Month: May 2012

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Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem Fellowship

NDS is seeking recent law school graduates for a paid two-year post-graduate fellowship.THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEFENDER SERVICE OF HARLEM (NDS) is a community-based, holistic public defender office located in Harlem. NDS represents residents of Northern Manhattan who are charged with crimes who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. Clients are represented by teams composed of lawyers, investigators, social workers, and team administrators. NDS also provides pre-arrest representation to clients under threat of arrest. NDS adheres to a client-centered approach to representation that emphasizes a heightened responsiveness to clients’ needs prior to arrest, while a case is pending,and after the case concludes.

Interested applicants should email a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to NDS at [email protected] with the subject line, “NDS Fellowship.” For more information about NDS, please visit our website at www.ndsny.org.  Click here for full details on this fellowship.

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NYT: Mandatory Pro Bono To Start in 2013

NYT: Mandatory Pro Bono To Start in 2013

On May 1 (Law Day), the New York Times reported that Chief Judge Lippman has mandated pro bono service for new lawyers starting in 2013, making New York the first state to do so.

The approximately 10,000 lawyers who apply to the New York State Bar each year will have to demonstrate that they have performed 50 hours of pro bono work to be admitted, Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman said. He said the move was intended to provide about a half-million hours of badly needed legal services to those with urgent problems, like foreclosure and domestic violence.

What do you think?  Is this a good development or not so good? Is this the right solution to a pressing problem? Share your thoughts!

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Dear friend,
My name is Theo Harris and I am steering committee member of the Minority Voting Rights Committee of the New York Democratic Lawyers Council. The NYDLC is a project of the New York State Democratic Party and a chapter of the National Democratic Lawyers Council. We are a group of New York attorneys and others who have a deep commitment to Democratic politics and who share the common goal of protecting each citizen’s right to vote. Voting rights are under attack in our country. The Republican Party is engaging in deliberate tactics to disenfranchise those most likely to vote for Democrats, and it is critical that Democratic attorneys use their skills to ensure that the right to vote is upheld. This fall, a strong Election Protection effort will be a critical key to victory for President Obama in New York, Pennsylvania and other swing states.

On Wednesday May 9th at 7pm, you are invited to attend the monthly meeting of the Minority Voting Rights Committee (NYDLC). Our guest speaker will be Macharia “Cha” Edmonds Esq(Obama For America-NY African American Outreach Coordinator). Mr. Edmonds will be discussing the campaign’s extensive plan for constituency outreach and empowerment and how one can get involved. We will also give committee updates on the recent poll watching and survey taking we did during the April 24 primary in Pennsylvania. As well as discussing the field plan and upcoming volunteer opportunities over the next couple of months leading to the November election. Please feel free to invite others whom you believe maybe interested. We just ask that they RSVP prior to the event to have your name listed at the front security desk.

What: Protect the Vote! – Monthly Minority Voting Rights Committee
When: Wednesday, May 9th 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Where: The Law Firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. 787 Seventh Avenue (btwn 51St. and 52 St.)
RSVP: Is required. Please reserve your spot by emailing [email protected]

This meeting is sponsored by the Minority Voting Rights Committee of the New York Democratic Lawyers Council (NYDLC), Obama for America-NY. It is open to all attorneys and non-attorneys who are interested in volunteering to support the President

We hope to see you there!

Theo Harris Esq.
Steering Committee Member of the Minority Voting Rights Committee of
New York Democratic Lawyers Council
A Voting Rights Project of the
NYS Democratic Party and the DNC
(917) 602-9134