CLS National Law Student Convention (Oct. 21-24)

Thank you for being a part of the Christian Legal Society Law Student Ministries Network. We have some exciting news! We are preparing for our largest Law Student Conference ever! The 22nd Annual National Law Student Convention will feature fellowship with hundreds of other law students from around the country, awesome speakers, and excellent workshops. And we are offering special early bird scholarships! So mark your calendar for OCTOBER 21-24, 2010, sign up early, and join us in Orlando!

Below you will find details about:

Special Early Registration Scholarships Available! Two Great Speakers! Legal Research and Writing Opportunity!

Special Early Registration Scholarships Available!

Make your plans this semester for theCLS National Law Student Convention, October 21-24 in Orlando, Florida! Early Bird Student Scholarship: Double scholarship for those students signing up before June 1-- $200 to every student. Standard Student Scholarship: All students who sign up after June 1 will receive $100; 1Ls will receive $150. Double Dip Membership Discount: Any student who joins CLS for $95, good for a three-year membership (and it will carry over to attorney membership as well), will have that entire amount ($95) credited to his or her conference registration. Affiliation Travel Scholarship : available to any fellowship that is not a CLS Chapter today: If the fellowship 1) affiliates as a CLS chapter before June 15, with 2) all three leaders signing up for membership at the $95/3 years rate; CLS will 1) apply the $95 fee to each student's conference registration; 2) give a $200 scholarship to each student, and 3) pay the students' reasonable travel expenses, up to $300 each. Faculty sponsor scholarships: If any faculty member will not receive assistance from his or her school to attend the conference, CLS will offer any of the above scholarships, including the $95/3 year (full faculty membership for three years) double dip membership discount for any faculty member accompanying students. Be on the lookout for details on how to receive each of these scholarships!

Two Great Speakers!

The program for students promises to be excellent, anchored this year by two outstanding scholars. The first is Michael McConnell, Richard and Frances Mallory Professor of Law and Director of the Stanford Constitutional Law Center. Professor McConnell, who is arguing the CLS v. Martinezcase before the U.S. Supreme Court next month, is a former 10th Circuit Court of Appeals judge and one of the most distinguished constitutional law scholars in the country. He will be providing the "Law & Culture" keynote to the student conference and is the featured speaker at the Saturday night banquet at the larger conference. The second anchor is Dr. Wayne Grudem, Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary. Dr. Grudem has served as President of the Evangelical Theological Society, as a member of the Translation Oversight Committee for the English Standard Version of the Bible, and as the General Editor for the ESV Study Bible (Crossway Bibles, 2008). He came to Phoenix Seminary in 2001 after teaching at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School for 20 years. The best-selling Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Zondervan 1994) is just one of his dozens of books. Dr. Grudem will help focus our student sessions in the area of theology and law. His newest work, Politics-- According to the Bible will be released this year by Zondervan. He will deliver the student keynote address: "God's Law & Human Laws: A Biblical Perspective." Additional highlights of this year's conference: *Lawyer Networking with Regional Seating will return this year. *Small Group discussions on the lawyer's calling are planned for breakfasts, where students and lawyers will have a chance to talk together about foundational issues. *Late Night Suite: Always a blast! *Law Student Praise and Worship! Call Dan Kim (703) 642-1070 x 3303 for details!

Legal Research and Writing Opportunity!

Patrick Trueman, an Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney, has requested assistance from law students on an obscenity project. Patrick Trueman is the former chief of the U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and he has been recruited by Morality in Media to create a website and a facebook page to increase awareness of the harms caused by pornography. The Pornography Harms website is available athttp://pornharms.com. They are in need of many more volunteers to help review research articles on the harm from pornography for posting on the site. The task is simple, just read a research article and write up a short summary of the work and list the tags from the article. You may volunteer as much or as little time as you have available. The site has had more than 11,500 visitors from 101 countries since we launched it a few weeks ago. If you are interested in helping, please respond to Patrick Trueman - p.trueman@verizon.net or Vicki Tucci - vicki.tucci@gmail.com, and please also cc Hannah Livingston - hannah_charis@yahoo.com

Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic

DEADLINE: March 15th, 2010

The Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic provides pro bono legal reprsentation in civil matters and legal education to low-income neighbors in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. It has volunteer opportunities for law students, both during the summer and throughout the school year and is currently recruiting for its summer associate program. You'll find more information on the program and how to apply at http://www.nclegalclinic.org/

2010 AmeriCorps*VISTA SUMMER ASSOCIATE PROGRAM

The Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic is seeking applicants for eleven law student AmeriCorps*VISTA summer associate positions. Applications are being accepted until March 15, 2010. Click here or scroll to the bottom for the program overview & benefits.

Thank you for expressing an interest in serving at the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic as an AmeriCorps*VISTA Summer Associate. Interested applicants must submit an application online at the AmeriCorps*VISTA website. If you have any questions about the positions or the AmeriCorps*VISTA program, please contact NCLC Executive Director Josh Abel (jabel@nclegalclinic.org),Volunteer Coordinator Angela Pandoli (apandoli@nclegalclinic.org), or call the front office at (317) 429-4131.

You can apply for up to two different positions. If you submit applications for more than two positions, we will ask you to withdraw the extra applications.

Law Student Summer Associate Positions

NCLC is seeking law student VISTA Summer Associate members for the summer of 2010 in the following areas:

Immigration Summer Associate (5 Positions)

Immigration is NCLC’s largest practice area, serving clients in a variety of immigration needs, including asylum, adjustment of status, U-Visa, and VAWA. Many of our immigration clients are in crisis, fleeing persecution from their home country, trying to break free from a domestic violence situation, or having been the victim of a violent crime.

The Immigration Summer Associates will work directly with NCLC’s immigration attorneys, and the summer associates will assist the attorneys by interviewing clients, conducting legal research, and completing immigration forms. Because a large percentage of our immigration clients speak Spanish, preference will be given to those applicants who also speak Spanish.

Housing Law Summer Associate (2 Positions)

NCLC is a HUD-certified housing counseling agency, and we serve many clients who are facing foreclosure. NCLC has responded to the current foreclosure crisis by increasing the number of staff assisting on foreclosure related matters, developing relationships with other non-profit agencies serving individuals’ housing needs, and working with lenders to address clients’ mortgage issues in an effort to avoid foreclosure. In addition, NCLC will litigate claims involving predatory or other illegal lending practices.

The Housing Law Summer Associates will work directly with the NCLC’s housing attorney, and the summer associates will assist the attorney by interviewing clients, conducting legal research, reviewing mortgage documents, and preparing court pleadings.

Bankruptcy Summer Associate (2 Positions)

Many of NCLC’s clients need to file bankruptcy because they have unexpectedly lost a source of income (either through unemployment, divorce, or death of a spouse), or they were faced with a medical illness without proper health insurance. Filing a bankruptcy petition affords the client a fresh financial start.

The Bankruptcy Summer Associates will work directly with the NCLC bankruptcy attorney, and the summer associates will assist the attorney by interviewing clients, conducting legal research, preparing bankruptcy petitions, and attending bankruptcy hearings.

Family Law Summer Associate (1 Position)

Even though NCLC does not accept divorce cases, NCLC nevertheless assists in a variety of family law matters. The family law attorney is in court frequently, representing clients in cases including custody modification, child support, guardianship, and adoption.

The Family Law Summer Associate will work directly with the NCLC family law attorney, and the summer associate will assist the attorney by interviewing clients, conducting legal research, preparing court pleadings, and attending court hearings. In addition, if the law student is eligible to become a certified legal intern, then the summer associate may represent clients in court, under the supervision of the staff attorney.

Tax Law Summer Associate (1 Position)

NCLC is a recognized Low Income Taxpayer Clinic by the Internal Revenue Service. We provide legal representation for clients in tax controversies with the IRS. We are often successful in saving our clients thousands of dollars in assessed penalties and fines.

The Tax Law Summer Associate will work directly with the NCLC tax attorney, and the summer associate will assist the attorney by interviewing clients, conducting legal research, and reviewing tax documents.

Overview of the Indiana AmeriCorps*VISTA Program

AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) is a national service program dedicated to eliminating poverty by helping individuals and low-income neighborhoods make positive changes for themselves. Through VISTA, ordinary people provide extraordinary service in organizations and agencies to create and expand programs and to build permanent infrastructure that ultimately bring low-income individuals out of poverty.

The Indiana VISTA program seeks the highest-caliber candidates for national service. Indiana offers competitive and high-quality professional level opportunities in national and local non-profits, faith based and other community agencies across the state. VISTA service is not a job, but rather professional volunteer service that can help prepare you for a future in the public, non-profit or governmental sectors. VISTA will enable you to practice citizenship at its highest level, by serving other Americans.

The VISTA Summer Associate program requires members to make a full-time (40 hours per week) ten-week commitment. All Summer Associates must begin their service on June 1, 2010 and conclude on August 6, 2010 (unfortunately, no exceptions can be made). Compensation is provided in the form of the VISTA subsistence allowance (it is not a wage); it is congressionally authorized at $398.16 bi-weekly, paid through direct deposit and is taxable. VISTA members are prohibited from engaging in outside employment during the course of their term or service.

Members who complete a successful term of service may elect to receive either a $1,000 education award or a $200 cash stipend. The educational award is in the form of an educational voucher provided upon the completion of the 10-week term. It is applicable towards qualified federal student loans and future education expenses. It is valid for up to ten years.

Americorps*VISTA provides service opportunities to individuals 18 and older without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, disabliity, sexual orientation, political affiliation or any other non merit factor.

Legal Studies Institute in Washington, DC

LEGAL STUDIES INSTITUTE

Guaranteed Legal Internships in Washington, D.C.

May 22 – July 31, 2010
Washington, D.C.

www.LegalStudiesDC.org

Final Deadline: March 19, 2010

The Legal Studies Institute, sponsored by The Fund for American Studies, provides the opportunity for first and second year law students to gain a first-hand look at the American legal system through legal internships, a constitutional law course, guest speakers and briefings, and professional development activities. The guaranteed legal internships allow students to gain the necessary work experience that future employers will expect in today’s legal job market. Students will attend a 3-credit course on Constitutional law entitled, “The Founders Constitution.” The course is accredited through Ohio Northern Law School, and all students who successfully complete the course will receive 3 transfer credits.

The program offers the following components:

· Legal Internship: Participants will be placed in a 9-week legal internship where they will work full-time and gain substantive experience in the legal profession. Internship sites include law firms, courts, public interest legal organizations, and the legal departments of trade associations, corporations and government agencies.

· 3-Credit Course on Constitutional Law: Participants will attend a Constitutional law course for 3 credit hours. The course is entitled, “The Founders Constitution,” and is accredited by Ohio Northern Law School. The course structure will follow the required 2100 minutes of class time. All participants who successfully complete the course will receive 3 transfer credits.

· Briefings and Activities: Participants will attend private briefings at institutions of the judicial and executive branches and will meet with prominent judges, lawyers and judicial scholars. Last year’s class met with Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and D.C. Federal Court of Appeals Judge Douglas Ginsburg.

· Career Development Activities: Workshops will be held to help prepare participants for success in their law careers, and planned networking events will facilitate professional interaction.

· Attorney Mentor Program: Each participant will be matched with an experienced lawyer who will serve as a professional mentor during and after the program.

· Housing: Students live in furnished apartments on Capitol Hill and are matched with other Institute participants. The apartments are only a few blocks from public transportation, with access to the entire D.C. metro area.

· Scholarships: 75% of students receive scholarship awards based on financial need and merit. Typical awards range from $500 to $2,500.

“My experience at the Electronic Privacy Information Center has given me real insight into public interest practice and the everyday business of protecting basic rights. I am reassured that my goal to make a difference in the government and the everyday lives of the American public is possible, and I am already doing it!”

Danielle Nasr, University of Texas School of Law

Legal Intern, EPIC.org

“Working at the International Law Institute last summer helped me to land a full-time job after my 3^rd year. My summer work experience in Washington, D.C. was the deciding factor, and I have the Legal Studies Institute to thank for the opportunity to have gained my legal experience.”

Diana Simpson, Roger Williams Law School

Legal Intern, International Law Institute

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Applications will be reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis until the final deadline of March 19^th.

Many legal internship sites request resumes early in the year for their upcoming summer positions, so applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Details on the program and an online application may be found at www.LegalStudiesDC.org. Questions may be directed to LSI Director Hicks P. Winters at LEGAL@tfas.org or 202.986.0384.

Summer Internship Opportunities

In our efforts to help you find a summer position, we asked an alumni on for his thoughts. Here was his response:

There are several Christian oriented internships. Some are religiously motivated, some advance religious or religio-political ends.

Legal Aid programs can be found here: http://www.clsnet.org/sites/default/files/2010_Directory_Legal_Aid_Programs_02_03_10.pdf. There are literally scores of them. These are specifically legal aid, meaning helping the poor with their legal problems and being Christ to them. Most of these organizations (some are just attorneys in their private practice willing to help out) would welcome potential interns. The vast majority, if not all, would allow B547 or similar credit b/c of its legal-aid organization affiliation. This is true even of those in attorneys' offices. Some, particularly those who are attorneys, would be far more likely to hire a CLS-esq. intern (or help them out early in their careers by passing them clients) than other potential interns/associates. This is because they take on a few pro bono clients for religious reasons but engage in extensive private practice otherwise.

There are, of course, many religio-political internships. The Alliance Defense Fund's Blackstone Legal Fellowship, CLS, and American Center for Law & Justice. The Pacific Justice Institute and Thomas Moore Law Center do as well. Each of these organizations share information and expertise. People move back and forth between and among them often. The ADF really has the summer intern market wrapped up regarding religious right internships because it farms its interns out to these places.

However, ADF receives hundreds of requests for interns but only has about 120, meaning there are many requests for CLS people but not enough interns. Many of these internships go unfilled; many are not religious right but rather Christian working environments for top-quality legal services in all sorts of fields. I have a call out to Melissa Roberson at ADF (1-800-TELL-ADF) requesting more info on that.

Also, many Christian Universities and Colleges would welcome (unpaid) interns in their general counsel's offices. This is very good experience for those interested in government, corporate, or nonprofit work.