by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow
If you’re interning or working in Washington, DC for the summer, and interested in affordable housing litigation, this one’s for you!
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by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow
The Urban Justice Center’s Street Vendor Project focuses on protecting the rights of the largest group of small business owners in New York City: the 10,000+ retailers that struggle to make ends meet by selling everything from hot dogs to books on the streets of the Big Apple. Most street vendors are recent immigrants and people of color who are vulnerable to discrimination despite being hardworking entrepreneurs.
The Street Vendor Project is on the front lines to change the NYC system of oppression and provide access to legal services for street vendors. Want to join them? Read on to see their job description from PSJD.org:
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by Kristian Smith, PSJD Summer Projects and Publications Coordinator
This article is part one of a two part series about alternative public interest work. Check back next week for Part Two: Private Public Interest Firms.
When many law students and new lawyers are beginning to plan for their careers, they usually have to make a choice between working at a law firm or practicing public interest work. While law firms and public interest work are typically viewed as mutually exclusive, there are many ways for law students and new lawyers to do public interest work while still gaining training and experience at a law firm.
Many large, traditional law firms now have opportunities for attorneys to work on public interest projects while still receiving the training and resources that come along with large firms. With OCI and summer associate hiring fast-approaching, this is something for law students to keep in mind when looking for jobs.
Erica Knievel Songer, an associate at Hogan Lovells, has had a unique experience as a law-firm associate who has been able to spend much of her time at the firm working solely on pro bono projects. Songer said that Hogan’s pro bono practice has a rotation process for junior and senior attorneys to work solely on public interest work for a year at a time. She said that she has been able to work on many different types of cases – from housing to voting rights – and that her firm encourages all attorneys to practice pro bono work. She said that doing public interest work at a law firm, as opposed to a non-profit or legal services agency, provides a wealth of resources that make it easier to make a difference in the lives of others.
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by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow
Post-graduate fellowship application season has officially begun!
The 2014 Equal Justice Works Fellowship Application opened yesterday, kick-starting the search for innovative public interest law projects that help close the American justice gap and provide legal assistance to those in need. Applications will close on September 17, 2013.
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It’s tough to “network.” Most folks don’t even have a good idea as to what networking is. The following from our friends at the Government Executive Magazine is a great road map for success at all those summer functions you’ll be delighted to attend.
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From the PSJD job posting:
Law students graduating in 2014 are invited to apply for a two-year juvenile indigent defense fellowship at National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) in Washington, D.C. starting in September 2014.
The Gault Fellowship is named for Gerald Gault, the juvenile petitioner in the seminal U.S. Supreme Court case In re Gault. The Gault decision extended many of the same due process protections afforded adults accused of crimes, including the right to counsel, to juveniles. Gerald is still active in the juvenile justice community and serves as an honorary board member of NJDC.
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Final exams: check
Diploma: check
Bar exam: check
Exciting job as public-interest lawyer: ???
The job market for law students is tough, and it can be especially competitive for students who want to practice public-interest law. But a public-interest legal fellowship can be an ideal option for many new lawyers. So if you’re a public-interest-minded law student – or if you advise or mentor one – we invite you to attend our panel on project-based legal fellowships in both the nonprofit and public sectors.
The panel takes place on July 11 at 6:30 pm, and features an expert panel, including lawyers from Equal Justice Works, the Partnership for Public Service, and the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. You can learn more and RSVP here, or by clicking on the image below:
This free panel discussion will be held at the Georgetown University Law Center, McDonough Hall, Hart Auditorium, 600 New Jersey Avenue NW, (entrance on 2nd Street NW). A reception (with light refreshments) will follow. The event is cosponsored with Georgetown Law, Equal Justice Works, and NALP.
Finally, if you’d like a preview of the event, you can take a look at this Storify of last year’s fellowships panel.
I hope to see you on July 11, and look forward to helping law students find the public-interest jobs of their dreams!
With kind regards,
Nancy
Nancy Lopez (@NancyLopezWCL)
WCL Executive Director
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by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships
Happy Friday! Can it be the end of June? I’m not sure where the time is going. So, here’s what’s going on in the world of public service.
Spotlight on Outstanding Public Servants: If you know someone we should honor, drop me a line.
Here are the week’s headlines:
The summaries:
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by Christina Jackson, NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships
On Saturday, August 3, 2013 the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia and the UC Berkeley School of Law will co-host the fourth Public Defender Advocacy, Training & Hiring (PATH) Conference.
PATH is designed for law students and recent graduates who are interested in learning more about careers in indigent criminal defense representation.
Beginning with an opening plenary, the day includes 4 concurrent tracks for you to choose from, taught by public defenders from throughout the country. Additionally, the Lunch with the Defenders offers you an opportunity to sit in small groups and discuss with talented and committed advocates how their offices hire, what types of candidates they seek and other information to help you plan your careers.
Registration is now open!
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by Ashley Matthews, PSJD Fellow (and the PSJD Staff & Advisory Group!)
Every summer, the PSJD staff and our awesome Advisory Group comes up with a summer reading list just for public interest law students and lawyers.
I know, I know… after ending an intellectually challenging year of law school, who would want to torture their brain with even more legal jargon? Not to worry – our Summer Reading List is casebook-free! Check out our picks to find the best reads to entertain yourself while sharpening those social justice claws over summer vacay.
If you’re having a super-busy summer and don’t have any time for heavy reading, here’s a list online blogs and periodicals to stay educated on the latest in public interest news and developments:
And if you’re looking for something even lighter, check out these funny blawgs:
Also, don’t miss our PSJD Public Interest News Bulletin every Friday! Our Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships Christina Jackson summarizes the biggest stories in the public interest legal world, just for you! Subscribe to this blog by entering your email address in the box to the right to get the Bulletin in your email inbox every Friday.
Happy summer reading!
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