HOPE News for the Week of March 4, 2013

Upcoming Events:

Monday, March 4th, 5:30PM, Room F-300 Please join the Miami Law Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild for their first official meeting. Topics of discussion will include some of their recent events and ways that law students can get involved both on and off campus.

Monday, March 11th– 15th Join UM and FIU law students for the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) Spring Break trip. Students will help run legal clinics to assist undocumented young people across Florida in applying for DACA, a temporary immigration status that helps young people get a drivers’ license, a work permit, and in-state tuition. Email here for more information. 

Saturday, March 16th, 10am-5pm, Main Library- 101 West Flagler Street The Miami-Dade Public Library System is seeking volunteer tutors for Project L.E.A.D. (Literacy for Every Adult in Dade). This one-on-one tutoring session assists adults with basic reading and writing skills. For more info, visit this link. 

The Impact Conference @ Sustainatopia is one of the world’s leading conferences for social, financial and environmental sustainability. This year, the Conference is designed for social entrepreneurs engaged in transformative ventures. The program brings together leaders from more than 50 countries, and is taking place at the Miami Beach Convention Center between April 17th and 19th. For more info, click here.

Featured Fellowships:

Florida Legal Services in midtown Miami needs a legal intern to administer its Reemployment Assistance Pro Bono Project starting ASAP. The individual will oversee outreach to unemployed individuals in the community, screen and interview clients, assess the merits of clients’ cases, provide advice to clients, and follow-up with assigned attorneys on the status of the cases. The job is anticipated to require a commitment of at least ten hours per week and will pay $15 per hour depending upon experience. For more information, contact UM HOPE 

PILnet: The Global Network for Public Interest Law is pleased to invite applicants to the PILnet Fellowship for 2013-2014. PILnet will select lawyers for eight months of study and practical experience in New York City. The program, now in its sixteenth year, targets future leaders in various fields of public interest advocacy. For more information, click here. The deadline to apply is Monday, March 25th. 

The George Washington University Law School is now accepting applications for its Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics’ graduate clinical fellowships for the academic years of 2013-15. Fellows obtain LL.M. degrees while examining and engaging in clinical legal education and public interest law. For more information, visit the website.

Harvard Legal Aid Bureau seeks 16 law students to serve as Summer Fellows, who will interact directly with clients, opposing parties, witnesses, and government agencies. Find out more here. The positions are unpaid, but visit our website to find out how you can qualify for a HOPE Fellowship.

Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti is accepting applications for a Legal Intern (Summer 2013) and a Legal Fellow (2013-2014) to work on legal and public advocacy seeking UN accountability for Haiti’s cholera epidemic. More information on these positions can be found here.

$300,000+ in Funding Available for CGI U 2013 Students! Turn your ideas into action by applying online for Clinton Global Initiative University.

Equal Justice Works: New application period for 2013 Summer Corps program. Applications accepted on a rolling basis beginning Tuesday, December 18, 2012 until Monday, March 18, 2013. See here for program details.

2013 Deborah T. Poritz Summer Public Interest Legal Fellowship Program. Approximately 15 positions are available for first and second year law students at Legal Services of New Jersey. Click here for application.

FASPE (Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics) is now accepting applications for a fellowship that uses the conduct of lawyers and judges in Nazi Germany as a launching point for an intensive two-week early summer program about contemporary legal ethics. Click here for information.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Division seeks second year law students as legal interns to assist with its enforcement and outreach efforts. Please send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample (5-10 pages) via email to apply. The positions are unpaid, but visit our website to find out how you can qualify for a HOPE Fellowship.

Announcements & Opportunities:

The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) is seeking interns for 2013. Located in Washington, DC, internships are year-round and flexible on start/end dates. Internships are available in APA worker and immigration issues, research and legislative issues.

Miami Law’s Clinics are now accepting applications for the fall and summer. You can learn more about each clinic here, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions. You can click here to watch short videos about each clinic. The deadline to apply for a fall clinic is March 6th. You can apply online here. The deadline for summer clinics is rolling, but you are encouraged to apply early.

The NLG Military Law Task Force is looking for student researchers for two projects, both excellent ways to get legal research and writing experience. One project involves researching statutes of ROTC regulations and drafting memos, and the other involves revising and updating military medical policies.

Empowered Youth and Child Advocacy and Family Society is looking for volunteers and mentor. For more information, email the organization contact.

LSGMI, Inc. Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. is seeking clerks to fill a variety of volunteer law clerk positions. Interested students should be able to volunteer a minimum of 12 hours a week for the Spring semester. For more information regarding the program, click here. For more information on how to apply, email UM HOPE.

 

 

Florida Bar Leadership Applications Now Available!

The Florida Bar Leadership Academy is a new multi-session training program designed to assist a diverse and inclusive group of lawyers in becoming better leaders within the legal profession, in their chosen path, while enhancing their leadership skills. Up to 40 participants will be selected for the year-long program’s 2013-14 inaugural class.

All Florida Bar members in good standing are eligible to apply to become Academy Fellows. Full and partial scholarships for travel and accommodations will be available. To be considered, applicants should complete the Financial Need Statement on the application. Selection of Fellows is determined without consideration of financial need or scholarship interest.

Applications are due on or before April 1 by 5 pm.  The 2013-2014 Fellows will be notified of their selection by May 1.

For complete details on the Leadership Academy, please visit the website.

This Week at the CDO (March 4, 2013)

Tuesday, March 5, 2013:

  • Judicial Clerkships Nuts & Bolts Application Workshop – Room F-108, 12:30 p.m.–1:40 p.m.
  • CIA Information Session – Room E-265, 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. 

Wednesday, March 6, 2013: 

  • Informational Career Fair – The Bricks, 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Legal Corps CLE/ for LC Fellows – Legal Corps Office, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Liberty Mutual Insurance Is Seeking Field Counsel For Its Los Angeles Office

Job Description:

Field Counsel-38563

Description:

Liberty Mutual Insurance has an exciting opportunity for an attorney. As a Field Counsel you will represent the company and its policyholders in civil litigation matters involving claims for money damages or compensation for personal injury or property damage of a moderate value with moderately complex legal issues.

Responsibilities:

  • Use Litigation Protocols to develop and revise appropriate legal strategy for discovery, investigation, handling and trial/hearing of cases or matters
  • Conduct necessary and appropriate discovery, hearings, trials, depositions, oral arguments, mediations, arbitrations and similar proceedings
  • Research the law applicable to cases or matters; drafts legal documents, pleadings, motions, briefs and opinions as required. If requested, conduct settlement negotiations
  • Advise, communicate and confer with Claims Representatives and Insured Clients, rendering clear, unambiguous legal opinions and advice. Personally meet with, and maintain good relations and communications with Claims Representatives and Insured Clients as required
  • Remain current with developments in the law; understand medical, scientific, construction, products, engineering or similar issues and defenses involved with cases or matters
  • Prepare and conduct training sessions for Legal, Claims or other departments as required
  • Provide daily direction and guidance to junior attorneys
  • Understand and creatively use technology; apply technology to the process of law to improve qualit and reduce cost
  • Act as a team or group leader for an assigned group within the office
  • Interface with Home Office Legal department
  • Completion of law school with LLB or JD and admission to the bar
  • Special license to practice before a particular board or federal court may be necessary
  • A minimum of 1 successful year experience as an attorney
  • A general knowledge of insurance law and specific understanding of the operations and requirements of insured clients, customers and the company
  • The ability to effectively communicate and persuade by written or spoken word is critical
  • Experience and ability appropriate to the level of cases or matters handled 

Benefits:

We recognize that talented people are attracted to companies that provide competitive pay, comprehensive benefits packages and outstanding advancement opportunities. For this reason we offer a Comprehensive Benefits Plan that includes the following:

  • 401K and Company paid pension plan
  • Medical coverage
  • Dental coverage
  • Paid time-off
  • Pay-for-Performance
  • Discounts on automobile and homeowner’s insurance
  • Discount fitness memberships
  • Flexible spending accounts
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Vision care coverage
  • Work/Life resources
  • Accidental death & dismemberment insurance
  • Credit Union membership
  • Employee and Dependent life insurance
  • Disability insurance
  • Accidental death & dismemberment insurance

Overview:

We believe strongly that commercial success can be achieved in a manner consistent with principles and ideals that bind us together as one company, that set us apart from our competitors, and that in the end will allow us to say we have succeeded commercially by doing the right thing the right way.

We believe that the Company’s success is inextricably linked to our employees’ satisfaction and success: satisfaction that they work for an industry leader committed to improving safety, satisfaction that they work for a company that does the right thing, and satisfaction that the company will reward them for their contributions and provide opportunities for personal growth and success.

We believe our employees take pride in knowing that they help people live safer more secure lives everyday.

Travel:

50 % of the Time

For additional information and to apply, please visit the website.

Nominations Now Being Accepted for Stanford Law School’s National Public Service Award

Stanford Law School’s National Public Service Award honors an attorney who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to public service and social justice in his/her career. Nominees should be leaders in their fields who embody the tradition of public service.

The award will be presented at the Levin Center’s Annual Public Service Awards Dinner in the Fall of 2013.  Nominees for the National Public Service Award do not need to be Stanford Law School alumni.

The award is open to attorneys engaged in a broad spectrum of public interest or public service work, including litigation, education, or advocacy in the non-profit and government sectors. Stanford welcomes nominations of individuals with long, accomplished careers, as well as of younger attorneys who have significantly advanced social justice in the past year.

Recent award recipients include The Honorable Patricia M. Wald, for her lifetime of public service; Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. for his lifetime of public service; Bryan Stevenson, Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative; Debo P. Adegbile, the Director of Litigation at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; and Shannon Price Minter, the Legal Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

The nomination deadline is April 1.  More details are available online.

 

Learn About Unemployment Benefits Law & Help Those Who Have Lost Jobs

Florida Legal Services, along with co-sponsor University of Miami School of Law HOPE Public Interest Resource Center, presents a free training on Unemployment Compensation on March 13, 2013, from 2:00 – 4:30 pm. The training is open to Dade County attorneys who agree to provide pro bono representation to a low-income individual seeking unemployment benefits.

When individuals lose their job through no fault of their own, they are eligible for unemployment compensation (renamed Reemployment Assistance (RA)). But there are many challenges facing eligible applicants to getting those benefits. And while employers often have representation, the former employees frequently have no legal guidance at all.

Attorneys who participate will be trained by substantive experts: staff attorneys at Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. and Florida Legal Services. The fundamentals of unemployment law will be covered. In addition, this training will focus on new procedural requirements that pose insurmountable barriers to many of the unemployed, such as having to apply only by Internet, provide an email address, and take an online skills assessment. In addition to the live training, valuable online resources will be made available to participants. And every volunteer will get access to ongoing consultation, as needed, throughout the handling of the referred case.

Register for this free training at this registration link.

If you have questions about the registration process, contact Kathy Grunewald, FLS Training Director. If you have questions about the training, contact Valory Greenfield, FLS Staff Attorney.

Free Training for CLE Credits (CLE application pending for 2.0 credits).

 

 

Miami Law HOPE Public Interest Lecture Series Presents: Shahrzad Emami, Esquire

Miami Law HOPE Public Interest Lecture Series presents Shahrzad Emami, Esquire. This event takes place on Thursday, February 28, 2013, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m., in Room A-216B (above the CDO).

Shahrzad Emami serves as Affordable Housing Project Director at Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. in the Community Economic Development Practice Group. Ms. Emami primarily focuses her practice on the representation of non-profit developers and organizations that are developing or preserving affordable housing and community based facilities. She received her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University and her J.D. and LL.M. in Real Property Development from the University of Miami School of Law. At Miami Law, she teaches Mortgage Law.

The Public Interest Lecture Series provides students with a unique opportunity to interact in a small-group setting with dynamic and accomplished alumni and faculty who have either dedicated themselves to public interest law or have made a commitment to pro bono work in their private practice and teaching careers. These informal roundtable luncheons are designed to allow students to share their aspirations, ask questions and learn about the myriad opportunities in public service and public interest law. For upcoming events, please email UM HOPE. 

Kindly RSVP here.

HOPE News for the Week of February 25, 2013

Upcoming Events:

Wednesday, February 28th, 12:30-1:30PM, A-216B (above the CDO). Join the Public Interest Lecture Series for a roundtable luncheon with Shahrzad Emami, Affordable Housing Project Director, at Legal Services of Greater Miami. Please RSVP to UM HOPE.

Monday, March 4th, 12:30PM, Room 108. Please join us for a training session for a court observation project to examine the Three Minute Justice problem in County Court. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the three-minute justice issue where individuals are accepting pleas without contemplating or understanding the implications, as well as explore the client experience with the justice system. If interested in participating, email here 

Saturday, March 16th, 10am-5pm, Main Library- 101 West Flagler Street. The Miami-Dade Public Library System is seeking volunteer tutors for Project L.E.A.D. (Literacy for Every Adult in Dade). This one-on-one tutoring session assists adults with basic reading and writing skills. For more information, click here. 

The Impact Conference @ Sustainatopia. is one of the world’s leading conferences for social, financial and environmental sustainability. This year, the Conference is designed for social entrepreneurs engaged in transformative ventures. The program brings together leaders from more than 50 countries, and is taking place at the Miami Beach Convention Center between April 17th and 19th. For more information, visit the website.

Featured Fellowships:

Florida Legal Services in midtown Miami needs a legal intern to administer its Reemployment Assistance Pro Bono Project starting February 2013. The individual will oversee outreach to unemployed individuals in the community, screen and interview clients, assess the merits of clients’ cases, provide advice to clients, and follow-up with assigned attorneys on the status of the cases. The job is anticipated to require a commitment of at least ten hours per week and will pay $15 per hour depending upon experience. For more information, contact UM HOPE. 

PILnet: The Global Network for Public Interest Law is pleased to invite applicants to the PILnet Fellowship for 2013-2014. PILnet will select lawyers for eight months of study and practical experience in New York City. The program, now in its sixteenth year, targets future leaders in various fields of public interest advocacy. For more info, visit the website 

The George Washington University Law School is now accepting applications for its Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics’ graduate clinical fellowships for the academic years of 2013-15. Fellows obtain LL.M. degrees while examining and engaging in clinical legal education and public interest law. For more info, visit the website 

The Turner Environmental Law Clinic is hiring a fellow for the 2013-2014 academic year. Law school graduates within three years of graduation (including 2013 graduates) are encouraged to apply. Applications are due by February 28th.

Harvard Legal Aid Bureau seeks 16 law students to serve as Summer Fellows, who will interact directly with clients, opposing parties, witnesses, and government agencies. Find out more here. Application instructions for HLAB: Please send (1) a resume, (2) a cover letter, (3) a writing sample, (4) a law school transcript, and (5) two references to Joshua Rovenger, Executive Director, Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, 23   Everett Street, First Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138 via email. The positions are unpaid, but visit our website to find out how you can qualify for a HOPE Fellowship.

Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti is accepting applications for a Legal Intern (Summer 2013) and a Legal Fellow (2013-2014) to work on legal and public advocacy seeking UN accountability for Haiti’s cholera epidemic. More information on these positions can be found here.

$300,000+ in Funding Available for CGI U 2013 Students! Turn your ideas into action by applying online for Clinton Global Initiative University.

Equal Justice Works: New application period for 2013 Summer Corps program. Applications accepted on a rolling basis beginning Tuesday, December 18, 2012 until Monday, March 18, 2013. See here for program details.

2013 Deborah T. Poritz Summer Public Interest Legal Fellowship Program. Approximately 15 positions are available for first and second year law students at Legal Services of New Jersey. Click here for application.

FASPE (Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics) is now accepting applications for a fellowship that uses the conduct of lawyers and judges in Nazi Germany as a launching point for an intensive two-week early summer program about contemporary legal ethics. Click here for information.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Division seeks second year law students as legal interns to assist with its enforcement and outreach efforts. Please send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample (5-10 pages) to Peggy Schmidt to apply. The positions are unpaid, but visit our website to find out how you can qualify for a HOPE Fellowship.

Announcements & Opportunities:

The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) is seeking interns for 2013. Located in Washington, DC, internships are year-round and flexible on start/end dates. Internships are available in APA worker and immigration issues, research and legislative issues.  

Miami Law’s Clinics are now accepting applications for the fall and summer. You can learn more about each clinic here, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions. You can click here to watch short videos about each clinic. The deadline to apply for a fall clinic is March 6th. You can apply online here. The deadline for summer clinics is rolling, but you are encouraged to apply early.

The NLG Military Law Task Force is looking for student researchers for two projects, both excellent ways to get legal research and writing experience. One project involves researching statutes of ROTC regulations and drafting memos, and the other involves revising and updating military medical policies.

Empowered Youth and Child Advocacy and Family Society is looking for volunteers and mentor. For more information, email here.

LSGMI, Inc. Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. is seeking clerks to fill a variety of volunteer law clerk positions. Interested students should be able to volunteer a minimum of 12 hours a week for the Spring semester. For more information regarding the program, visit this link. For more information on how to apply, email UM HOPE.

 

 

Need to Sublet Your Place this Summer?

The CDO from time to time receives requests from Miami Law students or students elsewhere seeking to sublet their apartment and/or sublease another apartment. Below is detailed information about 0ne such opportunity:

A law student in Washington, DC is seeking a sublet in the Brickell/Downtown area from mid-May until late August 2013 (rough dates are May 14th to August 12th or 25th). This is an ideal opportunity for someone who is studying abroad or visiting another law school for this time period and would like to have their lease covered during their absence.

Please contact the CDO to be put in touch with this individual.

Americans for Immigrant Justice Children’s Legal Project – Part-Time Contract Position

Agency Background 

Americans for Immigrant Justice (AI Justice), formerly FIAC, a not-for-profit law firm founded in 1996 to protect and promote the basic human rights of immigrants, has a multicultural and a multilingual staff.  AI Justice has represented clients from around the world and is recognized as a powerful advocate and national leader for immigrants’ rights.  AI Justice works closely with traditional civil rights organizations, as well as with grassroots organizations and local, state and national government officials to effect positive change in immigration policies.

Duties: 

AI Justice is seeking a recent law graduate for its work with unaccompanied immigrant children.  The individual will primarily assist unaccompanied children in immigration custody and will be responsible for the following duties:

  • Working closely with various government agencies and social services providers.
  • Visiting shelters for unaccompanied immigrant children in the Miami area several times a week
  • Conducting Know Your Rights presentations.
  • Conducting individual client interviews.
  • Translating for clients and/or attorneys at interviews, hearings and presentations.
  • Completing applications for immigration relief.
  • Assisting with preparation of motions and other court documents.
  • Scheduling client visits.
  • Conducting daily case management and maintaining database.
  • Coordinating legal services for unaccompanied children in federal custody.

Qualifications: 

  • Energetic, friendly and responsible.
  • Experience working with adolescents preferred.
  • Previous BIA accreditation helpful. 
  • Experience in public interest law, particularly immigration law or child welfare, helpful. 
  • Familiarity with Microsoft Office required.  Knowledge of client database systems helpful.
  • Excellent people skills.
  • Ability to work independently and under pressure
  • Written and verbal proficiency in Spanish and English required.
  • Valid Driver’s license and reliable transportation needed.

Education: 

  • BA or an advanced degree.

Salary:  This is a part time contract position (20 hours/week).  Salary commensurate with experience.

To Apply:  Submit resume via email. Write CHILDREN’S LEGAL PROJECT in the subject line.

Interviews:  Top candidates will be invited to interview and submit references.  AI Justice is an EOE/AA employer and encourages women and minorities to apply.