Civil Rights Internship Opportunity in Boston

Intake and Referral Volunteers for the ACLU of Massachusetts

Volunteers needed for intake and referral of complaints about civil liberties violations and general reception duties. Volunteers are responsible for handling telephone complaints and determining whether they fall within ACLUM's areas of concern - namely First Amendment violations (free speech, assembly, press, and religion), illegal search, privacy, racial equality, women's rights, immigrants' rights, employment, LGBTQ rights, prisoners' rights, and police abuse.

Volunteers screen calls and write up appropriate complaints for review by our intake attorneys. Volunteers work in four-hour shifts (9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. or 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.) and are an integral part of the daily operations of the ACLU of Massachusetts. Intake volunteers need to be able to commit to a regular weekly 4-hour shift.

Please contact us at info@aclum.org if you are interested in having a regular shift (an afternoon or morning on one or more days, depending on current needs).
Other volunteer opportunities may be available depending on your availability and background/skills.
Thank you for your interest in the ACLU of Massachusetts!

Immigration Law FT position

The DOL has announced an opening for its regional U visa coordinator position in Atlanta, GA. The U visa coordinator is responsible for U visa certification requests for the Southeast region in the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division. Spanish proficiency is required. (Many of the other DOL regional U visa coordinators are former immigrant worker advocates).

Applications are due by October 9, 2012. For more information, please visit:  https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/327366700

Call for Volunteers

Nearly 60 students attended the CLSR Open House last week and several are already participating in pro bono opportunities. We have several current projects and we are always looking for help. Browse our calendar and TWEN site, like us on Facebook, and contact me if you have questions about how to get involved. New jobs and internships are in the “News and Events” section of TWEN.

Conference on Mass Incarceration and Reentry - Free Admission

Opening Night is Free with Dr. Michelle Alexander at:

The Center for Church and Prison, Inc. Strategic National Conference On Mass Incarceration and Reentry

Boston Univ. Law Sch. Auditorium: Oct. 18th-20th (765 Commonwealth Ave. Take the Green line to BC, Get off at the 3rd stop out of the Tunnel: BU Central)

If you want to join other NEL|B volunteers at the conference, RSVP to me.

church and prison

www.conferenceonmassincarceration.com 

All seats were packed at the first CORI training!

“I know that people can change their lives and I don’t like seeing people’s pasts hold them back from making positive changes for the future.” Brett Bauman, 3L

On September 14th, Attorney Pauline Quirion of Greater Boston Legal Services captivated an audience of nearly 40 students who will work with Benjamin Y. Jones, 3L and Professor Siegel this semester to help thousands of people seal their criminal records.

Left to right: Attorney Pauline Quirion, Professor David Siegel, Benjamin Y. Jones

The process of sealing one’s criminal record can be as simple as completing a form and mailing it to the Commissioner of Probation or it can be a complex legal proceeding requiring sworn affidavits and multiple courtroom hearings. Either way, students at New England Law | Boston are ready and eager to help. The importance of sealing one’s record cannot be understated. For many, having a record can prevent employment, jeopardize housing arrangements, or even prohibit the client from participating in their children’s school events.

The participants were as diverse as the clients they intend to serve, and had various reasons for wanting to join this worthwhile cause. Katie Brazel, 2L, enrolled in the Public Interest Clinic this semester, with the goal of earning a spot in the Criminal Procedure Clinic next year. Brandon Short, an undergraduate at Boston College has his sights set on a career in the law and came to learn more about CORI reform. Esther DeRosena, 2L, a Boston native, understands on a personal level how CORI issues affect our community and feels this is a great way to get involved.

Left to right: Brandon Short, Boston College; Avana Anderson, 1L; Esther DeRosena, 2L

Students will volunteer throughout the semester every Friday from 2-6pm at the CLSR. To get involved, contact benjamin.y.jones@nesl.edu. 

Environmental Law Event - Food included!

Watch “IF A TREE FALLS: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front” on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 4:00-6:00 in Room 506.  Share your thoughts on environmental activism, and “eco-terrorism” – a vague, politically charged label that carries serious legal consequences with Professor Manus and the Environmental Law Society.  Food will be served!

RSVP to erika.m.barber@nesl.edu

Refugee and Human Rights Law Clerk Position

Summer 2013 Refugee and Human Rights Law Clerk Position

The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS), based at the University of California Hastings College of the Law, is seeking candidates for Summer 2013 Judith Stronach Women’s Rights Fellowship positions. CGRS provides legal expertise, training, and resources to attorneys representing asylum seekers, advocates to protect refugees, advances refugee law and policy, and uses domestic, regional and international mechanisms to address the root causes of persecution. For more information about CGRS, visit http://cgrs.uchastings.edu/. Stronach Fellowship positions are not funded. CGRS encourages Fellows to seek outside funding to support their work.

Job Description

CGRS’s Law Clerk functions as a full--time fall law clerk for 10- to 12-week terms. Law Clerks are involved in the full range of CGRS’s work, and work closely with CGRS lawyers and staff in other projects as needed. For example, projects might include:
 Researching and writing on key legal issues
 Assisting in the various stages of appellate advocacy
 Analyzing emerging asylum law trends
 Developing training and technical assistance materials
 Conducting national policy work
 Engaging in international human rights projects
Given our small office and high volume of work, law clerks must be able to work with minimal supervision.
Qualifications
 Demonstrated commitment human rights and social justice
 Strong research and writing skills
 Experience or background in asylum or international human rights law
 Completion of three semesters of law school is strongly preferred
 Ability to work independently and within a team
 Ability to protect the confidentiality of our work and our communications
 Fluency in Spanish or French is desirable, but not required

Application Procedure

Submit a cover letter, resume, brief writing sample (5-10 pages), and list of three references to CGRShires@uchastings.edu with the subject line “Summer 2013 Judith Stronach Women’s Rights Fellowship.” The cover letter should explain how the applicant’s experiences relate to the mission and work of CGRS. The cover letter should also indicate eligibility for work study as well as prospects for securing external funding. Applications will be accepted starting September 7, 2012 and until October 14, 2012. No phone calls, please.
CGRS is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). All qualified persons, including people of color, persons with disabilities, women, lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender persons, are encouraged to apply.
UC Hastings College of the Law  200 McAllister Street  San Francisco, CA 94102  (415) 565-4877

The CORI Initiative

Help Individuals in Need Seal Their Criminal Records (CORIs) to Allow for Greater Future Opportunities!

Volunteer with The CORI Initiative.

The CORI Initiative is an opportunity for NEL|B students of all years to:
-Aid Greater Boston’s indigent community
-Complete real-life legal work
-Develop client-communication skills
-Enhance legal writing skills
-Work in a team atmosphere
-Work with public interest and criminal justice-focused peers
-Contribute volunteer time towards a Public Service Notation on your transcript

As members of the CORI Initiative, we meet weekly on Friday afternoons starting at 2:00 PM in the St. James Ave. building.
At the weekly meetings, we maintain our client files by affidavit drafting, communicating with clients, and preparing the attendant documents for filing a petition to seal a CORI. There will also be regulation/ policy side-projects and opportunities to do intake at local courts during the year.

The Initiative is supervised by Professor David Siegel and managed by 3L Benjamin Y Jones.

NEXT STEP:

There will be a training on the new CORI regulations for both new and old members on Sept. 14th by one of Boston’s CORI experts, Attorney Pauline Quirion of Greater Boston Legal Services.
What: CORI Initiative Training and First Meeting
When: Friday, Sept. 14th at 2:45 PM
Where: 31 St. James Ave., 3rd Fl., Ste. 350, Conference Room

If interested in attending the training, participating in the project, or have any questions about the CORI Initiative,
please contact cori@nesl.edu.

Housing Court Advocate Position

HOUSING COURT ADVOCATE

ABCD - Housing and Homelessness Department

Advocate for and represent households at-risk of losing housing with a fourteen or thirty day eviction notice. Interview, assess and assist at-risk households with eviction notices navigate the legal system and prevent eviction. Represent clients at housing court, mediation, and administrative hearings as well as appeals and other housing related activities. Help clients understand the “due process of law” and the housing court/district court legal process. Identify financial resources to assist households in maintaining their tenancies or relocating to other suitable and/or affordable housing. Foster relationships and partnerships with legal aid partners and make appropriate referrals to legal support organizations for cases in which a client’s rights have been violated. Develop and implement an outreach strategy to identify households in need of ABCD services including working with the court system and other court-based partners, social service agencies, hospitals and ABCD’s neighborhood network on client identification. Oversee volunteers and interns, facilitate workshops, conduct training activities and provide reports as needed. Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Law/Legal Studies, Paralegal Studies or a related field required. Master’s degree preferred. Must have up to one year of related experience. Experience and knowledge of homeless and housing issues, housing subsidies, housing law and benefits programs, Massachusetts General Laws and state sanitary code regarding rental housing required. Must have exceptional written and verbal communication skills. Valid driver’s license required. Bilingual skills preferred. Must be able to work sensitively and effectively with individuals of diverse educational, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

ABCD - HR Dept., 178 Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02111, United States

Please submit cover letter and resume to: hr@bostonabcd.org.

MLAC job posting

The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation is accepting applications for a Program Assistant to support MLAC’s Executive Director and the Director of the Equal Justice Coalition.

Principal Responsibilities:

The Program Assistant provides administrative support to the MLAC Executive Director and the EJC Director which includes producing general and legislative correspondence; assisting with the planning and implementation of the legislative campaign by coordinating logistics for the annual lobby day and legislative recognition awards; staffing the monthly legislative committee meetings; maintaining and updating the database for the EJC; and performing research and providing support for special projects.

Skills and Qualifications:

BA/BS degree and a passion for access to justice; political campaign experience is a plus. Administrative support experience with strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to multitask effectively; excellent communication skills and the ability to work both independently and in a team environment with a diverse staff and supporters; proficient in MS Office products; proficiency and knowledge of Salesforce or other database programs a plus. The Program Assistant must be willing to work at least 80% time (28 hours per week).

The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation is a financially sound $18 million non-profit that provides funding for, and technical assistance to, legal services programs that advocate for low income clients. A crucial part of MLAC’s vision is supporting cultural and linguistic competence, as well as ensuring diversity of staff and volunteers, so clients can be best served. Learn more about MLAC at http://www.mlac.org.

The Equal Justice Coalition is a project of MLAC and its function is to coordinate the state-wide advocacy for increased funding for the Commonwealth’s civil legal aid programs. Learn more about the EJC at http://www.equaljusticecoalition.org.
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter no later than Thursday, September 20th to Danielle Hines-Graham, MLAC Operations Manager at dhines@mlac.org.

MLAC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities upon request. MLAC is committed to diversity in its workforce. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

7 Winthrop Square, 2nd floor, Boston, Massachusetts, 02110, United States

Immigration Justice Clinic Professor of Law Position

Cardozo School of Law – Assistant Clinical Professor of Law, Immigration Justice Clinic

Cardozo School of Law invites applications for a full-time faculty position as Assistant Clinical Professor of Law to work in its established Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice Clinic with the clinic’s existing director.

Applicants must be skilled and creative lawyers with an interest and ability to supervise students in both individual litigation and law reform projects. Applicants must also possess a profound interest in the educational mission of the clinic: to develop the next generation of immigrant advocates and, more generally, to teach students the lawyering skills necessary to serve individual clients and to reform our legal system. Foreign language abilities and prior experience working with immigrant communities are desirable but not required. Applicants need not be admitted to the New York bar at time of application but, if hired, will be expected to obtain admission.

The clinic’s mission is to offer an outstanding legal educational experience to its students, to provide individual representation to immigrants in traditionally neglected areas, and to serve the immigrant community in efforts to reform law and public policy. The clinic’s emphasis has historically been on removal defense cases for immigrants who are detained or who have had prior contact with the criminal justice system. In addition, the clinic represents immigrant community based and national advocacy organizations on impact projects related to immigration enforcement issues. These projects involve a broad range of legal work including, for example: impact litigation, legal support for legislative advocacy, report writing, administrative advocacy and media work. In all individual and impact cases students perform the critical legal work under the intensive supervision of clinic faculty. The school is committed to maintaining the model of having students work on both individual cases and impact projects and is committed to directing our resources toward the least served immigrant populations.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, references and c.v. to Zsuzsanna Toth at toth@yu.edu. Applications will be accepted starting September 1, 2012.

The Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law is a part of Yeshiva University. Yeshiva University has a long-standing commitment to equal opportunity and affirmative action. We are committed to achieving nondiscrimination and equality of opportunity in employment and in all spheres of academic life. All University-wide decisions are based on equitable and equally applied standards of excellence.

BBA Public Service Kick Off Meeting

New Lawyers Public Service Kick Off Meeting and Info Session

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Boston Bar Association - 16 Beacon Street, Boston, MA

Description:

Calling all law students who are interested in learning more about public service projects at the BBA. Come learn about the BBA and what it can offer you.  We encourage all students to attend and network with other law students and BBA members.

Sponsoring Section/Committee(s):

• New Lawyers Section

https://www.bostonbar.org/membership/events/event-details?ID=11777