Public Service Newsletter

Public Service Newsletter: Thursday, August 14, 2008

Events at UNC Law

Equal Justice Works Career Fair Info Session
8/28, 12pm, Room 4004
    2Ls and 3Ls interested in the Equal Justice Works Career Fair should plan to attend this session discussing the Career Fair and registration process.  Students who attended last year will also be there to talk about their experiences.
  • Career Fair:  Over 75 employers have already registered for the Career Fair and are currently accepting resumes. Submit your resumes soon, as interview slots fill up early. The deadline to submit resumes to employers is September 12, 2008.  For information on how to register for the Conference and Career Fair, please click here.
  • Registration: Each school receives a number of free registrations. Please contact Sylvia Novinsky for more info or attend the EJW Info Session. Once registered, students must be approved by Dean Novinsky to receive a free registration.

Heels on the Street
    Mark your calendars for UNC Law's annual community service event.  Heels on the Street will take place on the afternoon of Friday September 5th.  Law students will be sent in teams to participate in community service projects throughout Chapel Hill and the Triangle.  Watch your email for more information on how you can get involved.

Public Defender Mentor Project Informational Meeting
9/11, 12pm, Room 4004   
    The mission of the UNC Public Defender Mentor Project is to provide law students interested in public defense with a source of information and support, an established link to relevant faculty, and a means of identifying other students with similar interests and aspirations.  At this organizational meeting, we will discuss the Project's resources and its programs for the year.  Law students who worked for PD offices over the summer, including the D.C. Public Defender Service and the Wake County PD's Office, will speak about their experiences and answer questions.  Bring your lunch, and we'll provide dessert!
    If you cannot attend the meeting or have questions about the PD Mentor Project, please contact Professor Tamar Birckhead at tbirckhe@email.unc.edu or 962-6107.

Disorientation 2008
    Sponsored by the UNC Law National Lawyers Guild and other student groups
Do you see injustice everywhere and want to do something about it? Please join other lawyers, activists and UNC law students working in social justice for a cookout, games, and inspiration. Your presence will help remind law students that public interest lawyering is rewarding, compelling and essential.
When: Saturday, September 13, 2008, 4 p.m.
Where: 1026 West Main Street, Carrboro
Email Miriam, Tana or Travis at unclawdisorientation@gmail.com for more information or to RSVP.

Other Public Service Events

2008 Peggy Browning National Law Students Workers' Rights Conference
    The Peggy Browning Fund will be holding its annual National Law Students Workers' Rights Conference on October 17-18, 2008 at the George Meany Center for Labor Studies in Silver Spring, Maryland. This is a tremendous opportunity for students interested in workers' rights. The Conference begins on Friday evening with a reception, dinner, film presentation and discussion. On Saturday, you will have the opportunity to attend workshops on all aspects of workers' rights and labor law. For more information and a registration form, see www.peggybrowningfund.org.
    UNC Law may select up to three students to attend the conference. Students interested in attending should have a demonstrated interest in either workers' rights issues or public interest law. Additionally, the Peggy Browning Fund will cover the conference fee, as well as on-site meals and lodging expenses, for one student from UNC Law (all students are responsible for a registration fee of $25 and transportation costs). The other two students will have to pay a conference fee and lodging expenses, in addition to the registration fee and transportation costs.
    If you are interested in attending the conference, please contact Sylvia Novinsky, Assistant Dean for Public Service Programs, no later than August 22 at snovinsk@email.unc.edu or at 962-7813.

Volunteers Needed for Million Meals Service Event
    The Graduate and Professional Student Federation is sponsoring a Million Meals Service Event, with the goal of packaging 1 MILLION MEALS on Saturday, August 23rd! The meals will be distributed to crisis-burdened areas and school lunch programs throughout the world.
Who: Graduate and Professional Students
When: Saturday August 23rd, 9am to noon
Where: Fetzer Gym A
Food and Fun: After packaging meals, for those interested, the group will travel to Franklin Street for lunch and socializing
    To sign-up, contact Laura Blue at gpsf_service@unc.edu.

Public Service News

Legal Aid of North Carolina's Durham Office and Carolina Law Alumni Featured in the The Herald-Sun
    In an article featuring Legal Aid's service to the Durham community, Gina Reyman ('87) commented, "I don't like to worry about money.  I'd rather make sure people don't go without justice. People don't come up here because they've been bad. They come up here because they've been ripped off. They've got good claims, but not enough money to pursue them. It's very rewarding work."
    To read the full article, click here.

Congress OKs Bill Forgiving Up to $60K in Loans for Prosecutors, Public Defenders
    Congress passed legislation last week that forgives up to $10,000 a year in student loans for state and local prosecutors and public defenders who pledge to stay on the job at least three years.
To read the full article in the ABA Journal, click here.

Job Opportunities on PSLawNet

Postgraduate Fellowships:
    For those interested in exploring fellowship opportunities, PSLawNet has a tremendous amount of information - from the basics to more detailed application tips - on its fellowship Background Information and Resources page at www.pslawnet.org/informationandresources.

    PSLawNet also maintains a deadline calendar for fellowships.  The following fellowship applications are due in August:

  • Women's Law Project (8/15)
  • Women's Law Project-Pittsburgh (8/15)
  • Public Policy Fellowship Program - Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation (8/15)
  • Skadden/EJW Fellowship Sponsor - Partnership for Children's Rights (PFCR) (8/15)
  • Law Students for Reproductive Justice (8/15)
  • 2008 Frederick B. Abramson Public Interest Fellowship Award - Frederick B. Abramson Memorial Foundation (8/18)
  • Urban Justice Center-Homelessness Outreach and Prevention Project (8/21)
  • Voting Rights Fellow-VRE - Brennan Center for Justice (8/29)
  • Legal Aid Bureau, Inc.-Main Office (MD) (8/31)
  • Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)-Immigrant Justice Project (8/31)

Summer Internships:
PSLawNet is a great source for summer positions, both paid and unpaid.  Registration is free to UNC Law students and allows you to search for jobs based on practice areas, location, and more.

To see more information and job postings, go to www.pslawnet.org.

Summer and Post-Graduate Employment Opportunities

Public Service Fellowship Award Program from the ABA Section of Taxation
    The Public Service Fellowships are open to recent J.D. and LL.M. graduates and judicial clerks who commit to working in tax-related public interest, non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations for two years.  Applicants must select and arrange employment with those organizations prior to applying for the Fellowship, and must confirm that their work will involve taxation or the administration of tax law.  Up to two Fellowships will be awarded each year, and the Section will fund the salary, benefits and law school debt service (when applicable) for each award recipient. The Section is now accepting applications for the 2009 Fellowships, with a deadline of October 15, 2008.
    Detailed information and a downloadable application is available at

Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program in D.C.
    The Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program offers fellowships for public interest lawyers from across the United States who are committed to advancing women's rights throughout their careers.  During the fellowship year, participants gain invaluable experience by working on women's issues in Washington, D.C. with a public interest organization or governmental agency and by participating in educational and professional development opportunities provided by WLPPFP.  The deadline for applications for the 2009-2010 Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program is October 31, 2008.
    For more information and an application, visit www.law.georgetown.edu/wlppfp.

Public Interest OCIs:
    Phase 3: (bidding ends 8/14)
    Chesapeake Public Defender - Chesapeake, VA (2L & 3L)

    Phase 4: (bidding ends 8/21)
    Federal Reserve Board (Washington, DC) (2L & 3L)
    Office of the Comptroller of Currency (multiple locations) (3L)
    US Army Corps of Engineers (multiple locations) (3L)
    US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Washington, DC) (2L & 3L)
    US Securities and Exchange Commission (Washington, DC) (2L & 3L)

    Resume Collection: (due 9/14)
    Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office (Miami, FL) (3L)

    Phase 5: (bidding ends 8/28)
    Office of Chief Counsel, IRS (multiple locations) (2L & 3L)

    Phase 6: (bidding ends 9/4)
    US Air Force JAG Corps (Seymour Johnson Air Force Base) (2L & 3L)

    Resume Collection: (due 9/28)
    Ohio Attorney General's Office (Columbus, OH) (2L & 3L)                              

Summer 2009 and Entry Level Positions with the U.S. Department of Justice
Application Deadline 9/2/08:
    The application deadline is midnight eastern time on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 for the Summer Honors Intern Program and the entry level Attorney General's Honors Program.  For more information and application materials, see the USDOJ Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management site (www.usdoj.gov/oarm).  If you were not able to attend the USDOJ information session held April 8th, the audio of the session is available here.  If you have questions or would like assistance with your application, please contact Kim Silver in the CSO at 919-843-8848 or ksilver@unc.edu.

To add items or provide feedback, please contact Sylvia Novinsky, Assistant Dean for Public Service Programs, or Allison Standard, RA, Public Service Programs.