Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health; to preserve magnificent places and wildlife; to advance clean energy; and to combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups and supporters to engage the critical environmental issues of our time, and bring about positive change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.
The Position
Summer law interns work with attorneys on case development and litigation. Under the supervision of an attorney, a law clerk’s primary responsibilities are to perform legal and factual research, and to develop case strategy and legal theories. Law clerks may also have the opportunity to assist attorneys with preparing briefs and motions, to meet with clients and experts, to participate in moots of oral arguments, and to attend court proceedings and conferences with opposing counsel. In addition to involvement in ongoing litigation, the summer program includes seminars with attorneys from across the organization on current environmental issues.
The Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (MAIP) was founded in 2000 by a group of D.C. area attorneys that identified the need for a group that could focus on the wrongful convictions in the tri-state area. This project addresses cases with both DNA evidence as well as other forms of evidence that could prove exculpatory. Since its formation, our Project has received over 1,800 requests for aid.
The Project also supports legislative reforms to prevent and reverse wrongful convictions.
The Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project is affiliated with the Innocence Network, a web of similar grassroots efforts across the nation. It is housed at The George Washington University Law School.
The Position
MAIP has two in-house lawyers with heavy caseloads, resulting in a backlog of cases that need some level of investigation. The Fellow will work to address this backlog, representing clients in investigations and ultimately litigating (under the supervision of our Legal Director and Counsel) compelling innocence claims that arise from those investigations.
The mission of the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCCADV) is to lead the state’s movement to end domestic violence and to enhance work with survivors through collaborations, innovative trainings, prevention, technical assistance, state policy development, and legal advocacy. We believe that patriarchy, gender inequality, and all oppressions play a central role at the individual, institutional, and cultural levels in creating and maintaining an environment that accepts domestic violence. We believe it is vital to understand and advocate for the elimination of all forms of oppression, including, but not limited to: sexism, racism, and homophobia. We believe it is critical to serve all domestic violence survivors, regardless of race, age, class and ethnic group, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental and physical abilities, religious and spiritual beliefs, and immigration status. We know oppression comes in all forms and leads to additional issues for survivors; we strive to serve all survivors of domestic violence and their respective needs.
The Position
NCCADV is seeking a Staff Attorney to join their Legal Team. Under the supervision of the Legal & Policy Director, the Staff Attorney provides domestic violence, family law, and legal services as part of a grant to help address the unmet legal needs of domestic violence survivors.
Protect Democracy is a nonpartisan
nonprofit with an urgent mission: to prevent our democracy from declining into
a more authoritarian form of government. We do this by holding the President
and the Executive Branch accountable to the laws and longstanding practices
that have protected our democracy through both Democratic and Republican
administrations. We have seen an unprecedented tide of authoritarian-style
politics sweep the country that is fundamentally at odds with the Bill of
Rights, the constitutional limitations on the role of the President, and the
laws and unwritten norms that prevent overreach and abuse of power. The only
limits to prevent a slide away from our democratic traditions will be those
that are imposed by the Courts, Congress, and the American people.
The Position
Protect Democracy is seeking two highly motivated current law students for internships in summer 2019. The internship provides a living stipend, and we encourage law students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to apply. The internship is full time (40 hours/week), and requires a 10 week commitment. In limited circumstances, Protect Democracy is open to accepting candidates who wish to split their summer with a firm; in such cases, Protect Democracy will require 6 weeks during the second half of the summer.
Interns will be responsible for:
Researching and drafting memoranda on a wide array of federal and state legal and policy issues, related to Protect Democracy’s core issue areas;
Drafting and editing pleadings, policy documents, and reports;
Assisting in reviewing discovery; and
Fully participating in the life of the organization.
The Governance Studies program at Brookings aims to be the leading, independent voice in the domestic policymaking sphere though analyzing policy issues, political institutions and processes, and contemporary governance challenges. Lawfare, founded as a small blog in 2010, has grown to become one of the nation’s most trusted sources of information and analysis on issues of national security law, covering a broad range of issues from cybersecurity and terrorism investigations to war powers and government surveillance.
The Position
This two-year fellowship is dedicated to covering congressional activity on national security issues in the Lawfare space. The Fellow will have the opportunity to join the Lawfare editorial team and contribute toLawfare’s unparalleled analysis of complex challenges in the US national security arena, specifically as it intersects with Congress and legislative politics. This includes: writing thoughtful summaries and analyses of passed and proposed legislation for publication on the site, translating complex, technical documents for wider audience consumption, participating in relevant events, and discussing topics on the Lawfare podcast. As a part of the editorial team, the Fellow will collaborate with multiple stakeholders to edit works for publication and generate ideas for site content in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. She/he will also have the opportunity to do independent research within the Governance Studies program at Brookings.
A minimum of Master’s degree is required. Demonstrated expertise in national security policy, and a basic knowledge of and strong interest in congressional and legislative politics. The successful candidate will have a rare combination of superlative writing and editing skills, familiarity with Congress and congressional procedure, and experience reading and analyzing legislation. Candidates should have 1-3 years post-graduate experience in legislative affairs, national security, and/ or legal procedure. He/she should also be able to work well as a part of a team, thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, and react quickly to changes in the news cycle.
The Singer Connecticut Public Service Fellowship Program was established for the purpose of offering opportunities to recent law school graduates to gain practical experience working for Connecticut civil legal aid providers. The program is administered by the Connecticut Bar Foundation, whose mission is to further the rule of law and assist in efforts to improve the administration of justice in Connecticut.
The Position
The Fellowship Program offers recent law school graduates (or those who expect to graduate by July 1, 2019) the opportunity to engage in the practice of law with a 501(c)(3) civil legal aid organization having at least one office in Connecticut which provides legal services to the underserved population of Connecticut. Candidates are sought from a broad spectrum of backgrounds who reflect the diversity of residents of Connecticut’s cities, towns and rural communities served by the state’s legal aid providers. The work of the legal aid providers encompass a wide range of legal issues, including but not limited to family, domestic violence, landlord-tenant, housing, education, employment, immigration, government benefits, healthcare, and elder law. The aspirational goal of the Singer Connecticut Public Service Fellowship Program is to retain Fellows to practice public interest law in Connecticut upon completion of the Fellowship.
Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives
Hello there, interested public! Major news this week includes changes to Apple’s approach to dealing with data requests from government authorities, ABA plans for disaster aid to regions affected by Hurricane Florence, and the ACLU’s release of 50-state policy blueprints for reducing mass incarceration. There’s lots more besides, though! Read on below.
Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives
Hello there, interested public! Major news this week includes regulatory action from the Trump administration that would allow the government to detain children for the duration of their asylum proceedings, the resignation of a CFPB official charged with safeguarding student borrowers, and a Louisiana court’s class certification in a structural right-to-counsel lawsuit brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center. For these stories and more, read on!
Meanwhile, in NALP news:
Registration is now open for the 2018 NALP/PSJD Public Service Mini-Conference. Scheduled each year to occur immediately before Equal Justice Work’s Annual Conference and Career Fair weekend, the Mini-Conference is an ideal opportunity to meet and network with colleagues from across the country, attend substantive and skills-based programs, and interact with NALP staff members! The conference will take place on Thursday, October 25th, with additional programming for newcomers to the field on the evening of Wednesday, October 24th.
Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives
Hello there, interested public! In a relatively slow week (aside from ongoing immigration developments) I have one specific recommendation for you:
In Wired Magazine, Professor Susan Crawford of Harvard Law wrote about a recent event where “a hand-picked group of university presidents and provosts from across the country, plus a few university faculty members, met for two days at an estate-turned-conference center on Long Island to catalyze the intentional creation of a new academic field aimed at addressing precisely this gap in interdisciplinary opportunities. This new area, “public interest technology,” is still being defined; it encompasses designing public policy and laws with an awareness of how technology actually works, as well as ensuring that technology is being used to serve public values of fairness and equity.”
One more thing: PSJD is currently considering nominations for the 2018 Pro Bono Publico Award. If you know students at PSJD subscriber schools who have made outstanding pro bono contributions to their communities, please take a moment and let us know about their work. The deadline for nominations is 8/31.
Sam Halpert, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives
Hello there, interested public! Immigration policy continues to be a major story, with a number of new developments this week. You’ll also want to check out the A2J news out of LA, which may join other major cities in the right-to-counsel-for-eviction movement.
Closer to home (or rather, my desk), I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome the 2018-2019 PSJD Fellow, Awa Sowe! You’ll begin seeing Awa’s work on PSJD.org and here on the blog in the coming weeks. We’re very lucky to have her with us.
One more thing: PSJD is currently considering nominations for the 2018 Pro Bono Publico Award. If you know students at PSJD subscriber schools who have made outstanding pro bono contributions to their communities, please take a moment and let us know about their work. The deadline for nominations is 8/31.
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