From the PSJD job posting:

The Immigration Center for Women and Children (ICWC) seeks a full-time staff attorney in the Los Angeles office. ICWC is a non-profit legal organization providing affordable immigration services to underrepresented women and children in California. ICWC strives to provide security and stability for children who are abused, abandoned or neglected and for women and children who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and other violent crimes.

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by Ashley Matthews

If you’re gearing up to take the bar exam this summer, take a look at the Bar Exam Toolbox to help yourself get ready! This site was created specifically for recent law graduates who are prepping for the bar exam. It contains links to resources that will help you succeed and blog posts on everything from making sure you’re ready to take the exam, to when you should actually start hitting the books in preparation.

If you’re a public interest law student, you may also want to consider applying for BarMax’s Public Interest Scholarship. A BarMax scholarship will cover 60% of the program’s price, making the bar review course only $395 for students working in public interest/service. Student loan expert Heather Jarvis gave the BarMax prep program a thumbs up, so it may be worth a shot.

Good luck!

The American Red Cross International Services Department responds to disasters and builds safer, more resilient communities, all while educating future humanitarians. The American Red Cross is now expanding its global programming and strengthening the global Red Cross Red Crescent network in order to provide vital assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

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From the PSJD job posting:

Bronx AIDS Services, Inc. (BAS) Legal Advocacy Program provides free legal assistance to low-income Bronx families, as well as Bronx residents who are living with HIV/AIDS.  The Housing Attorney provides legal advice and direct representation to clients at risk of eviction, living in substandard housing or otherwise at risk of homelessness in all housing court proceedings and appeals, and in hearings before administrative agencies.

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by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow

It’s almost time for every recent law grad’s favorite time of year: postgraduate fellowship application season!

Okay, we’ll admit – like most other PSJD content, this maybe only applies to public interest law students interested in working with non-profit or legal aid organizations. These fellowships allow recent law graduates to secure entry-level jobs with organizations that serve marginalized or vulnerable client populations, while gaining a entire network of like-minded colleagues in the public interest legal community.

With that being said, it’s time to gear up and get ready to apply! Our Postgraduate Public Interest Fellowships Application Deadline Calendar offers a running list of deadlines to help you keep track, along with links to the organization’s profile and job description.

The list is always being updated, so check back on a consistent basis for approaching dates. Since the summer/fall is prime-time to apply, be sure to check last year’s deadlines to get a feel for how you might manage your applications.

From the PSJD job posting:

The new Legal Fellow for Latin America and the Caribbean will be joining the Center at an exciting time for the institution and at a critical time for the reproductive rights movement globally.  As opponents of women’s rights have increased their attacks on the legal and human rights framework at the UN, the Center is fighting back with national, regional, and international strategies embodied in a new strategic plan launched in early 2012.  The plan intensifies our efforts to strengthen the legal protections for access to safe and legal abortion, affordable contraception, the expansion of the reproductive rights of adolescents, and the recognition that the prevention of maternal mortality is a fundamental human rights issue.

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by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing oral arguments about the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s Proposition 8. These historic civil rights cases mark the first time the Supreme Court has reviewed gay marriage, and the decisions may greatly impact the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection.

If you want an overview on the cases and how they may unfold this term, check out the SCOTUSblog’s Q&A. It features Bloomber reporter Greg Stohr briefly breaking down the cases by legal issues, and presents a couple of possible outcomes. The New York Times also has a similar Q&A.

From the PSJD job posting:

Americans United for Separation of Church and State seeks a Federal  Legislative Counsel to join its policy team. The Federal Legislative Counsel will aid the Legislative Director in planning and implementing Americans  United’s federal legislative program and will represent the organization on  Capitol Hill, in coalitions, and in external speaking engagements. Work will  include: tracking legislation, analyzing bills and amendments, lobbying  legislators, monitoring committee proceedings, drafting policy and advocacy  materials, and helping coordinate two national coalitions.

Successful applicants will have a J.D. and experience with the legislative process, ideally involving church-state separation or other civil rgihts issues along with experience working with coalitions and elected officials. For more information, view the full job listing at PSJD.org (log-in required).

From the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council job posting on PSJD:

Under broad supervision, [the Assistant Public Defender is] responsible for the  administration and direction of an entire staff engaged in the defense of felony  jury or non-jury cases handled by the Conflict Public Defender Office; Advises and counsels other attorneys as to the case management practices of handling  their assigned cases; and demonstrates a mastery of litigation; extensive and significant jury trial experience as the lead counsel in felony cases.

Duties & Responsibilities:

GPDSC seeks an experienced  trial attorney to serve as the Circuit Conflict Defender for the Stone Mountain  Judicial Circuit. The job is based in Decatur, Georgia and the successful  candidate will be the Supervising Attorney in a small office where indigent  defense cases are handled from arrest through trial and appeal for clients  charged. The office handles matters in Dekalb County, but the successful  candidate will report directly to the Director of the Conflicts Division for  GPDSC and handle cases as determined by the Director.

Successful applicants will have three years of relevant legal experience OR three years of experience at the lower level. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, March 26, 2013. For more information, view the full job listing at PSJD.org.

Law school debt affects many elements of an attorney’s professional career. From the selection of a post-graduate employer to stressing about repayment options, lack of proper debt management can have a wide range of consequences. For this reason, NALP has engaged Heather Jarvis to serve as our student debt expert to provide members with information, best practices and professional insight related to educational debt and repayment options for law students and graduates. Please respond to this brief survey to help Heather Jarvis tailor her efforts to your needs!

Heather has also created Student Loan Toolkits with separate resources tailored specifically to public interest or law firm employers, and an employer’s guide to Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Each presents a collection of resources that employers can make available to their staff to help lighten the pressure on lawyers with student loan debt. Resources on NALP include recordings of webinars, slides and handouts, and step-by-by guides for public service and law firm employers (member login required).