By Lauren Forbes

Legal Services of Southern Piedmont seeks a Family Support and Health Care Attorney.  The purpose of the Family Support and Health Care Program is to ensure that low-income children, the elderly, disabled persons, immigrants and their families have access to health care and public services. The program is designed both to obtain specific relief for the individuals and families who contact the program for assistance, and also to utilize systemic advocacy strategies to change the rules, procedures and practices of federal and state agencies to ensure access to health care and public services for all affected persons.

The program focuses its advocacy efforts on the following issues:

• Access to quality health care for children and parents in low and moderate-income families.
• Assisting families on, formerly on or in danger of needing welfare in becoming self-sufficient by improving access to child support enforcement, child care, education, training, transportation, substance abuse treatment, Food Stamps, EITC, Medicaid, affordable housing, and other supportive services.
• Improving health care and income support for the disabled and elderly poor, with a focus on issues involving Social Security, SSI, Medicaid, Medicare, and on improving mental health services, care in nursing and rest homes, access to community-based care, services to the HIV-positive population, and managed care.
• Working closely with the LSSP Immigrant Justice Program to address these issues as they impact immigrants.

FSHCP combines representation of individuals in administrative appeals with class action litigation and other impact advocacy to try to change government agency policies and practices to benefit low income and medically needy persons in Mecklenburg county and throughout North Carolina.

To see the complete listing, go to PSLawNet (login required).

By: Steve Grumm

On the heels of our brief post yesterday about a proposal in the House to slash LSC funding by over 25% in FY12, LSC put out a press release.  We’ve reprinted it is in its entirety below.  In some ways this funding proposal is just an opening salvo.  LSC’s board favors an FY12 appropriation of about $515 million, and the Obama Administration supports $450 million in LSC funding.  The Senate subcommittee charged with LSC funding hasn’t produced a figure yet.

Nevertheless,  the House proposal is alarming.  It is being marked up today by the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations subcommittee, with a full committee markup scheduled for next week.  According to the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, the House wants to bring a funding bill to the floor before an August 5 recess.  The Senate is moving more slowly on this front, however.

Here’s LSC’s press release:    

July 6, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

House Proposal Would Cut Civil Legal Aid by $104 Million

Washington, DC— Funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) would be cut by 26 percent in Fiscal Year 2012 under a proposal announced by the House Appropriations Committee today. The Committee bill proposes a $300 million budget for LSC—rolling back LSC funding to a level not seen since 1999.

Basic field grants, which are currently provided to 136 nonprofit civil legal aid programs across the nation, would be cut to $274.4 million, a 27.5 percent reduction from current funding of $378.6 million.

LSC’s preliminary estimates show that about 235,000 low-income Americans eligible for civil legal assistance at LSC-funded programs would be turned away if the Committee proposal were enacted.

“The proposed cut would prove to be especially damaging to low-income persons whose health and safety are at risk—the elderly, the victims of domestic violence, the disabled, children, veterans and others—by denying them access to justice,” LSC President James J. Sandman said.

“At LSC programs, requests for assistance are increasing. The poverty population eligible for civil legal assistance has grown by 17 percent since 2008, to an all-time high of 63 million Americans. And funding from non-federal sources is decreasing. This is not the time to undercut the fundamental American commitment to equal justice for all,” Mr. Sandman said.

In April, Congress cut LSC funding by 4 percent for Fiscal Year 2011, to $404.2 million from $420 million. The impact of that cutback, combined with reductions in state funds, Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts and other funding sources, has put many LSC-funded programs under great financial stress.

LSC-funded programs by the end of 2011 project net staff reductions of 445 employees, including more than 200 attorneys, because of layoffs and attrition, according to survey responses provided by 121 of the 136 LSC-funded programs.  In the responses, 57 percent of the programs project budget deficits for 2011 totaling more than $19 million. Forty-two percent of the respondents said they had imposed a salary freeze, and 31 percent anticipate reducing employee benefits this year.

Some LSC-funded programs have dipped into reserve funds to postpone downsizing and reduced client services, but almost all report that continued cuts to their funding in 2012 will lead to layoffs, office closures and reduced services to clients. Many rural areas, where there are not enough private lawyers to volunteer pro bono services, will be especially vulnerable to office closures because they are already minimally staffed.

Last year, the 136 nonprofit programs funded by LSC closed nearly 1 million cases, which affected 2.3 million people. The legal aid programs also assisted an additional 1.4 million Americans, through referrals to private lawyers, self-help workshops and other services.

From 2009 to 2010, foreclosure cases were up 20 percent at LSC-funded programs; unemployment compensation cases increased 10.5 percent; landlord-tenant disputes rose by 7.7 percent; bankruptcy, debt relief and consumer finance cases were up by nearly 5 percent, and domestic violence cases increased by 5 percent.

“Never in American history has the need for federal support for access to justice been clearer. We look forward to working with the Congress in the coming weeks on continuing and expanding civil legal assistance to low-income Americans,” Mr. Sandman said.

Established by Congress in 1974, LSC is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that promotes equal access to justice and funds high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income individuals and families.  LSC-funded programs provide legal services to persons at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty guideline.

By: Steve Grumm
Just got an email update from the National Legal Aid & Defender Association.  Bad, bad news:

House Appropriations Subcommittee Slashes LSC Funding

 The House Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations subcommittee has posted its draft FY 2012 bill, which recommends a $104 million reduction for Legal Services Corporation funding. Markup is scheduled for tomorrow, July 7, and full committee markup is Wednesday, July 13.

 The subcommittee’s recommendation is $300 million, a $104 million reduction from the FY 2011 funding level of $404.2 million. The entire cut comes from the basic field line, which is reduced by 27.5 percent – from $378 million to $274 million.

….

The message does close with some slightly reassuring news:

The Senate subcommittee has not drafted its bill yet. We expect the White House to strongly defend its request of $450 million, and we are hopeful that LSC will get an increase over FY 2011 funding. The Senate is unlikely to act before the August recess. If last year is any barometer of the FY 2012 process, we may well see a number of continuing resolutions throughout the fall.

By Jamie Bence

Slip the surly bonds of Hump Day Malaise and check out today’s post, which comes from NASA in Huntsville, AL.

NASA is looking for exceptional leaders for the 21st century! If you are interested in leading dynamic organizations responsible for fulfilling or supporting exciting scientific and aeronautic missions, there may be a place for you on the team. Seize this opportunity to use your current skills, build new ones, and make significant contributions to our nation’s future. As an added benefit, you would be joining an agency ranked as one of the best places in the Federal government to work.

Serves as Chief Counsel and top advisor to the Marshall Space Flight Center Director and entire staff on matters of law and legal policy in connection with Center activities. Develops local policies consistent with and in coordination with the Agency General Counsel.

To see the complete listing, go to PSLawNet (login required).

By Jamie Bence

Equal Justice Works is now accepting proposals for the 2012-2014 fellowship cycle! Please be advised that you will need to create a log in to see complete proposal information.

The deadline this year is set for September 14 at 5pm.

While we’re on the subject of fellowships, PSLawNet is currently in the process of updating our 2012 Fellowship Guide. If you’re searching for a potential fellowship sponsor, our Application Deadline Calendar has over 250 fellowship deadlines for this cycle. To search our complete listings, visit PSLawNet (login required).

EDIT: and, we have a terrific resource for those interested in project-based fellowships like Equal Justice Works and Skadden: Project-based Fellowship Applications – Take Cues from Those Who Know

By Jamie Bence

Today’s Job o’the Day comes from Sunny California, in the lovely Los Angeles suburb of Glendale. Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles seeks a supervising attorney for their consumer & housing law unit.

This position is available immediately. The job location may be in Pacoima, Glendale, or El Monte California with frequent local travel required.

Duties:
Supervises attorneys and paralegals in all aspects of poverty law, including hearings, litigation and policy advocacy work on individual and impact cases, including health care, government benefits, housing, family law immigration and community development. Responsible for policy work, special staff projects and substantive legal work. Handles quality control, assistance and supervision of representation at hearings and in court, and opportunities for providing direct representation. Develops training and resource materials and trains advocates. May be asked to perform other duties and responsibilities to meet program priorities.

NLSLA is one of Los Angeles County’s leading public interest law offices and has been the primary legal aid program serving the San Fernando Valley for 40 years and the San Gabriel, Pomona & Antelope Valleys since 2001. The NLSLA staff of 100+, including 45 lawyers, provides legal assistance to low-income individuals, families and groups in the areas of family law and domestic violence, housing, health care, education, public benefits, economic and job development, immigrant rights, consumer rights, and environmental justice. The NLSLA program offices are located in the cities of Glendale, Pacoima and El Monte.

To view full listing, visit PSLawNet (login required).

By Jamie Bence

We know it’s almost time for the long weekend… but there’s still time for one more Job o’the Day! This fall/winter internship opportunity comes from the very American city of Boston.

Greater Boston Legal Services is offering a variety of legal internships for the Fall and Winter term.  Due to budgetary constraints, all positions described here are unfunded (unless otherwise noted), so we are presently seeking interns who can obtain full outside funding or will work on a for-credit basis.  Many former interns have successfully arranged for their own funding by combining work-study and public interest grants.  Students should inquire about public interest funding sources at their law school. Another funding source is: Equal Justice America Fellowship (www.equaljusticeamerica.org).

Interested students should send a resume and cover letter indicating, in order of preference, the units they are interested in and available hours to:  Yahaira Ortiz, 2011/2012 Fall and Winter Internship Program, GBLS, 197 Friend Street, Boston, MA 02114 or via email at jobs@gbls.org.

To view the full listing, visit PSLawNet (login required).

By: Steve Grumm

Happy Independence Day Weekend, Dear Readers!  Here in the nation’s capital, we will celebrate modern democracy with barbeques, fireworks, debt ceiling debate madness, Colbert Super PAC, and humidity.  Yay!  Kidding aside, we wish you a happy and safe weekend.  Now, returning to our democratic system of government, let’s catch up on news related to the pursuit of equal justice for all.    

This week: a libertarian look at public defender caseloads; the Public Defender Corps is up and runnin’; DOJ still working through the Bush-era “politics in hiring” scandal; IOLTA funds disbursed in the Hawkeye State; in CA, child care funding for welfare-to-work families reinstated after cuts; have more law grads been going into public interest work in the past 20 years?; tough times for the Cleveland Legal Aid Society and other Ohio organizations which rely on IOLTA funding. 

• July, 2011 – a piece in this month’s edition of Reason, a libertarian journal, highlights the case overload pressing down upon many public defenders, forcing them to triage cases and work out quick pleas rather than being able to delve into factual investigations that may help their clients.  The piece also notes that appointed counsel are often under-compensated for their work.

• 6.29.11 – the Public Defender Corps, a program co-managed by Equal Justice Works and the Southern Public Defender Training Center, is up and running.  The Rochester City Paper (in the lovely Finger Lakes region of New York) reports on two incoming fellows: “Two young attorneys will serve three-year fellowships in the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office: part of a new national program focused on training newer attorneys in public interest law.  Katherine Higgins, a Cornell Law School graduate, and Felipe Alexandre, a graduate of the Indiana University School of Law, will start in the defender’s office in August ”  There are presently 18 Public Defender Corps fellows working in 12 defenders’ offices, according to the article.  Equal Justice Works’s website has more info on the Public Defender Corps.

• 6.28.11 – No liberals need apply!  The legal battle over alleged political vetting of job candidates in the Bush Administration DOJ continues.  According to the Blog of the Legal Times: “The Justice Department is urging a federal judge in Washington to reject a suit that alleges department officials in 2006 used job candidates’ political and ideological affiliation to decide whether to grant interviews to applicants. The claims from three plaintiffs, each a former applicant for the Justice Department’s highly competitive Honors Program, stem from an internal DOJ report published in 2008 that found members of a screening committee improperly examined political and ideological affiliation in rejecting candidates.”

• 6.28.11 – the Hawkeye State’s high court is spreading the cash around in the legal services community. Eastern Iowa News Now reports: “Non-profit programs providing legal aid to low-income Iowans with civil legal problems got a boost today with the Iowa Supreme Court’s announcement of more than $321,000 in grants for those organizations. The court has awarded grants to 15 organizations statewide, including Cedar Rapids-based Kids First Law Center” as well as Iowa Legal Aid and the Iowa State Bar Association Public Service Project.”  The grants come from IOLTA fund proceeds.

• 6.27.11 – chalk up a win for a sextet of public interest organizations which sued the (sometimes-great) State of California in an effort to preserve child care services for wage-earners who have made the welfare-to-work move.  The Lake County News has the scoop: “The state of California agreed that the CalWORKS Stage 3 program will continue to offer child care services for parents who have successfully transitioned off welfare but whose wages are still too low to cover child care.  The settlement affects the families of more than 56,000 California children who had been told they would lose their child care last October, as Lake County News has reported.  The suit was brought by the Public Interest Law Project, the Child Care Law Center, the Western Center on Law & Poverty, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Public Counsel Law Center and Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. “

• 6.27.11 – “Public Interest Law Becoming a Hot Ticket,” according to a headlining piece in the National Law Journal.  Present employment market woes notwithstanding, the article looks at a 20-year shift on law school campuses that has led to more robust public interest career advising programs, LRAPs, and clinical programs, as well as the advent of postgraduate fellowship funders like Equal Justice Works and the Skadden Foundation.  The result, according to the piece, is more prestige attached to public interest career paths, and an increase in the number of grads who pursue those paths.  The article leans heavily on NALP data showing an uptick in the percentage of law grads taking public interest jobs – citing a growth from 2.1% in 1990 to 6.7% in 2010 (although some of that growth is attributable to a data classification change on NALP’s end, and some of the most recent data likely reflect the increase in law school graduate bridge programs which place graduates in public interest positions.)

• 6.27.11 – A Crain’s Cleveland Business article (it’s password-protected, so you’ll just have to trust me on this one) looks at the nosedive that Ohio IOLTA funding has taken – a 72% drop since 2007 – and its impact on legal services providers, particularly the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland:  “IOLTA revenue for the Legal Aid Society…had fallen by last year to $928,000 from $3.38 million in 2007.”   This has impacted staffing; the Legal Aid Society froze salaries in early 2010 and hasn’t hired an attorney in the past couple of years.  And this, in turn, impacts the growing numbers of would-be clients who must be turned away for lack of resources to help them.

By Jamie Bence

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday, we present today’s job from the Army Corps of Engineers in Huntsville, AL!

Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army integrates the talents and skills of its military and civilian members to form a Total Army.

Legal Advisor supporting the Agency’s mission. Programs present complex legal issues, involve unique and novel questions of law, involve large sums of money and have Army-wide significance. Performs independent legal research and analysis of issues, which requires interpretation and/or application of federal, state and local laws as well as Army re…

About the Position: Works under the general supervision of the Huntsville Center Counsel who delegates incumbent full authority to function independently in the areas of management of the assigned programs. Responsibilities are varied and diverse and include projects such as: the construction, renovation, maintenance and repair of federal facilities; radon reduction; installation recycling programs; self-help programs; the Unaccompanied Personnel Housing (furniture) program; Utility Monitoring and Control System program; the Electronic Security Systems program; the Energy Savings Performance Contracting program; the Metering Program; Utility Rate Intervention Program; Utility Privatization Program. The programs have the potential to save the Army millions of dollars. Analyzes and evaluates each energy program for compliance with applicable laws and Army regulations. Individual programs may present novel and/or factual issues with no precedent.

To view the complete job listing, click here (login required).

By: Steve Grumm

Interested in project-based public interest fellowships, like those funded by Equal Justice Works and the Skadden Foundation?  NALP and the Washington Council of Lawyers are pleased to present “The Pathway to Postgraduate Public Interest Legal Fellowships” on Tuesday, July 14th, from 6:00-8:30pm here at the Washington, DC offices of Akin Gump.

But wait, there’s more!  The event will double as a happy hour, offering networking opportunities and a chance for public-interest minded law students in the nation’s capital to meet like-minded peers.

The formal portion of the program will be led by our distinguished panel, the members of which all have extensive experience with the fellowship proposal process:

• Lauren Dubin, Director for Public Interest and Government Careers, Georgetown University Law Center (Moderator)
• Patty Mullahy Fugere, Executive Director, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
• Jennifer Tschirch, Senior Program Manager for Fellowships, Equal Justice Works
• Kati Daffan, Staff Attorney, Federal Trade Commission (and former Skadden Fellow)

To register: go to www.wclawyers.org. 

Cant’ make it?  Don’t worry.  PSLawNet has dozens upon dozens of public interest fellowship listings, and a resource page for prospective applicants (including this tip sheet for project-based fellowship proposals).