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Notre Dame Law School Smith Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition – Call for Papers

By on January 28th, 2013

Notre DameLawSchool sponsors an annual writing competition on the topic of legal ethics. All students with an interest in legal ethics are invited and encouraged to participate.

The competition is open to all law students at U.S. and Canadian law schools. Entries should concern any issue within the general category of legal ethics.

Entries must be original, unpublished work. Entries must not exceed 50 pages, including notes, on 8.5 x 11 paper, double space, and standard font. Co-authored essays may be submitted.

Submissions will be judged by a panel of faculty of the Notre Dame Law School. A prize of $2,500 will be awarded for one winning entry. All entries must be received before 5 p.m., Friday, April 26, 2013. Please include cover letter with contact information and name of current law school.

All entries should be submitted to:

Smith-Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition
NotreDameLawSchool
P.O.   Box 780
Notre Dame, Indiana46556
(574) 631~6749
Fax: (574) 631~3980
Email: sumption.l@nd.edu 

Please visit the website for additional information.

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The Public Interest Fair on the Bricks on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at 12:30 p.m.

By on January 28th, 2013

Attend the Public Interest Fair on the Bricks on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at 12:30 p.m. You will be able to talk to students who have participated in Miami Law Clinics, CDO Externships, HOPE Summer Fellowships, Public Interest  Summer Fellowships, the Historic Black Church Project, the African Probate & Policy Initiative and other programs.

This can, in turn, prepare you for the CDO’s Career Fair on the Bricks on Wednesday, March 6th, 2013 at 12:00 pm.

 

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HOPE News for the Week of January 28, 2013

By on January 28th, 2013

Upcoming Events: 

Monday, January 28th, Public Interest Summer Opportunities, 12:30 – 2 pm, F209. Discover some of the exciting summer opportunities including HOPE Fellowships, the Summer Public Interest Program, Clinics, Externships, and the African Probate & Policy Initiative.  

Thursday, January 31st, “Different Kinds of Minds”, 7:00pm, BankUnited Center. Autism Advocate Temple Grandin, listed on Time Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people in the world, will speak about “Different Kinds of Minds” and autism.

Friday, February 1st, Panel Discussion and Screening of Broken on all Sides, 4:00 – 7:00pm, A110. Join the South Florida National Lawyer’s Guild (NLG) chapter, the University of Miami NLG Chapter, and the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center for a movie screening and panel discussion regarding mass incarceration and its disproportionate effects on minorities and the poor. 

Friday, February 1st, Meet the first Hispanic on the U.S. Supreme Court: Sonia Sotomayor. 6 pm, University of Miami, Bank United Center. Vouchers are required for this event. You will receive (1) one voucher in exchange for your purchase of her book, My Beloved World, at Books & Books. The voucher entitles you to receive (1) one copy of My Beloved World and also serves as your entry for (2) two people. 

Monday, February 4th, Gideon Project Training Session, 12:30 – 2 pm, A110. Work in teams to conduct a series of court observations in determining whether litigants understand their rights in criminal and traffic court. For more info, email UM HOPE.   

Wednesday, February 6th, Student-to-Student Public Interest Fair, 12:30 – 2 pm, the Bricks. The Miami Law Public Interest Fair is ideal for students to talk informally about their work at various agencies and to prepare for the CDO Career Fair on March 6th, 2013. It is also designed to help other students in applying for the numerous fellowships and clinics. Hear from students who have participated in the Miami Law Clinics, Fellowships, Summer Public Interest Programs, and Externships.  

Wednesday, February 6th, Legal Line at Dade County Bar Association, 6 – 9 pm. Help attorneys provide free legal assistance to callers throughout Miami-Dade County by participating in February’s featured event. For more information or to carpool, email UM HOPE.     

Friday, February 15th, Deadline for Applying for HOPE Summer Fellowships, Summer Public Interest Fellowships, and the African Probate & Policy Initiative. For more information, email UM HOPE. These application deadlines are distinct from summer clinic application deadlines. More information about Summer Clinics will follow. 

Featured Fellowships: 

Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago is looking to hire for the next year.  

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. 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 email a cover letter, resume, and writing sample (5-10 pages) to apply. The positions are unpaid, but visit our website to find out how you can qualify for a HOPE Fellowship.

Announcements & Opportunities: 

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

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 the website. For more information on how to apply, email UM HOPE.

19th Annual Rebellious Lawyering Conference, February 22-23, 2013. Registration is now open! HOPE will provide a $100 travel stipend to students who have not already used the benefit through EJW.

 

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Attend the Fifteenth Annual Informational Career Fair on March 6th!

By on January 28th, 2013

Attend the Fifteenth Annual Informational Career Fair on March 6, 2013, from 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. in the Bricks.

Career choices keeping you up at night? Get the answers you have been looking for at the annual Informational Career Fair. Take this opportunity to speak with attorneys practicing in different areas of law about how they got started in their fields and what it is really like to practice law on a day-to-day basis.

The fair will include attorneys working in small, midsize and large firms; public interest organizations; government agencies; the judiciary; and multinational corporations in a variety of practice areas. For additional information, please contact Brenda Louard or Debbie Rowe-Millwood in the CDO.

 

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The Northern Virginia Office of the Legal Aid Justice Center is seeking a Bilingual (Spanish/English) Attorney for its Immigrant Advocacy Program

By on January 28th, 2013

The Legal Aid Justice Center seeks a bilingual attorney to join its office in Falls Church, Virginia. Their work includes the provision of general civil legal assistance in the areas of housing, consumer and employment law for Northern Virginia’s diverse low-income immigrant communities. They also provide extensive representation to, and work closely with, the region’s predominantly Latino day laborers.

The Legal Aid JusticeCenter is a nationally recognized, non-profit program providing free civil legal assistance from four offices throughout the state of Virginia. The staff of more than thirty advocates pursue systemic legal advocacy for all low-income Virginians using a wide array of strategies. Through legal representation, community organization and statewide advocacy, the Legal Aid Justice Center works both to eliminate the immediate symptoms and to address the underlying causes of poverty in Virginia.

Qualifications include:

  • Membership in the Virginia bar or eligibility to waive in immediately;
  • A demonstrated commitment to social justice;
  • Spanish language proficiency;
  • Experience working for a public interest law firm, legal services organization, or other nonprofit as an attorney or in a pro bono capacity (ideally 1-5 years of experience);
  • Outstanding communication skills; and
  • An ability to balance a variety of responsibilities with a healthy sense of humor.

Competitive public interest salary DOE. Exceptional fringe benefits include generous leave, fully paid health insurance, retirement plan, student loan repayment assistance and a great work environment.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, references and a writing sample by e-mail to Alex Gulotta and Ivy Finkenstadt, followed by a hard copy to:

Alex R. Gulotta, Executive Director
Legal Aid   JusticeCenter
1000 Preston   Avenue, Suite A
Charlottesville, VA22903 

E-mailed applications will only be considered if followed by a hard copy.

The Legal Aid JusticeCenter is a 501(c)(3) organization and does not receive funding from the Legal Services Corporation. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

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This Week at the CDO (Week of January 28, 2013)

By on January 28th, 2013

Monday, January 28, 2013: 

  • Diversity Food Festival – 12:30 p.m., Bricks 

Tuesday, January 29, 2013: 

  • Networking and Diversity Panel – 12:30 p.m., Student Lounge 

Wednesday, January 30, 2013: 

  • Speed Networking Reception – 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Student Lounge 
  • 1L CDO Workshop – 12:30 p.m., Room E-352 

Thursday, January 31, 2013:

  •  Employment Discrimination Panel – 12:30 p.m., Student Lounge 

Friday, February 1, 2013: 

  • Holland & Knight Diversity Week Reception – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., 701 Brickell Avenue, Suite   3000, Miami, FL33131
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Ms. JD Presents: Building Her Power Base: A Conversation with ABA President Laurel Bellows on Leadership and Entrepreneurship

By on January 25th, 2013

Ms. JD, K&L Gates and Kirkland Ellis cordially invite you to attend a luncheon with ABA President Laurel Bellows. Laurel will be speaking on leadership and entrepreneurship and will be answering questions from young women attorneys and law students nationwide. When Ms. JD thinks about entrepreneurship and leadership, Laurel is one of the first women that comes to mind. She is the Principal of her own law firm, The Bellows Law Group, P.C., she is the president of the ABA, she was the second woman president of the 22,000 member Chicago Bar Association, she was listed among Working Mother Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Working Mothers in the country, and the list continues. Laurel’s presentation is an unsurpassed opportunity for law students and attorneys to get tips and tricks for tackling leadership and entrepreneurship in the law!

The event will be held on January 31, 2013 live in Chicago at Kirkland & Ellis and will be broadcast to the K&L Gates Miami office.

Lunch will be served and parking will be validated. Please register here. For more information, click here. Questions may be directed to Kim Watson.

 

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Paul Faherty Tax Law Writing Competition – $3,000 Grand Prize

By on January 25th, 2013

The Center for Tax Law and Employee Benefits at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago is pleased to announce the 2013 Paul Faherty Tax Law Writing Competition. James Lynch, a partner at Winston & Strawn LLP, has graciously endowed this writing competition to honor Paul Faherty, former director of the Center for Tax Law and Employee Benefits.

Prizes and Eligibility:

Awards include one grand prize of $3,000 and two honorable mentions, each $1,000.

Any student currently enrolled in an an ABA-accredited law school in the U.S. may enter. Topics may include any aspect of tax law.

Submit papers by email via email by Sunday, March 31, 2013.

For further information, please visit the website or contact Professor Kathryn J. Kennedy, Director of the Center for Tax Law & Employee Benefits.

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Lawyers Needed for USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process (HWFRCP)

By on January 23rd, 2013

The United States Government has established the Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process to make available up to $1.33 billion or more to farmers who alleged discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) based on being female, or based on being Hispanic, in making or servicing farm loans during certain periods between 1981 and 2000.  Qualified claimants who submit a timely claim could receive an award of up to $50,000 or up to $250,000 in cash, depending on the evidence submitted. USDA will also provide a total of up to $160 million in debt relief to successful Claimants who currently owe USDA money for eligible farm loans. Successful Claimants may also receive an additional amount, equal to 25% of the combined cash award plus the principal amount of debt relief, to help pay federal taxes that may be owed.

Farmers Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG) and the National Agricultural Law Center (NALC) are assisting in the development of a legal assistance network of attorneys to assist claimants in the completion of the official Claims Form. The Legal Assistance Network will be widely distributed to potential claimants, including being publicly available on the National Agricultural Law Center website here so that claimants and others can easily access the information and make contact with attorneys.  For background information on the USDA HWFRCP, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center website and/or visit the official Claims Process website.

Attorney involvement with the HWFRCP can be done on a pro bono basis, or for compensation. Please note, however, that a claimant is not required to be assisted by an attorney in order to complete and submit the official USDA HWFRCP Claim Form. In addition, the attorney need not be listed in the legal assistance network in order to assist a claimant.

Any lawyers interested in being listed in the Legal Assistance Network should send an email that indicates the state(s) in which they are licensed to practice, along with the corresponding bar number(s) for those states, and a request for a copy of the training video.  Attorneys cannot be included on the Legal Assistance Network until they have communicated that they have viewed the training video.

More information is available here.

 

 

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LAF Hiring for New VISTA Position

By on January 23rd, 2013

Service Description : For over 40 years, LAF (formerly Legal Assistance Foundation) has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year LAF’s more than 80 full-time attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, unfair evictions and foreclosures, public benefits, immigration, and employment rights. In addition to representing individuals in court and administrative hearings, LAF runs community legal clinics, provides know-your-rights workshops and works with community-based organizations to address emerging issues, as well as persistent and chronic problems that affect low-income families. Their work impacts more than 40,000 people each year.

LAF seeks to fill one VISTA position to work with their Housing Practice Group. They are opening an eviction defense help desk at the 6th Municipal District Court in Markham, Illinois. This court hears 5,000 eviction cases per year, and at least 25% involve low-income tenants who cannot afford an attorney. The goal is to assist at least 800 people per year by providing legal advice, assisting them with self-help materials and legal information, and providing full legal representation in court for clients who are most at risk of losing affordable, subsidized housing.

VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) is an AmeriCorps program with an anti-poverty mission.  They serve as capacity-builders for non-profit and governmental organizations. This particular assignment is to help launch and run the help desk and to do outreach on housing issues in the south suburbs.

Member Duties: The VISTA will build capacity at the new Markham eviction defense help desk by creating materials and systems for effective operation of the help desk and to facilitate the help desk attorney’s service to clients seeking legal assistance. The VISTA will utilize a web-based case management system to track client information. The VISTA will interact with help desk clients to connect them with appropriate resources and information. The VISTA will also engage in outreach projects to publicize the help desk and LAF’s services to low-income tenants in the south suburbs. The VISTA must have a car and be willing to drive every weekday morning to Markham and to outreach events throughout south suburban Cook County. Start date will be early-mid February, 2013.

Program Benefits: VISTAs receive a monthly living allowance of $1016, health insurance, and an
end-of-service cash award of $1,500 or an educational award of $5,500. LAF provides: Childcare assistance if eligible,  Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend,  Health Coverage,  Living Allowance,  Monthly Transit Pass; Rental Supplement,  Relocation Allowance,  Stipend,  Training.

Service Areas: Community and Economic Development,  Community Outreach,  Hunger.

Skills: Communications,  Leadership,  Public Speaking,  Writing/Editing,  General Skills.

If interested in a year of VISTA service with LAF’s new Markham Eviction Help Desk, please email your resume and cover letter directly to Cynthia Sadkin, LAF’s Director of Client and Community Services.