISTRATION
If you have questions or would like to sign up, please contact Dyana Boxley at 617-423-0648 x129 or dboxley@vlpnet.org and indicate which days you are available and which courts you prefer. You may also sign up online at http://vlpspj.wufoo.com/forms/pro-bono-internship-in-the-probate-family-court/. The Fall 2010 internship will run from approximately September 13th to December 3rd.

Center for Public Health and Tobacco Policy--Law Clerk (Work Study Position)

The Center for Public Health and Tobacco Policy (Center) at New England Law Boston’s Center for Law and Social Responsibility is seeking current day or evening students who have completed their first full year to work part-time (10-20 hours/week) during the fall ($10.00/hour).

The Center works with the New York State Department of Health and communities around New York to develop policies to reduce the availability of tobacco products, protect non-smokers from secondhand smoke, and minimize or remove tobacco advertising. The Center is directed by Professor Berman.

Duties:
* Assist with legal and policy research projects by conducting research, drafting memoranda, creating fact sheets, and working on policy reports
* Assist with workshop preparation and logistics
* Other items as assigned by the Center’s director, assistant director, or center administrator

Preference will be given to those students showing a sincere interest in public health law or public interest law.

Please contact Financial Aid to determine work-study eligibility.

Interested students should e-mail a resume, writing sample, (unofficial) transcript, and a brief statement explaining their interest in working at the Center to tobacco@nesl.edu.

Deadline for applications is Monday, August 30, 2010. Interviews will be conducted the week of August 30.

Any students who would be interested in volunteering with the Center for at least 5 hours a week are encouraged to send an email to tobacco@nesl.edu expressing their interest and availability. Students who volunteer with the Center are eligible for the Public Service Transcript Notation Program.

Hanna S. Cohn Equal Justice Fellowship

Applications are currently being accepted from students entering their third year of law school for the Hanna S. Cohn Equal Justice Fellowship-an exciting, two-year, public interest fellowship opportunity. The Fellowship is a full-time position.

The Fellow will be placed at the Empire Justice Center, a statewide, multi-issue, multi-strategy non-profit law firm focused on changing the “systems” within which poor and low income families live. The Fellow will work with advocates in Empire Justice Center’s Rochester, New York office representing low-income clients in complex areas of litigation and other types of advocacy.

The Fellowship is being funded in memory of Hanna S. Cohn, a remarkable attorney who began her 25-year career in poverty law as a public interest fellow. Hanna was the Executive Director of Volunteer Legal Services Project (VLSP) a pro bono program that, because of Hanna’s leadership, is recognized as one of the best of its kind in the country.

Applications for the term beginning September 2011 and ending August 2013 are available for download at http://www.empirejustice.org/. The direct link to the application is: http://www.empirejustice.org/assets/pdf/press-release/hanna-s-cohn-fellowship-2.pdf

Coping Strategies

Greetings from Nairobi! I want to apologize for my delay in blog posts. I have spent the better part of my last three weeks fully involved in interviews as well as trying to see as much of the country as possible. I want to reiterate my thanks to the Center of Law and Social Responsibility for giving me this amazing opportunity.

For the past three weeks, I have spent a good deal of time considering coping mechanisms. The first year of law school taught me how to manage a number of different problems: the Socratic Method, preparation for quizzes, and handling the stress of finals. However, the Center for Law and Social Responsibility guides students to use their education to help those less fortunate. In the course of that work, many students will find that our destitute clients have few happy stories, just hopes for happy endings. The question becomes how, as lawyers, we accomplish our tasks without being overcome by the stories we hear on a day-to-day basis.

While working at Mapendo, I have found this question to be a daily challenge. Since beginning my interviews I have had clients from the Congo, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Refugees in the African continent have unique stories of suffering often displaying what my father would call “man’s inhumanity to man.” I naively thought that I could handle the flood of stories coming through my office each day by separating work and home. Yet, I’ve found that listening to stories of abuse, separation, forced immigration, rape, murder, and genocide are not stories that you can detach from your own psyche and emotions.

Before I started working for Mapendo, I had a discussion with a friend in a similar kind of work. He brought up the issue of coping with refugees’ stories, and discussed his failure to manage those emotions in a suitable way. My friend told me that, to his own dismay, he separated refugees from himself. He could not listen to a refugee boy detail the rape and murder of his mother and associate that story with his own family. For him, separating himself from refugees was a survival method – a coping technique.

I left that conversation with an uneasy feeling. I felt that separating myself from my clients was exactly what I wasn’t supposed to do. At the same time I began to understand the awesome gravity that these stories held. I made a promise to attempt to not separate myself, but I was cognizant that I needed to develop a suitable coping method quickly.

In one of my recent interviews, a Somali woman, who had lost two of her children in a rocket grenade strike, succinctly explained the feeling that most refugees express in their interviews, albeit in different ways. She said that “you lose hope before you are even dead.” After hearing quotes like this, I’ll admit, my coping method is not foolproof. Yet, what I’ve found is an almost constant underlying theme of refugees’ stories is a random act of kindness. Without a doubt the original story is one of abject cruelty, but the difference between a person who is sitting in my office and a person who passed away in the country of origin is often one single act by a stranger. In this Somali woman’s case, a Somali man led her out of the warzone, where he then paid a driver to transport the woman to the Somali –Kenyan border. At the border, the local Somali community assisted the woman in crossing into Kenya.

In no way am I suggesting that these random acts of kindness absolve what has come before them, and certainly I acknowledge my inability to truly identify with a mother of two. As for now, I guess my coping method, of finding a silver lining in each story, works because I want to find a silver lining. I don’t want to lose hope in the populations I serve or the world at large. Perhaps it’s idealism to an extreme or just youthful naiveté, but for me, for now, it works.

East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) Fellowship

EBCLC is now accepting applications from graduating law students, judicial law clerks, and new attorneys interested in applying for an Equal Justice Works, Skadden, Soros Justice or other fellowship opportunities. The applications will be submitted to the relevant fellowship foundation(s) in Fall 2010 for a fellowship to commence in Fall 2011.

EBCLC is a non-profit organization with the dual mission of delivering much-needed free legal services to low-income people, and providing clinical education to law students (primarily from Berkeley Law School - Boalt Hall). EBCLC works to make the lives of community members more secure, productive, healthy, and hopeful by providing services in the areas of housing, welfare, health, homelessness, community reentry, immigration, and consumer law. To address the challenges that our clients and communities face, EBCLC practice groups use a multi-pronged problem-solving approach that includes: (1) direct legal services, (2) clinical instruction, (3) community education, and (4) policy advocacy.

EBCLC seeks applicants for fellowship projects in the following areas:

1. Immigration and Health Project (Health Practice)

The Immigration & Health Project provides legal services to low-income immigrants of the East Bay, specifically people living with HIV/AIDS and the families of children treated at Children’s Hospital Oakland. The Project staff represent and counsel clients in matters including political asylum, waivers, U visas, VAWA, adjustment of status, deportation defense, immigration effects of criminal convictions, naturalization, and public benefits eligibility. The Project staff work closely with attorneys in the Health Practice to provide wrap-around legal services that help lift clients out of poverty, and ultimately, improve health outcomes.

The Project suggests the following areas of interest, but is open to any proposals:

• Deportation Defense
• Special immigration needs of families with sick children
• Immigration issues facing the HIV-positive LGBTQ community

2. Neighborhood Justice Clinic

The Neighborhood Justice Clinic (NJC), founded in 2007, is a low-threshold, barrier-free legal center meant to be accessible to a wide range of people— including people with physical and mental disabilities— who might not be able to access legal services elsewhere. Through NJC’s General Legal Clinic, low-income clients in Alameda County can get limited scope assistance with a wide variety of legal issues, including those related to homelessness, consumer law, DMV problems, small claims cases, and tort defense. NJC also provides more extensive representation to homeless clients facing criminal charges related to their homeless status, and to low-income defendants in debt collection suits.

NJC will consider projects that address any of the following areas:

• Legal Services for People with Mental and Physical Disabilities
• Civil Rights of Homeless People
• Consumer Law/Debt Collection Defense

EBCLC is looking for candidates who meet the following qualifications:

• Graduation from law school in or before summer 2011.
• Admission to a state bar, or sitting for July 2011 state bar exam.
• Excellent legal research and writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to handle sensitive situations.
• Committed to advancing social justice.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse range of groups, including low-income clients, people of color, students, service providers, and law school faculty.

Additionally, the following qualifications are highly desirable:

• Spanish fluency or proficiency (required for Immigration & Health project candidates).
• Prior supervision and teaching skills.

Salary and Benefits: TBD based on fellowship amount.
For more information on how to apply, visit the CSO's JobNet.

Skadden Postgraduate Public Interest Fellowships

Presenter: Susan Butler Plum Director, Skadden Fellowship Foundation

• Want to learn more about a two-year Skadden Fellowship?

• Interested in joining what’s been described as a legal Peace Corps?

• Have a desire to create your own project at a public interest organization?

The Skadden Fellowship Foundation was established in 1988, in recognition of the dire need for greater funding for graduating law students who wish to devote their professional lives to providing legal services to the poor, the elderly, the homeless and the disabled, as well as those deprived of their civil or human rights. The aim of the foundation is to give Fellows the freedom to pursue public interest work; thus, the Fellows create their own projects at public interest organizations with at least two lawyers on staff before they apply.

THIS INFORMATION SESSION WILL BE HELD AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW THURSDAY, JULY 15TH @ NOON ROOM 46, DOCKSER HALL 65 FORSYTH STREET, BOSTON

For more information about the Skadden Fellowship Foundation, visit www.skaddenfellowships.org.

EJW: Public Interest Law Opportunities

Presenter:

Jennifer Tschirch, Senior Program Manager, Fellowships

Equal Justice Works

· Interested in pursuing an Equal Justice Works Fellowship?

· Curious about the Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair?

· Need more information on the Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Program?

Lawyers can make a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable people and communities that desperately need legal intervention to obtain justice. But scarce entry-level job opportunities and overwhelming student debt combine to thwart many law graduates from pursuing public interest careers. Equal Justice Works is the national leader in creating summer and postgraduate public interest opportunities for law students. Jennifer Tschirch, Senior Program Manager for Fellowships will answer your questions about public interest law opportunities and how to submit stellar applications for Equal Justice Works programs.

THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE HELD AT NUSL ON
THURSDAY, July 8th @ NOON IN ROOM 230 DOCKSER

Afghanistan Legal Education Project Fellow

The Afghanistan Legal Education Project (ALEP), founded by Stanford Law School students, is now accepting applications for a postdoctoral fellow to be based in Kabul. Please log onto JobNet for more information on how to apply.

Student Needed for the Education Law Project

 The Education Law Project seeks one student to work with Professor Teixeira de Sousa on the Liberia Education Project. This project will require the student to work with the Deputy Minister of Instruction for the Republic of Liberia to develop a framework for the Teach for Liberia Initiative. For information on how to apply, log onto the JobNet portion of Simplicity.

Learning the Frosty Fundamentals

Once again, greetings from Kenya! As the east coast enjoys / curses the summer heat, I am sitting in seventy degree, sunny weather. Oh, the majesty of the southern hemisphere in June!

Starting on the 14th, I began to assume my day-to-day responsibilities at Mapendo International (for full details regarding the organization, please see the June 17th posting). Basically, I will be interviewing at-risk urban refugees to determine whether Mapendo can offer possible assistance. On Monday and Tuesday I was allowed to observe my colleagues to learn the dos and don’ts of the interviewing process. Like me, both of my co-workers have legal backgrounds. Prior to this week, I don’t believe I comprehended the full extent of skills I gained in the past year of studying the law. An avid reader, I took no joy in much of my courses’ required reading. I could easily have done without the nights of trying to determine the holdings for late 19th century cases.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, my professors were teaching me to clear away the excess material to locate the one essential principal of the opinion. As I sat in my colleagues’ offices, I realized these same skills were being utilized in their interviewing process. Each co-worker started with the simple request that the client tell their story of escape. My colleagues rarely spoke, but when they did it was to re-focus the narrative – an attempt to concentrate on the one defining criteria that each refugee’s story must fulfill in order to obtain aid.

Like the 19th century opinions, these interviews can sometimes be maddening. As Justice Scalia once noted, the “law pronounced … must be principled, rational, and based upon reasoned distinctions.” Vieth v. Jubelirer, 541 U.S. 267, 278 (2004). Yet, a refugee’s story is often devoid of any type of rationality or logic. A refugee sees a senseless murder as a senseless murder. Whereas my legal criteria demands I determine whether this killing justifies, to my current client, a well-founded fear of persecution based upon her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

I have found this dichotomy between my refugees’ emotional tales and the necessity for me to ask cold and calculating questions difficult. I understand that a cold evaluation ensures the interviewer’s judgment is not clouded by emotions, and that the law is utilized in a manner which Justice Scalia would approve. Yet, I hope with time I am able to find a proper balance between interviewing objectively while providing a warm and compassionate environment. After watching my colleagues, I gained many methods I would like to emulate, perhaps none more important than trying to foster a safe environment, if not a friendly one. In the end, I hope that my worth is determined by how I use the law, and not necessarily my sunny (or lack thereof) disposition.

Best,

Jerry

Greetings from Nairobi, Kenya

My name is Jerry Donahue. I am a rising 2nd year student at New England Law Boston. Through the assistance of the administration and faculty, I was able to obtain an internship in Nairobi working for a refugee assistance program. I would especially like to thank Ms. Adonia Simpson, the Center for Law and Social Responsibility’s Fellow, and the Director of New England’s Immigration Project, Associate Professor of Law Ms. Dina Haynes.

In early fall, the Center for Law and Social Responsibility offered the opportunity to interview for an internship working with refugees in Kenya. I came to New England Law after living for a year in Phoenix, Arizona where I worked with newly arrived refugees from countries spanning the globe. The Center’s position was possibly the only internship the school could have offered that I was uniquely qualified. After first interviewing with Ms. Simpson and Professor Haynes, I moved on to an application with Mapendo International.

Sasha Chanoff started Mapendo International about five years ago. The organization’s mission is to provide assistance to refugees who have fallen through the cracks of humanitarian assistance, most notably in urban populations. In those five years, the program has acquired a crystal reputation in the humanitarian assistance world for its medical assistance, community service, and protection programs for at-risk refugees. Through the help of Ms. Simpson and Ms. Haynes, I was able to survive the interviewing process and obtain the Kenyan internship with Mapendo. On June 4th, I said goodbye to my family and friends and headed off for an African adventure.

I arrived in Nairobi after over a day of travel (for the record, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines rock). Mapendo had a driver waiting for me at the airport and he promptly dropped me off at the organization’s apartment. Mapendo staff were there to greet me upon my arrival. I started work on Monday. To be sure, my experience in Phoenix provided me with more requisite knowledge on refugees than the average bear. However, I spent the better part of the first week knee deep in reading materials regarding the situations of refugees across the continent – from reasons forcing refugees flight from their home countries to the effect the refugee populations are having on host countries like Kenya. On Tuesday and Thursday, I went with Mapendo’s outreach team to refugee havens in Nairobi. We met with families in their homes, usually little more than a 12 x 8 room with 2 to 8 people living inside. We heard stories of harassment, hunger, serious medical ailments, assault, rape, and murder.

On Monday (the 14th of June), I will begin my day-to-day duties of interviewing and assessing at risk refugees to ascertain whether they are suitable for possible protection through Mapendo. I have no doubt that the stories will be the likes of which New England Law Boston students can little imagine, let alone cope with. Yet, as of now, I am ready for the challenge.

In the coming weeks I will detail my experiences throughout my African adventure. Please check in periodically and if you have any questions or comments, please send me a shout.

Best,

Jerry Donahue

NOAH Homeownership Program Volunteer Position

The Neighborhood of Affordable Housing (NOAH) is a community development corporation located in East Boston. NOAH’s Loan-to Purchase program (LTP) provides homeownership counseling and subordinate loans of up to $20,000 to eligible first-time homeowners. The LTP Program was created by the Boston Housing Authority, with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support the redevelopment of BHA’s Washington Beech public housing development in Roslindale, Massachusetts. NOAH’s LTP program seeks volunteer interns or attorneys to make a two to three month part-time commitment to this work. NOAH’s role in the administration of this program is to provide homeownership counseling and coordinate the purchase of properties using the downpayment assistance.

Depending on Experience and need, volunteers will:

1) Process and assess intake applications for the LTP program

2) Prepare initial loan applications and transmit to servicers for approval

3) Provide credit counseling services

4) Coordinate with realtors and attorneys to complete the sale.

Training will be provided in-house by our experienced housing counselors. This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience working in real estate, as a realtor or a real estate attorney. In addition, as this program is an opportunity to understand housing policy in Boston.For more information about the position and how to apply, log into the JobNet portion of Simplicity.

Nuestra Communidad Volunteer Student Internship Position

Nuestra Communidad, a Roxbury community development corporation, is seeking volunteer interns for the summer of 2010. Supervised by a team of experienced Housing Counselors, Interns provide foreclosure prevention counseling and advocacy to low and moderate income homeowners at risk or in the process of losing their homes. Nuestra’s services includes preparing a client’s case for presentation to the lenders and negotiates on the client’s behalf to secure relief on their mortgage agreements. Nuestra helps clients obtain mortgage modifications, short sales, forbearance agreements and other appropriate solutions.

Depending on experience and need Interns will:

1) Meet with customers and prepare loan restructure cases to send to servicers. This includes gathering documents, developing budgets, and writing hardship letters describing the client’s case.

2) Work and negotiate with mortgage lenders and brokers, loan servicers, and real estate agents.

3) Stay current on issues relevant to the mortgage lending, changes in foreclosure laws, and the availability of resources and special programs in the city of Boston and in neighboring jurisdictions.

4) Research activities in the real estate and lending markets that may be helpful for NOAH’s clients.

5) Participate in policy recommendations.

6) Maintain and monitor clients’ files and database.

7) Write reports and correspondence as needed.

8) Assist counselors in conducting homeownership post-purchase and foreclosure prevention educational presentations to community organizations.

Nuestra provides interns with training, in partnership with NOAH, Boston Federal Reserve Bank, Division of Banks, Neighbor works and Mass Housing.

For more information about the position and how to apply, log into the JobNet portion of Simplicity.

Summer DCF Position for Students

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is looking for a student who would be interested in a 20/week job starting June 2010 and continuing to September 2011. The position is for someone to focus on improving the quality of permanency hearings for youth. The work involves (1) collaborating with DCF social workers, DCF legal staff and the courts to make the permanency hearings for youths (ages 16 and older) a more meaningful experience; (2) making sure the youths are invited to attend the hearings; (3) ensuring the reports submitted by DCF social work staff are substantive and address how the youth and DCF are working towards adult self-sufficiency; (4) and coordinate the hearings with the court. Pay is $14 - $15 per hour for graduate students. This is open to law students and law graduates. The June start date is not negotiable.

More information on how to apply for these opportunities and many others can be found within the JobNet section of Symplicity. Log on to https://law-une-csm.symplicity.com/students/.

Summer Research Assistant for Prof. Haynes

Professor Haynes seeks a Research Assistant immediately to work on a book on gender and post conflict reconstruction. Must be work study eligible, able to work 15 -20 hours per week between May 15 and June 1, with reduced hours and workload throughout the remainder of the summer, and familiar with footnoting and research. Interested students should send a short email to dhaynes@nesl.edu by 8 May.

CLSR Professor Goes to Washington on Immigration Reform

Professor Haynes met with White House and Senate staff in DC last week to discuss immigration reform. Part of a bi-partisan coalition, comprised of a well-known pastor from the evangelical community (Pastor Jim Tolle), John McCain's hispanic outreach coordinator during his presidential bid (Juan Hernandes) and a businessman in the garment industry (Robert Gittleson), Professor Haynes spoke with Senator Schumer (D- NY), Senator Kerry's Foreign Relations Committee Staffer and his immigration staffer, Senator Leahy's Judiciary Committee Staffer, Senator Snowe's policy staffer, Senator Murkowski's staff, and the director and staff of Reform Immigration FOR America to discuss immigration reform strategies. At the request of the White House, the coalition also met at the White House with President Obama's immigration policy advisors as Washington is poised to decide whether or not to push forward with comprehensive immigration reform in 2010.

Research Assistant Positions for Empirical Research Project, Summer 2010

Prof. Siegel is seeking one to two students for paid summer work on an empirical research project concerning interrogation practices in the criminal justice system. Applicants should have a high level of attention to detail and knowledge of or interest in procedural details of criminal justice investigation and litigation. Prior experience with social science research would be helpful. Work will involve detailed review of criminal case files in Boston, Somerville, Lowell and Roxbury, data entry, and analysis of police practices. Must be work/study eligible; please contact Financial Aid to verify eligibility. Work could be done part time; total project is approximately 200 hours. Student researchers may not concurrently be interns or volunteers at, or employees of, any district attorney or prosecutor’s offices.

Interested students should email Adonia Simpson (1) a letter explaining interest and relevant experience, (2) a current resume, and (3) an unofficial transcript. Submission deadline is May 10, 2010.

2010-2012 Seton Hall Law School Center for Social Justice Clinical Fellow

Seton Hall University School of Law is seeking applications for a Clinical Fellow to work in our Center for Social Justice from July/August 2010 to July/August 2012. The Clinical Fellow will work primarily with two professors within the Center for Social Justice: Lori A. Nessel, Director of the Center for Social Justice and Co-Professor in the Immigrants’ Rights/International Human Rights Clinic and Jenny-Brooke Condon, Professor in the new Equal Justice Clinic. The Immigrants’ Rights/International Human Rights Clinic focuses on a range of human rights and immigration cases including: political asylum; trafficking; Violence Against Women Act petitions; day laborer wage theft claims; petitions and amicus briefs before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Inter-American Court on Human Rights, and European Court on Human Rights; and, human rights fact-finding and reporting. The Equal Justice Clinic handles a variety of direct service and impact litigation involving civil and human rights with a primary focus on the rights of immigrants, women, and other historically vulnerable groups. The Fellow will also be responsible for assisting with the Haiti Rule of Law Project.

The Fellowship provides a unique opportunity to gain clinical teaching and public interest litigation experience in a supportive academic/law school environment, while working closely with Professors in the Immigrants’ Rights/International Human Rights and Equal Justice Clinics. The Clinical Fellow will assist with client intake, all aspects of immigration, civil, and human rights litigation, supervision of clinical students, and the teaching of clinical seminars. In addition, the Clinical Fellow will be responsible for the preparation of colloquia and community training manuals, networking with community and national immigration and civil rights advocacy groups, and case coverage during the summer months.

All applicants must be members of a state Bar; New Jersey bar membership is preferred but not required. All applicants should have a strong academic record, and excellent writing and oral communication skills. While we welcome

applications from new attorneys, strong preference will be given to applicants who had a clinical experience or other public interest service during law school, a clerkship, and/or relevant post-graduate litigation experience. Annual salary is $60,000 plus benefits, including medical insurance.

More information on how to apply for these opportunities and many others can be found within the JobNet section of Symplicity. Log on to https://law-une-csm.symplicity.com/students/.

SUPERVISING ATTORNEY/CRIMINAL DIVISION JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

D.C. Law Students In Court Program, Inc. (LSIC) is seeking a zealous, passionate,

highly skilled supervising attorney for its criminal division. LSIC is a nonprofit public

interest law firm and clinical education program that draws students from five national

law schools in Washington, D.C. Students are court-certified and represent indigent

clients in civil and criminal cases in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

D.C. Law Students in Court is one of the largest and oldest legal service providers in

D.C. It is an equal opportunity employer. Information about LSIC is available at

www.dclawstudents.org.

Position Responsibilities: The Supervising Attorney/Criminal Division reports to the

Executive Director. The Supervising Attorney teaches third year law students the basics

of practice as ethical, zealous, competent trial lawyers. The Supervising Attorney will

supervise and coach students through all stages of representation for low-income

residents charged with misdemeanor offenses in Washington, DC as part of a studentsupervisor

team, will teach classes on evidence, lawyering skills, criminal law and

criminal procedure, and will ensure that each client receives high quality criminal

defense representation. The Supervising Attorney is also a member of the LSIC staff

team and will work independently and with others to carry out the administrative tasks

necessary to ensure the quality of LSIC teaching, client representation and office

management including recruitment of students, design and revision of orientation and

curricula, regular review and updating of all written materials necessary to support best

practices in criminal defense and law office management, participate in meetings as

required, maintain accurate client files and case management system data, support

organizational fundraising efforts, and consistently strive to review and improve upon

LSIC’s clinical teaching techniques and practices.

Required qualifications: The ideal candidate will have at least two years of clinical

teaching experience; membership in the DC bar with a minimum of three years as a

practicing criminal defense attorney; strong written and verbal communication skills;

excellent time management skills and good interpersonal skills.

Salary and Benefits: Salary will be commensurate with experience. LSIC offers a

competitive benefits package, including health, life and disability insurance, as well as

liberal vacation, sick, and personal leave.

More information on how to apply for these opportunities and many others can be found within the JobNet section of Symplicity. Log on to https://law-une-csm.symplicity.com/students/.

Neil DePaul Reports on NH Retreat

The Robert M. Cover Public Interest Law Retreat was an amazing opportunity to broaden my law school experience. Each year the retreat is held in late February with the goal of brining together law practitioners, professors, and students from across the country who share a common passion for public interest law. The location for the retreat has traditionally been a serene setting which allows participants to interact in a way that the traditional law school environment cannot provide.

Being sponsored by the Center for Law and Social Responsibility at New England Law | Boston to attend the Cover Retreat was a highlight of my law school experience. The Cover Retreat hosted several simultaneous programs covering a nice array of facets within public interest law. This variety of programs allowed me to explore areas outside of my own interest and meet others passionate about Environmental Law, Labor Law, and Human Trafficking.

The most beneficial part of the retreat was its informal tone. Interacting with practitioners and professors this way gave me a broader understanding of their experience and allowed me to make lasting contacts with those who are experts in their field. Everyone participated freely and although there was clear expertise in the room great effort was made to solicit thoughts from all which ultimately gave depth to the entire weekend.

--Neil DePaul '10

Shelter Legal Services seeking students to support marathon runner

SAVE THE DATE!

WHO: Law students, Veterans Legal Assistance Network staff, Shelter Legal Services staff, and your friends! We are seeking 20+ students from each area law school.

WHAT: 2010 Boston Marathon

WHEN: Patriot’s Day, April 19, 2010

WHERE: Station along the race course, TBD

WHY: Former SLS volunteer, Attorney Eda Carroll, is running the marathon on behalf of SLS/Veterans Legal Assistance Network. She (and you) will be wearing an SLS t-shirt. You will be stationed along the race course, with fellow students, to help create publicity for SLS and its sponsors.

PERKS: An after party with fellow students and staff. Supporting legal services for veterans on Patriots Day. Chance to win prizes, such as beer for a year.

RSVP To Sarah Roxburgh: roxburgh@shelterlegalservices.org

Sponsorship opportunities are available! Please advise SLS of any prospective sponsors.

Rhode Island Center for Law and Public Policy Summer Internships

RICLAPP is accepting applications for summer interns currently enrolled in law school. Interns working for RICLAPP will have the benefit of assisting on a wide variety of cases including elder issues, employment, housing and new business counsel. They will also gain valuable experience working one-on-one with clients at our direct outreach clinics. Much of the work students will complete includes legal research and writing as well as research on RICLAPP's chosen public policy issues. The last day to apply for a summer internship is May 14, 2010. We embrace the opportunity to prepare students for their future work in the public sector.

RICLAPP is a 501 (c)3 public charity with a mission to provide access to legal services to low income Rhode Islanders, small non-profit agencies and for-profit small businesses, as well as to develop public policy initiatives for the betterment of all Rhode Islanders.

More information on how to apply for these opportunities and many others can be found within the JobNet section of Symplicity. Log on to https://law-une-csm.symplicity.com/students/.

Webinar: Top Ten Tips for a Successful Summer Internship in a Public Interest Office…and What to Avoid

Law Students: Save the date! On Wednesday, April 14^th at 3:00pm EDT, NALP and the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) are presenting “Top Ten Tips for a Successful Summer Internship in a Public Interest Office…and What to Avoid.” This free webinar will help law students make the most of their summer experiences in civil legal services organizations and public defenders’ offices by offering concrete tips from both public interest attorneys with extensive experience in supervising law students and law school public interest advisors who counsel students on maximizing professional development opportunities. The webinar will be led by Jennifer Thomas, Director of Legal Recruiting for the D.C. Public Defender Service, and Phyllis Holmen, Executive Director of the Georgia Legal Services Program.

The webinar will be offered live on April 14th and archived for later viewing. All students and law school career professionals who are interested in participating on April 14th should e-mail Kevin Mills, Director of Membership at NLADA at membership@nlada.org, and provide your full name, e-mail address, and a phone number. Please type “Student Webinar” in the email’s subject line.

Legal Internship at Disability Policy Consortium

The Disability Policy Consortium (DPC) is currently seeking a legal intern for summer 2010. DPC is a non-profit, nonpartisan, public interest organization devoted to promoting inclusion, independence, and empowerment by guiding statewide development of policies that ensure that programs and services enable people with disabilities to participate in the political, economic, and social mainstream of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The DPC is the only statewide cross-disability advocacy organization that actively engages with lawmakers and policymakers.

The DPC is currently engaging in a health care access project aimed at achieving comprehensive and accessible health care for all people with disabilities, through systemic legislative and judicial remedy. The legal intern, working with the Assistant Director for Policy and Advocacy, and other attorneys, will play an integral role in this project. The legal intern will also work on other

projects as needed.More information on how to apply for these opportunities and many others can be found within the JobNet section of Symplicity. Log on to https://law-une-csm.symplicity.com/students/.

Nonprofit Organizations and Animals: A Discussion Panel

Please join the Animal Law Society and the Center for Law and Social Responsibility for a Discussion Panel on how to organize and advise nonprofit organizations. Panelists will include representatives from national, state, and local nonprofit organizations as well as New England Law faculty. Topics will include how to reclassify an organization from a for-profit to a nonprofit and how to distinguish an organization’s primary purpose as “lobbying” rather than “educational”.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 30 from 4:30-6:00pm at the

WHERE: St. James building Conference Room.

Delicious refreshments will be served, so do not miss out!

Please RSVP to Hillary Isleib at hillaryisleib@nesl.edu if you wish to attend any portion of the event.

Film Screening

“If I Die Tonight”a film by Seyi

March 31, 2010, 6 p.m.

Stuart Street Playhouse, 200 Stuart St, Boston, MA 02116

Admission is Free!

Special film screening, Q&A with the director and discussion of the award-winning documentary. After-party with food and refreshments to follow the movie!!!

Indican Pictures presents “If I Die Tonight,” a feature length, award -winning documentary that explores the relationships and tensions that sometimes exist between police and the people they are sworn to protect.

For more information, please contact Laura Wareck at lwareck@oneillandassoc.com or 617‐646‐1037.

National Litigation Project seeks Summer Fellows

Two summer fellowships are available with the National Litigation Project of the Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School. These fellowships would provide the opportunity to work closely NLP attorneys on all aspects of human rights-related litigation in U.S. courts, particularly claims arising out of counterterrorism policies, both here and abroad.

The NLP Summer Fellows will be active participants in the NLP’s work, including (1) litigating the NLP’s current docket of complex civil liberties cases ranging from the abuse of immigration authority to justice for torture victims; (2) conducting original research central to ongoing policy debates; and (3) developing public educational materials regarding the impact of U.S. counterterrorism tactics on human rights at the local, national and international levels. Student law interns will work closely with supervising attorneys on all of these matters. In the past, summer interns have participated in all levels, including arguing motions and taking depositions.

More information on how to apply for these opportunities and many others can be found within the JobNet section of Symplicity. Log on to https://law-une-csm.symplicity.com/students/.

Lawyers for Transgender Rights

Lawyers for Transgender Rights will bring together the Massachusetts legal community – lawyers, law students, law firms, legal organizations, bar associations, and law schools – to support transgender rights and the important work of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition. Lawyers for Transgender Rights is a cocktail reception taking place on Thursday, April 15, at 5:30pm at Club Café.

Visit here to learn more.

ORAM Summer Internship

Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration (ORAM)
Summer 2010 Refugee Law Internship Program
Focusing on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Refugees & Asylum Seekers

San Francisco, California
May 27, 2010 to August 13, 2010

Application Deadline: April 2, 2010

The ORAM Summer 2010 Refugee Law Externship Program provides unique training on US and international refugee law and procedure. Limited to a few selected participants, the eleven-week program consists of exceptionally strong academic and practical components. Participants will receive an intensive two-day orientation in refugee law. They will subsequently (1) handle cases under close attorney supervision; (2) conduct international advocacy on LGBTI-related refugee issues; and (3) research and write academic/professional-level publications on cutting-edge legal issues regarding LGBTI refugees and asylum seekers. Integrated into the program is ongoing instruction on the theoretical and practical aspects of international refugee law and procedure.

ORAM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) international organization based in San Francisco, CA. These are unpaid externships. Participants must obtain independent funding to cover their transportation, room, board and other living costs. Academic credit for the externships, to the extent available, is school-specific. ORAM will cooperate with any requirements or prerequisites in order to facilitate summer funding or academic credit from individual law schools, where available.

There are no foreign language requirements for the program. However, applicants conversationally fluent in Farsi or Arabic will be given priority.

More information on how to apply for these opportunities and many others can be found within the JobNet section of Symplicity. Log on to https://law-une-csm.symplicity.com/students/.

Kids in Need of Defense Training

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is an organization whose mission is to help unaccompanied children with their immigration cases. They will be hosting an event for those interested to learn more about KIND and immigration laws available to protect these children.

The KIND training will be held on Friday March 26, 2010 at Noon. The training will cover:

· KIND and its pro bono program

· The kids we help and some of their stories

· Immigration relief available to children, with a step-by-step explanation of “Special Immigration Juveniles” and a brief overview of asylum laws particular to unaccompanied children.

· The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) passed in December 2008 and its impact on these cases. This new law opens the door to help many more kids obtain lawful status in the U.S., but a lot remains to be discovered.

It is an exciting time to work on these cases and a rewarding opportunity to work with such amazing kids. This will be an informal training so bring your questions, ideas, strategies, and a lunch! They training will last a little over an hour.

Please RSVP to acooper@supportkind.org.

Where: Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) has graciously offered to host this training. MLRI is located at 99 Chauncy Street, 5th Floor. http://www.mlri.org/mlri_directions.

ABA Pro Bono Videos

The ABA's Center for Pro Bono now has a Videos page, with links to pro bono-oriented videos organized into categories. Check it out at http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/probono/videos.shtml.

The ABA is also encouraging people to submit links to their own videos.