The City of Chicago Department of Law 2013 Summer Law Clerk Program

The City of Chicago Department of Law invites law students to apply for its 2013 Summer Law Clerk Program. Usually, the program begins June 1st and is for a minimum of 10 weeks; however, the start date and duration of a law clerk’s summer will be determined by the law clerk and his/her direct supervisor. The Summer Program is designed to provide current law students with a challenging unpaid clerkship that reflects the demands and rewards of public service, as well as a realistic picture of what it is like to practice law for the City of Chicago. Participants in the Summer Program are not compensated. Some schools may offer students grants or allow for academic credit.

During the Summer Program, the law clerks will be assigned to work in one of the practice divisions in the law department and participate in a wide variety of activities including:

  • assisting in trial preparation;
  • attending depositions;
  • observing real estate closings;
  • attending client meetings and court proceedings;
  • researching legal issues; and
  • drafting memoranda, briefs and contracts.

Also, law clerks that have finished their second year of law school and qualify for an Illinois Supreme Court Rule 711 license may represent the City in:

  • mandatory tort arbitrations in the Circuit Court of Cook County;
  • disciplinary hearings for the police and labor boards; and
  • labor arbitration.

They may also depose or examine witnesses in trials in state and federal court.

During the summer, the Law Department will host a lecture series that feature speakers addressing legal issues that affect the City in areas such as environmental and First Amendment law and provides the law clerks with opportunities to meet with City department officials and members of state and federal judiciary.

The Law Department seeks talented, promising individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many of the attorneys are active in civic and professional activities and organizations. The Law Department is committed to increasing opportunities for minorities in the legal profession, and it is proud that its staff reflects the racial, cultural and ethnic diversity of Chicago.

To learn more about the various Divisions within the Department of Law and the work that they handle, potential candidates should check out the Litigation, Prosecution and Transactional Division links found under “What We Do” on the website.

To apply for the 2013 Summer Law Clerk Program, interested students should submit all application materials as outlined online.

The deadline to apply is January 31, 2013.

 

 

This Week at the CDO (November 19, 2012)

Thursday, November 22, 2012: 

  • Thanksgiving Holidays/Recess

Thursday, November 29, 2012: 

  • Last day of classes – Congratulations on the completion of the fall 2012 semester. Congratulations to the graduating class of December 2012! 

Monday, December 3, 2012: 

  • Final Exams Begin – Good luck with finals! 

Information about Reading Period, Finals and Winter Break – The Career Development Office will remain open during reading period, finals and winter break. Students and alumni are welcome to contact our office to schedule advising appointments during this time.

*This is the last “This Week at the CDO” for the fall 2012 semester. The weekly posts will return in January, 2013.*

 

Public Interest and Government Resources

The following are resources useful in pursuing government or public interest careers:

  1. Equal Justice Works 2013 Summer Corps Program: Provides law students with a stipend for working on a legal project at a qualifying nonprofit public interest organization or public defender office of their choosing. Applications will be accepted beginning December 18th and are accepted on a rolling basis. Since there is a limited amount of funding available, students are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as the application period opens on December 18th. The deadline to apply is March 18th.
  2. HOPE Summer Fellowship: Applications will be available on the HOPE website and HOPE will hold an information session in January for interested students.
  3. PSJD’s List of Summer Funding Resources Available for Work in Any Geographic Location.
  4. PSJD’s List of Summer Funding Resources for Work in Specific Geographical Regions.
  5. Federal “Pathways” Program: A new program similar to the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program. It is for recent graduates who obtained their degree within the last two years and provides developmental experiences in the federal government. Like the PMF program, participants’ positions may be converted to a permanent or long-term position at the end of the program.

 

 

 

 

The ABA Section of International Law is Proud to Present: The 3rd Annual “Live from L” Webcast With The Office of the Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of State

The Section of International Law is pleased to announce the third webcast with the Office of the Legal Adviser from the Jacob Burns Moot Courtroom of the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. Co-sponsored by The American Society of International Law and The George Washington University School of Law Featuring a Keynote Address from: Harold Hongju Koh, Legal Adviser,U.S. Department of State.

When: Thursday, January 10th, 2013, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM US Eastern Time

Please SAVE THE DATE for this incredible event.  The event is free to students.

Registration and additional speaker information will follow shortly.

Attend The 2012 Biennial Conference of the American Society of International Law’s International Economic Law Interest Group: ‘Re-Conceptualizing International Economic Law:Bridging the Public/Private Divide’

You are invited to attend the 2012 biennial conference of the American Society of International Law’s International Economic Law Interest Group: ‘Re-Conceptualizing International Economic Law:Bridging the Public/Private Divide.’ 

When: November 29-December 1, 2012.

Where: George Washington University School of Law, Stockton Hall, Room 305, 720 20th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20431.

This conference, cosponsored by ASIL Academic Partner George Washington University School of Law and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, will address an array of issues in international economic law, including the role and development of the multilateral trading system, the World Trade Organization, foreign investment, bilateral and regional trade and investment agreements, international development law, and international financial regulation.

Registration fees, which include two meals: Students (with valid student identification), FREE; ASIL members, $75; and non-ASIL members $100.

To view the complete program and to register, visit the website.

 

Children’s Law Center (CLC) Invites Applications for Summer 2013 Internships

Children’s Law Center works to give every child in the District of Columbia solid foundation of family, health and education. They are the largest provider of free legal services in the District and the only to focus on children. The 80-person staff partners with local pro bono attorneys to serve more than 2,000 at-risk children each year. They use this expertise to advocate for changes in the District’s laws, policies, and programs. For more information, visit the website.

Job Description:

Children’s Law Center (CLC) invites applications for summer 2013 law clerk internships to begin Tuesday, May 28, 2013. Law clerks have a wide variety of responsibilities including conducting client intakes, completing court runs, researching and writing about legal issues, interviewing clients and witnesses, locating resources for clients, attending court hearings and accompanying attorneys on home and school visits.

Law students who wish to intern with the Children’s Law Center will receive one-on-one supervision from an attorney throughout the summer. The following projects within CLC are accepting summer law clerks:

  • Guardian ad litem Project (GAL)
  • GAL Special Education Project
  • Family Permanency Project (FPP)
  • Heath Access Project (HAP)
  • Policy Team

Requirements and Qualifications:

  • Strong interpersonal skills
  • Excellent analytical ability
  • Strong writing ability
  • Solid academic background
  • Commitment to working with low-income populations
  • Willingness and enthusiasm to complete all tasks
  • Able to work for 10 weeks during the summer

Salary and Benefits:

All law clerk positions are unpaid and can be taken for credit.

No telephone calls, please.

Submit a resume, writing sample, references, completed project preference ranking sheet and cover letter stating your interest in the Children’s Law Center and availability to work during the summer.

It is mandatory for each applicant to explicitly rank order his or her project preferences on a scale of 1 through 5 on the designated ranking sheet form, with “1” designating an applicant’s first choice and “5”designating an applicant’s last choice. Children’sLawCenter’s hiring committee may elect not to review applications which fail to designate the applicant’s project preferences in the manner requested.

Interested applicants must submit materials by December 1, 2012, via mail, fax, or email, to:

Children’s Law Center
Attn: Summer Law Clerk Hiring
616 H Street, NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20001
202.467.4949 (fax) 

For the Law Clerk Project Preference Ranking Sheet, please check the Symplicity Document Library, visit the CDO or ask your CDO advisor.

The 2013 Deborah T. Poritz Summer Public Interest Legal Fellowship Program

Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ) invites applications from first and second-year law students for the Deborah T. Poritz Summer Public Interest Legal Fellowship Program during the summer of 2013. In New Jersey, this has long been the premier opportunity for students committed to, or considering, public interest and poverty law to learn about the challenges and rewards involved.

Applications will be considered and hiring decisions will be made on a continuing basis from November 15, 2012 on, until all positions are filled (usually by mid-April). Interested students are strongly encouraged to apply as early as possible. The program particularly seeks people who have demonstrated their commitment to helping the disadvantaged through their prior work, extracurricular activities during school and volunteer efforts, and give evidence of strong commitment to a public interest career. Grades, honors and personal achievements are also important

The application form and poster describing the program documents may be viewed and downloaded from LSNJ’s Website. Approximately 15 positions are anticipated to be available. Interested students are encouraged to apply as early as possible, as hiring decisions will be made on a continuing basis.

The 2013 Immigrants’ Rights Summer Fellowship Program

THE 2013 APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW OPEN.

Selection Criteria for the Michael Maggio Immigrants’ Rights Summer Fellowship Program:

Fellowship host sites must be recognized non-profit organizations. These include:

  • Nonprofit organizations serving low-income and underserved immigrant communities.
  • Legal services organizations that serve immigrants.
  • Civil rights organizations that advocate on behalf of immigrants.
  • Community-based organizations that engage in pro-immigrant advocacy.

The host organization must be willing to host the student for 10 weeks and provide a $1,500 stipend. The $1,500 amount may be paid from the host organization’s funds or may be provided by the law student through other means, e.g., law school public interest funding, independent fundraising, etc. The host organization must commit to supervise and provide all logistical needs of the Fellow including office space and supplies.

Fellowship Projects:

Selection criteria include:

  • Projects which provide direct legal services to low-income and underserved individuals, including intake, client and witness interviews, courtroom advocacy and legal research and writing.
  • Projects which provide community education and outreach.
  • Projects which advocate for more just and humane immigration laws and policies.

Fellows:

Fellowship recipients must meet the following criteria:

  • Law students enrolled in law school program.
  • Demonstrated commitment to social justice and/or immigrants’ rights issues.

Application Requirements:

A complete application will include the following items:

  • cover letter;
  • completed application form (parts I & II);
  • letter of support from the host organization, including information about the organization, the work the Fellow will be doing and the name of the person responsible for supervising the Fellow); and
  • applicant’s resume.

How To Submit Your Application:

(1) To apply electronically (preferred method):

Please send your application via email with the following information in the subject line “[your name] – Maggio Fellowship 2013” and attach both the completed application form and the essays.

Please complete Part I and Part II of the application form. Part I is available as a PDF form that applicants may fill out electronically and submit via email attachment. Part II refers to the essay section of the application. The essays should be submitted as a separate attachment to your email in a format that is easily accessible by the general public (e.g., Word, PDF, etc.)

Michael Maggio Immigrants’ Rights Fellowship Application Form

(2) To apply via mail:

Mail the complete application to the following address:

National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild
14 Beacon Street
Suite 602
Boston, MA 02108
Attention: Dan Kesselbrenner

American Society of International Law (ASIL) News for November 14, 2012

2013 Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Application Period Now Open:

The Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program, established in 2004 on the recommendation of the ASIL Honors Committee, recognizes the legacy of Arthur Helton, a remarkable ASIL member who died in the August 19, 2003 bombing of the UN mission in Baghdad along with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Sergio Viera de Mello and 20 others. For details and application, click here.

Nominations Sought for ILM Editorial Advisory Committee:

The International Legal Materials (ILM) Editorial Advisory Committee meets bimonthly in Washington, DC, at ASIL headquarters, to select international legal documents that are republished in ILM. Documents submitted for consideration include, among others, UN Security Council resolutions, treaties, and case law from a wide array of international tribunals. For more information about ILM and its content, please visit here. Applications for several openings on the current committee are welcome. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by sending a curriculum vitae and a brief expression of interest to Djurdja Lazic, ILM Managing Editor by February 8, 2013.

Call for Papers – Teaching International Law Interest Group:

The Teaching International Law Interest Group’s 2013 biennial conference, “Teaching International Law Outside Law Schools,” will be held April 12, 2013. The conference will appeal to a wide range of teachers and scholars interested in international law and the pedagogy employed in diverse institutional settings. Proposals for presentations and papers should be submitted via email by January 6, 2013. For more information, click here.

International Humanitarian Law Student Writing Competition:

ASIL Academic Partner American University Washington College of Law’s Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and ASIL’s Lieber Society on the Law of Armed Conflict are pleased to announce the Third Annual International Humanitarian Law Student Writing Competition. The Competition seeks submissions of academic papers on the topic of international humanitarian law from students currently enrolled in a law degree program in the United   States or abroad. The purpose of the Competition is to enhance scholarship and deepen understanding among students of this important area in international law. The winning authors will be flown to Washington, DC, to present their papers at a conference at American University Washington College of Law focused on emerging issues in IHL with a panel of expert professors and practitioners. The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2013, at 12:00 pm (noon) ET. For more information, click here.

Legal Interns – International Criminal Court Programme:

The International Bar Association is currently seeking legal interns to work on its International Criminal Court (ICC) Porgramme in The Hague. The Programme monitors fair trial issues at the ICC and the internship provides a unique opportunity to gain experience in the evolving field of international criminal justice. For full details on how to apply, click here.

The East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) Seeks Full-Time Interns for its 2013 Summer Program

The East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) is seeking full-time law student interns for its 2013 summer program. EBCLC is the community-based clinic for Berkeley Law School (UniversityofCalifornia, Boalt Hall) during the academic year, and provides free civil legal services to low-income clients of Alameda County,California. During the summer session, EBCLC welcomes students from all law schools.

Students handle their own cases under the day-to-day supervision of staff attorneys in one of the following practice areas:

  • Clean Slate: Criminal Justice & Community Reentry (administrative, regulatory, policy advocacy)
  • Green Collar Communities Clinic: GC3 (community economic development)
  • Health: Elev8 Public School-based Legal Services Project (multidisciplinary)
  • Health: HIV/AIDS Project and Medical-Legal Partnership (multidisciplinary)
  • Housing & Eviction Defense (litigation)
  • Immigration (administrative with some litigation)
  • Neighborhood Justice Clinic (self-help services, litigation)
  • Welfare Law (administrative, regulatory, policy advocacy)
  • Youth Defender Clinic (litigation and advocacy)

The summer program runs for ten weeks, from Tuesday, May 28 through Friday, August 2, 2013.

No specific previous training or coursework is required; however, a demonstrated commitment to serving low-income, minority and underrepresented individuals and groups, and/or previous experience in one of the practice areas or in public interest law is highly desirable, as is second language ability in Spanish, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, or Farsi. EBCLC staff will work with students to secure funding through fellowships from law schools and other public interest sources; however, they are unable to offer compensation for summer internship positions.

Interested law students should submit the following application materials electronically:

  • Resume
  • Short Writing Sample (5-10 pages)
  • Cover Letter (please describe your experience and interests in one page or less)
  • Practice Group Preference (please rank your top preferences and whether you would accept a placement in any practice group)
  • 3 References (please provide current email addresses and include at least one employment-related reference)

Applications are accepted and hiring decisions made on a rolling basis until available positions are filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered. All completed applications will be acknowledged. March 1, 2013 is the current deadline for accepting applications.

For more information on the summer program, please visit the website.