The Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) of the U.S. Department of Justice investigates and prosecutes cases involving human rights violations, international criminal law, and complex immigration crimes. The HRSP sees its mission as a deep commitment to human rights as a domestic law enforcement imperative and as part of the international effort to end impunity for human rights violators. The HRSP investigates war crimes, torture, genocide, human trafficking, and other international crimes.
The Position
The HRSP seeks law student volunteers for the Spring semester to assist in the HRSP’s investigations. Student interns would conduct legal research culminating in written assignments on topics involving international, criminal, and immigration law. Second- and third-year law students as well as International Law LL.M. candidates are encouraged to apply. The ideal applicants will have experience or interest in criminal and international law.
The Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP) is comprised of Texas lawyers dedicated to helping Texas communities achieve equality and justice in all aspects of life. TCRP is a civil legal aid organization that uses legal advocacy and litigation strategies to serve Texas’s most vulnerable populations in areas of voting rights, criminal justice reform, and racial and economic justice.
In particular, TCRP’s Voting Rights Program fights to defeat systematic barriers to Texans’ right to vote. Current projects of the Voting Rights Program focus on enforcing voter registration laws and combating voter purges and intimidation.
The Position
TCRP’s Voting Rights Program is seeking two Regional Election Protection Legal Fellows to participate in a one-year fellowship program beginning this December. The fellows would be responsible for organizing election protection volunteers, responding to election administration issues, and serving as an election protection spokesperson for a designated region. The ideal candidate will be a charismatic self-starter and have excellent written and oral communication skills.
Reprieve US is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting victims of human rights abuses perpetrated by governments. Working closely with its UK sister organization, Reprieve US represents persons accused of terrorism held in Guantanamo Bay; investigates extra judicial killings, detentions, and disappearances around the world; and assists prisoners in the US facing the death penalty. Additionally, Reprieve US operates a number of public education projects meant to bring attention to governments’ human rights abuses.
The Stop Lethal Injection Project at the Lethal Injection Information Center (a Reprieve initiative) engages in investigation, corporate social responsibility advocacy, strategic litigation, and public education centered on exposing the abuses of lethal injection and the myths surrounding humane execution.
The Position
Reprieve US seeks an Officer to join the Stop Lethal Injection Project (SLIP). The Officer is responsible for supporting SLIP’s litigation and advocacy efforts. These tasks require great written and spoken communication skills. The ideal candidate would have a JD and a commitment to human rights.
Housing Works is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the dual crisis of homelessness and AIDS. In support of its mission, Housing Works’ HIV Law Project provides legal and advocacy services to low-income HIV-positive New Yorkers. The HIV Law Project embodies the belief that all people deserve the same fundamental rights, particularly the right to live with dignity and respect, the right to be treated as equal members of society, and the right to have their basic human needs fulfilled.
The Position
The HIV Law Project seeks a Law Student Intern devoted to social justice, human rights, and public service. Although this is an unpaid opportunity, the student would gain invaluable experience in advocacy and litigation in legal areas such as housing, benefits, immigration, and civil rights. The student would also benefit from a flexible schedule (including the ability to work remotely), mentorship, and the chance to improve their skills in research, writing, and communication.
The Duke Center for Firearms Law (Center) is committed to the promotion of firearms law as a scholarly field. The Center achieves its goals through the development of scholarship, research, and programming on firearms law. Additionally, the Center manages the Repository of Historical Gun Laws—a database of gun laws dating back to the medieval age.
The Position
The Center is offering a unique opportunity for practitioners to spark their careers in legal scholarship as nonresident research affiliates. Affiliates would receive a stipend from the Center to support research-related projects and events. The Center would also provide affiliates with access to Center staff and faculty as well as to Duke University’s library resources.
Interested candidates should have a firearms law-focused research project in mind with an agenda and a proposed budget.
The Children’s Law Center of California (CLC) is a non-profit organization that represents abused, neglected, or abandoned children throughout the Los Angeles, Sacramento, or Placer County Juvenile Dependency Court systems. CLC has also been instrumental in the creation of over 28 pieces of child welfare related legislation since 1997. To achieve its mission, CLC’s staff of nearly 400 lawyers, paralegals, and investigators acts as the “voice” for over 33,000 children in the Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Placer County foster care systems.
The Position
CLC seeks a motivated and dynamic attorney with at least two years of dependency experience to represent Non-Minor Dependents in the Extended Foster Care Court.
The attorney must be willing to build relationships with clients and assist clients with out-of-court needs such as employment and housing. Additional duties include working closely and collaboratively with members of CLC, County Counsel, DCFS, Court Officers, outside service providers, and community-based organizations. The attorney may be asked to assist with drafting legislation and policy related to Non-Minor Dependents as well as provide training to fellow CLC staff as needed.
The ideal candidate would be a licensed attorney with a demonstrated commitment to building relationships with clients and to representing Non-Minor Dependents.
The DC Criminal Code Reform Commission (CCRC) is an independent agency in the District of Columbia government that began operation October 1, 2016. The agency’s mission is to develop comprehensive recommendations for the D.C. Council and Mayor on revision of District criminal statutes.
The Position
The D.C. Criminal Code Reform Commission is hiring! We are seeking amazing early or mid-career candidates who can start this August. Our code reform work is focused on developing recommendations for changes to the District’s substantive criminal laws. The work requires a mix of legal research, policy, and legislative drafting skills. We welcome all applicants whose abilities and work experience indicate they will be able to come up to speed quickly. While not a term-limited position, a candidate should be aware that our agency is currently funded on a year-to-year basis and this position may not be funded past September 30, 2020. Nonetheless, the timing and duration of this position may work well for persons coming off clerkships and looking for a foothold in D.C.. side within the region.
This position provides a full range of legal services to indigent defendants in the assigned courts. Primary responsibility to handle the misdemeanor case load and some felonies. Additional responsibilities will be assisting in felony trial preparation and trials and consulting with felony complainants and witnesses.
The Legal Aid Association of California (LAAC) is the statewide membership organization of legal services nonprofits. Nearly 100 nonprofit civil legal aid providers around the state are members of LAAC. These civil legal aid nonprofits provide critical legal assistance to low-income Californians and ensure equal access to justice. LAAC serves and strengthens its members through advocacy, training, and support. LAAC does not directly provide legal services.
The Position
LAAC seeks a full-time Legal Technology Fellow (2020-2022) to work on our LawHelpCA website accessibility project. The fellow will work to implement changes to LAAC’s Drupal-based website LawHelpCA in conjunction with the website development team and the LAAC Program Attorney. Changes will include creation and improvement of a triage tool for the website, and implementation of best practices for readability and accessibility.
LAAC works collaboratively and intensively with prospective fellows to develop projects that address access to
justice legal issues. LAAC is committed to fully supporting and advising the applicant during the application
process to ensure that a high quality and well-informed application is compiled and submitted.
The Organization The Equal Justice Works Housing Justice Program is a program comprised of Legal Fellows and Housing Organizers who, over the course of a two-year fellowship term, will be part of a targeted initiative to address the justice gap in the Commonwealth of Virginia through responsive, context-specific innovations and interventions focused on housing justice. Specifically, Legal Fellows and Housing Organizers will serve at one of the participating legal services organizations in the Greater Richmond Region and work as a unified front to fight a variety of injustices related to housing instability and involuntary displacement in Virginia, particularly due to eviction.
The Position(s)
A collaboration of Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, Legal Aid Justice Center, and Virginia Poverty Law Center seeks six (6) public interest attorneys to participate in a two-year fellowship program. All Fellows will provide direct legal services (including impact litigation), strategic partnership building, outreach & education, and sustainable policy changes. Specifications on the following areas by legal services organization is identified below:
Central Virginia Legal Aid Society
Three (3) Legal Fellows – two at the Richmond office and one in the Petersburg office.
Emphasis on providing high quality individual legal representation and legal advice to financially eligible individuals and their families. This will likely involve conducting interviews, obtaining evidence, researching relevant law, drafting and filing pleadings, and representing clients in court and other legal proceedings.
Within the limits of Legal Services Corporation regulations, Fellows may engage in impact litigation that derives from individual representation.
Legal Aid Justice Center
One (1) Legal Fellow at the Richmond office.
Provide legal assistance and representation for residents with an emphasis on conventional public housing, and an eye to leveraging individual cases to create impact campaigns.
Support public and subsidized housing tenants’ efforts to build collective power.
Contribute to the development and implementation of impact litigation and sustainable policy changes.
Virginia Poverty Law Center
Two (2) Legal Fellows at the Richmond office.
Emphasis on providing community lawyering, outreach & education, and systemic advocacy.
Contribute to the development and implementation of impact litigation.
The mission of First Shift Justice Project is to prevent family responsibilities discrimination by educating, empowering, and providing legal assistance to workers in low-wage jobs who struggle to balance work and family obligations.
The Position
First Shift seeks a full-time attorney to provide direct legal services to First Shift clients and to run its Latina Outreach Project.
Duties include counseling and representing clients to support them in asserting their rights to receive workplace accommodations and family medical leave, and to protect themselves from and seek recourse for discrimination based on pregnancy, gender, and family responsibilities.
The Staff Attorney will also conduct outreach to Spanish speaking families in D.C. The attorney will give trainings for Latinas working in low-income jobs in D.C. and their medical providers about workplace rights related to pregnancy and caregiving, as well as to other service providers who work with Latino families.
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