Public Works

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

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)