Public Works

Consider applying to the U.S. Department of Justice's Attorney General's 2011 Honors Program

by YARED GETACHEW

The DOJ AG's has announced the submission window for the 2010-1011 AG's Honors Program: July 26 - September 7, 2010.  Eligible students are incoming 3Ls (Class of 2011), current judicial law clerks, and fellows - see more on eligibility below.

My previous postings offer more information about this terrific opportunity.  Briefly, the AG's program is the only means by which the DOJ hires entry-level attorneys. Eligibility is limited to graduating law students and graduates who complete judicial clerkships, graduate law programs, and qualifying fellowships within nine months of law school graduation. The Honors webpage (see above) offers helpful information on  participating components, projected hires for each component, FAQs, and an application checklist.

My colleagues and I at the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center are on standby to assist you with your application. Do not hesitate to contact us here.

 

National Black Prosecutors Association Annual Job Fair, July 20, 2010

by YARED GETACHEW

The National Black Prosecutors Association (NBPA) will hold its Annual Job Fair on Tuesday,  July 20, 2010, in San Fransisco, CA, as part of this year's annual conference. Established in 1983, NBPA is a professional member organization comprised of over 800 prosecutors. The organization's mission is to recruit, train, and advance the careers of minority attorneys as prosecutors at all levels of government. The annual convention serves, not only as a job fair forum, but as a comprehensive legal training program for prosecutors.

This year's conference will focus on the topic Beyond Tough on Crime: Bold Innovations for Safer Communities, and marks the 27th year of the conference. NBPA has made a list of attending employers available here.

Registration is available online for both the job fair and conference.  The event is open to all students.

Federal Government Public Service Career & Internship Fair: July 14, 2010

by YARED GETACHEW

Partnership for Public Service will host its eighth annual Public Service Career and Internship Fair on July 14 from 3:00-7:00 p.m. at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The event will offer law students interested in management, public policy, analyst, and investigator positions the opportunity to learn about various agencies and if interested, to apply for posted positions. Last year's event connected 78 federal agencies with more than 6,000 students and job seekers.

The Partnership has provided a list of participating agencies and available positions as well as answers to frequently asked questions. Registration is free. Directions and parking information is available here.

The Partnership has also posted this guide to maximizing participation in the career and internship fair, and will also hold a series of Webinars designed to help students and job seekers learn who to visit, what questions to ask recruiters, what to bring with you, and how to follow up with agencies.

For our alums: The 2010 Excellence in Government Fellows Program

by YARED GETACHEW

The Partnership for Public Service's Excellence in Government Fellows program is a one-year educational program that seeks to strengthen the leadership skills of current federal employees through a combination of  coursework, best practices benchmarking, projects, executive coaching, and networking. The program is in its first full year under the Partnership for Public Service, after the Council for Excellence in Government, which had operated for 25 years, was absorbed by the Partnership last year. During the year-long program Fellows will remain at their full-time jobs, and will meet every six weeks and spend approximately 20 days in sessions.

Loan Forgiveness for Civil Legal Assistance Attorneys

by YARED GETACHEW

A new loan repayment assistance program for civil legal aid attorneys will be available soon.  The Civil Legal  Assistance Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program (CLAAP) will repay a portion of eligible federal student loan debt for civil legal assistance attorneys who are employed full-time. The new program, which began as the "Harkin Bill," has made five million dollars available for distribution to qualified civil legal assistance attorneys with federal student loan debt. Applications are expected to be due by August 16, 2010, but the Department of Education will assign these funds to eligible civil legal assistance attorneys on a first-come, first-serve basis.

My reading of the program reveals that there are various permutations involved for both eligibility and the amount of loan forgiveness disbursed.  To help clarify the program, Equal Justice Works has prepared and posted a comprehensive CLAAP webpage. Heather Jarvis of Equal Justice Works will also host two webinars on the subject, both at noon on June 17 and  July 7, 2010.