AABANY Government Service & Public Interest – Know Your Rights Community Trainings – Volunteers Needed!

AABANY is recruiting volunteers to be trained to give basic housing trainings to the Flushing community at Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) located at 35-24 Union Street.

Trainings to the volunteers will be provided by Legal Service NYC at 40 Worth Street. Starting in August, Volunteers can shadow experienced public interest lawyers on a monthly basis at night. Eventually, once the volunteer becomes comfortable, they can give the training themselves under the supervision of an experienced housing lawyer. Volunteers also have the opportunity to work at the Pro Bono committee’s Monthly General Advice Clinic in Manhattan Chinatown!

We are looking for committed volunteers who have demonstrated interest in social justice and want to help the community. As a volunteer, you will be asked to commit to being trained, observing at least one training, and giving one or more trainings to the community. Chinese language skills are a plus although may not be necessary.

If you would like to volunteer or have any questions, please contact Government Service & Public Interest Committee Co-Chair Anita Wu at [email protected]

2016 Fred T. Korematsu Summer Fellowship

Established by a generous gift from Parkin Lee and
The Rockefeller Group, the NAPABA Law Foundation in partnership with the
Fred T. Korematsu Institute have launched the Fred T. Korematsu Summer
Fellowship program.

The Fred T. Korematsu Summer Fellowship provides a
$6000 scholarship for one law student to gain meaningful legal
experience at a public interest host organization. The Fellowship is
open to all rising 1L and 2L law students at any qualified
host organization in the United States. Deadline for organizations to apply is February 5, 2016.
The application will be available on the
NAPABA website
shortly.

Find out more at http://bit.ly/2016korematsuflwshp

Vietnamese American Bar Association Of Northern California Public Interest Fellowship Program

The
Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California (VABANC) Law
Foundation (VLF) Public Interest Fellowship Program will fund one
$50,000 award to a recent law graduate or new attorney for the duration
of one year to provide legal services and advocacy for the
under-served and marginalized communities.                

The
VLF Fellowship Program seeks to increase access to legal services on
critical issues and improve the quality of legal services delivered to
under-resourced populations, including but not limited to the Vietnamese
American community.

Applications can be found here, and are due on Jan. 15, 2016, at 5 p.m. PST.

2016 NAPABA Law Foundation Summer Public Interest Internship

The NLF Public
Interest Internship is to provide support for one law student to gain
meaningful legal experience during a 2016
summer internship at a public interest organization that provides
direct legal services, impact litigation, and/or legal advocacy on
behalf of the Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) community. 

The deadline for Host application submission is January 15, 2016.  Find out more at http://bit.ly/2016nlfsmrpiintrnshp

FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP & INTERNSHIPS – National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP & INTERNSHIPS – National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

Public Interest Fellowships for the 2015 ACS National Convention

In order to help public interest lawyers attend the ACS National Convention, ACS will again be making available a limited number of fellowships for attorneys working in the government and public interest sectors.  The 2015 ACS National Convention will take place at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC from June 11-13.  Recipients will receive a combination of registration for the Convention, lodging at the Capital Hilton and/or a stipend for travel.

The ACS National Convention provides unparalleled networking opportunities for progressive lawyers.  There will again be dedicated networking time following each panel discussion and fellowship recipients will be able to meet leaders from their respective practice and geographic areas. In order to strengthen ties between fellowship recipients and ACS, we require that fellowship recipients join ACS and complete at least three of the following in the coming year:

To apply, please click here and complete the simple online application.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and will be accepted until April 15, 2015, or until filled. Please share this information with public interest attorneys who may be interested in this opportunity. 

ACS National Convention
June 11-13, 2015
Capital Hilton
1001 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 

2015 Fellowship Applications Accepted Until: Wednesday, April 15

To apply, please click here

AALDEF 2015 Summer Undergraduate Internships: Applications Due Feb. 9

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 1st through August 7th, 2015The 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.

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

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, student free-speech and police surveillance, and anti-Asian harassment.

Housing & Environmental Justice Project Intern: 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.   

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, produce reports and organize public forums; assist in organizing legal trainings; conduct voter registration drives.

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 9, 2015 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].

AALDEF 2015 Summer Legal Internship Program: Applications Due Jan. 30

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 2015 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 exploited and abused workers.
  • 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, language access, student free-speech and police surveillance, and anti-Asian harassment.
  • Housing & Environmental Justice Project: community outreach/education, research, and litigation on gentrification and other land use issues affecting low-income and Asian immigrant communities.
  • Immigrant Access to Justice: litigation, legal services, and organizing/outreach with communities impacted by post 9/11 immigration and law enforcement policies. An additional emphasis on Asian communities’ access to representation and education about immigration policies and practices that may impact them, including deferred action policies and administrative relief for undocumented youth and other immigrants, unconstitutional DHS stops, and collaboration between state/local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement, e.g., “Secure Communities” program. **Law students ONLY**
  • Voting Rights – legal research and fact development under the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause challenging anti-Asian voter discrimination, advocacy on bilingual ballot, produce reports and organize public forums, and assist in organizing legal trainings.

Description of Summer Internship Program: The summer program is ten weeks, from approximately June 1 through August 7, 2015Interns work full-time and are supervised by attorneys in specific program areas.  Depending on the program area, interns will work on litigation, legal and policy advocacy, community outreach and education, or 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 30, 2015 at the address below.  Please indicate in your cover letter the top three preferred 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, Indonesian and Urdu-speaking applicants are especially urged to apply.
  • Applications will be reviewed upon receipt until the January 30, 2015 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: Ken Kimerling at 212-966-5932 x203 or [email protected]
* * *Please do NOT email applications to [email protected]* * *