2012 SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS

Founded in 1974, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.

Summer interns attend weekly brown bag lectures on a range of public interest legal topics along with interns from other legal defense funds and civil rights groups. The summer program is ten (10) weeks, beginning approximately June 4th through August 10th. The position is unpaid. However, in previous years many AALDEF interns have been successful at securing independent funding and work-study funds may also be available. Academic credit can be arranged.

Voting Rights Intern: research and fact development under the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause challenging anti-Asian voter discrimination, advocacy on bilingual ballots, and the redrawing of local, state and federal district lines; produce reports and organize public forums; assist in organizing legal trainings; help prepare for multi-state election monitoring of the 2012 Presidential Elections; conduct voter registration drives..

NJ – Asian American Legal Project Intern: Undergraduate interns gain valuable experience working alongside attorneys in NJ-AALP’s advocacy efforts. Responsibilities include conducting community outreach, education, and direct-action organizing with Asian immigrant workers and community members in New Jersey; performing client intake and legal interpretation; and coordinating client referrals. Bilingual ability in Gujarati, Hindi, or Korean is highly preferred.

Youth Rights and Educational Equity Intern: Responsibilities include community outreach and presentations with Asian American youth groups, public education policy research, assistance with client intakes and general support for projects on educational equity, juvenile justice, affirmative action, and post 9-11 hate violence and racial targeting.

Housing & Environmental Justice Project: responsibilities include community outreach and research on land use, community planning, and anti-displacement issues.

Office Assistant: Responsibilities include data entry, organizing press clippings, answering phones, doing mailings, assisting with fundraising and other events, and performing general clerical duties. Other responsibilities include providing support for community education and outreach projects and acting as an interpreter/translator. Computer experience with databases, graphics and web programs is helpful.

Requirements: Candidates must be detail-oriented and possess strong writing skills. Spoken and written knowledge of Korean, Bangla, Chinese, or another Asian language is a plus.

Qualified applicants should indicate which internship they are applying for and send a resume and cover letter by Monday, February 6, 2011 to:

Summer Undergraduate Intern Search
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor
New York, New York 10013
fax: 212.966.4303 or email: [email protected]  

For more information, contact Jennifer Weng at 212-966-5932, ext. 212 or [email protected].

ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND

2012 SUMMER LEGAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Founded in 1974, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.

Internships for the summer of 2012 are available in the following program areas:

Anti-Trafficking Initiative – legal research and writing on the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act and Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as outreach, community education, and advocacy on the rights of women and youth trafficking survivors.

Community Health Care Initiative – legal research, community education and outreach in the areas of immigration, government benefits, language rights, and health care access;

Economic Justice for Workers – legal research, advocacy and direct representation on behalf of Asian immigrant workers experiencing wage-and-hour, retaliation, and workplace safety violations in the restaurant, nail salon, domestic worker, and other low-wage industries.

Educational Equity and Youth Rights – legal services, policy work, community education, research and litigation concerning educational equity, juvenile justice, affirmative action and post 9-11 hate violence and racial targeting;

Housing Justice Project – community outreach/education, community planning, research, and litigation on housing and land use issues affecting low-income Asian immigrant communities;

Immigrant Access to Justice – litigation, legal services, and organizing/outreach with communities impacted by 9-11, including special interest detainees, special registration, voluntary interviews by the government, the 9-11 absconder initiative, and local and state enforcement of immigration laws.

Voting Rights – legal research and fact development under the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause challenging anti-Asian voter discrimination, advocacy on bilingual ballots, and the redrawing of local, state and federal district lines; produce reports and organize public forums; assist in organizing legal trainings.

Description of Summer Internship Program:
The summer program is ten weeks, from approximately June 4 through August 10. Interns work full-time and are supervised by attorneys in specific program areas. Interns will work on litigation, legal and policy advocacy, community outreach and education, and client intakes. Each program area differs in emphasis. Summer interns attend weekly brown bag lectures on a range of public interest legal topics along with interns from other legal defense funds and civil rights groups. The position is unpaid. However, in previous years many AALDEF interns have been successful at securing independent funding. Academic credit can be arranged.

To Apply:
·Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to be received by AALDEF on or before Friday, January 20, 2012 at the address below. Please indicate in your cover letter the top three program areas. Only law students qualify for AALDEF’s legal internships. Applications may be faxed or emailed.

·Any bilingual ability should be stated in the application. Bilingual ability is helpful but not required. Gujarati, Hindi, Khmer, Korean, and Urdu-speaking applicants are especially urged to apply.

·Applications will be reviewed upon receipt until the January 20, 2012 deadline. Interviewing will take place on a rolling basis. Only applicants who have been granted interviews will be notified of their advancement in the application process.

Summer Internship Search (Legal)
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor
New York, New York 10013-2815
Fax: 212-966-4303  Email: [email protected]

For more information, contact:
Thomas Mariadason at 212-966-5932 x223 or [email protected]
Jerry Vattamala at 212-966-5932 x209 or [email protected]
* * *Please do NOT email applications to [email protected] or [email protected]* * *

AALDEF is seeking law student and undergraduate interns for its Economic Justice project. The Economic Justice project provides legal advocacy and direct representation to Asian immigrant workers experiencing wage-and-hour, discrimination, retaliation, and workplace safety violations. The workers we assist are from a variety of industries, including the restaurant, beauty salon, housework/nanny, and construction industries, although this list is not exhaustive. For the Spring 2011 semester, AALDEF is seeking energetic EJ law interns to conduct legal research, participate in client intake and outreach to community-based organizations, and litigation-related assignments. There will also be an opportunity to work on the landmark trafficking case, Signal v. David, for which a class certification decision is pending. The commitment for Spring 2012 is a minimum of 10-15 hours/week. Undergraduate EJ interns will conduct outreach, follow-up, and general research. While not required, special consideration will be given to applicants fluent in another language, including Gujarati or Korean. Individuals interested in applying for Spring 2012 should e-mail a cover letter, resume, and (for law students) a writing sample not exceeding ten pages to [email protected] no later than December 1, 2011. Please feel free to forward this announcement widely.

Shirley Lin
Staff Attorney | Skadden Fellow