Archive for April, 2020

Job’o’th’Week (Internship Edition)

Photo: Brenda Gottesman – CC License

The Organization

ECPAT-USA (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes – USA Office) is a U.S.-based nonprofit policy organization that strices to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children. ECPAT-USA’s work focuses on efforts in awareness, advocacy, policy, and legislation. ECPAT-USA achieves its mission by promoting corporate responsibility, educating first responders and citizens, and empowering youth, and advocating for state and federal policy to end the sexual exploitation of children.

The Position

ECPAT-USA seeks a law student intern to remotely assist in the preparation of a report on state and local anti-trafficking regulations pertaining to the hospitality industry. The student will contribute research and writing to a report that will be distributed to advocates, policy-makers, and businesses seeking to comply with changes in the legal landscape.

For application instructions, see the full post on PSJD: https://www.psjd.org/job?OppID=101249

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PSJD Public Interest News Digest – April 24, 2020

Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives

Photo: Harris and Ewing Collection, Library of Congress

Hello there, interested public! News continues to be big, keeping pace with world events. Major stories come from the ABA, which is recommending state bars develop paths to practice for graduates unable to take the bar exam because of the pandemic, Suffolk Law, which has launched a volunteer initiative to design internet-friendly court forms, and the 11th Circuit, which overturned a motion to dismiss in a case brought by student debtholders “alleging they were given false information about whether their student loans would be forgiven when they worked in public-service jobs.” Also, a coalition of states is developing to negotiate for student debtholder protections and accommodations, and the LSC briefed the legal aid community on its response to the pandemic.

As always, these stories and more are in the links below.

Stay well,

Sam

Remote Court Practice & Lawmaking

Pro Bono Response

Student Loans & Student Debt

Non-Profit & Gov’t Management & Hiring

Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Issues

Access to Justice – Criminal & Decarceration

Access to Justice – Civil & Economic

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Job’o’th’Week (Fellowship Edition)

Photo: Brenda Gottesman – CC License

The Organization

Public Rights Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the gap between the values behind our laws and the lived realities of vulnerable communities across the U.S. Public Rights Project accomplishes its goals by lending support to state and local prosecutors offices to help them protect the core rights and freedoms of Americans. Staff and attorneys at Public Rights Project provide strategic planning support to boost policy enforcement in prosecutors offices and provide pro bono or low cost legal services to help partner agencies get the resources they need.

The Position

Public Rights Project seeks fellows to participate in a two-year fellowship placement with a partnering prosecutorial agency. Fellows will work along side practicing government attorneys to gain experience in affirmative litigation, community engagement, and policy research. Fellows will also have the opportunity to work on enforcement projects within their placement offices.

The ideal candidates will be passionate about public service, have active bar membership, and litigation experience.

See the full post on PSJD: https://www.psjd.org/job?OppID=90673

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Job’o’th’Week (Internship Edition)

The Organization

Photo: Brenda Gottesman – CC License

Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the lives and advancing the interests of animals through the legal system. ALDF staff and attorneys accomplish their goals through animal abuse lawsuits, policy efforts to strength and enforce anti-cruelty statutes, and public education. The ALDF also cultivates the future of animal law through its national student chapters.

The Positions

ALDF seeks second- and third-year law students to work remotely as law clerks this summer. ALDF is hiring clerks in three programs: Legislative Affairs, Pro Bono, and In-House Legal.

The Legislative Affairs clerk will work full-time researching policy issues; corresponding with supporters, partners, and officials; attending hearings and meetings; drafting campaign content; and delivering policy presentations. The ideal candidate will have excellent organization and communication skills and have the ability to use discretion when handling confidential materials.

The two Pro Bono Program clerks will work part-time to help develop ALDF’s pro bono network. The clerks will be responsible for researching law firms and attorneys; CLEs, events, and conferences; public requests for legal assistance; and resource content. The ideal candidates will be flexible and have a sincere interest in animal protection.

The In-House Counsel clerk will work part-time on internal and transactional legal issues related to ALDF’s daily functioning. The clerk will learn to negotiate contracts, monitor disclosures, research legal issues related to corporate governance and lobbying regulations, review and draft personnel policies, and more. The ideal candidate will be flexible and have a sincere interest in animal protections.

Read more about these opportunities on ALDF’s PSJD profile: https://www.psjd.org/org?OrgID=107597

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Job’o’th’Week (Entry-Level & Experienced Edition)

Photo: Brenda Gottesman – CC License

The Organization

The Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights (Institute) is an Italian non-profit organization dedicated to education, training, and research in international and comparative criminal justice and human rights. The Institute is recognized by Decree of the Italian government and enjoys special consultative status with the United Nations. The Institute provides training and educational conferences and seminars that connect experts, practitioners, and attendees. The Institute has also published scholarly and scientific research on topics relating to international and comparative criminal law, human rights, and country-specific issues of criminal law and procedure.

The Position

The Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights seeks postgraduate ad hoc Researchers and Analysts (RAs) to contribute research, analysis, and data collection relating to international criminal justice. The work schedule is very flexible as RAs will work remotely and be offered assignments as they arise.

The ideal candidates will have a postgraduate qualification in law with an interest and experience in transnational crime, international criminal justice, and human rights. Candidates will also be independent, detail-oriented, and able to adhere to strict deadlines. Fluency in a language other than English is desirable.

See the full post on PSJD: https://www.psjd.org/job?OppID=101103

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PSJD Public Interest News Digest – April 3, 2020

Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives

Photo: Harris and Ewing Collection, Library of Congress

Hello there, interested public! Once again, the news is overwhelming. I’ve done my best to catalogue it for you all below. One big announcement: as major stories roll out everywhere concerning eviction moratoria, changes to court procedures, changes to policing and carceral policies, and government hiring freezes, we’ve collected resources that are working to centralize information on these stories as they develop in the PSJD resource center. This section of the resource center also includes links to student-driven pro bono projects that have sprung up in response to the pandemic.

As for the digest itself, you will still find some of the most prominent stories on these topics, but please refer to the PSJD resource page for materials that focus on them exclusively and that attempt to be comprehensive.

Major news this week includes reporting that analyzes the impact of last week’s $2.2 trillion CARES Act on student loan debt payments (and employer-driven student loan benefits). Also, you’ll find lawsuits challenging the ongoing detention of incarcerated individuals, whether as pretrial detainees, convicts, or detainees in ICE facilities. Additionally, there’s a new section looking at the growing pro bono response to the pandemic–and particularly at the areas into which lawyers are productively channelling their energies to address the crisis.

These stories and more are in the links below. As with last week, in each section news that is not related to the current crisis appears at the section’s end, separated from Coronavirus content with a horizontal line (—).

Stay well,

Sam

Editor’s Choice

Remote Court Practice & Lawmaking

Pro Bono Response

Student Loans & Student Debt

Non-Profit & Gov’t Management & Hiring

  • In Washington DC, “the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled the department [of Veterans Affairs] could not retroactively apply the 2017 VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, nor could it declare its punishments ineligible for review. The decision strikes major blows to VA’s authorities to enforce the law it, Trump and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle had trumpeted as a fundamental step to ease the disciplinary process for misbehaving and poorly performing employees.
  • Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Issues

    Access to Justice – Criminal & Decarceration

  • In Wyoming, the state Supreme Court reversed a contempt order levied against State Public Defender Diane Lozano “after she decided her office could no longer provide representation for defendants in misdemeanor cases due to a heavy caseload and an ongoing understaffing crisis.
  • Access to Justice – Civil & Economic

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    Job’o’th’Week (Fellowship Edition)

    The Organization

    Photo: Brenda Gottesman – CC License

    The Civitas ChildLaw Center at Loyola University Chicago School of Law is an internationally recognized academic center that offers clinical and substantive coursework while advancing the rights of children in both litigation and policy realms. Civitas ChildLaw Center functions in four capacities: a center for the human rights of the child, an education law and policy institute, a child law policy institute, and a legal clinic. Through these four capacities, Civitas ChildLaw Center trains law students, and children’s rights leaders to advocate zealously and effectively for children and families.

    The Position

    Civitas ChildLaw Center seeks an Anti-Bullying Fellow to lead a comprehensive statewide initiative seeking to eliminate bullying in schools. In conjunction with Center faculty, the Fellow will create a program to expand and enhance the implementation and enforcement of bullying laws and protections.

    The ideal candidate will have at least two years of experience in education law or complex litigation. Candidates eligible for admission to the Illinois bar in July are also welcome to apply.

    See the full post on PSJD: https://www.psjd.org/job?OppID=99993

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