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Exploring Democracy and Human Rights with the ACLU

Matthew Spurlock, ’12, spent his 2L summer working at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Center for Democracy in New York City. The Center for Democracy is a branch of the ACLU that works to “strengthen democratic values, promote human rights and ensure government accountability.” It includes the National Security Project, the Human Rights Program and the Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. The work that summer interns received was largely confined to a few specific, minute issues within the department to which they were assigned. Matthew described the work as 20% case briefs, and 80% legal research and writing.

Documenting Human Rights Violations in Afghanistan

Nicolette Boehland, ’13, came to law school with an interest in human rights and experience working in conflict zones. During her 1L year, she pursued this interest by working with the Human Rights Clinic as a research assistant and taking public international law during her spring term. It all came together when she landed her 1L summer internship with the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.

Spending a Summer at the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division

Last summer Rachel Heron, 3L, interned with the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division Appellate Section in Washington, D.C. The internship lived up to all her expectations and she would highly recommend the experience to anyone who is interested in appellate work and enjoys legal research and writing. Her supervisor assigned only substantive work, the attorneys she worked with offered constructive feedback, and she had the opportunity to write full appellate briefs on a range of environmental issues.

Perspectives From a Legal Services Intern

2L Hunter Landerholm spent the summer after his 1L year doing legal services work at Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County. While there, he worked for the housing and consumer unit and his work included evictions, Section 8 hearings, foreclosures, rent control work, habitability issues and Fair Housing Act cases, and his office was more than happy to let him pursue work in areas he was interested in.

A Unique Summer Opportunity with the Department of Energy

Sachin Desai, 2L, is passionate about energy and committed to innovation. Last summer, he combined these interests with his internship at the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) within the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C.

Articles on HLS Alums and Skadden Fellows

Here are two articles featuring Alison Kamhi '08 and Damon King '09, both awarded Skadden Fellowships upon graduating from HLS. Alison Kamhi spent her Skadden Fellowship at Catholic Charities in New York and is now at Bay Area Legal Aid serving again as a Skadden Fellow. Damon King is spending his Skadden Fellowship at the Youth Law Center in San Francisco.

Law firms hiring...Seriously

In what appears to be early signs of an economic recovery for law firms, and perhaps the legal market overall, law schools are seeing signs of an unfreezing of law firm hiring. Although organizations such as NALP are cautious about projecting potential hiring, and it appears the numbers of summer associates being hired isn't quite reaching the level of 3 or 4 years ago, the numbers do seem promising.

Careers in perspective

Nell Minow, Dean Minow's sister, offers a really interesting perspective on her career as a critic and former lawyer.

Law clinics coming under fire

Law clinics across the country are coming under fire for what is perceived as an over extension of their role. The state of Maryland is debating a bill that includes a measure that would cut money from its clinic if it doesn't provide sufficient information on its funding and practices. Although this specific legislation is being taken up in Maryland, other states such as Louisiana and Michigan are also tackling the issue. Louisiana, in fact, has already created rules restricting state-funded law school clinics.

Law firm associates' pay could change

The statistics are pretty stark: "In one decade, in part because of the Internet and housing bubbles, salaries for associates at big firms shot to the moon. From 1997 to 2007, the median starting salary at the nation’s largest firms doubled, to $160,000 a year plus bonus, from $80,000, according to the Association for Legal Career Professionals."

NY Bar retracts recent deferred associate survey

The New York Bar had to retract a recent report on the deferred associates experiences at public interest organizations. The initial report came to the conclusion that most of the deferred associates were unhappy with their placement and experience with public interest attorneys. The unrevised report highlighted a "culture gap" that the deferred associates felt with the organizations they were placed with.

Zero-tolerance policy in schools debate to take stage in North Carolina Supreme Court

Recent HLS graduate Jim Freeman ('03), and the organization he works for, the Advancement Project, were included in a recent New York Times article about the debate occurring on the zero tolerance policies that have been implemented in many schools across the country. The idea is to punish swiftly and severely, which is often popular among parents, but questioned by administrators and other school officials.

Doctors and Lawyers forming uncommon partnership

According to this recent NY Times article, an all-too rare but growing partnership between doctors and lawyers has been growing in various parts of the country. The purpose of these medical-legal partnerships? To simultaneously address the serious health concerns of the poor and connect them with legal aid to redress these health issues.

Do you need to be a lawyer to give legal advice?

In this recent Washington Post op-ed by Gillian Hadfield, Sidley Austin Visiting Professor of Law at HLS, Hadfield contends that other countries may have it right in the way legal advice is delivered. Rather than solely being provided by attorneys, Hadfield contends that advice can be more effective (and has proven to be more effective in other countries) when it comes from alternate sources.