Public Works

PILA Raises $50K

Virginia Law's student-run Public Interest Law Association has raised $50,000 this month.  The vast majority of the funds were raised at the annual PILA auction, held this year on November 14, 2009, and hosted by Professors Karen Moran and George Geis.  Additional information on the auction is available on the Law School's web page here.

PILA donates all benefit proceeds to support first and second year students who take public service positions during the summer. PILA's fundraising efforts are matched dollar for dollar by the Law School Foundation. Congratulations to the PILA Board for a job well done.

November 30, 2009: Strategies for Landing a Federal Government Job in the Current Economy

All civilian positions in the federal government that are not specifically excepted from civil service laws are filled through a competitive process.  Some agencies are permitted to hire personnel outside the traditional competitive process either because there is a specialized need to fill a position or because the background and qualifications required for the jobs are not easily measured through competitive service criteria.  As a result, entry-level and lateral attorneys are often hired through excepted service positions as are certain post-graduate fellows and interns (see, e.g., Presidential Management Fellows Program - PMF; Federal Career Intern Program - FCIP).  (A list of excepted service agencies is available in our guide here).

The staff of the Public Service Center regularly mines federal government positions which we post on Symplicity, our internal job databank. During the course of our research, we have found many positions that may be attractive to law students and alumni that do not require a JD - e.g., policy analyst, asylum officer, compliance officer, contract specialist, policy analyst, investigator, labor relations specialist, estate tax examiner, hearings and appeals specialists, and many others. These positions are often occupied by attorneys. To apply for these positions, applicants are required to submit federal resumes and complete Knowledge, Skills, and Ability (KSA) responses.  We have also found that many agencies are increasingly requiring attorney applicants to submit KSAs.

To help 3Ls identify and successfully apply for these positions, on Monday, November 30, 2009, 11:30 AM - 1:00PM, in WB152,  Kate Neville, Esq., founder and principal of Neville Career Consulting, LLC, will give a presentation at the Law School. Neville Consulting provides guidance to attorneys considering a job change or career transition, within the practice of law or to another field. Ms. Neville is a 1992 graduate of Harvard Law School and practiced at a large firm and in government before shifting her career to work in consulting.  She has given presentations at other law schools, including Georgetown, American, George Washington, and Harvard.

The event is open to ALL interested students.

Financing your Public Interest Summer Internship

The primary source of funding for students who accept low-paying or unpaid public service internships during the summer are PILA grants.  The fellowships are funded by voluntary contributions to PILA and matched by a grant from the Law School Foundation.  PILA funds as many applicants as possible each year; however, the percentage of applicants receiving grants changes each year due to fluctuations in funds and number of applicants.  Any first- or second-year student who will work in volunteer or low-paying public interest positions this summer AND who has satisfied the public service requirement is eligible to apply.  Second-year and transfer students  may apply during the fall or spring application periods; first-year students can only apply during the spring semester. 

Other sources of funding that first and second year students have commonly secured for summer work with a public service employer include:

(1) Claire Corcoran Award  ($1500 or $750): presented to one or two 2Ls who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to public interest work (through faculty nominations);

International Criminal Tribunal Opportunities for Virginia Law Students

Students with a strong interest in human rights and international humanitarian law are invited to apply for summer internship positions with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The Human Rights Program will facilitate Virginia Law student applications to both programs.

By way of brief background to the events that led to the creation of the international tribunals, between April and July of 1994, over 750,000 Rwandan Tutsi and Hutu political moderates were systematically killed by Hutu militias associated with two political parties - the Interahamwe and Impuzamugambi. In November 1994, the United Nations Security Council established the ICTR to determine those responsible for the genocide.

The ICTY was established in 1993 by the United Nations in response to mass atrocities then taking place in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The key objective of the ICTY is to try those individuals most responsible for appalling acts such as murder, torture, rape, enslavement, destruction of property and other crimes listed in the Tribunal's Statute.

Application forms are included in our e-mail. Please note the internal deadline for Virginia Law students: Wednesday, December 9, at noon.

Images courtesy 1 | 2

U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division: November 16, 2009

The Criminal Division (CRM) enforces federal criminal laws except those specifically assigned to other divisions.  The division and the 93 United States Attorneys oversee criminal matters under more than 900 statutes. There are numerous sections, offices, and units in the division.

On November 16, 2009, at 11:15AM, in WB152, Jonathan Rusch ('80), Deputy Chief for Strategy and Policy (Fraud Section) and Julie Zebrak, Acting Deputy Executive Officer (CRM - Human Resources) will give a presentation to 1Ls and 2Ls on summer internship opportunities with the division.

At 1:30, in WB 152, Mr. Rusch and Ms. Zebrak will discuss non-Honors points of entry into the Department of Justice. Interested 3Ls are encouraged to attend.

U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division: November 13

The United States Department of Justice will offer two presentations on the agency's volunteer legal intern recruitment. On Friday, November 13, at noon, in WB152, Jennifer Rivera '88, Director of Federal Programs, will discuss hiring in the Civil Division.  Next week, November 16, at 2:00pm, in WB152, Criminal Division's Jonathan Rusch ('80), Deputy Chief for Strategy and Policy, Fraud Section, and Julie Zebrack, Acting Deputy Executive Office of Human Resources, will discuss the division's work and expected hiring for next summer.

Free Speech or Disruption: Balancing the Rights to Speak and to Hear

During the July 4, 2008 naturalization ceremony at Monticello, protesters disrupted President George W. Bush’s address to the crowd of brand new U.S. citizens, guests, and visitors.  During President Obama’s September 9, 2009 address to a joint session of Congress, U.S. Representative Joe Wilson yelled “You lie” in response to one of the President’s comments.  In late summer 2009, town hall meetings across the country organized by elected representatives to discuss health care reform reportedly became shouting matches between those holding different views.

Raven Fellowships

The Raven Society funds several fellowship awards of up to $2500 each every year for undergraduate and graduate research projects at the University of Virginia. Last year, the Raven Society funded a diverse set of projects that studied Native American sovereignty in Montana, monastic rituals in India, Rajasthani painting in India, children's perspectives in design in Denmark, and genocide and ethnic cleansing in Bosnia. 

JAG Corps Presentation

The Public Service Center and Virginia Law Veterans will be hosting an information session on Judge Advocate General's JAG Corps' on Monday, November 9, at 11:45am in WB128. Representatives from the U.S. Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy will speak about careers as military lawyers and the application processes for summer internships and permanent positions with the various JAG Corps. All classes are welcome. As a reminder, we have also included a list of application deadlines for the various Corps: JAG Corps Deadlines.

Federal government hiring projections

Partnership for Public Service recently posted a list of occupational areas and positions for attorneys and projected federal government hiring on its site here.  Information for individual agency hiring is listed here.

The Washington Post reported in September 2009 that the federal government needs to hire more than 270,000 workers for "mission critical" jobs by the fall of 2012 and almost 600,000 for all positions in the next three years.   Of these, 23, 596 are legal jobs.

 

Jail

On Monday, October 19 at 7:00 pm, the Legal Aid Justice Center will show a screening of Jail, an installment of Morgan Spurlock's documentary series, 30 Days, and a panel discussion about prison reform.  The event will be hosted by author  John Grisham and other special guests including David Fathi, Director of Human Rights Watch (U.S. program) and Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) (invited).

Albemarle County Attorney's Office: Internship Opportunity

The Albemarle County Attorney's Office is seeking a part-time law clerk for the 2009-2010 school year.  The law clerk will research complex and timely issues in education and local government law and may have an opportunity to gain experience in other areas based upon the law clerk's interest and availability.  The application deadline is October 30, 2009. 

Presidential Management Fellows Program Open Today

The PMF program is open today.  Please review our earlier posting for a summary of the application and nomination process.

2010 Hunton & Williams Richmond Pro Bono Fellowship

The Richmond Pro Bono Fellowship is a two-year program during which Fellows represent clients at the firm's own Church Hill neighborhood pro bono offices as well as at the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society (CVLAS) in Richmond.  Approximately 25-30% of the Fellow's time will be devoted to Church Hill clients and 70-75% devoted to CVLAS clients.  

CIA Office of General Counsel

Please join us for a brownbag presentation with attorneys from the CIA Office of General Counsel on Monday, September 21, 2009, at 12:00, in WB105.  The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) handles legal issues relating to foreign intelligence and counterintelligence activities, international terrorism, international narcotics trafficking, nonproliferation, personnel and security matters, contracting, finance and budget matters, legislation, and both civil and criminal litigation. The OGC attorneys will discuss the work of the office, its legal honors program (for 3Ls and judicial law clerks) and summer law clerk program (2Ls). All classes are welcome.

Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair for 1Ls

Dear Members of the Class of 2012:

Equal Justice Works (EJW) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that focuses on public interest careers for lawyers.  Every year, in October, the organization hosts a conference and career fair in Washington that brings together the largest gathering of public interest and government employers to recruit second- and third-year law students (and recent graduates) for internship and permanent positions.  The conference also features conference programing sessions that offer, among other things, advice on opportunities outside the classroom that students can pursue to prepare for a career in public interest law.  This year's event will take place on October 24 and 25 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.

Education Pioneers (Summer) Fellowship Information Session: September 29

Education Pioneers is a national nonprofit that tackles the most critical public education challenges by recruiting business, law, education and policy professionals and matching them with partner organizations.  These partners include, among others, charter schools, research organizations, college preparatory programs, and legal services and advocacy programs.

New York County District Attorney's Office

Please join the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center for a brownbag presentation with Tom Wornom ('83) from the New York County District Attorney's Office on Friday, September 25, 2009, at noon, in SL294.

The New York County District Attorney's Office is one of the premier prosecutors' offices in the United States. The unparalleled opportunities for challenging and sophisticated work have consistently drawn top law students and attorneys to the office over the years. The office has a well-established Summer Intern Program, which affords first and second year law students the opportunity to see first-hand the responsibilities of an Assistant District Attorney.

Upcoming Student Debt Relief Webinars

Fried Frank Fellowship Program (3Ls/outgoing law clerks)

The Fried Frank Fellowship Program is a collaboration between the law firm Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jaconson and the public interest organizations Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund (LDF).  The Fellowship is a four-year program where fellows spend their first two years as an associate in Fried Frank's litigation department and the following two years as staff attorneys at MALDEF or LDF.

Echoing Green: Deadline December 2

Do you have a bold idea to solve a major problem in the world?  If so, consider applying for an Echoing Green Fellowship to receive up to $90,000 in seed funding, leadership training, and organizational technical assistance.  Apply by December 2, 2009 to make a difference.

White House Internship Program

The White House Internship Program accepts students and recent graduates (two years or less since graduation) to work in one of many presidential departments during the fall, spring or summer.  Interns serve the White House in such functions as researching, managing incoming inquiries, attending meetings, and writing memos.  Projects vary among the departments but all interns participate in a long term community service project and attend a weekly speaker series presented by senior staff members.  In addition, interns take field trips around the Washington D.C. area. 

Public Interest Perspectives: An Introductory Training for Private Attorneys in Public Interest Placements

On September 9, 2009 at 1:00 pm, The Association of Pro Bono Counsel and NALP will offer a two-hour online training session designed for attorneys beginning volunteer public interest placements.  The training  session will contain an overview of the differences in law firm and nonprofit practice settings, insight on working with low-income clients, and background on the economic challenges presently being confronted by the public interest community. Presentations will be made by public interest leaders from the legal aid community and the private bar.  Immediately following the training session, a discussion on issues relevant to fellowships will take place.

LexisNexis Associates Serving Public Interests Research (ASPIRE) Program

Through the ASPIRE program, 2009 graduates who are currently working in the public interest can receive free  LexisNexis access for the coming year. Among those eligible are deferred associates pursuing public interest work during their deferrals.  Some important rules include: (1) while work for a nonprofit or charitable organization is eligible, government work is not; (2) access ends September 2010 or when your public service employment ends; (3) you must submit documentation from your employer confirming your eligibility. 

Eligible applicants who are currently working will receive free access to federal and state cases, codes, regulations, and law reviews within two days of submitting documentation.  To apply, please visit Lexis's attorney deferral page here.

The Fair Trial Initiative's Osborne Fellowship (3Ls) - October 31, 2009

The Osborne Fellowship is a two-year commitment during which fellows represent indigent defendants facing the death penalty.  The fellowship is granted by Fair Trial Initiative, a Durham, North Carolina organization that seeks to fill the resource gap in competent counsel for capital cases and to encourage talented lawyers to join this area of practice, one that is often overlooked.

2010 Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program: Apply between October 1-15, 2009

The PMF Program is a prestigious federal government fellowship sponsored by the Office of Personnel  Management (OPM) for graduate students from various academic disciplines who expect to graduate during in the 2009-2010 academic year and who seek a two-year paid fellowship with one or more federal government agencies. The application period will open on October 1 and ends on October 15, 2009.  See program and application overview here.

More than 80 federal agencies currently partner with the PMF Program to hire fellows who have an interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. 

2010 Powell Fellowship Applications: Due October 16, 2009

The Powell Fellowship in Legal Services honors former Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr., and awards $35,000 to a graduating student of the University of Virginia School of Law (or to a judicial clerk).  Open only to third-year law students at Virginia Law or recent Virginia graduates who will complete a judicial clerkship by fall 2010, the fellowship enables applicants to work in public interest law and to enhance the delivery of legal services to no- or low income persons under the sponsorship of a public interest organization.

The award is made for one year, with the expectation that it will be renewed for a second year. In addition to the salary, fellows receive health and other benefits that an  employee of his or her sponsoring organization would ordinarily receive.

2009 Equal Justice Works Registration Open Today

Registration for the 2009 Conference and Career Fair is now open. (See here for a previous posting on this important event). Students and recent graduates interested in attending may sign up for a Symplicity account and submit their cover letter and resume beginning today, Monday, August 31.

Public Service Summer Surveys

The Public Service Center requests that all second- and third-year students who worked for public service and public interest organizations (including state and federal government agencies) complete a Public Service Summer Survey.  The surveys are critical for students looking for summer and permanent positions in the public interest.  We ask all students who interned for a Public Service employer last summer fill out a survey, even if it was only for part of the summer.

Law Jobs in the Federal Government

Making the Difference

Managing a Legal Career Transition in Tough Times

 

A 10-minute preview of a 75-minute video presented by NALP/ALI-ABA that offers advice on how to navigate your job search in today's economy. The full video is available here.

Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS): Presentation on August 24

Students interested in learning about career paths at the DOJ and DHS are highly encouraged to attend an upcoming presentation on August 24, at noon, in WB101.  The DOJ's Director of Federal Programs, Civil Division, Jennifer Rivera ('88), and DHS Special Assistant Ron Rosenberg ('98), Special Assistant, Office of Refugee, Asylum & International Operations will discuss hiring programs for entry-level attorneys at their respective agencies.

So you want to be a public defender?

Home to some of the grittiest public defenders in the country, the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia receives hundreds of applications for a handful of available attorney positions each year. To many, PDS has become the national standard-bearer and the benchmark by which other public defender systems measure themselves.

As advocates for indigent individuals, PDS attorneys handle criminal appeals, parole revocation hearings, Drug Court sanction hearings, and represent individuals facing involuntary commitment in the mental health system, children with special education needs facing delinquency charges, and clients in civil proceedings that were triggered by their criminal charges or their incarceration.

Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellowships

The Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Program is an 11-month fellowship in which fellows work to increase the availability of pro bono legal services to low income persons.  Fellows work nationwide in areas such as health care, public benefits, affordable housing, lost wages, protection orders, and education.  AmeriCorps fellows gain experience in both pro bono management and provision of legal services. 

During their terms, fellows recruit 100 or more volunteer law students and lawyers, increasing their impact.  ILast year's 35 Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellows represented a total of 17,200 clients. 

Department of Homeland Security: Opportunities with the Office of the General Counsel

The General Counsel is the chief legal advisor to the Secretary and the chief legal officer for the  Department of Homeland Security. Attorneys from the Office of the General Counsel and its major components play major roles in crafting, developing, and defending policies relating to many of the most important issues facing the nation today, including counterterrorism, immigration and border security, emergency response and recovery, and countless other matters.

Federal Career Intern Program (3Ls)

What is the Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP)?

The FCIP allows individuals in various disciplines to obtain a two-year, full-time internship with a number of federal government agencies.  It was created by executive order for the purpose of recruiting  graduates with diverse professional and academic experiences and to create opportunities to develop their skills for a career in the federal government.  

Unlike the Presidential Management Fellows Program which is centrally managed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the FCIP order requires each participating agency to establish its own training and development program for a minimum of two years.  Extended programs can last up to three years, but these are the minority.  The FCIP is designed to hire interns at the GS-5 ($33,269 to $43,251), 7 ($41,210 to $53,574), or 9 ($48,108 to $65,531) levels and there is no limit to promotion level.

Because the intern programs are run individually by the participating agencies, application deadlines and hiring frequency vary.  Many, but not all, agencies post FCIP positions on USAJobs as they become available (search keywords "FCIP" and "CIP;" you should also register with USAJobs to receive e-mail alerts).  Frequently, agencies list positions on their websites, so it is necessary to research individual agencies in which you are interested (search for the agency name plus "FCIP").  The only centralized resource were were able to find online was on Making the Difference (download the Excel document).

Finally, please note that agencies change the availability of FCIP positions from year to year.  For example, the Departments of Justice and Commerce, and Bureau of Land Management have all hired through the FCIP in the past, but it is unclear whether they will do so in the upcoming year.

National Law Students Workers' Rights Conference

The Peggy Browning Fund will host it's eleventh annual National Law Students Workers' Rights Conference on October 16 and 17, in Washington D.C.

The aim of the conference is to create greater understanding of, appreciation for, and interest in, the issues facing American workers and to provide law students with opportunities for networking with fellow law students, top labor lawyers, professors, nonprofit practitioners, and government officials.

For more information about the conference, please see the Fund's brochure.

The conference is available to all Virginia Law students but space is limited and applicants will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, due to limited funds, students are responsible for the conference fees listed in the brochure.

To register for the conference please complete the registration form and return it with payment for the associated conference fees to the Public Service Center no later than Friday, August 21, 2009.

Conference FAQ

Image courtesy

Attorney Honors Programs at Google.com/unclesam

This posting is an addendum to our July 1, 2009 memorandum re: federal government honors programs. 

Google has created a search engine for those seeking federal government jobs. The site is available at http://www.google.com/unclesam. 

Once you get there, a keyword search by "Attorney Honors Programs"  (without quotes) will reveal a significant number of entry-level honors programs for attorneys across a wide range of federal agencies.  This is an invaluable resource that we hope you will take advantage of.

Third Year Practice Certificate

Did you know that the third year practice certificate allows students to appear in court (and before  administrative tribunals) in the Commonwealth of Virginia and in other jurisdictions? A practice certificate allows you to engage in substantial legal work while in law school and is highly recommended if you are interested in pursuing a career in litigation in both the public and private sectors.

To be eligible, in addition to being a 3L (you must have completed at least four semesters in law school and passed Civil Procedure and Criminal Law), you only need to have completed two electives: Evidence and Professional Responsibility.

Under the rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia:

(i) An eligible law student may, in the presence of a supervising lawyer, appear in any court or before any administrative tribunal in this Commonwealth in any civil, criminal or administrative matter on behalf of any person if the person on whose behalf he is appearing has indicated in writing his consent to that appearance. The eligible law student must obtain written approval from the court or administrative tribunal prior to any appearance before the court or administrative tribunal.

For more information about third year practice certificates, please contact the Student Record's Office.

Skadden Fellowship Program: October 5, 2009

Described as "a legal Peace Corps" by the Los Angeles Times, the Skadden Fellowship Program was   established by the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher Flom in 1988 in recognition of the need for greater funding for graduating law students who wish to devote their professional lives to providing legal services to the poor, the elderly, the homeless and the disabled, as well as those deprived of their civil or human rights. The aim of the foundation is to give Fellows the freedom to pursue public interest work; thus, the Fellows create their own projects at public interest organizations with at least two lawyers on staff.

Pro Bono Opportunity with Victor M. Glasberg and Associates

A civil rights attorney in Northern Virginia is seeking students to assist him with a case involving the alleged abuse of a female prisoner.  The student volunteers would conduct interviews with inmates at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women and help with legal research.

Interested students must have access to a car. 

The completion date for this project is Sept. 15, 2009

To Apply: Interested students should submit a resume to lawprobono@virginia.edu by Monday, July 13, 2009, by 5:00pm.

This project satisfies the 75-hour Pro Bono Challenge.

Legal Aid Wealth

All the Lifestyle that Legal Aid Wages Can Buy
CARYN TAMBER
The Daily Record (MD), June 5, 2009

The Daily Record writes:  

When Janine A. Scott started at the [LSC-funded] Legal Aid Bureau more than 10 years ago, her salary was $28,000 a year.  She soon discovered that she loved the work, but the money was a sticking point. How could she have the kind of life she wanted on such a paltry salary?  'I wanted to stay, and so I became motivated to make the salary work within what my expenses are,' said Scott, 38, who is now the supervising attorney for the domestic law unit at Legal Aid.  Scott, who briefly worked as an accountant before going to law school, sat down and made a list of all of her financial goals. There were a lot of them: She wanted to pay down her law school and credit card debt, buy a house and travel once a year . . . .  She looked at her going-out spending habits and determined that she should create a 'fun account' and keep it at $250 at all times . . . .  Scott said she has achieved her goals by meticulously charting every bit of money that comes in and goes out.  She waits for sales on clothing and discount deals on travel, and she would not dream of buying snacks from a vending machine when she could get them in bulk from Target or Wal-Mart for so much less...

To learn more about Scott and her book, visit her website.

Effective as of July 1, 2009: The College Cost Reduction & Access Act

On July 1, 2009, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) became fully effective making   Income-Based Repayment available for borrowers.  Graduates working full-time in government and nonprofit positions are eligible to earn Public Service Loan Forgiveness.  Students interest in learning about public service loan forgiveness or income-based repayment are encouraged to check Equal Justice Works' Student Debt Relief page here.  Additional information on the Act is also available on EJW's blog.

2010 Equal Justice Fellowships: Application period now open (Deadline - September 17, 2009)

July 4, 1776: The Declaration of Independence

Happy Fourth of July.

The image.

2009 Parternship for Public Service Career & Internship Fair

The Partnership for Public Service will host its annual Public Service Career and Internship Fair on July 16 from 3:00-7:00pm at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

Last year's event connected 67 federal agencies with 3,000 students and young professionals.  This year, agencies will be recruiting for a variety of positions including program analysts, Foreign Service Offices, federal investigators, and attorney, as well as for internships and fellowships.

For information about this important event please see the partnership's website here. The site contains a list of FAQs, tips and strategies for making the most of this event, and a list of participating agencies.

2009 Public Service Career & Internship Fair
July 16, 2009 | 3-7pm, National Building Museum, 401 F Street, NW, Washington DC 2001

Metro Stop: Judiciary Square

The 2009 Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair

 

The Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair is the largest annual gathering of public interest and government employers in the nation and will be held this year on Saturday and Sunday October 24 and 25 in Washington, D.C., at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. Over 150 public service/interest employers will be available to conduct prescheduled interviews for hundreds of internship and permanent positions throughout the country. 

The conference will provide a venue where participants can learn about various careers in the public interest.  The Table Talk sessions provide an informal opportunity for law students to introduce themselves to participating employers and possibly to conduct impromptu interviews. For additional information about the conference and career fair, please see the 2008 program book, conference sessions, and a list of past employers here.

The registration fee for attendees is covered by the annual membership that the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center maintains.  However, students are responsible for travel and lodging costs.

National Black Prosecutors Association 26th Annual Conference

The National Black Prosecutors Association (NBPA) will hold its annual Job Fair on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at the Marriot Memphis Downtown in Memphis, Tennessee.  The goal of the NBPA Job Fair is to promote diversity in prosecutor offices by providing a forum where law students, recent law graduates, and experienced attorneys from across the nation can meet and interview with prospective prosecutorial employers at the local, state, and federal levels.

For more information: NBPA Job Fair 2009 Prospective Participant Letter

Students who wish to register to attend should complete and submit the following registration form: NBPA Job Fair Applicant Registration Form 2009

List of employers who will be recruiting at the job fair: Job Fair Employer Criteria 2009

The NBPA job fair, organized to encourage diversity in prosecutor offices, is open to ALL students.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (College Cost Reduction & Access Act)

We participated in one of EJW's webinars on the College Cost Reduction & Access Act's Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (effective July 2010).  We found it extremely informative.  The final presentation is on Wednesday, June 24 (at 3:15 - 4:45pm EDT; 2:15pm CDT; 12:15pm PDT). The presenter is Heather Jarvis, Esq., a national expert on educational debt and the financial barriers facing law graduates.

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is one of the most significant breakthroughs for public interest lawyers in a generation. Briefly, the program offers loan forgiveness after 10-years of public service employment. To qualify for loan forgiveness, a borrower must make monthly loan payments for ten years (120 payments) while working full-time in qualifying public service employment.  Qualifying public service employment is full-time paid work in the government; a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, an AmeriCorps position, the PeaceCorps, or a private "public service organization."

Pro Bono Opportunity with ConSource

The Constitutional Sources Project is seeking students to work on a pro bono project involving an online library of constitutional sources. ConSource is a nonprofit located in Washington, D.C., which was founded to facilitate research, increase understanding, and encourage discussion of the U.S. Constitution by creating and maintaining the first, free, full-indexed, comprehensive online library of constitutional sources.

Student volunteers will read online documents written by U.S. Founders and cross-reference

relevant text to predetermined clauses in the Constitution. Students will enjoy location and time flexibility, completing work on their own schedule and from their own internet connection. 

The hours are flexible (anywhere from 5 to 50 hours depending on student availability), and the project is expected to be completed by August 15 2009.

To Apply: Interested students should submit a resume to lawprobono@virginia.edu by Monday, June 22, 2009, by 5:00pm.

This project satisfies the 75-hour Pro Bono Challenge.