Public Service Newsletter

Public Service Newsletter: Monday, September 28, 2009

Events at UNC Law

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1

Pro Bono Spring Break Trip to Eastern North Carolina: Interest Meeting

12:00 - 12:50p, 4085

Public Interest Mentorship Program Potluck Dinner

6:00p, Rumpus Room

*If you are a 1L, 2L, or 3L still interested in becoming part of this program please email Meredith Flowe at flowe@unc.edu.

Other Public Service Events

Equal Justice Works Student Debt Relief Webinar Series

Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Loan Repayment Assistance Programs from A to Z

Thursday, October 1, 5:30p - 6:45p EDT OR Monday, October 5, 12:00p - 1:15p EDT

Counseling Students and Graduates About Income-Based Repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Tuesday, October 6, 12:00p - 1:15p EDT

Space is limited, so participants are required to register at equaljusticeworks.org:

http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/resources/student-debt-relief/student-debt-relief-webinar-series

Public Lecture and Reception: Catherine Rohr, Prison Entrepreneurship Program, Founder and CEO

Monday, October 5, 5:30p, Koury Auditorium, Kenan-Flagler Business School

Third Annual Fair Trial Initiative J.Kirk Osborn Award Celebration

Thursday, October 8, 6:30 - 8:30p, Carolina Club

Join the attorneys, board, friends, and staff of the Fair Trial Initiative as we celebrate the life and legacy of Chapel Hill attorney and former FTI Board Member, J. Kirk Osborn, by honoring his commitment to high quality indigent advocacy and his dedication to mentoring young attorneys. 2009 Honoree: Kimberly Stevens.

RSVP to karisha@fairtrial.org, Students: $15 donation requested to attend. (Other attendees: $50 minimum donation requested.)

Carolina Women's Center, Brown Bag Lunch Film Series - Fall 2009: U.S. Interpretations of Gender

All screenings to be held in the Carriage House at the Carolina Women's Center, 215 W. Cameron Avenue (one block west of the Carolina Inn). All screenings take place on Wednesdays from 12-1:30pm. For more info please contact ezell@email.unc.edu

Wednesday, October 7, 12-1:30pm - JUGGLING GENDER/STILL JUGGLING (1992/2007)

For more info: http://www.andersongoldfilms.com/films/documentaries/jg.htm

Wednesday, November 4, 12-1:30pm - GENDERNAUTS (1999)

For more info: http://www.firstrunfeatures.com/gendernautsdvd.html

Funding Opportunities

Interested in a part-time civil rights fellowship during the school year?
Calling for Applications for the School Year Pollitt Fellowship at the ACLU in Raleigh!

This fellowship was established in 1992 to honor the work of retired UNC Law Professor, Dan Pollitt. Professor Pollitt was a long time board member of the North Carolina ACLU and is an ardent member of the civil rights movement. This fellowship provides a UNC law student with an opportunity to work for social and economic justice in North Carolina.

Each year one 2L or 3L Carolina Law student receives the Daniel Pollitt school year fellowship that allows the student to work at the ACLU in Raleigh approximately 10-12 hours per week each semester. The exact schedule is worked out between the recipient and the Executive Director of the ACLU; some work may be done remotely. The recipient will be paid $1500 (minus taxes) per semester.

"The Pollitt Fellowship gave me the opportunity to meet one on one with an amazing attorney who guided me through each step of exciting research projects on current, local civil rights issues in North Carolina. The hours were flexible, and the work manageable (especially around exam time). I would highly recommend applying for this externship if you are looking for a valuable off-campus activity to enrich your law school experience ."

Natasha El-Sergany '10, Pollitt Fellow 2008-2009

If interested, please submit your resume, transcript, cover letter, and a short writing sample (in hard copy or by email) to Sylvia Novinsky, Assistant Dean for Public Service Programs by Friday, September 18. A small pool of applicants will be submitted to the ACLU which will make the final decision on the recipient. The main criteria upon which Fellowship selection is based are interest in civil rights and a demonstrated commitment to social justice.

Address cover letters to: Katherine Lewis Parker, ACLU of North Carolina, P.O. Box 28004, Raleigh, NC 27611

Please see Sylvia Novinsky with any questions.

2Ls Only: Early Decision Public Interest Summer Grant will be available

The School of Law will be awarding a limited number of public interest summer grants to 2Ls in the fall.

Applications will be available in mid October and will be due on in early November. Students must have an offer from a public interest employer to receive a grant.

Please note: 2Ls will be eligible to apply for public interest summer grants in the spring of 2010 as well.

Please see Sylvia Novinsky with any questions.

Current Pro Bono Opportunities

If you are interested in signing up for a project listed below, visit http://www.law.unc.edu/public/probono/students/postings.aspx for details and contact Lauren Felter at UNCProBonoProjects@gmail.com.

Make sure to also consider signing up for the Fall Break and Winter Break Pro Bono Trips!

Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention - Legal Aid of North Carolina - Pittsboro, NC

Municipal Law & Demolition Liens - Office of the City Attorney - Durham, NC

TREC 2009 Legal Track Project

Racial Justice Act Study - Rich Rosen - UNC School of Law

Civil Rights and Property - UNC Center for Civil Rights - Carrboro, NC

Project Homeless Connect, Hargraves Center - Chapel Hill, NC

Driver's License Restoration Project - NC Office of Indigent Services - Orange County

Summer and Post-Graduate Employment Opportunities

Fair Trial Initiative 2010-2012 Fellowship Applications

The Fair Trial Initiative (Durham, NC) is looking for outstanding third year law students and new lawyers who are committeed to providing first-rate legal representation to indigent defendants facing the death penalty. For more information: http://www.fairtrial.org/apply.html

DEADLINE: October 31, 2009 (However, applications are accepted on a rolling basis, therefore applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible).

Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair

Saturday, October 24 - Sunday, October 25, Washington, D.C., The Omni Shoreham Hotel

Public Interest employers from all over the country will attend to hire for summer and postgraduate positions. If you will be interviewing at the conference, you MUST pre-register online to attend. If you decide not to attend you MUST let Sylvia Novinsky know as soon as possible. To register: http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/events/ccf/general

If you have questions, please contact either Sylvia Novinsky, Assistant Dean for Public Service Programs, or Meredith Flowe, Public Service Fellow.

Legal Aid of North Carolina Fellowship Opportunities (2010-11)

DEADLINE: October 30, 2009, 5:00p

Judge Samuel J. Ervin, III Fellowship (2010-11), Morganton, NC

Clifton W. Everett, Sr. Community Lawyer Fellowship (2010-11), Gastonia, NC

Clifton W. Everett, Sr. Community Lawyer Fellowship (2010-11), Ahoskie, NC

Visit Legal Aid of North Carolina's website for details and to see if additional fellowship opportunities are posted: http://www.legalaidnc.org/public/Participate/Jobs/Job_Postings.aspx#fellowships

Make sure to check Symplicity regularly for OCI with public interest employers.

Public Service Resources

Take Advantage of UNC Law CSO Resources!

Featured Resource: Government Honors Handbook (Updated for 2009-2010)

To access: Go to My Carolina Law and view the "Career Services" menu along the top banner. Select "Job Search" and "More." Then click on the link to "Government Honors Handbook." The username and password are provided to you below the link.

NYU Public Defender Handbook
NYU Law has created a new Public Defender Handbook for students looking for public defender internships and post-graduate jobs. You can download the Handbook from PSLawNet at http://pslawnet.org/uploads/NYU_PD_Handbook--public_version_August_2008.pdf.

The Handbook has two main sections:

  1. FAQs about the hiring process for internships and permanent jobs, with very specific examples of simulations and hypothetical questions;
  2. a listing and brief description (e.g., application process, training provided, etc.) of the major public defender offices that regularly hire post-graduate attorneys.

Equal Justice Works Blog
To read about news and thoughts regarding public interest law, check out the Equal Justice Works Blog at http://equaljusticeworks.wordpress.com/.

Public Service News

Pisgah Legal Services in the final states of fundraising campaign. PLS has seen demand for services rise by 29% due to the recession.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090924/OPINION03/90923033/1006

To add items or provide feedback, please contact Sylvia Novinsky, Assistant Dean for Public Service Programs, or Meredith Flowe, Public Service Fellow.