Second Circuit Accepting Application for Pro Bono Appellate Mediator Panel

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is accepting applications for the Court’s Pro Bono Appellate Mediator Panel. The Pro Bono Appellate Mediator Panel is authorized by Local Rule 33.1, and is governed by the Second Circuit’s Pro Bono Appellate Mediator Panel Plan. Members of the Pro Bono Appellate Mediator Panel serve as volunteer mediators for counseled, civil appeals.

All applicants must be attorneys admitted to, and in good standing with, the Bar of the Second Circuit or the bar of a state within the Second Circuit. Applicants must have 10 years of legal experience and substantial mediation experience.

As explained in the Pro Bono Appellate Mediator Plan, the Panel’s size is limited; therefore, the Court cannot appoint every qualified applicant. Membership will be on a three-year rotational basis, subject to a limit of two consecutive terms.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, and this application to the Director of the Office of Legal Affairs and the Chief Circuit Mediator via email to [email protected]. Applications must be received by May 1, 2019. Please use the subject line: Appellate Mediator Panel.

PRESS RELEASE: Accepting Applications for Second Circuit’s Pro Bono Panel

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT

Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse
40 Centre Street
New York, New York 10007

ROBERT A. KATZMANN
CHIEF JUDGE

CATHERINE O’HAGAN WOLFE SALLY PRITCHARD 
CLERK OF COURT DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS

March 3, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Criminal Justice Act/Pro Bono Committee is accepting applications for the Second Circuit’s Pro Bono Panel. The deadline is Friday, May 2, 2014.

Pro Bono Panel members will, at the Court’s invitation or on an appellant’s motion for appointment of counsel, represent pro se litigants in civil appeals that present issues of first impression, complex issues of law or fact, or raise potentially meritorious claims warranting further briefing and oral argument. Pro bono representation will be provided to litigants who would otherwise be unable to pay for counsel and are ineligible for the appointment of counsel pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act.

Cases in which pro bono counsel will be appointed cover a broad range of legal issues. A significant percentage of the cases are prisoner civil rights appeals; others may involve labor and employment, discrimination, social security, immigration and tax law.

Applicants must be admitted to and members in good standing of the Bar of the Second Circuit, or have an application pending before this Court, and have at least three years of appellate experience. Pro Bono Panel members will serve for a term not to exceed three years.

Pro Bono Panel Members who were appointed by the Court in 2011 for a three-year term must submit a new application if they wish to remain on the Panel. A completed application package contains a resume, a written application (available on the Court’s website at http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov) and three writing samples, preferably appellate briefs on which the applicant was the primary author. These materials must be submitted to Sally Pritchard, Director of Legal Affairs, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 40 Foley Square, New York, NY 10007, by Friday, May 2, 2014.

Legal Services NYC Annual Diversity Open House

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February 27, 2014 – Diversity Open House is an unique opportunity for law students to learn about the important work done at Legal Services NYC, to meet our attorneys and find out about internship, fellowship and possible employment opportunities. Legal Services NYC is the largest provider of free civil legal services in the country and has neighborhood programs in all five boroughs. See, www.legalservicesnyc.org

The format of the Open House is fairly informal. The first hour of the program is table time. Each Legal Services NYC program will have a table staffed by an attorney or two who is available to meet with law students. Then there is a program consisting of brief staff presentations about our vital work and innovative projects. After these presentations there is time for more tabling. The Open House will end with a reception with light refreshments and this is another opportunity for students to meet and network with staff attorneys. Leadership from the various offices will attend the event

All law students must rsvp by February 20, 2014 to diversitycommittee@ls-nyc. org

Open House Program

4:30pm to 5:30pm – Networking and Tabling

5:30pm to 6:15 pm – Welcome: Raun Rasmussen

Innovative Projects Presentations on

  • Immigration Law Project
  • LGBTQI Project
  • Veterans Justice Project
  • Loan Forgiveness Programs

6:15pm to 7:30pm – Networking and Tabling

NAPABA Elections Reminders

Deadline to Cast Ballots in the 2013-2014 NAPABA Board Elections is September 15

All electronic votes must be cast by 11:59 pm PDT on Sunday, September 15, 2013. An electronic ballot was sent to every member’s email address of record. If you prefer to vote by paper ballot, complete and detach the ballot (back page of the Election Edition NAPABA Lawyer Newsletter) and fax or mail it to NAPABA by 11:59 pm PDT on September 15, 2013. If you have not received a ballot, please contact the NAPABA office at 202-775-9555 or by email to [email protected].

Important Reminder about Voting Eligibility

Only members in good standing as of August 1, 2013, are eligible to vote in NAPABA elections. Members must be admitted to the practice of law and (a) be in good standing with the bar of any state, territory, or province of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Canada, or (b) have heretofore met the requirements in category (a) and now be retired. Associate members – which include law students, paralegals, and legal assistants – are not eligible to vote in NAPABA elections.

Request for Positive Campaigning

NAPABA’s Nominating and Elections Committee has determined that campaigning by supporters of both candidates for President-Elect has been unnecessarily negative and is now requesting your assistance to ensure that all future campaigning during this election be conducted in a civil matter. Please maintain a civil discourse during your campaign activities and engage only in campaigning that upholds the ideals of NAPABA for the remainder of the election period. We recognize that your participation is critical to our efforts to eliminate negative campaign tactics and we appreciate your assistance in ensuring that the individuals engaged in the election process adhere to the highest ideals of NAPABA. 

SDNY ORDERS: Extensions of deadlines in civil, criminal cases

Update from SDNY Public Information Officer:

Chief Judge Loretta A. Preska of the United States District Court for the
Southern District of New York issued three orders today regarding the
extension of deadlines in civil and criminal cases as a result of Hurricane
Sandy. I previously sent the order related to Federal Rule of Criminal
Procedure 45, which is attached here again. The two other orders related to
civil cases and Fed. R. Crim. P. 32 were issued later. All three orders are
also available on the home page of our website at http://nysd.uscourts.gov.

Stephanie Cirkovich, Esq.
Public Information Officer
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
(212) 805-0529 direct
(917) 273-8110 cell
(212) 805-0383 fax
http://nysd.uscourts.gov/

CIVIL NOTICES OF APPEAL MUST BE FILED ONLINE STARTING OCTOBER 15

Important notice from SDNY, October 15, 2012 effective date:

COURT NOTICE TO THE BAR
CONTACT: Clerk of Court, 212-805-0136

Effective October 15, 2012, the filing of Notices of Appeal in civil cases and payment of the associated fees must be completed online using the Court’s Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system.  Go here for the official court notice.

Pro se parties who are not members of the bar and who do not have an active ECF account are exempt from this rule. Pro se parties must file a Notice of Appeal in the traditional manner (on paper) and pay the appropriate fee to the Clerk of Court.
Instructions and training for filing a Notice of Appeal on the District Court’s CM/ECF system are available at http://nysd.uscourts.gov/ecf_training.php

Stephanie Cirkovich, Esq.
Public Information Officer
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
(212) 805-0529 direct
(917) 273-8110 cell
(212) 805-0383 fax
http://nysd.uscourts.gov/