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

Happy Friday everyone!  As the government shutdown progresses, more and more programs are affected.  Now is a good time to think about what the needs are in your community and see how you can help.

And if you’re using PSJD as a resource – we’ve now added a downloadable Job Seekers User Guide, complete with step-by-step instructions.

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

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Don’t forget to register for the NALP/PSJD Mini-Conference;
• Office of the State Public Defender (of MT) asks court not to assign any more cases;
• BC Law now offering a new program in public interest;
• Legal Aid lawyers & BC province reach agreement;
• Philadelphia, PA might hire private law firm for court-appointed cases;
• ABA releases white paper on NY pro bono requirements;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Former President Jimmy Carter;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

October 4, 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 4, 2013– “The Office of the State Public Defender says it is overloaded with cases in the Helena area, and asking a judge to not assign them any more cases.”  “The request asks the Helena justice court to assign a private attorney to one ongoing case, and asks the court to assign private attorneys to new cases with indigent clients. It also asks the court to order the state to pay for the costs of the private attorneys because OPD argues it doesn’t have enough in its budget to do so. The filing also says the court could alternatively dismiss cases against some poor defendants.”  “The Lewis and Clark County attorney’s office argued in Tuesday’s brief that the Helena justice court does not have the jurisdiction to meet the OPD request. It said OPD is required by state law to provide indigent defense.  The brief argues that the public defender’s office needs to pursue other options of reducing its workload.”  (The Republic)

October 4, 2013 – “[Boston College] Law School has launched the Public Interest Designation Program (PIDP) to encourage, guide and recognize students who are committed to a legal career dedicated to public service.  Law School administrators say PIDP — the only program of its kind in Massachusetts — will provide a comprehensive academic and experiential curriculum that will prepare students for a career in public service immediately upon graduation.”  “The program reflects the efforts of 25 BC Law students from the Class of 2013 who had worked with Associate Director of Public Interest Programs Kate Devlin Joyce to create special recognition for students demonstrating commitment to a public service curriculum. The 25 were honored by BC Law Dean Vincent Rougeau at this year’s graduation as the inaugural PIDP class and given the title of Public Service Fellows.” (The Boston College Chronicle)

October 5, 2013– “The threatened adjournment of hundreds of criminal trials by [British Columbia’s] legal aid lawyers has been averted.  The Legal Services Society of B.C. reached an agreement with Attorney General Suzanne Anton on Friday and is no longer recommending that lawyers avoid booking hearings for the six weeks between Feb. 17 and March 31, 2014.  ‘I can provide assurance that LSS will be able to pay accounts for all existing referrals to the end of the fiscal year,’ chief executive officer Mark Benton said Saturday in a special message to the bar.”  This agreement doesn’t mean there might not still have to be cuts, but for now services will continue.  (Times Colonist)

October 8, 2013 – In the “here’s one way to handle this” category comes the City of Philadelphia’s plan to contract with a private law firm to handle conflict criminal defense and other court-appointed cases.  “[t]he city of Philadelphia is planning to retain a private law firm to handle all court-appointed defense work for indigent individuals at an expected savings of $1 million annually.”  Currently, there are 300-350 lawyers that accept court-appointment cases.  The plan is to create a 75-lawyer private firm to handle all the court-appointed cases for a set fee of $9.5 million a year.  Not sure how the numbers are going to work out, but we’ll keep you posted.  (ABA Journal)

October 8, 2013 – The ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service has released white paper concerning New York’s 50-hour mandatory pro bono admission requirement and its potential application in other states. It’s available here: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/probono_public_service/ls_pb_preadmission_pro_bono_requirement_white_paper.pdf.

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:  On October 11 2002, former President Jimmy Carter wins the Nobel Peace Prize “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”  One of his key achievements as president was mediating the peace talks between Israel and Egypt in 1978.  But, it is always striking to me the great works one can do once given an opportunity.  Mr. Carter is a fantastic example in that he has done (in my opinion) his greatest works after leaving office.  “After he left office, Carter and his wife Rosalynn created the Atlanta-based Carter Center in 1982 to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering. Since 1984, they have worked with Habitat for Humanity to build homes and raise awareness of homelessness. Among his many accomplishments, Carter has helped to fight disease and improve economic growth in developing nations and has served as an observer at numerous political elections around the world.”  Thank you to an outstanding public servant who continues to use his knowledge and skill to promote and protect human rights around the world.  (History.com) (Carter Center)

Super Music Bonus! Something our community knows a lot about – Come on – let’s work together!

http://youtu.be/MOLCSCArDRE

by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow

Do you feel lost while searching for jobs on PSJD? Are you a career counselor struggling to inform law students about using PSJD to find public interest jobs, internships and fellowships?

If so, listen up: we just added the perfect resource for you!

Our new Job Seeker User Guide has step-by-step directions that will walk you through registration, finding resources, running simple and advanced job searches, setting up Email Alerts and Favorites, and more.

The guide is housed under the “About PSJD” section. Click the “How To Use PSJD” option and select “Job Seekers”. A link to the User Guide will be at the very top of the page. (Click the image below for a larger screenshot.)

We hope this makes it easier to navigate PSJD.org. If you have more specific technical questions on using the site to find public interest law opportunities, or just want to share a suggestion, give me a call at (202) 296-0076 or email me at AMatthews@nalp.org.

Thanks for using PSJD!

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

Happy Friday everyone!  Can you believe it’s October already?  Two big events happen this month:  the PSJD/NALP Public Interest Mini-Conference and the Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair.  Both are a great opportunity to learn and network for legal career professionals and the EJW CCF is a great opportunity for students to connect with employers.

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

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Court-appointed panel aims to improve civil legal services to low-income individuals in Indiana;
• Gideon’s Promise creates new Law School Partnership Project;
• ABA creates task force to connect unemployed young lawyers with unmet legal needs;
• University of Missouri School of Law opens new clinic to help vets;
• Seattle University Law School gets grant to improve public defender system;
• The recipients of this year’s Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals (Sammies) are announced;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Today in history work on Mt. Rushmore begins;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

September 26, 2013– “The Indiana Supreme Court has created a statewide commission aimed at improving the availability of civil legal services for low-income residents.  The 17 members of the Indiana Commission to Expand Access to Civil Legal Services will include judges, law professors, practicing attorneys, existing civil legal services providers, nonprofit groups and representatives from business, finance and labor, Chief Justice Brent Dickson wrote in an order dated Monday.  The court has given the panel a year to develop a five-year plan to improve civil legal services to low-income “or otherwise disadvantaged Indiana residents.”  The commission’s first report is due June 30.  (The Republic)

October 1, 2013 – Gideon’s Promise (formerly the Southern Public Defender Training Center) has developed an exciting new Project in which it seeks to partner with law schools to ensure adequate defender representation in the neediest of southern offices.  “We are building partnerships between Gideon’s Promise, public defender offices across the South, and law schools committed to justice. We are asking law schools to contribute to the training and support of their graduates for up to one year, or to help us identify sponsors for their graduates. In return, Gideon’s Promise will place the graduate in a southern public defender office and provide three-years of training and mentorship. The office will guarantee that within the first year, the graduate will be moved into a full-time position. Therefore, by providing support up front, law schools can help their graduates secure permanent employment, acquire the training and support they need, and join a transformative movement as important as any in the legal profession.  Set your law school apart, by sponsoring a committed law graduate who wants to be a part of the change we are building, but who otherwise would not be able to join this movement.  Click here to learn how your institution can help fulfill Gideon’s Promise.”  (Gideon’s Promise)

October 1, 2013 – The ABA has created a task force to connect the unmet legal needs of our society and the unmet employment needs of young lawyers.  “The ABA Legal Access Job Corps Task Force is co-chaired by Chief Judge Eric Washington of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, dean Patricia White of the University of Miami School of Law, and Atlanta lawyer Allan Tanenbaum, a longtime bar leader. The task force will propose possibilities for providing legal services to underserved populations while offering work and experience to lawyers who are now entering legal practice. As part of its work, the task force will review existing initiatives that may be adopted as national models.”  It appears the ultimate goal is to great a national Legal Access Job Corps.  (ABA Journal)

October 2, 2013 – MU School of Law is set to open a new clinic in January that will help veterans trying to get disability benefits.  “Six students supervised by an attorney from the Law School will provide legal counsel for veterans appealing decisions made on their original disability benefits claims. Their work will be a part of a new three-credit class offered in spring 2014.  The clinic is not focused on helping veterans apply for disability benefits for the first time, but instead will help those whose claims were denied or were not as much as they expected. The students will help veterans appeal their cases to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans’ Claims.”  (Missourian)

October 2, 1013 – “An indigent-defense project at Seattle University School of Law and the Sixth Amendment Center in Boston will share a $450,000 grant from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to work on solutions to failings in the public-defense system nationwide.  The two-year grant is part of Attorney General Eric Holder’s focus on addressing systemic problems in local and state-run public-defense systems.”  “The grant was awarded by the DOJ’s program called ‘Answering Gideon’s Call,’ overseen by its Civil Rights Division, and is aimed at improving state-level public-defense to a minimum suggested by the American Bar Association.”  (Seattle Times)

October 3, 2013– As well all know, the government shutdown has already created bleak intended and unintended consequences.  In the midst of all the frustration and anger over the shutdown, here is one thing to celebrate – the recipients of this year’s Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals (Sammies).  The awardees have contributed in a wide array of areas, but all with excellence and dedication to service.   “The winners were chosen from among 31 finalists. An honorary citation is going to Antonio Mendez, a retired CIA operative whose work in spiriting a half-dozen American diplomats out of Iran in 1980 inspired the Oscar-winning film, ‘Argo.’  All will be formally recognized at a black-tie banquet Oct. 3 in downtown Washington, despite the partial government shutdown that began Oct. 1. Four of the winners are on furlough without pay.”  Check out all the winners and be prepared to be inspired.  (Federal Times)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:  Today I might have to get a little political.  Today in history work on Mt. Rushmore began in the Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota. It would take another 12 years for the impressive granite images of four of America’s most revered and beloved presidents—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt–to be completed.  (History.com)  Here’s where it gets political – the national parks are only one of many, many facilities and programs that are shuttered due to the government shutdown.  So, if we could all be sending good (or bad) thoughts to Congress (whichever you think will work) to get us back on track, DC and the 800,000 federal workers around the country who are furloughed would greatly appreciate it!

Super Music Bonus!  I had to do this one.  Empowerment is always a timely message.

by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow

Gideon’s Promise, an innovative program that supports and trains public defenders across the South, has partnered with the Department of Justice to initiate the Law School Partnership Project.

This new program will give law schools an opportunity to join Gideon’s Promise and southern public defender offices by contributing to the training and support of their graduates for up to one year, or help Gideon’s Promise identify sponsors for their graduates. Gideon’s Promise places the law graduate in a southern public defender office and provides three years of invaluable training and mentorship.

The public defender office will guarantee permanent, full-time employment within the graduate’s first year of the program. (I put that in bold because it is AWESOME, especially in today’s shaky legal job market.)

The right to counsel is a basic human and civil right, but it continues to have difficulties being implemented within the American criminal justice system. As public defenders continue to face crushing caseloads and funding crises, programs like this are greatly needed to ensure the enforcement of our constitutional rights and fulfill the promise of equal justice.

Check out this Information Packet from Gideon’s Promise for more information. If you have questions, contact Jonathan Rapping at jon@gideonspromise.org or Ilham Askia at ilham@gideonspromise.org.

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

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope everyone is doing well.  It’s a doughnut kind of day here.  I hope you have an equally delicious treat this Friday.  You’ll likely need it if you’re following the government shutdown debate.  Should the unthinkable happen, we will keep you posted with all the news that affects our public sector.  Until then, enjoy!

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

Here are the week’s headlines:

• Wake Forest Law forms pro bono partnership to help cancer patients;
• MA Bar Foundation awards grants to 11 area organizations;
• PA House OKs legal defense bill;
• NY holds meetings on legal services for the poor;
• While US law schools shrink in size a Canadian looks to increase enrollment;
• Ontario Legal Aid lawyers demand collective bargaining rights;
• Jacksonville Legal Aid gets HUD grant;
• MD Court of Appeals restores right to public defenders at bail hearings;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: Pro Bono Students Canada Tax Advocacy Project;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

September 23, 2013 – “Wake Forest University School of Law’s Pro Bono Project has partnered with Winston-Salem-based health system Novant Health and law firm Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice to help cancer patients with their legal needs.”  “The students will help cancer patients understand how important it is to complete advance directive forms, which formalize end-of-life care decisions ahead of time. Students have participated in specialized training before beginning their work with patients.”  (The Business Journal)

September 23, 2013– “Newly announced grants for agencies throughout the state include $241,500 to 11 agencies in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties.”  “These grants support projects that either offer civil legal services to people who cannot otherwise afford them or improve the administration of justice in the state.  Funds for these grants are provided by the state Supreme Judicial Court’s Interest on Lawyer’s Trust Accounts Program.”  (masslive.com)

September 23, 2013 – “The first in a series of public hearings to be held on meeting the legal needs of low-income New Yorkers took place last Tuesday in the Third Judicial Department.  Chief Judge Jonathan Lippmann — along with Presiding Justice Karen Peters, Third Department; Chief Administrative Judge A. Gail Prudenti; and New York State Bar Association President David Schraver — heard testimony from six panels for the purpose of assessing the resources needed to close the justice gap.”  Law students can and should play a critical role by volunteering and in clinics – not just in New York.  (Legislative Gazette)

September 24, 2013 – “On Monday the state House voted 198-0 to approve Toohil’s bill that will increase the fees placed on civil court filings by $1 to help support the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network. The fees had totaled $3 and generated $11 million in revenue in fiscal 2011-12, [Tarah] Toohil, R-Butler Township, noted. The additional $1 is expected to generate $2.5 million annually.”  “The passage comes on the heels of another year in which the number of low-income individuals seeking legal assistance is increasing while funding has declined. Last fiscal year, Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network programs have reduced the number of cases from 100,000 just a couple of years ago to about 85,000 this past fiscal year, due to cuts in staffing and offices.”  The Bill now moves to the Senate, where there is hope for a speedy passage.  (Wilkes-Barre TimesLeader)

September 24, 2013 – While the headline seems sexy – The Faculty of Law at Queen’s University seeks to increase enrollment – it’s not really so.  The School has not increase enrollment since the 1970’s and tuition is still low ( approximately $16,000 in tuition, while the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall charge approximately $28,000 and $23,000, respectively).  Faculty of Law Dean, William Flanagan is confident the increased enrollment will not hurt “student placements in articling opportunities.”  “In 2011, three graduates of the Faculty of Law went unplaced.”  Maybe US law schools should be taking note.  (The Journal – Queen’s University)

September 25, 2013– Ontario Legal Aid duty counsel lawyers are seeking the right to collective bargaining.  Jillian Rogin, a criminal lawyer duty counsel, said Tuesday that the LAO board has ignored their requests to discuss this demand.  “Unlike the Crown attorneys — a majority of whom are men — we do not have the right to collectively bargain recognized. In light of this, we believe that Legal Aid lawyers are being treated differently than other provincial public sector lawyers,” Rogin said. “We are simply asking for the same rights as Crown attorneys and other public sector lawyers.”  LAO is an arms-length body of the Ministry of the Attorney General but Ontario Attorney General John Gerretsen said he will have a discussion with the organization about this and other issues.  (Sun News)

September 25, 2013 – “Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. is one of six organizations in Florida set to receive funds totaling more than $2 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to reduce housing discrimination.  The Jacksonville group will get a total of $774,750 for three programs — private enforcement of federal fair housing complaints, a lending discrimination fund, and public education campaigns.”  (wjct News)

September 25, 2013 – “Maryland’s highest court ruled Wednesday that poor suspects should have access to counsel at all bail hearings, overturning the General Assembly’s attempt to spare already-stretched public defenders from attending hundreds of thousands of proceedings each year.”  “After a similar court ruling in 2012, lawmakers passed a law making clear that free representation would be available starting with bail review hearings, at which judges review commissioners’ decisions.”  The court ruling has made clear the Constitution requires representation beginning with the commissioner hearings.  (Baltimore Sun)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:  In an attempt to level the playing field in tax court, Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) and Dentons Canada LLP partnered in 2011 to pilot the innovative Tax Advocacy Project (TAP).  The only pro bono project of its kind in Canada, TAP enables law students, with the assistance of a team of highly regarded tax litigators from Dentons Canada LLP, to gain practical experience representing low-income taxpayers before the Court.  The PBSC-TAP currently operates in several Canadian law faculties, including McGill, Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, as well as the University of Toronto where the program originated.  All of the projects are run in partnership with Dentons, which has developed and delivers a rigorous training program for the students, and provides supervision to the students on all aspects of the files.  Most recently, PBSC-Dalhousie teamed up with the Atlantic law firm McInnis Cooper LLP, and a Halifax TAP will launch this Fall.  Check out the great work being accomplished!  Congratulations.

Super Music Bonus!  A nice country tune from a Canadian artist today.  Fun!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySxLyzgVFZ0

From the PSJD job posting:

Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP) is delighted to announce that we are building a stronger organizational foundation by bringing on board a new Executive Director while the Founding Director assumes the role of Legal Director.  Because we are a small organization, the ED not only runs DV LEAP but also participates in the programmatic work of the organization.  The following describes the position and qualities sought.

The DV LEAP Executive Director leads the organization and manages its daily affairs, including program development and administration, appellate litigation and trainings, financial management, fundraising, outreach, public relations and development, and Board development and relations.  The Executive Director must be committed to advancing the interests of battered women and their children through appellate litigation and system reform, in partnership with the Legal Director.

DV LEAP is looking for applicants with at least 2 years of legal experience working with domestic violence survivors and substantial appellate litigation experience. Applicants should also have experience with fundraising and supervising other lawyers. The starting salary is $70,000 – $100,000 a year, depending on experience.

For more information, check out the full job description at PSJD.org (log-in required).

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

Happy Friday!  Autumn begins this weekend with the cooler air (I hope), spiced cider and football!  This time of year is also the start of the career fair season.  Check out PSJD for a list of public interest career fairs.

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

Here are the week’s headlines:

• NY defers mandatory reporting of pro bono;
• Nonrent fees for Bronx Tenants are focus for Advocates’ report;
• Legal Aid Justice Center has a new advocacy director;
• Federal funding to aid sexual assault victims in NY;
• Panel established to improve access to justice in VA;
• Student Press Law Center sponsoring “Tinker Tour”;
• NY modifies pro bono requirements for foreign LL.M.s;
• One great idea for how to help the rising number of veterans who need legal advice;
• BC legal aid told not to book any trials for early 2014 due to funding;
• Federal courts exhaust indigent defense funding;
• Law students may work as unpaid interns at firms on pro bono matters;
• 140 groups urge Ontario legislature to make public advocacy bill a top priority;
• Michigan Legal Help assists 200,000 in first year online;
• Spotlight on Public Service Servants: QLaw Foundation’s LGBT Legal Clinic;
• Super Music Bonus!

The summaries:

September 13, 2013 – New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman and Chief Administrative Judge A. Gail Prudenti announced that the Administrative Board of the Courts has decided to defer until April 2015 “the public disclosure of information regarding the pro bono hours and financial contributions of attorneys registered to practice in New York.”  New York State Bar Association President David M. Schraver has responded favorably stating the requirement is of concern and the Bar looks forward to continuing dialogue on the issue.  (readMedia)

September 13, 2013 – “[A] new report by Community Action for Safe Apartments, a project of New Settlement Apartments known as CASA, and the Community Development Project at the Urban Justice Center charges that some Bronx landlords are using so-called nonrent fees — for having certain appliances as well as for late rent payments and apartment damage, among other things — as a way to drive up rent bills and push out longtime residents, who often pay far less than newcomers.  The report, which [was] released on Saturday, found that one major Bronx landlord, Chestnut Holdings, charged some tenants in rent-stabilized apartments hundreds, even thousands, of dollars in fees. It calls for the state to take steps to ensure the fees are being properly charged.”  (The New York Times)

September 13, 2013 – “A federal grant from the Department of Justice will help victims of sexual assault.  Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. received the grant in partnership with six local nonprofit service providers to help victims of sex abuse in an 11-county region.”  The grant seeks to make legal services more available to these victims.  (WETM News)

September 14, 2013 – “The Virginia Supreme Court’s chief justice signed an order Friday creating a commission to recommend ways to improve legal services for low-income residents in civil cases.”  “The commission, led by co-chairmen, will report its progress to the court on a quarterly basis for the first two years and annually after that.  According to the court, the commission will coordinate justice access activities among various groups, encourage lawyers to represent low-income people, identify barriers to legal services and develop solutions. It also will promote development of additional resources — simpler court forms and easy-to-understand legal information, for example — for underserved populations.”  (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

September 15, 2013– “The Legal Aid Justice Center in Charlottesville has a new advocacy director.  Mary Bauer has taken the helm after overseeing the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama. She says the center will always be a place where low income individuals can walk through the doors for help. But Bauer brings state wide goals as well.  ‘We have a sophisticated staff that’s really looking proactively at what are the barriers that poor people face in our community and across the state and what can we do as lawyers to get rid of those barriers,’ she said.  The center focuses on offering legal help to vulnerable individuals. Groups of children, immigrants, the elderly, and people in institutions also benefit.”  (NBC 29 News)

September 15, 2013– “Mary Beth Tinker was just 13 when she spoke out against the Vietnam War by wearing a black armband to her Iowa school in 1965. When the school suspended her, she took her free speech case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and won. Now 61, she’s quit her part-time job as a nurse and will travel the country telling her story.”  Ms. Tinker begins in Philadelphia and will travel to 18 states and log between 10,000 and 15,000 miles.  She encourages students to use their voice and stand up for what they believe in, just like she did.  (USA TODAY)

September 16, 2013 – We now know that NY requires 50 pro bono hours to be completed before being licensed in NY.  Previously, all those looking to be licensed in NY had to complete these hours either while a law student or between graduation and licensing.  What about foreign LL.M. students who typically only have a year program?  Well, the concerns have been heard, and NY is modifying the requirements for those students. “Trevor Morrison, the dean of New York University, praised the pro bono committee for ‘listening to the law schools’ concerns and addressing them so constructively.’ Morrison said his predecessor, Richard Revesz, argued before the committee to give LL.M. students more time to fulfill the requirement.”  “A number of law schools were concerned about the proposed pro bono service requirement for LL.M. candidates, because many of these students would have had difficulty in meeting the requirement during the eight months or so when they are here and not taking exams,” Morrison said Friday.  (New York Law Journal)

September 16, 2013 – What is perhaps THE hottest practice area out there – veteran’s issues.  This encompasses so many areas of law, and is a great area for student pro bono.  There are so many schools out there taking up this work and Syracuse Law is one of them.  The school will host another Valor Day (don’t you love the name?).  “The services are totally free, and there are no ‘hidden catches’, said Marine Corps 1st Lt. Josh Keefe, a third-year law student and an organizer of the event. ‘Most of the students involved are veterans or have military connections, and many of the lawyers are veterans, too,’ Keefe said.”  (syracuse.com)

September 16, 2013 – “Lawyers for the government-funded agency have been told not to book any trials for the early part of 2014.  It specifically impacts criminal and child protection cases.”  “In a note to its lawyers, the Legal Service Society says it’s facing a $2.5 million deficit in the criminal tariff and a $500,000 deficit in the child protection tariff.”  “The province has been under fire for not committing to further funding. The LSS says it will continue to try and work with the Ministry of Justice to try and find an alternative way.”  (News 1130)

September 17, 2013 – “The federal court system has temporarily run out of money to pay court-appointed lawyers who represent indigent defendants, officials said Tuesday.”  “The $20 million shortfall for the last two weeks of this fiscal year had been expected, but it means that the courts will start fiscal 2014 on the hook for the same amount, David Sellers, a spokesman for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, said at a news conference.”  With no new money on the horizon, it’s the “worst case scenario.”  So, courts are looking to cut costs any way they can including reducing the fee for private attorneys appointed by the court, and cutting back on training and continuing the current hiring freeze.  This will impact representation in a number of ways including perhaps good attorneys no longer taking these cases.  (Federal Times)

September 17, 2013 – The ABA has received a response from the Labor Department to its letter seeking clarification on unpaid internships in the legal realm.  The response is about what we expected.  Here’s what the Labor Department said.  Law students may work as unpaid interns on pro bono matters at law firms, provided certain conditions are met.  The conditions are:

• The internship involves exclusively non-fee-generating pro bono matters.

• The internship is structured to provide the student with professional experience in furtherance of his or her education.

• The hiring of unpaid law student interns does not displace regular employees.

• The law student is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship.

• The law firm and the law student agree that the student is not entitled to wages.

The analysis only applies to current law students.  Law grads would be judged under a different structure.  (ABA Journal)

September 19, 2013 – “Over 140 groups, including environmental organizations, unions and freedom of expression advocates, are calling on the Ontario legislature to adopt strong legislation to prevent Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) from being used to limit freedom of expression, public participation and prevent the abuse of libel laws.” “In May, Attorney General John Gerretsen submitted Bill 83, the first government-sponsored anti-SLAPP bill in Ontario. This follows a 2010 report by the Ontario Anti-SLAPP Advisory Panel which found that SLAPPs deter people from speaking out against what they see as social wrongs.”  (The Sacramento Bee)

September 19, 2013 – “The Michigan Legal Help website was created to provide free legal information to people who cannot afford to hire an attorney and need to represent themselves in simple legal matters. It makes legal information easier to understand and shows self-represented people how to navigate the court system properly and efficiently. The website contains information on many areas of law in the form of articles, toolkits, forms and instructional checklists to help prepare people who represent themselves in court.  The website can help users look for a lawyer in their area if they need more assistance, and includes information about legal self-help centers and local community services as well as details about the court where a website visitor’s legal issue may be handled.”  (PrideSource)

Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants:  Marriage equality is just one issue the LGBT community faces on a regular basis.  There are many organizations who help in many ways big and small.  Today, we congratulate the QLaw Foundation’s LGBT Legal Clinic on work very well done. The Clinic, at the Seattle Counseling Service’s location, provides a 30-minute legal counseling session from the simple to the complex.  In addition to aiding gay and lesbian couples in various issues, the clinic has also made great strides for people in the transgender community, helping to leverage the legal resources available for transgender and trans-identifying people to give them the legal voice they need.Now, with approximately 70 lawyers volunteering their time and over 400 people assisted by the clinic, the Washington State Bar Association is honoring the center with the Pro Bono Award.  To see why, check out this article on their great work.  (the capitol hill TIMES)

Super Music Bonus!  Just a little Fall color for your viewing pleasure.  The music is really relaxing as well.  Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/kguSGXP3-_E

Attention all future public defenders!

Is your dream is to provide counsel for indigent defendants, but you have no idea where to start? Look no further than PSJD’s Careers in Public Defense page, located in our Resource Center on PSJD.org.

New York University School of Law just released the updated version of their amazingly helpful 2013 Public Defender Handbook (look for it on the Careers in Public Defense page). This guide is divided into FAQ’s and information about selected public defender offices. It also includes information on capital defense offices that hire entry-level attorneys.

Check it out now on the PSJD Careers in Public Defense page, and don’t forget to take a look at the other helpful guides from Harvard Law and the University of Virginia School of Law.

Happy job hunting!

Hey, public interest law students – it’s that time of year again!

Every fall, some of the best nonprofit and government employers in the nation convene in Washington, DC for the Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair, the largest public interest career fair in the country.

Packed with workshops and interview opportunities, the EJW Conference provides a great platform for law students to network and make a lasting impression on employers. It’s an awesome and fun way to find a public interest career that is right for you.

So what are you waiting for? The deadline to register (it’s only 25 bucks) is right around the corner (Monday, September 16th!) and the conference will be held on October 25 & 26, 2013. Find out more information in the Student Registration Guide and make sure to visit PSJD’s Career Central for tips on preparing your cover letters and resumes!