Deadline to Attend the Fifth Annual Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting in Washington, D.C. is January 23rd!

Jon Stewart to join President Clinton for CGI U 2012 in Washington, D.C.

Application deadline is January 23, 2012 and students can apply online.

The fifth meeting of Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) will be convened March 30-April 1, 2012 in Washington,  D.C. at the George Washington (GW) University. Building on the successful model of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). CGI U brings together approximately 1,000 students from all over the world, along with nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, and celebrities
engaged in efforts to create positive change.

The CGI U meetings consist of working sessions, skill sessions, and large plenary sessions, where participants can learn about innovative approaches to solving global issues. Additionally, each CGI U meeting features a large-scale service project where CGI U attendees give back to the local community. The CGI U 2012 plenary sessions topics include:

The Power of Public Service, which will highlight the important work of groundbreaking public servants and discuss effective ways to build a broader culture of active civic engagement;

The Wisdom of Failure: Building a Culture of Creative Problem Solving, which will explore how to embrace failure as an opportunity for innovation and entrepreneurship; and  

Futurenomics: Creating Opportunity in an Unstable World, which will address how young people can move beyond  business-as-usual and create economic opportunity for generations to come. 

Speakers at this year’s CGI U meeting will include Chelsea Clinton; Jon Stewart, executive producer and host, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; Rye Barcott, founder, Carolina for Kibera; Sadiqa Basiri, co-founder, Oruj Learning Center; Robin Chase, chief executive officer, Buzzcar; Bekele Geleta, secretary general, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; Dr.  Ashifi Gogo, founder and chief executive officer, Sproxil, Inc.; Cynthia Koenig, chief executive officer, Wello; and Kathryn Schulz, author, Being Wrong.

Each CGI U participant makes a Commitment to Action – a new, specific, and measurable plan that addresses a challenge on their campus, in their local community, or around the world. Commitments range from installing energy-efficient light bulbs to establishing campus bike share programs, from distributing life-saving water filtration kits to designing medical backpacks
for nomadic doctors inAfrica.

The CGI U application is available online.

The deadline for applications is Monday, January 23, 2012.

The University of San Diego School of Law Seeking Assistant Dean, JD Admissions & Financial Aid

The University of San Diego School of Law is seeking candidates for Assistant Dean, JD Admissions & Financial Aid.

For information, link to USD website.

University of Miami School of Law HOPE Public Interest Resources Center’s Summer Resources

Please read below for summer resources. For the next few months, HOPE will be highlighting helpful resources and exciting opportunities for Summer 2012!

Summer Resources

Searching for summer funding? PSLawNet’s resource page for public interest law students searching for summer funding is newly updated and expanded! Detailed information on over 50 funding opportunities is available. Click here to start searching today!

Here are just a few of the many summer public interest opportunities available to you!

  • The HOPE Summer Fellowship, Summer Public Interest Fellowship Program and Summer Clinic applications will be available soon!
  • The American Civil Liberties Union has a number of legal internship and fellowship opportunities.
  • Equal Justice America Legal Services Fellowships: Applications must be postmarked no later than March 19, 2012.
  • The GBI Graduate Internship Program provides a unique opportunity for graduate students in both International Development and Communications to gain valuable insight and experience in USAID’s ICT4D activities. The Summer Internship application deadline is May 10, 2012.
  • Goodwin Public Interest Fellowships for Law Students of Color: Application Deadline: February 24th. Click here for more information.
  • INTERRIGHTS (the international centre for the legal protection of human rights) is pleased to invite applications for summer interns for May to September 2012. Click here for more information.
  • The Mississippi Center for Justice, a nonprofit, public interest, homegrown law firm, invites applications from law students to take part during the summer in work advancing racial and economic justice in Mississippi. If you would like more information about this opportunity, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.
  • NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Fellowships & Internships: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through January 2012.
  • NALP is accepting applications for a Summer 2012 PSLawNet Publications Coordinator. Click here for more information.
  • Public Interest Law Initiative Summer Internship: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through March 2012.

 

University of Miami School of Law HOPE Public Interest Resources Center’s Community Service Opportunities

Please read below for community service. For the next few months, HOPE will be highlighting helpful resources and exciting opportunities for Summer 2012!

Community Service Opportunities

Books & Buddies is looking for volunteers! The Books & Buddies Program is a great, non-time consuming way to work with children and help out the community. Law students are matched with an elementary school buddy with whom they will write a story throughout the semester. Email Books & Buddies if you are interested.

Empowered Youth Neighborhood Program: Be a mentor or tutor for at-risk youth of Miami Dade County. The Neighborhood Program meets every Monday and Wednesday evening from 6:30 to 9 PM, and is structured around a juvenile reform curriculum that has been tested and proven effective. Please email UM HOPE to get involved.

University of Miami School of Law HOPE Public Interest Resources Center Announcements

Please read below for upcoming announcements. For the next few months, HOPE will be highlighting helpful resources and exciting opportunities for Summer 2012!

Announcements

Interested in a Legal Advocacy Alternative Break (LAAB)? Law students are welcome to submit proposals for Spring LAAB (March 12 – 16) in groups of 3-8 people. Students will need to submit a proposal regarding the organization with which they would like to volunteer and describing the type of legal advocacy work in which the group will be engaged. The Spring 2012  LAAB proposal is due on January 31st.

Translation Assistance is needed! Team with lawyers and use your language skills to assist Spanish and Creole speaking clients. Email UMHOPE to help.

Rosemary Barkett Appellate Inn of Court Pro Bono opportunities: The Rosemary Barkett Appellate Inn of Court (“Inn”), which is comprised of judges, academics, litigators, and law students, is designed to improve the skills, professionalism and ethics of the bench and bar. Members of the Inn form teams to work on pro bono matters representing clients in unemployment benefits appeals. These pro bono cases provide students with an opportunity to gain litigation experience, including the possibility of arguing a case in front of the Third DCA, while also working alongside judges, practicing lawyers, and law professors. Please email UMHOPE if you are interested.

Legal Services of Greater Miami is seeking students to fill law clerk positions in the following departments: AIDS Legal
Advocacy Project, Renters Education and Advocacy Legal Line, Children’s Advocacy Project, Homeless Legal Advocacy Project, Low Income Tax Project, Tenant’s rights Project, Community Economic Development, and Single Stop Project. Applicants should be able to commit at least 12 hours per week for either academic credit or on a volunteer basis. For more information and the
application, email UMHOPE.

Register Now for the Rebellious Lawyering Conference! RebLaw 2012 will take place on February 17th –18th at Yale Law School in New Haven, CT. This year’s keynote speaker will be Gerald Lopez, UCLA law professor and author of “Rebellious Lawyering: One Chicano’s Vision of Progressive Law Practice.” Details about the conference can be found at www.yale.edu/reblaw.
Law students attending Reblaw will be eligible for a $100 travel stipend from HOPE. Email UMHOPE if interested.

1Miami is looking for student interns! 1Miami is a non-profit advocacy organization that aims to educate and organize low-income residents in neighborhood committees throughout Miami-Dade  County. 1Miami helps residents learn about their rights and advocate for policies to support job creation, to strengthen labor and employment rights, and to combat income inequality. A minimum of 12 hours per week is required. Email UMHOPE for more information.

 

University of Miami School of Law HOPE Public Interest Resources Center’s Upcoming Events

Please read below for upcoming events on campus, opportunities in the community, and other announcements. For the next few months, HOPE will be highlighting helpful resources and exciting opportunities for Summer 2012!

Upcoming Events in the Community

Thursday, January 26th, Small Claims Clinic, 5 – 8pm, Legal Services of Greater Miami: Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. and Dade County Legal Aid Society’s Put Something Back program work together to host a Small Claims Court Clinic twice a month. Law students have the opportunity to conduct client intake and sit side-by-side with attorneys assisting low-income individuals, who cannot afford an attorney, with initiating their own small claims case. Spanish and Creole interpreters are also needed. Email Daniela Gordon if interested.

Saturday, January 28th, WalkAbout Autism, 9 – 11am, Sun Life Stadium: Join the Public Interest Leadership Board and the SBA as it participates in The Dan Marino Foundation’s Second Annual walk that raises crucial funds for the autism community of South Florida. Please contact rayni.rabinovitz@gmail.com for more information about registering.

Thursday, February 23 – 24th, Dade County High School Mock Trial Competition, Hyatt Regency Downtown: The Dade County Bar Association’s Young Lawyer’s Section and the Miami  Dade County  Public Schools are looking for volunteer judges for the competition. Each judging session takes approximately 3 hours and there are morning and afternoon sessions on both dates. If you are interested in judging the competition, please contact Eric A. Hernandez.

 

The 2012 Equal Justice Works Summer Corps Program

The Equal Justice Works Summer Corps program provides law students with the opportunity to dedicate at least 300 hours of their summer to a legal project at a qualifying nonprofit public interest organization. In 2012, 711 law students will be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps education award in the amount of $1,175 upon their successful completion of the Summer Corps program.

Applications for 2012 Summer Corps will be available Thursday, March 1, 2012.

The deadline to apply is Friday, March 23, 2012.

Please visit the website to learn more about Summer Corps and the application process. There is also a webinar with more information. If you require further assistance, please contact the program via email.

NEW THIS YEAR: Please be advised, Summer Corps is an AmeriCorps-funded national service program. Among other eligibility requirements, all applicants to Summer Corps must provide a copy of acceptable documentation to prove identity and eligibility as well as consent in writing to undergo a National Service Criminal History Check. In accordance with federal law, Summer Corps applicants will be required to undergo the following criminal history checks: FBI fingerprint-based
criminal history checks; State criminal registry checks in the state of service and state of residence at time of application; and a National Sex Offender Public Registry search. Equal Justice Works will conduct and review the results of each National Service Criminal History Check after the applicant has applied to the Summer Corps program, but prior to enrolling those who are selected as Summer Corps members. Selection in the Summer Corps program is contingent upon Equal Justice Works’ review of the background check results. Having a criminal conviction is not a bar to service. Each application is reviewed on a case by case basis. The Summer Corps application will provide further details regarding the criminal background check process.

Information About The Educational Debt Relief Program

President Obama issued an executive order in the fall announcing new programs that will reduce the burden on students repaying their federal student loans. One proposal, Special Direct Consolidation, is in effect now through June 30 and allows certain borrowers to consolidate their loans and receive an interest rate reduction. The President also proposes changes that would allow certain borrowers to receive lower monthly payment amounts based on income. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Education are also collaborating on new projects to assist students and graduates.

There’s still a bit of uncertainty around the President’s proposal for income-based payments and the timing for some students. It should also be noted that, while it is not as helpful as the President’s proposal, the Income-Based Repayment plan in its current form (25-year forgiveness and a 15% cap on payments) is available to help all students with their federal loans, including those who work exclusively in the private sector or are not employed.

To learn more about the President’s initiatives and stay up-to-date on educational debt relief news, check out the Student Loan  Ranger blog at U.S. News Education. Sign up for free Equal Justice Works webinars to learn about available educational debt relief, whether you are eligible and how to qualify.

The American College of Employment Benefits Counsel Announces the Eighth Annual Employment Benefits Writing Competition

SUBJECT: Any topic in the field of employee benefits law.

OPEN TO: Any J.D. and graduate (LL.M. or S.J.D) law students enrolled at any time between August 15, 2011 and August 15, 2012.

SUBMIT BY: June 1, 2012.

PRIZES: Clarin M. Schwartz Memorial Award$1,500 /Sidney M. Perlstadt Memorial Award $1,500

Each winner will be honored during the College’s annual black tie dinner on September 15, 2012 in Boston. They will receive a plaque and an employee benefits treatise published by BNA Books. If deemed suitable by the editors, one or more of the winning papers will be published by the BNA Pension and Benefits Reporter, the BNA Tax Management Compensation Planning Journal or another employee benefits publication. The winning papers will also be distributed to the Fellows of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, who are experienced attorneys that have made significant contributions to the advancement of the employee benefits field in a wide range of practice settings including law and consulting firms, universities, labor unions, advocacy organizations and government agencies throughout the United States.

For information concerning the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, contact Peter Kelly or consult the website. For Competition Rules, visit here.

Gunster is Offering a Scholarship to Participate in 30th Annual Federal Securities Institute

Gunster is again offering a scholarship for one student to participate in the full two-day 30th Annual Federal Securities Institute, Thursday – Friday, February 16-17 at Eden Rock Hotel in Miami Beach.

Gunster would also like to invite 10-15 students to join the firm at the Securities Institute Reception on the evening of Thursday, February 16th. If you are interested in securities, please  email your resume (no cover letter is required) to Lori Lorenzo at the CDO. There is no deadline to apply, but Gunster would like to have the scholarship recipient identified as soon as possible.

More detailed conference information can be found online.