Just posted! With funding from AmeriCorps, Equal Justice Works and Colorado Legal Services have teamed up to offer spring internships for students interested in helping victims of Colorado’s recent flooding disaster. Participating interns will receive a $1,175 education award for their efforts. The deadline is December 1st, so act fast:

Through funding provided by AmeriCorps, Equal Justice Works is excited to offer three AmeriCorps JD positions for law students. These individuals will serve the legal needs of victims of the nationally declared Colorado flooding disaster.  The positions will be hosted at the Colorado Legal Service’s offices in Fort Collins and Boulder, with the Fort Collins office accepting two AmeriCorps JD members(*update: the Fort Collins Office encourages Spanish speakers to apply!) and the Boulder office accepting one AmeriCorps JD member.

As AmeriCorps JD members, students will serve a minimum of 300 hours of service starting the beginning of January 2014 and completing service no later than August 31, 2014.  For more information about the AmeriCorps JD program, please visit http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/americorpsjd.

For application instructions and information on how to apply, view the full job listing at PSJD.org (log-in required).

by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow

This is the first blog post in a series about my job-hunting adventures (and misadventures). You all may know me as the 2012-2014 PSJD Fellow, in which position I manage PSJD’s website and social media accounts.

I love this job, but unfortunately my Fellowship is almost halfway over. Aside from the regular stress of looking for a job, I – like many other public interest law grads who scour PSJD for job vacancies – have to combat a dearth of available positions, an abundance of unpaid postgraduate opportunities, student loans, the bar exam, and a majorly competitive job market.

I’m writing this public diary so other recent law graduates know they are not alone. Looking for a job, facing rejection, and dealing with stress and anxiety can be disconcerting and isolating. So if I touch on something that has happened to you or someone you know, feel free to leave a comment! We’ll get through this together.

So, without further ado…

Entry #1: The First Rejection Letter

We’ve all been there.

You’re looking on a website (more than likely PSJD.org) and we see what looks like the perfect job. You read the job description, and each bulletpoint seems to describe you more and more. You’re already formulating your cover letter before you get to the application instructions.

But two weeks later, you still haven’t heard anything back. You twiddle your thumbs, you feverishly check your email. You tell yourself, “It’s okay – they were probably flooded with applications. I’ll hear from them soon.”

One month later, and the dread has numbed itself into a little ball of anxiety in the pit of your stomach. You sluggishly start looking at other jobs, but still hold out hope. And then, it happens. One morning, the potential dream employer’s email pops up in your inbox. Based on the non-descript subject line, you already know it contains bad news. You open up the email, and there it is: a cold, hard rejection letter staring you right in the face.

It happens to the best of us. No one is exempt from a rejection letter or two during their job-hunting career, but for some reason this doesn’t really take much of the sting away.

Earlier this month, I stared into my laptop at my very own little slice of reality. I had to take a couple of deep calming breaths. I needed to get myself together instead of replying with a snarky “It’s your loss!” e-mail before slinking off into the desert of legal unemployment and licking my wounds.

“Thank you for the opportunity,” I type. “If there’s anything I can ever help out with in terms of volunteering, let me know.”

A special note about public interest employers: It’s incredibly difficult to stay grumpy about rejection. The work that these organizations do is so important, I feel awful and selfish being angry about not getting hired. This is why I always offer to volunteer, even if not accepted for a certain position. It’s really about the clients, and  they are the ones who suffer by new attorneys swearing off public interest work just because of a rejection letter (or two… or three…). You gotta keep your eyes on the prize.

Anyway, after a couple of deep breaths, I wrote down a few principles I promised to stick by during my job-hunting adventures:

1. If it was easy, everyone would do it. And very rarely are things worth it when they’re easy. When we work harder for something (and in some cases, for a longer time), it will mean that much more when we finally get it – and we will. It’s only a matter of time.
2. Focus on the why and how. After a rejection letter, it’s very easy to sweep the entire ordeal under the rug and just pretend it never happened. Ignoring the rejection is a natural coping mechanism, but this was the best time to look at my cover letter or writing sample again – I may have missed something very important the first go round that, when fixed, could be helpful in landing the next job.
3. Don’t mope. This is the easiest thing to do after a rejection letter. Go grab some ice cream (or a glass of wine), talk to a good friend (or another glass of wine) and keep it moving (but no more wine!). After my first rejection letter, I just kept looking for more jobs – preferably more jobs just like the one I applied for but didn’t get. Job-hunting is a marathon, and we can’t get tired after rejection.

And with that, I say goodbye (for now) to that old rejected application and am now pointing my resume towards greener pastures.

The Diary of a Public Interest Law Job Seeker will be a weekly blog series. Check back next Tuesday for the next installment!

Editor’s note: Our “Expert Opinion” series offers thoughts, insights, and career advice from public interest lawyers, law students, and others who work for the public good.  This edition’s Expert is Ruta Stropus, the Director of Attorney Recruitment and Professional Development for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Stropus has graciously agreed to offer some much-needed tips and advice on applying for positions within the government. This edition is all about what to do (and what not to do!) during the pre-application process. Next time, Stropus will tackle cover letters and resumes. 

On to the advice…

Tips from a Government Employer

First of all, let me thank every wonderful professional who works in law school career centers.  I realize that you do tremendous work counseling and advising stressed out law students who are panicked about finding a job in these difficult economic times.  With the increase in law school debt, the decrease in law jobs – not to mention hiring and salary freezes in the government sector – being effective and positive is no easy task.

I rely on law school placement professionals to help recruit for my office.  We do not participate in the on campus interview process, because we rarely hire new graduates.  However, law school alumni networks are our lifeline, and we couldn’t do it without you.

Unfortunately, not all lawyers listen to the advice of their placement counselors.  After spending nine years as the director of attorney recruiting at a state agency, I still see candidates making the rookie mistakes before even getting in the cover letter and resume or making it to the interview.  So, although you and I know these are “don’ts”, many out there are still do-ing.

1)    The job search.  Other websites often list our positions.  That’s a good thing – we want to advertise broadly.  However, the most accurate and current information is on the agency website.  Therefore, candidates should always the employer’s website for complete information before calling the recruiter with questions.  I have spent a lot of time crafting job descriptions, setting out the application procedures, drafting a frequently asked questions guide.  One of the ways I judge applicants is their ability to follow directions.  For example, we do not allow candidates to email their application materials; if someone does so, not only is the person disregarding an employer’s specific request, but they are demonstrating that they haven’t read the instructions.

2)    The posting.  I am honest in my communications.  If the website notes that the position requires, at minimum, three years of post-graduation civil litigation experience, then that is the minimum requirement.  Just today, I had a candidate call and ask:  “The posting says that three years of criminal prosecution experience is required. I have six months experience. Will you consider my application?”  My response?  “No, we require three years.”  Others call and emphasize their interest in the position:  “I am very interested in the position, and I am a quick learner.”  Although that might be well and good, interest is not experience.  My favorite is the ole’ switch-a-roo:  “Your posting says the position is in Springfield, but I’m really interested in Chicago.”  Well, if the posting says Springfield, then the position is in (wait for it) Springfield!!!!

3)    The tenor.  As a recruiter, I am a professional.  My job is to find the very best candidate for the job.  Therefore, I do not be-friend applicants on Facebook or link with them on LinkedIn.  I do not go out for coffee with candidates who “want to learn more about the position.”  I do not like it when candidates email or call me and begin the conversation by addressing me by my first name.  When a candidate calls or emails with a question, I expect that question cannot be answered by our website and is something more than “I really just can’t email you my application?” Because I answer my own phone, I expect a greeting such as: “Hello, may I speak to Ms. Stropus?  Ms. Stropus, hello, my name is Cindy Earl and I have a quick question about your job posting.”  Sadly, what I usually get is:  “Ah …. hi…. yah…. I’ve been looking at your website and I’m confused….”

Bottom line here for candidates: You start interviewing for the job from the minute you start your job search.  Even before they submit their application paperwork, I expect candidates to have visited the agency website and read ALL the information that is available on the position and the agency – that includes the mission, the history, the recent activity.  If the candidate has a genuine question, I expect a polite and professional call or email, complete with salutation and thank you.

Next time on the PSJD Blog: the cover letter and resume!

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday!  This week I had the honor of presenting the 2013 PSJD Pro Bono Publico Award to J. Martin Bunt at Emory.  Check out his great work and find out how you can be nominated at PSJD.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Rutgers School of Law-Newark, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice and Disability Rights New Jersey and the Education Law Center seek pro bono volunteers;
• Committee formed in Cleveland, OH to boost awareness of need for pro bono legal services for low-income people;
• Canadian law students fill legal needs gap;
• Gulfcoast Legal Services receives grant from Manatee County;
• NYC unveils pilot program to give legal defense to detained immigrants facing deportation;
• Lawyers to pay new fee in Missouri that will help fund legal aid for the poor;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Dorothy Bernholz,  Founder and Director of Carolina Student Legal Services;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

November 5, 2013– “The Education Law Center is seeking lawyers from the private sector to volunteer to represent children with disabilities whose parents or guardians cannot afford to hire an attorney.  Along with with Rutgers School of Law-Newark, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice and Disability Rights New Jersey, the ELC will hold a day-long seminar Nov. 19 in Newark to train lawyers”  Perhaps you can help.  (nj.com)

November 5, 2013 – “The Access to Justice Committee will meet during the rest of this year to establish goals and begin implementing programs in 2014, said Lake County Bar Association President Lora Lynne Krider.  Former Congressman Dennis Eckart and Willoughby attorney Ann Bergen will serve as co-chairs of the committee.
Access to Justice was announced during National Celebrate Pro Bono week, Oct. 20-26.  ‘It is essential that the entire legal community engage in conversation and action that results in equal access to justice for all,’ Krider said in a news release.”  (The News-Herald)

November 5, 2013 – “For the last 13 years Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) — University of Saskatchewan chapter has been providing free legal services to the community. The 80 students volunteer three to five hours per week working on projects for various organizations in Saskatoon.”  “PBSC has chapters in all 21 law schools in Canada and is the only national pro bono service in the world. The U of S chapter is the only one that is funded by the law school itself. Last year, they partnered with 23 organizations and provided nearly 7,000 hours of volunteer service.” (The StarPhoenix)

November 6, 2013 – “Gulfcoast Legal Services Inc. will receive $10,531 from the county this year to help finance legal aid for the poor, the Manatee County Commission decided Tuesday.  Gulfcoast will work with an agency with a similar mission, Legal Aid of Manasota, which received $56,667 from the county, officials said.”  (Bradenton Herald)

November 7, 2013 – “On Wednesday, a coalition of seven public defender, legal advocacy and community activist groups unveiled the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP), the first program in the nation to win public funding for legal defense of detained immigrants who cannot afford to hire lawyers. In June, the New York City Council appropriated $500,000 for the pilot, which organizers say will be enough to meet about 20 percent of each year’s need. Under the program, detainees whose income falls at no more than 200 percent of the federal poverty line can receive pro bono legal counsel from New York Immigrant Defenders, which consists of public defender offices in the Bronx Defenders and Brooklyn Defense Services.”  “Organizers of the project trace its descent to the efforts of Second Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Robert Katzmann, who in 2010 commissioned two separate studies of detained immigrant representation in the city. ”  (Latin Times)

November 9, 2013 – “The state Supreme Court said yesterday it will impose a new fee on thousands of attorneys who work in Missouri to help fund legal aid for low-income residents in civil court cases.  The $30 annual fee is to be paid by all licensed attorneys starting in 2014 and is expected to generate at least $750,000.  The money will go toward Missouri’s legal services fund, which helps pay for attorneys to aid people in civil cases such as custody disputes, protective orders, home foreclosures and bankruptcy cases.”  (Columbia Daily Tribune)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:  After more than 30 years serving UNC’s students, the director of Carolina Student Legal Services is preparing to hand over the program she fought to create.  Dorothy Bernholz, who has served as CSLS’s director and staff attorney, said she will retire June 30.  See how she started this first-of-its-kind program over some major opposition and created a model for others to follow.  Congratulations on an outstanding career!  (The Daily Tarheel)

Super Music Bonus! Here is a lovely little blast from the past.  Enjoy!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE1dz6_u2JI.

by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow

If you’re trying to get a handle on student loans, check out this message from our friends at Equal Justice Works! They’ve got incredibly helpful resources and upcoming webinars (one is this Thursday, so mark your calendars):

The weather is cooling rapidly, but for many recent graduates things are heating up. That’s because many of them are at the end of their six-month grace period and entering repayment on their student loans.

Tempting though it is, this is not a good time for avoidance. If you or anyone you know is entering repayment, here’s a good overview of the steps you should be taking to manage your loans.

You should also check out our comprehensive e-book, Take Control of Your Future. It has the scoop on income-driven repayment plans that can reduce your monthly payments exactly how to earn ten-year Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Last but not least, don’t forget about our free webinars. Our upcoming sessions are:

• Thursday, November 14, 3-4 p.m. EDT: What Every Public Interest Attorney Should Know About Student Debt Relief and Forgiveness

• Thursday, November 21, 3-4 p.m. EDT: Drowning in Debt? How Government and Nonprofit Workers Can Earn Public Service Loan Forgiveness

If you’re interested in keeping up to date on the student loan debate, don’t forget to check out the Student Loan Ranger. Last month we discussed the recently released ABA draft report on reforming law schools, looked at how the newly proposed gainful employment regulations could affect students, and delved into a new report that sheds light on why everyone dislikes Sallie Mae.

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday everyone!  Hello from the NLADA Conference in sunny Los Angeles.   As such, we have a bit of a shortened digest this week.  And Happy Veteran’s Day.  Please join me in honoring those who serve!

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Tulane student-run pro bono clinic heads to Panama;
• Gulfcoast Legal gets grant to help sex trafficking victims;
• Boston Community Capital launches $100K public interest fellowship;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Veterans;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

November 2, 2013– “Tulane law students are working to bring free legal advice to residents of rural communities in lesser developed nations.  Tulane Law School’s International Law Society, this holiday season, will be running a pro bono legal clinic in the Darien Province of Panama through a student-run non-profit called Global Brigades.  Twenty students will volunteer their legal skills and time to help communities overcome obstacles to justice, working under the advice of local counsel to address severe civil issues through community-wide legal workshops and individualized counseling.”  (dailycomet.com)

November 2, 2013 – “Victims of human trafficking in Southwest Florida will soon have more help as they face a justice system that, by design, is better at punishing them than helping them. Gulfcoast Legal Services expects to double its efforts to represent domestic and foreign-born victims of labor or sex trafficking, thanks to a federal grant.  The $321,000 grant, awarded by a branch of the Department of Justice, will enable Gulfcoast, which provides free legal aid to poor residents, to hire another staff attorney and help twice as many victims, says Gulfcoast’s executive director, Kathleen Mullin.”  (Herald-Tribune)

November 4, 2013 – “Boston Community Capital has launched a $100,000 one-year fellowship for a recent law school graduate to work for the nonprofit organization doing public interest law work.” “I want someone to understand that they can engage in public interest work and do a fellowship that doesn’t commit them to an extended period of time but gives them experience. And leaves open the possibility of a longer term relationship,” said Elyse Cherry, chief executive officer of Boston Community Capital.  The fellowship will continue after it’s inaugural year, but Ms. Cherry is unsure if it will be awarded annually.  (Boston Business Journal)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:  Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.  Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans–living or dead–but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.  If you have an opportunity, please thank someone for their service.  And don’t forget the families who sacrifice just as much as the service member.  THANK YOU!!!  (History.com)

Super Music Bonus! Thank you to all veterans for standing up and taking the oath; for serving with integrity and honor; for running toward the fight while others run away.  This is for all warriors.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f02xlFYIycQ.

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday everyone!  Welcome to November.  I’ve heard some wonderful stories from Pro Bono Week across the country.  Let’s keep the momentum going throughout the year!

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• KY gains low-income individuals while cutting lawyers;
• NY AG announces grant for housing legal services;
• Call-in legal helpline – another great pro bono idea;
• Pro Bono Institute announces 2013 CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award winners;
• Legal Services of Eastern Missouri receives grant for immigration work;
• Is your school providing wellness programs?  I personally like when puppies come!;
• WV Access to Justice Commission releases its recommendations;
• Hearings in PA debate need for civil Gideon;
• DOJ announces grants for legal defense;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Professor Alan Dershowitz;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

October 24, 2013– Since 2007, statewide legal aid programs have lost $3 million due to a decrease in state and federal funding, filing fees and grants while the number of low-income Kentuckians increased by 27 percent.  But, there is an upside.  “Although attorneys in Kentucky are not required to do pro bono work, they are stepping up to fill the gap. From 2007 to 2012, the number of attorneys donating legal services increased 47 percent and the number of hours donated went up 28 percent.”  The Supreme Court of Kentucky formed the KAJC to expand access to legal services to those most in need.  If you are in KY, you can find out how you can help through them.  (Kentucky.com)

October 26, 2013 – “Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman on Wednesday announced $20 million in grants to fund housing counseling and legal services for homeowners across the state. The award money represents the second round of a three-year, $60 million commitment made by the Attorney General’s Office to aid struggling homeowners in New York who are fighting to avoid foreclosure and remain in their homes.”  (LoanSafe.org)

October 26, 2013 – Pro Bono Law Saskatchewan (PBLS) hosted its second free call-in day to wrap up Pro Bono Week.  Saskatchewan residents could call in and receive up to 15 minutes of free legal advice on everything ranging from child support to criminal law and even immigration.  For some it’s not a matter of not being able to afford legal advice.  For some, they don’t even know where to start.  Just another great idea for connecting lawyers/law students with those who need the most help.  (CJME)

October 28, 2013 – “The Pro Bono Institute announced that it has selected Hewlett-Packard Company, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and the National Veterans Legal Services Program to receive the prestigious 2013 CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award for their impactful and sustained collaborative effort to serve the legal needs of veterans. The award, given by Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO), a global partnership project of the Pro Bono Institute and the Association of Corporate Counsel, will be presented at the 2013 PBI Annual Dinner on November 7 in New York.”  (CSR Wire)

October 28, 2013 – “Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (LSEM) has received a $50,000, 12-month grant from the Daughters of Charity Foundation of St. Louis to support the Immigration Law Project.  LSEM’s Immigration Law Project was developed in the 1990s to meet the broad legal needs of a growing number of low-income, often vulnerable immigrants who were resettling in the St. Louis region.  Part of the grant will be used to help immigrants who are victims of human trafficking and domestic violence under the Violence Against Women and Trafficking Victims Protection Acts.”  (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

October 29, 2013 – “The West Virginia Access to Justice Commission released a list of recommendations detailing what it thinks needs to happen to make the state’s court system more accessible.  Earlier this summer, the commission gave the state Supreme Court a report about problems residents encounter when accessing the court system. The commission’s recommendations that it delivered in its most recent meeting are based on that report.  The commission, which was established by a January 2009 administrative order, said there are many accessibility problems facing West Virginians but it all goes back to the ability to afford representation.”  (Charleston Daily Mail)

October 29, 2013 – The third of three statewide hearings by the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee Public Hearing was held Tuesday.  “The hearings, chaired by state Senate Judiciary Chairman Stewart Greenleaf, R-Montgomery, and part of an initiative by the Civil Legal Justice Coalition, sought to examine whether low-income people in Pennsylvania have adequate access to civil legal representation.”  “At the close of Tuesday’s hearing, the Civil Legal Justice Coalition presented a list of recommendations to the committee, including quantifying the need for funding and establishing an “access to justice commission,” which 30 other states have.”  (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

October 30, 2013 – While not technically news, it’s always good to remind students that there is life outside of law school.  As we start to head into finals season, think about ways you can help your students “de-stress.”  The program at Duke is representative of these programs, and provides some great ideas.  (The Duke Chronicle)

October 30, 2013 – “Attorney General Eric Holder today announced a total of $6.7 million in grants to state and local criminal and civil legal services organizations across the country that provide legal defense services for the poor.  These grants from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) are part of the Justice Department’s continuing efforts to improve indigent defense, which is often underfunded and understaffed, and to support training, mentoring, technical assistance, leadership development and research to enhance the effectiveness of adult, juvenile and tribal indigent defense practices.”  (DOJ press release)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:  Professor Alan Dershowitz is retiring from Harvard Law School at the end of the semester.  Folks around the country are celebrating is 50-year career.  He has had many roles during is very distinguished career:  teacher/scholar, lawyer, writer, and promoter of causes in his role as a public intellectual.  When asked which element of his career has brought him the most satisfaction, he said teaching.  “The thing that makes teaching so amazing is that I’m teaching students today who will be influencing the world 50 years from now. It’s rare to have a profession where you can have such continuing influence.”  Read more about his amazing career and the panel celebrations at HLS here.  Congratulations Professor!!

Super Music Bonus! Thank you Fred for turning me on to a great, uplifting group!  If you are “lost” in the public interest world, we’re your answer.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DahLOOs3HAI.

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday everyone!  Hopefully all of you enjoyed the NALP/PSJD Mini-Conference and are currently enjoying the EJW Conference & Career Fair.  I hope to see you there today.  And send me your Pro Bono Week stories.  I’d love to feature good people helping their communities.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

•  Southern University Law Center students find new way to help community;
• Legal Aid Ontario lawyers stage rally as requests are ignored;
• Students, lawyers protest proposed private law school in Canada;
• Legal Services of Eastern Missouri receives HHS grant;
• Volunteer public defender program under fire in San Francisco;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Anthony Graves and Nicole Casarez;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

October 18, 2013– Southern University Law Center “has worked out an agreement with the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to help with the city’s blight problem.  Under the agreement, Southern law students, working with faculty, track down property records, find out who owns a particular piece of property, discern whether any taxes are owed and determine whether the property has been condemned.  Once they’ve collected the information, they write what’s called a ‘title letter’ explaining the property’s legal status before taking it to a licensed attorney.”  “Southern law students have also been a part of similar projects in south Baton Rouge and in the Brookstown neighborhood.”  (The Advocate)

October 18, 2013 – Ontario’s Legal Aid lawyers are staging a rally at Legal Aid Ontario’s Head Office on the day of their board meeting to express their frustration at their repeated requests for collective bargaining go ignored.  “We believe [Legal Aid Ontario CEO Bob] Ward’s inaction is discriminatory,” said Jillian Rogin, a Legal Aid Lawyer. “More than two-thirds of Legal Aid lawyers are women, and we are the most racially diverse group of public sector lawyers in the province. All other provincial government lawyers, such as those working for the Ministry of the Attorney General and those employed as crown attorneys, enjoy the right to collective bargaining. They are primarily male.”  The lawyers will be joined by several other labor organizations in support of their cause.  (Digital Journal)

October 18, 2013 – “A group of lawyers and law students gathered outside Osgoode Hall today to protest Trinity Western University’s proposal for a law school, arguing the school discriminates against queer students.  The Federation of Law Societies of Canada is reviewing the private Christian university’s application for a three-year JD program, which it hopes to offer to students starting September 2015.”  (Legal Feeds)

October 18, 2013 – “Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (LSEM) has received a two-year, $379,589 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a new Connecting Kids to Coverage program.  LSEM is the only individual Legal services organization nationwide to receive this grant funding.   Under the grant, LSEM attorneys and staff will provide outreach and enrollment assistance for children eligible for free or low-cost health insurance from Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).”  (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

October 20, 2013 – A volunteer public defender program that has been in place for 30 years has recently come under fire for bringing too many cases to trial.  The superior court is proposing a higher level of supervision for these volunteer, licensed attorneys.  The proposed rule would require a PD staff member to be right there with the volunteer at every stage of every single criminal proceeding.  If the rule were to be enacted, it might dismantle the volunteer program.  Public Defender Jeff Adachi sums up the situation, “The thing that is most troubling is the court is proposing this rule not because there is any problem with these lawyers but because they are unhappy that these lawyers are trying cases.”  (KTUV.com)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:  Former death row inmate Anthony Graves has honored the lawyer who believed in his innocence and fought to save his life by creating a scholarship in her name. According to Texas Monthly, Graves surprised Houston attorney Nicole Casarez  by endowing a scholarship at the University of Texas Law School Foundation in her name.  Mr. Graves used the money he received from the state in his wrongful conviction suite to honor the attorney and journalism professor who, along with her journalism students, fought for eight years to save his life.  (Dallas Morning News) (AnthonyBelieves.com)

Super Music Bonus! Thank you all for a great Mini-Conference.  Now I’m going to. . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mzpuUzLKx4&list=TLZhstbUJcwJVkJsl0qC-cmjfRTmNg1w9q

by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow

If you’re going to the Equal Justice Works Conference this weekend, this is one conversation you don’t want to miss!

Tomorrow, meet me at @PSJDTweets on Twitter as I chat with reps from Equal Justice Works (@EJW_org in Twitter speak). We’ll be talking about everything a law student or recent law grad needs to know to be prepared for the networking, interviewing and workshop events happening on Friday, 10/15 and Saturday, 10/26.

Are you wondering just what is a “Table Talk”? Still trying to figure out what clothes to pack? Interested in learning about the workshops on pursuing a public interest career? We’ll be answering all these questions and more tomorrow – just follow us @PSJDTweets, or search for the hashtags #PSJDChat and #EJWCCF to send questions to our panelists.

Here are the deets:

Who: PSJD and Equal Justice Works

What: #PSJDChat with reps from EJW, answering all your questions about the 2013 Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair (#EJWCCF)

When:Tuesday, 10/22/2013, 5pm

Where:Twitter.com, of course!

If you can’t make it, no worries – we’ll save the tweets and sum everything up for you on our Storify page. Hope to see you all at the EJW Conference this weekend!

by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships

Happy Friday everyone!  Celebrate Pro Bono Week starting Saturday.  Get out there and get involved!  Below you’ll find some ways to do so.  And don’t forget to check out PSJD for pro bono resources for next week and throughout the year.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.

Here are the week’s headlines:

• PSJD announces the Pro Bono Publico Award Winner;
• Don’t forget to register for the NALP/PSJD Mini-Conference;
• The Indiana Supreme Court looks to boost pro bono service;
• Association of endorses Action Committee Report on Access to Justice;
• MT Justice Court rejects request by public defender to be taken off new cases;
• Federal judiciary gets extra money in last-minute budget deal;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Celebrate the outstanding public service servant in you during Pro Bono Week;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

October 14, 2013 –  WINNER – J. Martin Bunt, Emory University School of Law – Martin faced considerable challenges when starting the Volunteer Clinic for Veterans (VCV), but his passion for service and his perseverance in the face of many obstacles has created a lasting impact on his community.  As a 2L, Martin started the clinic from scratch, pulling together the Department of Veterans Affairs, the State Bar of Georgia, a number of Atlanta attorneys, and the dedicated students at Emory.  Through Martin’s leadership, in less than a year, a new clinic, complete with a retired law firm partner and decorated veteran as the hands-on supervisor of the cases, and a professor as a co-director is up and running.  Martin is not only the “face” of the clinic, recruiting pro bono attorneys and working to get case referrals, but he is also devoted to handling cases himself.  As his nominator so eloquently said, “His passion, ability to recruit others to fill the needs of the VCV, and his professional skills have created a service organization to fulfill a great need where before there was nothing.”  Today, there are nearly 50 lawyers who have agreed to take veterans’ benefits cases and there are over 40 student volunteers, 26 of whom are working on 20 cases and a legislative initiative to create special courts in Georgia to help veterans with traumatic conditions to obtain treatment and release as an alternative to incarceration.

Martin is dedicated to making the lives of men and women who serve better.  He said it best, “When they come home, I believe it is our turn to serve them.  I will continue to dedicate my life to the VCV, knowing that I am serving those who have sacrificed so much to serve me.”

MERIT DISTINCTION:  Ioana E. Tchoukleva, University of California, Berkeley School of Law; Karol Ruiz, Seton Hall University School of Law

October 14, 2013 – NALP and PSJD invite you to the 2013 Public Service Mini-Conference on Thursday, October 24 in Washington, DC. If you are a public interest career counselor, pro bono program manager, or work in any public-service career role at a law school or legal employer then this mini-conference is for you. The 2013 Public Service Mini-Conference is the perfect opportunity for you to meet and network with colleagues from across the country and attend substantive and skill-based programs. Following the Mini-Conference, we will host a law school/employer reception including representatives from eight agencies and nine national non-profits registered so far.  If you are a newcomer to the public interest arena, join us for the Public Interest Advising 101 program on Wednesday, October 23.

October 15, 2013 – “The Indiana Supreme Court, along with judges and lawyers around the state, are exploring ways to provide more free and low-cost legal services to a growing number of Hoosiers that need them.”  One idea is to provide CLE credits for pro bono work.  “If a lawyer is representing a poor person in a case, they’re really getting educated themselves in the process. Why not let them get CLE hours for that and help that go toward their annual minimum?” Chief Justice Brent Dickson says.  Intriguing idea.  (Indiana Public Media)

October 15, 2013 – “The Association of Legal Aid Plans of Canada applauds a new report by the Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters.”  “The report provides a multi-sector national approach that promotes concrete goals in the areas of innovation, institutions and structures, and research and funding. Goals include a justice system focused on the everyday legal problems Canadians face and making essential legal services available to everyone. The report also calls for user-friendly court processes, a ‘front-end’ early resolution services sector, and appropriate services for self-represented litigants.” “The Action Committee is composed of leaders in the civil and family justice community, and a public representative for each of the different parts of the justice system.  The Association of Legal Aid Plans is a voice for Canada’s Legal Aid Plans and its members provide expertise on legal aid and access to justice issues.”  (Digital Journal)

October 15, 2013 – “The Helena justice court on Friday rejected a request by the overloaded state public defender’s office to be taken off new cases.  The Office of the Public Defender told the court in September that staff attorneys have too many cases and are in danger of failing to meet their ethical obligation to properly represent clients. It said that more than 3,000 cases were assigned in 2012 to its 10 attorneys in a region that covers Lewis and Clark, Jefferson and Broadwater counties.  Justice of the Peace Michael Swingley rejected the request Friday.  Swingley said the office is required to represent indigent defenders and must contract private attorneys if staff attorneys are overloaded. But the public defender’s office has said its budget is already strained.”  (Independent Record)

October 16, 2013 – “The budget deal Congress approved late Wednesday to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling provides $51 million in additional funding to the judiciary and to federal defenders.”  “The extra funding would primarily go to pay the backlog of attorney fees under the Criminal Justice Act, which funds court-appointed private counsel. Payments were suspended in mid-September, when funding ran out two weeks before the end of the fiscal year.”  The extra money doesn’t provide all the money needed, but is seen as a lifeline to at least continue working.  (The Blog of LegalTimes)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:  Starting on Sunday, we will celebrate Pro Bono Week.  I  hope all of you are able to contribute in any way that you can.  BUT, it’s important to keep in mind that the need is out there 24/7 all year round.  Here are some resources to help you get started or to steer you in a different direction so that you to can become an Outstanding Public Servant.

Find out why we celebrate!

Search 2013 Pro Bono Celebration Events on Probono.net.

Connect with friends to celebrate together.

Super Music Bonus! In honor of Pro Bono Week – Let’s all reach out and give someone a helping hand.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqbooR9o0LY