vLex International Law & Technology Writing Competition 2021 – Deadline December 1, 2020

For the fourth year in a row, the International Law and Technology Writing Competition is open for submissions of blog-style articles of 1,000 words, from students around the world, until the 1st December 2020. This annual competition offers you the opportunity to stand out from your peers, enhance your employability, and have your work published to an international audience of legal professionals.

This year, the winner will receive a grand prize of £1,500 and a 3-month internship at one of the world’s leading legal technology firms, alongside the publication of their entry to a global legal audience. Three runners-up who place best in each of the three categories will receive a cash prize, alongside the publication of their articles.

About the Competition:

The vLex International Law and Technology Writing Competition is designed to enable students around the world to showcase their writing ability to an international audience and to give a voice to the lawyers of the future. Following three successful competitions in 2018, 2019, and 2020 the competition now draws entries from students at 98 universities from 30 countries around the world.

How to enter?

First, complete the form online.

We use this information to communicate important information about the competition to you, including guidance on the three topic areas for this year’s competition and the submission form. Don’t panic! Completing the form does not mean you are expected to submit an entry. This will ensure you have the right information if you choose to enter.

Then, start writing! 

Once you’ve finished your 1,000-word article on one of the three topics, use the submission form to enter. You can enter a maximum of one entry per topic.

Lastly, submit your entry before the 1st December 2020.

Entry Requirements:

Please ensure that you have read the entry requirements in full.

Open to students around the world:

  • All entries must be 1,000 words or less, excluding references
  • All entries must be in English
  • Please ensure you follow the referencing guidelines, which are email to you once you sign-up to the competition
  • You must be a current student (undergraduate or postgraduate)
  • Entries must be submitted before the 1st December 2020, Midnight GMT
  • A maximum of one entry may be submitted for each category
  • Your entry must include your full name within the document
  • All entries must be submitted in Microsoft word format (Do not submit a PDF)
  • Entries must not include any photos, diagrams or illustrations
  • Sign-up and submit your entry using your valid university email address if possible (see below for more details)

Email address: If your university or college does not provide you with an email address you can submit a proof of student status, such as an ID, or letter from your university when you submit your article. On our submission form, there is a field for you to attach a proof of status alongside your article.

To find out more about the competition, including full details of the topics, entry requirements, prizes, closing dates, frequently asked questions and full terms and conditions, visit the competition website.

“OPPORTUNITY OF THE WEEK” FOR FRIDAY 9/25/20!

CAP/PJI Capital/JLWOP Criminal Defense 2021 Summer Internship

The Capital Appeals Project (CAP) is a non-profit law office based in New Orleans, Louisiana that provides capital appellate and post-conviction representation to indigent people on Louisiana’s death row. CAP is one of the leading death penalty appeals offices in the country and has represented clients in several recent cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, including Kennedy v. Louisiana, Snyder v. Louisiana, and Montejo v. Louisiana. CAP provides high-quality representation in the state and federal courts throughout Louisiana and acts as a resource to public defenders and criminal defense lawyers across the state. CAP attorneys have successfully represented clients in state district courts, the Louisiana Supreme Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court, which in turn has improved the quality and standards of representation for indigent capital defendants in Louisiana. We also represent a number of non-capital juvenile clients in proceedings implementing the recent Miller/Montgomery Supreme Court decisions which limit life without parole sentences for juvenile offenders.

CAP works closely with The Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI), a New Orleans based nonprofit that works to create positive change for people in the criminal justice system at the intersection of direct services, impact litigation, and community engagement. We believe in a world where our justice system values each person; a world where the system supports rehabilitation, and a world where we approach justice with a lens of healing and restoration for those who are harmed. This world will be safer and more secure for all people. Through PJI, we also represent death sentenced inmates in federal habeas corpus proceedings and non-capital clients in strategic criminal representation.

Internship Description and Requirements:

Each summer intern is assigned to a senior attorney for supervision and mentorship. Capital and JLWOP criminal defense interns work on individual cases in appeal, post-conviction or federal habeas proceedings, assisting attorneys, investigators and other staff. Depending on the caseload of their supervising attorney, interns may also have the opportunity to participate in some civil conditions of confinement cases. Work includes visiting clients, reviewing trial records, legal research and writing including preparing motions and briefs, and assisting with investigation, reviewing and collecting records, and conducting factual analysis in cases. The work demands rigorous attention to detail and creative thinking and offers students a closely supervised opportunity to learn the intricacies of death penalty jurisprudence, as well as criminal, appellate, and federal habeas law.

The internship begins with a training program, and we provide a program of weekly brown bag lunches where interns have the opportunity to learn from and meet some of the top public interest lawyers and workers from other organizations around the city, as well as our own staff.

The deadline is October 30, 2020. For addition details, including how to apply, please visit Symplicity Job Posting ID#26743.

Peggy Browning Fund Conference Is Going Virtual – The NATIONAL LAW STUDENTS WORKERS’ RIGHTS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE – DEADLINE EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 7TH!

NATIONAL LAW STUDENTS WORKERS’ RIGHTS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

This is an exciting opportunity for students interested in workers’ rights and social justice!

Dates:  October 16-18, 2020

Plenary Session: Black Lives Matter & the Labor Movement

Keynote Address: COVID-19 and Essential Workers

Substantive Workshops

Networking Meet-Ups.

If you’re interested in advocating for workplace justice, join us!

  • Learn about vital issues facing workers
  • Gain valuable insights into becoming an advocate workers’ rights
  • Supplement your labor law courses
  • Learn about Peggy Browning Fellowships

Registration Deadline: October 7, 2020. Online registration is open.

Look for details on the website .

Fees: $20 registration fee, $75 conference fee, group discounts available – More info here.

Questions? Contact Mary Ann Moffa, Executive Director, Peggy Browning Fund or call 267-273-7992

 

 

Get to Know Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP and its Summer Program!

Dear Class of 2022,

This is an important time to begin your legal career.

While the collective experiences over these past months have impacted us all in different ways, as aspiring attorneys you no doubt have your own considerations and questions about what lies ahead. In such times of rapid financial, political, and social change, one constant is the unique opportunity attorneys have to help shape the laws and business practices that will be the foundation of our nation’s future.

As you progress along your career path and with one year of law school under your belt, it’s time to start thinking about a position for next summer. And we’re hoping that you will think about Cadwalader.

Cadwalader has a long-standing tradition of making a difference for clients and the public good. And we do mean “long-standing” — the firm was founded in 1792 and is the oldest continuing Wall Street law practice in America!

Over these many years, our own growth and development has often paralleled the major economic, social, and political events that have shaped our country and the world. In fact, to address today’s societal challenges, we apply our resources and capabilities to four pillars of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Fighting Hunger, Investing in Our Communities, Justice and Equity for All, and Sustainability.

With approximately 400 attorneys in the United States and Europe, the firm is well positioned to offer top-flight services to clients conducting global business. We have built relationships with premier financial institutions, global corporations and funds, earning a reputation for crafting innovative business and financial solutions and developing precedent-setting legal strategies to achieve our clients’ goals.

Our multidisciplinary practice groups below handle groundbreaking transactions, complex investigations and litigation, and novel issues arising in emerging areas of law. In addition, we are very proud of the many accolades that have accompanied our work.

Getting Ready for Interviews:

Now that you know more about our firm, below are some tips for navigating the screening and callback interview process:

  • Thoroughly research each firm before pursuing an interview. It makes sense to focus only on firms that most closely match your interests.
  • Create a “cheat sheet” for each firm that you can review prior to your interview. Using this information, craft questions to ask during your interview that can help you narrow your choices.
  • Sources of your research should include:
    • Firm websites, especially any sections or microsites developed specifically for law student recruiting
    • Your school’s alumni or 3Ls who have worked in firms in which you’re interested
    • Surveys (NALP, Chambers, The American Lawyer’s Midlevel, Vault)
    • National or industry newspapers and magazines that have written about the firm, its cases, deals, or people
    • Legal and business blogs (But be wary! Blogs are not always credible sources and many post gossip or false information to increase hits and generate advertising revenue.)
    • The Career Services Office on your law school campus. Career services professionals can help you make connections with alumni, share with you feedback from former summer associates, and offer advice from career counselors who are familiar with the industry, among other things.
  • Be genuine and honest. Interviewers will assume that you researched their firm, but no one expects you to know much about the actual practice of law or specific areas of practice. Pretending to know more than you do or overinflating your qualifications will make you seem less credible.
  • Be courteous to other candidates and to firms, and respond to callback invitations promptly. Firms may designate a certain number of callback interviews to students at your school. They might wait for responses before offering an interview to additional candidates, so a prompt response is appreciated.
  • Before accepting a callback, strongly consider whether the employer meets the criteria that are genuinely important to you.

Cadwalader is successfully utilizing virtual platforms to engage with potential new hires during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our recruiting team is conducting interviews remotely and employing online onboarding tools. The 2020 summer class successfully completed our first-ever virtual program in July, and we are maintaining a well-attended schedule of attorney training programs, CLE opportunities and client events. We look forward to leveraging state-of-the-art virtual solutions for the upcoming winter recruiting season!

We hope that you will consider engaging with Cadwalader during the recruiting season. It’s the best way to discover that we may very well be the right fit for you

VIRTUAL INTEL DIVERSITY & INCLUSION TECH SUMMIT FOR LAW STUDENTS – September 22, 2020!

You are invited to join Intel Corporation’s Diversity & Inclusion team for our inaugural D&I Technology Law Summit. The program takes place on September 22, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. PT (8:00 p.m. ET)

This webinar, offered in cooperation with our partner law firms, is designed to encourage diverse law students of all backgrounds to consider a career in the technology sector, in support of our goal that the technology industry reflect the diversity we see every day in the world around us.

Part 1 of the two-part program kicks off on Tuesday, September 22 with a two-hour program. Through an interactive panel discussion and TED Talk-style presentations, our speakers will address a host of top-of-mind issues, including:

  • The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the legal industry and technology sector
  • What law firms and technology companies are doing to promote racial equity
  • Advice and inspiration from diverse attorneys working on the cutting edge of technology law, both in-house and in private practice

Part 2 is planned for later in the school year.

To register for this webinar, please click here.

We continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and plan to host a complimentary in-person program when it is safe to do so. We hope you will be able to attend both our virtual and in-person events.

 

 

“OPPORTUNITY OF THE WEEK” FOR FRIDAY 9/18/20!

Earthjustice Seeking Law Clerks – Summer 2021

Earthjustice is seeking summer law clerks who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment. Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization.  We take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country.  We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health; to preserve magnificent places and wildlife; to advance clean energy; and to combat climate change.  We partner with thousands of groups and supporters to engage the critical environmental issues of our time, and bring about positive change.  We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.

Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections.  We achieve this by hiring the best and brightest who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment.  Our headquarters are in San Francisco with fifteen offices across the U.S.

Earthjustice’s work is currently divided into three major areas:

  • The Wild focuses on cases that protect endangered species, national forests, national parks, other public lands, water resources, and the oceans.
  • Healthy Communities focuses on cases that protect public health, prevent air and water pollution, and curb exposures to toxic chemicals, particularly in disproportionately impacted communities. Recently, our healthy communities work has also begun to promote sustainable food and agriculture and the rights of farm workers.
  • Climate and Energy focuses on cases that encourage clean energy and energy efficiency while challenging the reliance on coal, oil and other dirty fuels.

Summer law clerks work with attorneys on case development and litigation. Under the supervision of an attorney, a law clerk’s primary responsibilities are to perform legal and factual research, and to develop case strategy and legal theories. Law clerks may also have the opportunity to assist attorneys with preparing briefs and motions, to meet with clients and experts, to participate in moots of oral arguments, and to attend court proceedings and conferences with opposing counsel. In addition to involvement in ongoing litigation, the summer program includes seminars with attorneys from across the organization on current environmental issues.

The Earthjustice Summer Clerkship position includes a weekly stipend of $1,120 a week, with the average clerkship lasting 10 weeks (approximately $11,200 total). The total stipend amount will be dependent on the extent of a clerk’s ability to secure outside funding. Earthjustice will pay $1,120 a week less the total amount received from other sources. We strongly encourage candidates to pursue outside funding, but the ability to secure outside funding will not be considered as part of the hiring decision.

Earthjustice has 15 regional offices:

  • Alaska – Anchorage and Juneau
  • California – San Francisco and Los Angeles
  • Coal Program – Philadelphia and Chicago
  • Community Partnerships Program – Los Angeles
  • Florida – Tallahassee and Miami
  • Fossil Fuels Program – New Orleans
  • International – San Francisco
  • Mid-Pacific – Honolulu
  • Midwest – Chicago
  • Northeast – New York
  • Northern Rockies – Bozeman
  • Northwest – Seattle
  • Oceans Program – Seattle and San Francisco
  • Rocky Mountain- Denver
  • Tribal Partnerships Program – Seattle and Denver
  • Washington, D.C.

Each of these offices accepts applications for summer law clerks, and students should submit an application to each office of interest.

To Apply:   Law students who have a minimum of ten weeks to commit in the summer are eligible to apply.  Interested applicants should submit their:

  • Cover letter. The best cover letters are one page and address why the applicant wants to work for Earthjustice, and provide information about the applicant that is not apparent or fully explained in the resume.
  • Resume
  • Recent writing sample, preferably a legal brief or memorandum of no more than ten pages that primarily reflects your work.
  • Unofficial transcript
  • List of three references

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please note that each office handles applications individually, so you will need to submit an application for each office that interests you. Identical applications for each office are fine, but a sentence or two in your cover letter on why you’re interested in each office is preferred.

If you’re having technical difficulties submitting your application, please reach out via email. For additional information and details, visit the website.

No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies.

Peggy Browning Fund Conference Is Going Virtual – The NATIONAL LAW STUDENTS WORKERS’ RIGHTS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE is from October 16 – October 20th 2020

THE NATIONAL LAW STUDENTS WORKERS’ RIGHTS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

This is an exciting opportunity for students interested in workers’ rights and social justice!

Dates:  October 16-18, 2020

Plenary Session: Black Lives Matter & the Labor Movement

Keynote Address: COVID-19 and Essential Workers

Substantive Workshops & Networking Meet-Ups. If you’re interested in advocating for workplace justice, join us!

  • Learn about vital issues facing workers
  • Gain valuable insights into becoming an advocate workers’ rights
  • Supplement your labor law courses
  • Learn about Peggy Browning Fellowships

Registration Deadline: October 1, 2020. Online registration will open this week.

Look for details on the website

Questions? Contact Mary Ann Moffa, Executive Director, Peggy Browning Fund or call 267-273-7992

 

 

“OPPORTUNITY OF THE WEEK” FOR FRIDAY 9/11/20!

First American Foundation Ken Weiss Legal Fellowship:

The First Amendment Foundation (FAF), a small non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the public’s constitutional right to open government, has a legal fellowship position available for 2L and 3L law students. The Weiss Legal Fellow works directly with the FAF president and staff attorney on open government issues and will actively track and analyze legislation during the 2021 legislative session.

The fellowship is a full-time position during the second semester of the 2020-2021 school year, and potentially eligible for credit depending on the law school’s programs. Fellows are paid a small stipend and will be selected on the basis of academic achievement and communication skills, a demonstrated interest in public policy, and a commitment to public service. In light of the current pandemic, interviews will be conducted via Zoom, and FAF will work with the Fellow to work closely but safely with its staff, as conditions allow.

For additional details and information and to apply, visit Symplicity Job Posting ID#26701 or visit the website. DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 30, 2020.

“OPPORTUNITY OF THE WEEK” FOR FRIDAY 9/4/20!

U.S. Copyright Office – Fall 2020 – Program for Law Clerks (Internship) – Deadline October 2, 2020. See also Symplicity Job Posting ID# 26143.

Description:

The United States Copyright Office provides expert leadership and advice on copyright law and policy to the United States Congress, federal agencies, the courts, and the general public. The mission of the Copyright Office is to promote creativity by administering and sustaining an effective national copyright system.

The Copyright Office has Fall 2020 positions available for unpaid law clerks in the Office of the General Counsel, Office of Policy and International Affairs, Office of Public Information and Education, and the Office of Registration Policy and Practice. These units interpret the U.S. Copyright Act and advise Congress, executive branch agencies, and others on domestic and international policy matters. In addition, Copyright Office attorneys support work on critical projects and priorities of the Register of Copyrights, including legislative and policy initiatives, operational enhancements, and public outreach efforts.

Projects of law clerks include:

  • Attending congressional hearings, industry events, and roundtables;
  • Drafting portions of Copyright Office communications and reports;
  • Joining in meetings with stakeholders or domestic and foreign officials; and
  • Conducting legal research and drafting memoranda.

Candidates for a law clerk position must either presently be enrolled in, or have graduated from, an accredited law school; have a demonstrated interest or background in copyright law as shown by relevant coursework or otherwise; and possess excellent research, writing, and editing abilities.

The United States Copyright Office is a federal agency that is part of the Library of Congress. Additional information about the Copyright Office can be found online. Details on how to apply can be found online.

Practice areas: Copyright, Intellectual Property, Entertainment, Government, Government Policy, Litigation, Litigation-IP, Public Interest, Public Policy

* The Copyright Office’s operating status for the Fall has not yet been determined. There is a possibility that Fall internships may be conducted remotely.

 

 

Reminder – DOJ Application Period Ends Tuesday + Friday DOJ Webinar Scheduled

As a reminder, the application period for the U.S. Department of Justice’s paid Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP) for 2L students and postgraduate Honors Program (HP) for 3L students, will close this Tuesday, September 8th at 11:59 p.m. ET. Applications must be submitted via the online application portal.

WEBINAR

To answer last minute questions from applicants, the DOJ will host a webinar this Friday, September 4, at 12:00 p.m. ET. This webinar will solely be for questions. Access the webinar here. Access code is 10200.

PROGRAM INFORMATION

More information about both programs, including offices participating and the number of available positions, can be found at:

Applicants are also encouraged to view the application tips and checklist.