As the end of the grace period for student loan repayment nears, it’s time to start thinking smart about debt management – especially for public interest advocates. Even if you haven’t graduated from law school yet, it’s never a bad idea to get a headstart on financial planning. Understanding how student debt works and researching available resources is key to your financial literacy.

If you want to learn how to make public interest law an affordable career path, check out PSJD’s Financing a Public Interest Career page for background and resources!

From the PSJD job listing:

Interns will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working alongside the National Prison Project team. Interns will gain hands on experience in all aspects of litigation work including but not limited to:

• Conducting research on prospects for new litigation, including both factual and legal claims.
• Participating in discovery and motion practice.
• Assisting in the drafting of motions and briefs.
• Assisting with trials and appeals.

This legal internship is open to all law students. Applicants should possess:

• Excellent research, writing and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including internet research.
• Demonstrated initiative to see projects through to completion.
• Demonstrated interest in social justice and legal issues.
• A strong interest and commitment to civil rights and civil liberties issues.

If this sounds like you, check out the full listing at PSJD.org (log-in required)!

by Ashley Matthews

During today’s #PSJDChat on Twitter at 3 pm Eastern, we’ll be discussing ways to use our social media profiles during the public interest law job hunt to stand out from the crowd and create a personal and professional brand. It’s no secret that social media has revolutionized the way job seekers look for new opportunities. With easy access to technology, searching for jobs has become a task that most people can complete at home in their pajamas, at any time of day or night.

So how does this affect you as a law student or graduate looking for public interest employment? According to the American Bar Association’s 2012 Legal Technology Survey Report, there has been a marked growth in the amount of social media activity in legal communities. This means that law firms and lawyers are more likely to blog and use Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn than ever before.

With competition for public interest law jobs at an all-time high, law students are getting proactive about ways to use social media to plan their careers and manage their online reputations. However, there is an art to building a digital brand – especially in the world of public interest law. Here are a few things we’ll be discussing during today’s #PSJDChat:

1. Broadcasting What Kind of Job You’re Looking For

With the rise of microblogging and status updates, it’s easy as a click of a button to find out the latest information about anyone with a searchable social media profile. Today, we’ll discuss the best ways to maximize your microblogging and send out public blasts about yourself and your professional interests.

2. Building a Multiplatform Digital Profile

These days, some would argue that your online profile is more valuable than your paper resume. With the right hyperlinks and recommendations, your digital resume can offer a much more comprehensive view of who you are and what you do.

3. Stalking Researching Your Potential Employer

One of the best tips in preparing for a new job is to investigate news and developments related to where you want to work. Finding this information is easy, but what do you do with it once you find it? We’ll discuss this today during the #PSJDChat!

4. Retweet, Retweet, Retweet

Twitter is quickly becoming one of the best ways to create your own personal brand and find out information about employers that would previously be difficult to locate. Today, we’ll talk about how to strategically retweet desired employers and hiring managers, and how to connect with those in your chosen field.

5. Developing Your Personal and Professional Brand

Your social media profiles all offer a comprehensive view of who you are. In the world of public interest, your hobbies and beliefs may be more important to potential employers. Today, we’ll talk about how to effectively use Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to show your personality and professionalism, and discuss other web tools that can help you develop and shape your online reputation.

6. Joining Industry Chats

#PSJDChat included! Industry chats are a great way to show a demonstrated interest in your chosen field. Today, we’ll talk about industry chats that exist relating to public interest and social justice law.

7. Using Different Social Media Outlets in Different Ways

With controversy over privacy concerns mounting, it’s smart to tailor your use of social media to your different job search needs. There’s no way around it: lawyers are held to a higher ethical standard, and our public profiles must reflect that. We’ll talk about the different ways to use various social media outlets to enhance the public interest law job search.

8. Following Your Digital Footprints

Potential employers use Google to research applicants’ past history, employment and education. Where does your digital footprint lead? We’ll show you how to find it.

9. Using Pinterest Professionally

Pinterest is the relatively new-kid-on-the-block in the world of social networking sites. We’ll talk about innovative ways to keep your Pinterest page professional and use this site to your job-hunting advantage.

10. Creating a Social Media Package

Once you’ve developed a personal and professional brand using social media, how do you package and present yourself to potential employers using all of this information? We’ll share ideas and fun ways to get yourself noticed and stand out from other job applicants using the power of social networking technology.

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During the #PSJDChat, we will talk freely, share success (and horror) stories, and get advice about all of these tips and more. Be sure to check out our #PSJDChat blog post for instructions on how to join and links to sites that will help you follow along with the conversation. We will post a recap and transcript of the chat here on the PSJD blog, along with standout tweets and information about next week’s chat.

See you there!

Job interviews can be scary. With all the pressure to impress and stand out from the crowd, it may be difficult to show potential employers your qualifications and unique skill sets that make you perfect for the job.

Check out PSJD’s Interview Tips – Postgraduate Public Interest Jobs for advice on how to best prepare, execute and follow up on a job interview. Happy job hunting!

From the PSJD job listing:

The Office of Counsel to the Inspector General (OCIG) for the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeks second year law students with a demonstrated interest in public service and health care law. We anticipate selecting applicants for two to four unpaid summer law clerk positions lasting approximately ten weeks during the summer of 2013. OCIG promotes the mission of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) through timely, accurate, and persuasive legal advocacy and counsel. Legal interns will investigate cases, perform legal research, draft briefs, and write legal memorandums. Each legal intern will have an opportunity to work with all three branches of OCIG: the Administrative and Civil Remedies Branch, the Industry Guidance Branch, and the Advice Branch. The Administrative and Civil Remedies Branch handles civil fraud and abuse cases involving Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs; works with the Department of Justice in the global resolution of civil False Claims Act cases; initiates administrative cases; and defends the decision to exclude providers from participating in Federal health care programs. The Industry Guidance Branch issues advisory opinions to the public and the health care industry on whether an activity constitutes grounds for sanction under the Anti-Kickback Statute, Civil Monetary Penalties Law, or other authorities, and provides legal advice to HHS and the Department of Justice on the Anti-Kickback Statute. The Advice Branch provides legal advice on issues such as the scope and exercise of OIG’s authorities and responsibilities; investigative techniques, procedures, and conduct; audits and inspections; and the impact of legislative proposals.

Applicants must qualify for course credit, work as an extern, or participate in a school-sponsored public interest program or a program where applicants receive a stipend for public interest work. The deadline to apply is October 5, 2012.

Read the full listing at PSJD.org (log-in required).

Educate. Empower. Protect. Volunteer for Election Protection.

Election Protection – led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law – is the nation’s largest non-partisan voter protection coalition.  Through the 1-866-OUR-VOTE hotline and a comprehensive legal field deployment, Election Protection helps ensure eligible voters are able to participate in our democracy while collecting data for meaningful reform so that our elections are free, fair, and accessible.   

How you can help:  Election Protection is currently recruiting attorneys, paralegals, and law students to:

• Serve as hotline call center volunteers on or before Election Day
• Participate in legal field deployments on Election Day to ensure the process is running properly

To volunteer, use this online form.

On September 26th, the Canadian Bar Association British Columbia Branch (CBABC) will host a live panel discussing the importance of sustaining legal services for vulnerable citizens in critical situations. The event is to commemorate the 3rd annual observance of “A Day for Legal Aid,” created by the CBABC to increase dialogue on the dire need for legal aid in the province of British Columbia.

“A Day for Legal Aid” is one part of the larger We Need Legal Aid campaign, which CBABC launched in October 2011 as a response to the socioeconomic effects of funding cuts to legal aid in British Columbia. The issue of civil legal aid funding will hit home for many beyond Canadian borders, as we are facing our own funding crisis here in the States.

Although the event will be held at the University of Victoria, anyone can view the panel discussion by clicking this link, housed on CBABC’s website. Details on the event are below!

Who: Canadian Bar Association British Columbia Branch

What: “A Day for Legal Aid” panel discussion, featuring the following panelists: Hon. Judge Susan Wishart, Carmen Rogers, Richard Schwartz, Kasari Govender, and Trish Kumpf. CBABC President Kerry Simons will moderate.

When: September 26, 2012, 12:30 – 1:30 pm

Where:

– Panel at University of Victoria, Fraser Building Room 158.

– Livestream event: Thompson Rivers University, Room IB 1020.

– Livestream link available at http://weneedlegalaid.com

http://nowcrj.org/

If mobilizing vulnerable populations through community lawyering sounds like a dream job to you, then consider this available position with the New Orleans’ Workers’ Center for Racial Justice! This worker’s rights organization is looking for applicants who can:

•  Maintain, engage, and build the Congreso’s  energized base, organize weekly membership assemblies, and work with  Lead Organizer to engage members in outreach, organizing, and campaign  work.
• Build grassroots leadership processes and  schools to turn members into leaders, and leaders into organizers. This  will include identifying daily leadership opportunities, devising and  implementing curriculum, and expanding the Congreso’s shared analysis of the root causes of problems and collective structural solutions.
• Defend the bedrock constitutional, civil, and labor rights in a region where those rights are under attack. Member defense includes screening calls, running interviews, supporting crisis  response – organizing, legal, and communications.
• Build broad alliances with African American  community members, unions, civil rights and criminal justice  organizations, womens’ organizations, LGBT community and organizations,  clergy, and others who share our values.

Check out the full listing at PSJD.org for qualifications, application instructions and more (log-in required)!

by Ashley Matthews

Click on the screenshot for a larger view.

By now, you’ve more than likely noticed the big changes to our online jobs database at PSJD.org (formerly PSLawNet). However, the new look and name aren’t all that’s brand new at the revamped Public Service Jobs Directory site. Take a look at our top 5 things we love about the new PSJD.org:

1. Personal Homepage

The new PSJD site allows every user instant access to a personal homepage after logging in by clicking on “My Account” at the top right corner of the PSJD site. With quick links to useful features that allow you to organize your job search, search for new opportunities, and learn career-building tips and information, the homepage is a one-stop shop for all your job hunting or job posting needs.

2. Your Old Favorites… on Steroids

On PSLawNet, job seekers were able to quickly add a desired position to their Favorites list. On PSJD.org, we’ve added more to this feature by allowing job seekers to not only save their favorite jobs, but their favorite employers (regardless of whether the organization has current openings), their favorite searches, and their favorite resources. The result is a more holistic and personalized list of dream jobs accessible from your personal homepage whenever you need it. For more information and tips on using your Favorites page, read our blog post “Making the Most Out of Your Favorites on PSJD“.

3. Easier Social Media Sharing

If you can’t get enough of our public interest news and job postings, PSJD has active profiles on Twitter and Facebook that constantly feed out the latest jobs and developments in the public interest law world. And now, our Twitter timeline and blog posts can be read right from the PSJD homepage!

4. Customizable Email Alerts

On the new PSJD site, users can create customizable email alerts by using the Advanced Search features. After searching for general keywords – “Housing law,” for instance – users are able to filter their results by city, state, practice area, job type and more. Next, hit the “Notify Me” button at the top of the results page to give your job search a unique name and decide whether to get daily or weekly email alerts of all jobs matching your personalized search.

5. New and Improved Resource Center

PSJD’s new Resource Center is neatly and efficiently divided up into 6 categories: Career Central, Postgraduate Fellowships, International Resources, Government Careers, Funding a Debt, and Public Service in Canada. If a resource is especially beneficial, you can add it to your Favorites. In addition, at the bottom of each resource is a list of other similar articles that may be helpful as well.

We hope you utilize the new features on the site! If you run into technical issues or have navigation problems, feel free to contact us at PSJD@nalp.org or (202) 296-0076.

New York Lawyers for the Public Interest is a legal services organization that promotes equality and civil rights with a focus on health justice, disability rights, and environmental justice through community lawyering and partnerships with the private bar. They are currently looking for a staff attorney to join their Health Justice program.

From the PSJD job posting:

The HJ Program brings a civil rights and immigrant rights focus to health  care advocacy in New York City. Current campaigns focus on language access in  pharmacies, race- and insurance-based discrimination in major academic medical  centers, the impact of Medicaid cuts on safety net health care providers serving  low-income communities of color, and medical deportation. The Staff Attorney  will take on existing advocacy and have ample opportunity to lead and  collaborate upon new campaigns. The Staff Attorney will engage in legal, policy,  and administrative advocacy, as well as community organizing and outreach,  coalition-building, and media work.

NYLPI pioneered the practice of community lawyering in the five boroughs of  New York City. With every case and every campaign, we continue to elaborate an  approach to working with marginalized communities that is ambitious,  participatory, and dynamic. Our work draws on a range of strengths: community  trust; proficient organizing; media savvy; effective legislative advocacy; and  bold, creative approaches to litigation. The Staff Attorney will work both  independently and in collaboration with other attorneys, community organizers,  and media and lobbying consultants.

For more information on qualifications and application instructions, view the full listing at PSJD.org (log-in required)!