Public Works

Pro Bono Opportunity: Violence Against Women and Reproductive Rights

Last semester, the Human Rights Clinic drafted a 16-page memo for the Center for Reproductive Rights, International Program on the intersections between violence against women (VAW) and reproductive rights. Professor Hurwitz seeks one second- or third-year student (at most two) to finalize the draft memo by the end of February.  The student(s) will work closely with Professor Hurwitz and may also be in direct contact with CRR’s International Advocacy Director. For more information about the specifics of the project and memo, please contact Professor Hurwitz.

Preferred Requirements:   Strong writing and editing skills; knowledge of reproductive rights and a general understanding of violence against women to be able to make the links.

Minimum Requirements:  Strong writing and editing skills.

Deadline:   Final memo needs to be completed by February 27, 2009

To Apply: Please send a resume and short statement of interest to lawprobono@virginia.edu by Monday, February 2, 2009 at 5:00pm.

This project satisfies the 75-hour Pro Bono Challenge.

Tenth Annual Conference on Public Service and the Law

Founded by Virginia Law students in 1999, the Conference on Public Service and the Law brings together students, faculty, attorneys, and policymakers to explore public interest issues facing today's legal  community and related career paths for young attorneys.

This year's conference, taking place at the Law School this Friday and Saturday will mark the conference's tenth year anniversary and showcases a diverse group of speakers and workshops that will undoubtedly provide the Law School community exposure to a wide array of issues and opportunities in public interest law.  We use this opportunity to commend this year's Conference Board Members as well as Panel and Career Workshop Organizers for organizing what promises to be an exciting conference.

The Conference schedule is available here. We encourage all students especially those considering internship and/or permanent opportunities in public service to try to attend as many events as possible. Registration is encouraged but  is not required

Pro Bono Opportunity with Blue Ridge Legal Services

Blue Ridge Legal Services, a nonprofit charitable law firm located in Harrisonburg, VA, is seeking a first or second year student to work on a pro bono project involving poverty law issues. The student will help provide legal assistance to low income individuals in the Shenandoah Valley and may work on a variety of assignments, including landlord tenant disputes, family law matters, domestic violence disputes, consumer protection issues, debtor rights, and public benefits, among others.

The student will conduct legal research, participate in client interviewing and fact finding, draft documents, and accompany staff to court appearances, schedule permitting.

The estimated time commitment is 4-8 hours per week and the student will need access to a car.

To Apply: Interested students should submit a resume and short statement of interest to lawprobono@virginia.edu by Monday, February 2, 2009 at 5:00pm.

This project satisfies the 75-hour Pro Bono Challenge.

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr.

United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito is the keynote speaker at the 10th Annual Conference on Public Service & the Law.  Information on the Justice's presentation and the Conference is available here.

January 31, 2009
Caplin Auditorium
11:30 AM

Pro Bono Opportunity with Ayuda

Ayuda, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the legal rights of immigrants, is seeking a student to assist on a pro bono project that involves preparing a Nicaraguan & Central American Relief Act (NACARA) application for filing in immigration court.

NACARA provides various forms of immigration benefits and relief from deportation to certain Nicaraguans, Cubans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, nationals of former Soviet bloc countries and their dependents. It also applies to their qualified family members and to certain individuals who have been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000.

The student will assist in preparing a legal brief to show that the client is not subject to the persecutor bar for relief from removal. The student may also attend hearings and help prepare direct examination questions, as needed.

The student must be fluent in Spanish (spoken) and the project requires a minimum of 5 hours commitment per week for the remainder of the spring semester. The student will also need access to a car.

To Apply: Interested students should submit a resume and short statement of interest to lawprobono@virginia.edu by Monday, February 2, 2009 at 5:00pm.

This project satisfies the 75-hour Pro Bono Challenge.

Pro Bono Opportunity with Charlottesville Attorney

A local attorney is seeking three students to work on a pro bono project involving legal research on a single Booker sentencing issue common to three co-defendants in preparation for a petition for a writ of certiorari before the U.S. Supreme Court.  The students will conduct research to determine if there is a conflict between the Federal Circuits on this issue.

Volunteer hours are flexible, but the students must be able to commit to the project through February 28, 2009.

To Apply: Interested students should submit a resume and short statement of interest to lawprobono@virginia.edu by Monday, February 2, 2009 at 5:00pm.

This project satisfies the 75-hour Pro Bono Challenge.

Law School Debt and Public Service

Slate Magazine just posted an article titled Law School Debt Trap: Here's How to Escape it and Have a Career in Public Service Law. Here's an excerpt:

Choosing a public service career requires you to become a very good personal finance manager and a good personal networker. Even if you find a way to reduce that loan burden, you need to ensure that you are armed with some basic tools for personal budgeting. If you find yourself living beyond your means, the satisfaction of a career in public service will be offset at least in part by the pain and stress of financial worries. Personal budgeting can be a simple exercise, but, like flossing, it is one we do too seldom. Our hometown University of Washington has a two-page personal budgeting guide, as do scores of other personal finance sites. Idealist has a simple primer on "personal profit in a nonprofit world." Financial health will help your mental health, and mental health means you will be far more successful in whatever public service you pursue.

Read the article here.

Assistant US Attorney Kevin Flynn: Relentless Pursuit

Kevin Flynn ('82), Assistant US Attorney in Washington, D.C. will be at the law school to participate in the 1L Interview Program on Friday, January 30, 2009. During his lunch break, between 11:00AM and 12:00PM, in WB 105, Mr. Flynn has agreed to meet with students to answer questions about working at a United States Attorney's Office. 

Students interested in pursuing careers in prosecution, or will be interning at a USAO this summer are highly encouraged to attend this discussion.

In addition to his successful career as a federal prosecutor in the nation's capital, Mr. Flynn is author of a best-selling real-life legal thriller Relentless Pursuit.  The best-selling book is an intense reconstruction of the brutal double murder in DC.  The AUSA tells a gripping account on the murder, arrest, trial, and verdict, as well as a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of a dedicated federal homicide prosecutor.

Please come with your questions.

2009 Public Interest Interview Week

 The 2009 Public Interest Interview Week will be held on February 19, 20, and 23, 2009.  47 government, public service, and public interest employers will be on grounds to interview 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, and LLMs for summer internships and permanent positions. This is an unprecedented number of public service employers who have agreed to recruit at Virginia Law and we hope this will provide you the opportunity to land an internship or a permanent position.

To see which employers will attend the Interview Week, log on to Symplicity, and click on OCI. Once there, change the session to "2009 Public Interest Interview Week" and click "search". This should reveal all of the employers who will be conducting interviews that you are eligible for. While the postings on Symplicity will provide you basic information about the positions being offered, additional information can be obtained by referencing the On-Grounds Interview Binders. Starting on Monday afternoon (1/26/09) they can be found in the Career and Public Service Library (SL208) or the Public Service Center (SL249). Employer websites can also be a source of useful information.

Prior to applying for an interview, please make sure that you have carefully reviewed the posting as it may contain additional details concerning eligibility. If you are unclear as to whether or not the employer is hiring for a summer internship or a permanent position, please contact our office prior to creating a request.

Please note that your resume must be uploaded to Symplicity prior to creating a request in order to be considered for an interview.

The deadline for applying for Public Interest Interview Week interviews is Monday, February 2, 2009. Late requests cannot be accommodated.

If you have questions about the Public Interest Interview Week please feel free to contact us at publicservicelaw@virginia.edu.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center honors today the life and legacy of Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. whose work to secure civil and human rights for all Americans is an inspiration to many, especially to those who dedicate their lives to public service.