Tag: summer

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.