By Lauren Forbes

We may be a little shaken up on the East Coast, so safety is exactly what the doctor ordered…

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) seeks a program director for PSR’s Safe Energy Program to educate Congress, media and the public about the economic, health and proliferation risks associated with nuclear reactors and to promote safe, clean renewable energy and efficiency as the lasting solution to climate change.

Policy

• Develop and promote proactive policies that advance program goals.
• Collaborate with allies and expert consultants to create and implement national and state strategies for achieving program goals.
• Create educational materials on nuclear energy issues for policymakers and the public, including fact sheets, policy analyses, and articles.
• Stay abreast of nuclear energy issues.
• Present at educational programs and conferences.

Legislative

• Develop national legislative strategy with allies and coordinate implementation of campaign to limit construction of new nuclear reactors in the U.S.
• Educate decision-makers, including members of Congress and the Administration, about nuclear energy issues and advocate for constructive policies.
• Monitor legislation related to nuclear energy and develop policy positions.

Media

• Develop and implement effective media strategies and messages related to nuclear energy.
• Serve as media spokesperson and respond to press inquiries on nuclear energy issues.
• Prepare media statements, advisories, and op-ed pieces.

Coalition Building

• Engage and coordinate new constituencies in advocacy for Safe Energy policies.
• Initiate and manage the development of educational events and tours for energy experts.
• Develop social media strategies to educate and mobilize concerned citizens.

Grassroots

• Collaborate with grassroots groups and integrate them into national and state strategies.
• Provide policy and technical expertise to grassroots on federal legislation and developments at the state level related to nuclear energy.
• Mobilize concerned citizens on nuclear energy issues via social media and other outreach strategies.

Management

• Serve on Executive Management Team.
• Supervise program staff and consultants.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of the Safe Energy section of PSR’s website.
• Serve as the primary contact with PSR’s Board of Directors on Safe Energy program work.
• Work with PSR’s Executive Director and Associate Director to develop and manage the Safe Energy program budget.

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Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach seeks a Staff Attorney in San Francisco, CA.

Duties and Responsibilities: 1. Provide legal representation primarily in the areas of civil legal services of behalf of the disabled but may include work in other priority areas such as public benefits, elder law, immigration, domestic violence, sexual assault, and housing. This work will include representation of clients in state court and before administrative bodies. 2. Conduct community education and outreach. 3. Staff clinics at sites accessible to the low-income, disabled, and senior consumers. 4. Provide technical assistance and training to community and public agencies. 5. Represent the organization at community, legal, funding, and other meetings and functions. 6. Assist with administrative and fundraising work of the organization.
Minimum Qualifications: 1. At least two (2) year’s experience in representing low-income and non-English speaking, disabled clients in progressively more complex civil law matters. 2. Demonstrated commitment to social justice and the advancement of communities of color. 3. Bilingual and bicultural skills particularly relevant to underserved communities. 4. Strong advocacy and courtroom skills. 5. Must be a member in good standing of the California Bar. 6. Ability to work well in a team-oriented, multi-cultural work environment. Preferred Qualifications: 1. At least two years of civil litigation experience in representing low-income, disabled clients. 2. Successful experience in serving API’s target populations and working in disadvantaged communities of color. 3. Working knowledge of Time Matters/Abacus, Essential Forms, and Immigrant Pro or similar programs.

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By Lauren Forbes

The AmeriCorps Legal Fellows will serve in the Joplin office of Legal Aid providing direct legal services to low-income and elderly people affected by the devastating tornado that struck Joplin on May 22, 2011.  Casework will include representing:  tenants in eviction proceedings, buyers on contract for deed disputes, homeowners in foreclosure and other mortgage-related problems, victims of domestic violence in family law matters, consumers in contract and debt cases, and individuals in guardianship actions, beneficiary deeds, and other legal matters as they arise.  In addition, the AmeriCorps Legal Fellows will increase student awareness of volunteer opportunities by recruiting at law schools and Missouri Southern State University’s paralegal program.  The Fellows will collaborate with Legal Aid’s Volunteer Attorney Project (VAP) director to recruit and use new pro bono attorneys to represent eligible clients impacted by the storm.  The AmeriCorps Legal Fellows report to the Managing Attorney in Joplin.  Some local and overnight travel is required, including attendance at national conferences and training opportunities.

The Legal Aid AmeriCorps Legal Fellows in Joplin will:

• Provide legal representation to eligible clients who have been impacted by the May 22 tornado and its after-effects.
• Conduct outreach to increase service to hard-to-find client communities, such as immigrants and others unlikely to ask for help.
• Conduct “know your rights” outreach on prevalent legal problems.
• Recruit law students and paralegal students for volunteer opportunities.
• Recruit volunteer attorneys in conjunction with VAP to represent eligible clients to increase our impact in disaster relief legal services.
• Arrange practical training for students and attorneys, including collaborating with other community based organizations; and
• Act as a community resource for other organizations who wish to collaborate on solving the vast array of legal problems clients are facing in Joplin.

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By Lauren Forbes

Happy Friday, everyone! This week: more unfortunate legal services cutbacks in North Carolina;  a profile on Wisconsin’s first woman state public defender; exploring limited-scope representation in Wisconsin;  shortfall woes in Oregon will likely lead to 20 positions being eliminated;  (good news!) a grant in Northern Florida that will help victims of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill access justice; a piece on Washington, DC’s Public Defender Service Director, Avis Buchanan; Indiana’s innovative program defrays the costs of providing defense attorneys. 

• 8.17.11 -Unfortunate cutbacks in North Carolina as per the nationwide trend– Johnston, NC’s The Herald reports that low-income Johnston County residents will soon have to travel to Raleigh or Wilson for legal help in civil-court matters.   “With legislative and Congressional cuts, we had nothing left to trim back,” North Carolina Legal Aid Director George Hausen said, noting that the organization has been in a hiring freeze for years. “We looked around at our 25 offices and felt that we could close some offices because these offices are close enough that the bigger offices could cover the ground.”
• 8.17.11 – Wisconsin Bar Association’s Inside Track features a story on Kelli Thompson, who is the first woman State Public Defender in Wisconsin, and one of only a very few across the country.  Thompson is a 12-year veteran in the State Public Defender’s (SPD) office – starting as an intern while a student at Marquette Law School.  “Kelli is a great communicator and really understands the mission of the public defender’s office,” said Paige Styler, attorney manager at the SPD Milwaukee Trial Office.  Best of luck, Kelli!
• 8.17.11 – Also from the Wisconsin Bar, Wisconsin is exploring “unbundled” legal services or limited-scope representation, which allows clients and lawyers to agree on a lawyer’s more limited role in lieu of full representation.  Expanding limited-scope representation has the potential to provide pro se litigants with affordable access to lawyers and improve court efficiency, according to a recent report by a subcommittee of the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s Planning and Policy Advisory Committee (PPAC).  “It is anticipated that recommendations for rule changes or amendments will be submitted to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the fall of 2012,” Inside Track reports.
• 8.16.11 –  A story in the Statesman Journal delivers more bad news: low-income families receiving legal aid in Oregon may soon see a cut in services because of layoffs resulting from a 15 percent revenue shortfall.  Sandra Hansberger, executive director of The Lawyers’ Campaign for Equal Justice, estimates that 20 positions, both filled and vacant, would be lost statewide.  “Oregon lawyers have been generous in supporting legal aid by contributing over $1 million each year and by donating their time through legal aid’s pro-bono efforts,” said Steve Piucci, president of the Oregon State Bar, in a statement. “We need these other sources of funding to help meet the tremendous and growing unmet legal needs of the poor.”  Oregon Public Broadcasting also covered the issue, citing Legal Aid Board Chair Michael Mason in saying,  “We closed the Klamath Falls office in 1997 after major federal cuts. And it had a huge impact. People who are unwilling to follow the law by all accounts ran amok.” The union representing Legal Aid attorneys offered a package of wage freezes and furloughs that would have stabilized funding for a year.
• 8.15.11 – A small ray of sunshine, as The Panama City News Herald announces that legal Services of North Florida has received a grant for $200,000 to provide outreach and legal help to low-income residents and small businesses who were affected by the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.  Legal Services of North Florida (LSNF), a private nonprofit corporation dedicated to providing free legal representation to low-income people with civil legal problems, will use the money over the next 18 months to provide outreach and support to those who either have not been able to file claims or are having difficulties with the claims process.
• 8.15.11 – The National Law Journal’s Legal Times features a piece on veteran DC Public Defender, Avis Buchanan.  As a staff attorney with PDS in the 1980s, Buchanan had a gentle style with judges and jurors, but her style did not prevent her from taking on clients who were “rough around the edges.” She left PDS, but returned as director in 2004. Caseload pressures are a nationwide problem for PDs, but the Washington Office is admired for its ability to put its foot down when attorneys are overloaded, said David Caroll, NLADA’s director of research.  Public service in her DNA, Buchanan is looking to implement technological upgrades and recruit top legal talent over the next couple of years.   Acknowledging PDS’ extensive history, Buchanan said, “We will work with what we have.  As long as the right people are in place, we’ll achieve what we need to achieve.”  [Note: premium access subscription required]
• 8.14.11 – Not a Tupelo Honey situation for Mississippi legal aid, as the Associated  Press reports.  A legal aid office for low-income individuals in north Mississippi faces closing down because of the budget cuts Congress is imposing. Ben Cole, the executive director of the North Mississippi Rural Legal Services, said the Tupelo office or another one in north Mississippi may have close.  The agency’s 25-member board is scheduled to meet Aug. 27 and budget cuts are on its agenda.
• 8.14.11 –  An interesting approach to provide criminal defendants with representation in Indiana:  The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reports that  52 Indiana counties received more than $15.7 million during the last fiscal year to help defray the costs of providing defense attorneys to people who can’t afford them by using court fees and money set aside by the state legislature.  Counties are obligated to provide lawyers for criminal defendants who can’t afford to pay for representation.  “Established in 1989 by the state legislature, the Public Defender Commission recommends standards for, among other areas, determining who may have public defense attorneys, how many cases a public defender may handle, and the qualifications of attorneys seeking to be public defenders.  The commission reimburses participating counties for a portion of the money they spend providing public defense attorneys.  To qualify for reimbursement, counties must adopt an ordinance, establish a public defender board, adopt a comprehensive plan, have the plan approved and meet other standards set by the state commission – largely drawn from the American Bar Association.”

By Lauren Forbes

And you thought the DC Beltway had too many acronyms…

Roger Williams University invites applications for the position of Assistant General Counsel for Labor & Employment (AGCL&E) in its Office of General Counsel(OGC). Reporting to the University Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, the AGCL&E provides the full array of legal practice endemic to a labor organized, private institution of higher education with a distinct emphasis on labor and employment law services. By way of illustration, this shall include employment and labor relations liaison, advisement and advocacy, litigation and alternative dispute resolution, legal research and writing, and legal advice on all matters as assigned concerning the entity. The AGC is expected to contribute to the University community as attorney, policy advocate, administrator, colleague, and ambassador.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an individual driven by challenge and rewarded by opportunity to make a difference. The position will be split time between OGC’s Providence office and the Bristol campus.

The successful candidate will possess a Juris Doctorate degree and an accompanying license to practice law as well as a minimum of 5+ years of distinguished, labor and employment experience as an attorney working within or representing a labor organized corporate entity. Rhode Island Bar admission is required within one year of employment at the University.

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By Lauren Forbes

Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida (CCLA), a LSC grantee serving low-income residents of Broward County, Florida, is seeking candidates for an Equal Justice Works or other sponsored fellowship to begin as early as 2012 for a two-year period. CCLA is open to hosting candidates for other legal fellowship programs.

The fellow will be assigned to the Public Benefits Unit, which assists people with issues related to Cash Assistance, Medicaid and Medicaid Reform, Medicare, Food Stamps, Social Security Disability and SSI, and Unemployment Compensation Benefits. The Public Benefits Unit will be adding services for Veterans and their families.

The fellow will be supervised through CCLA’s main office and may have an opportunity to service clients at the office(s) of a community partner that provides services to veterans. The fellow will work directly with our experienced staff attorneys, paralegals, and other support staff.

The fellow’s specific tasks will include providing direct legal services to veterans in the following areas:

• VA Disability Compensation, VA Pension Benefits, VA Health Care Benefits, Military Upgrades and Discharge Issues, all areas of Public Benefits, Family Law and Domestic Violence Issues, Foreclosure and Predatory Lending
• Duties will also include extensive outreach and educational efforts by hosting self -help clinics for veterans, military personnel and military families.
• The position will offer an interested fellow the opportunity to develop skills in legal advocacy, case management, and the opportunity to work intensively with State and Federal administrative agencies.

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The “Finding and Funding International Public Service Opportunities” guide on PSLawNet, available on the international careers page.

Special thanks to Robert Kaplan and Rebecca Knowles of William & Mary School of Law, Beth Shackleford of the University of Georgia School of Law, and Paula Nailon of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, who authored the guide.

Please share with all who have interest in international careers! It is a great resource.

By Lauren Forbes

The University of Kansas School of Law is looking for an Assistant Dean for Career Services.

The mission of the Office of Career Services is to assist students and alumni in their professional development by acquainting them with the range of career paths open to them, providing information on specific job opportunities, and working with students and graduates to enhance their job search skills.  The Assistant Dean is responsible for the implementation of this mission through the day-to-day administration and management of the office and through long-term strategic planning.  This includes monitoring and anticipating employment trends, assessing needs of students and alumni, setting goals for the office and devising innovative programming to maximize success of students. This is a full time, unclassified position.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

1. Juris Doctor degree
2. At least 4 years of legal career services, legal recruiting, or law practice experience
3. Demonstrated effective written communication skills as evidenced by application materials

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Demonstrated organizational skills and demonstrated ability to handle multiple projects and juggle priorities.
2. Familiarity with local and regional legal markets and legal hiring procedures.
3. Prior administrative or management experience, particularly in a University setting.
4. Excellent computer skills and demonstrated interest in the use of the Internet, databases, on-line research and new technologies.
5. Demonstrated experience in career counseling, legal recruiting or other related field

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By: Steve Grumm

On the public interest job hunt?  Law student registration for interviews at the Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair opens today!  Learn more over at EJW’s career fair web page.   

Here’s are some important dates from their website:

August 16 – September 12:		Student and law school professional registration open
September 14 – October 6:		Student registration only for those not seeking an interview (can attend conference workshops and Table Talk)
September 14 – September 28:		Employers view applications and choose interviewees
September 30 – October 6:		Students accept or decline interviews
October 6, 5 p.m. EDT:		Last day to cancel student registration with full refund
October 21 – 22:		Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair

Good livin’ in the Silver State!

The Nevada Supreme Court is accepting applications for a staff attorney on its editing team. Under the direction of the court and the clerk of the court, staff attorneys on the editing team edit court decisions in all subject matters for substantive and technical accuracy and for proper English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Staff attorneys must possess superior legal research, writing, and oral presentation skills, must be flexible, and must be capable of working independently. Applicants must have graduated from an ABA-accredited law school and need not be licensed to practice law in Nevada, but should be willing and able to take the Nevada bar examination at the next available opportunity. No prior legal experience is necessary; however, 1 to 3 years of trial or appellate experience or experience of a similar length with a court is desirable.

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