Public Works

Public Defender turned Human Rights Advocate: October 28, 2010

Please join the Virginia Law Human Rights Program and the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center for a discussion with Brooklyn public defender Adam Heyman '03 regarding careers in indigent defense and how US-trained lawyers (and law students) may assist post-conflict nations in their efforts to strengthen their judiciary.

Adam recently returned from Kathmandu, Nepal where he worked for International Legal Foundation (ILF), a New York-based NGO.  ILF helped establish a public defender office in Kathmandu to provide representation to indigent defendants before the country's courts.  Please read more about Adam's efforts in KTM here and here. I will also briefly discuss my own experience in this area - how my legal training and practice allowed me to represent victims of violations of international humanitarian law.

The event will be held in Caplin Pavilion on October 28, 2010, at 11:45.  Pizza will be provided for the first 30 students. Many thanks to Professor Deena Hurwitz and Human Rights Program Coordinator Jessica Lee for helping organize this event.

Partnership for Public Service Webinar

Today's webinar Federal Internships: Find and Apply for Summer 2011 was highly informative. Partnership offered several handouts, including its powerpoint presentation, "resources for students and jobseekers," "finding a federal internship," "sample internships," and a summary of internships at the US Department of State.  Virginia Law students interested in reviewing these handouts may stop by the Public Service Center after Monday, October 25.

2010 EJW Fair - Ace your interviews

By Yared Getachew '98

Students participating in the upcoming 2010 EJW Conference/Career Fair Public Interest 2.0 in Bethesda, MD are invited to attend a presentation co-sponsored by the Virgina Law Public Interest Law Association (PILA) and the Public Service Center.  Wednesday, October 20, 3:30pm in SL294.

Students who attended last year's event will share their experience interviewing with employers in job fair settings.  I will offer advice as well.  Students participating in the fair to attend conference sessions only are welcome.

Anne Coyle '98 | Federal Career Intern Program

By Yared Getachew '98

Many thanks to Anne Coyle '98, Assistant Regional Counsel, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 for her presentation today. Thanks also to those students who came to hear Anne's talk on internship and entry-level opportunities at EPA Region 5. 

3Ls: during her presentation Anne mentioned the FCIP - the Federal Career Intern Program as an alternative entryway into the EPA (and other federal agencies).  I mentioned a blog posting I wrote last year on this program.  Please find it here.

2011 Presidential Management Fellows Presentation

By Yared Getachew '98

Reminder: today, at noon, in WB101, the Public Service Center will give a presentation on the nuts and bolts of the PMF Program application process.  Smitha Dante ’10, Program Analyst with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, will offer a frank assessment of the application and appointment process. Also joining us will be Lauren Roscoe '10, Presidential Management Fellow with the United States Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection, and Alice Beauheim '09, PMF finalist.

Photo credit: OTS

Education Pioneers: October 15, 2010

By Yared Getachew

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.

The Fellowship Program is a full-time, 10-week summer internship program where Fellows work as project consultants on a critical education issue under the guidance of an education leader.  Fellows work with 100 partner organizations in Boston, Chicago, DC Metro Area, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area.  The Program includes training on complex urban education issues as well as access to and collaboration with local education industry experts and professionals from a variety of backgrounds.

On October 15, at noon, in SL258, John Troy, Managing Director for the DC Metro Area, will present information about the program and the application process.  Food will be provided. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to publicservicelaw@virginia.edu by October 12 at 5:00pm. For additional information about the Fellowship Program, please visit Pioneer's page here.

Education Pioneers - UVA Law

Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair for 1Ls

By Yared Getachew

Dear Members of the Class of 2013:

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 22 and 23 in the Washington, D.C. area (Bethesda, Maryland). The last date to register is October 12.