Clinical and Pro Bono Programs

Providing clinical and pro bono opportunities to Harvard Law School students

Author: jyurkofsky

Michael Dukakis Visits Negotiation Workshop

May 15, 2013 / / 0 Comments

L to R: Michael Dukakis, Robert Bordone, Teresa Napoli ’13 – Photo Credit: Martha Stewart

This past spring, Clinical Professor Bob Bordone‘s students were treated to a visit by former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, who was also the Democratic nominee for President in 1988. Governor Dukakis’ visit came at the end of the semester-long Negotiation Workshop, in which students explored negotiation theory and practice, working intensively on skill-building to improve their effectiveness as negotiators. Dukakis spoke to students in detail about the negotiation dynamics of the Park Plaza case – a contentious 1970s Boston urban renewal project – as well as about the way negotiation tools and concepts came into play during his two terms as Governor. In addition to sharing personal stories of a life of public service, Gov. Dukakis also echoed many themes of the Negotiation Workshop – the importance of preparation, of relationships, and of collaboration.

To learn more about the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program, visit their website.

Governor Dukakis – Photo credit: Martha Stewart

Governor Dukakis – Photo credit: Martha Stewart

L to R: Governor Dukakis, Professor Bordone, and Assistant Dean Lisa Dealy – Photo credit: Martha Stewart

CJI Says Goodbye to Gloria Tan

May 8, 2013 / / 0 Comments

CJI Staff. Back from left: Kristin Muniz, Ron Sullivan, Chris Pierce, Rob Proctor. Front from left: Amy Soto, Gloria Tan, Dehlia Umunna, Anna Pierce.

Former CJI Deputy Director Gloria Tan was recently sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Juvenile Court in Middlesex County. Ms. Tan was a clinical instructor at the Criminal Justice Institute since 2003.  Prior to joining HLS, Ms. Tan worked representing juveniles and adults for the Committee For Public Counsel Services, the Massachusetts state wide public defender agency. As a judge Ms. Tan will continue her lifelong commitment to public service.  The CJI family will miss her greatly!

Opportunities: Negotiators Board and Committee; Summer RA for Environmental Law Research

May 1, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Via HLS Administrative Updates

Call for Harvard Negotiators Board and Committee Applications
You do not need to be a current member to apply for a position. Applications due by Sunday, May 5, at 5pm. Email  negotiators at law.harvard.edu with any questions. Harvard Negotiators have opportunity to: – Advise clients about negotiations – Represent HLS in competitions – Participate in simulations – Join reading group and blog – Attend speaker series See link for positions and application!

Part-Time Summer RA Sought for Environmental Law Research
Shaun Goho, Clinical Instructor and Lecturer on Law, seeks a part-time research assistant for the summer. Hours are flexible, and most of the work can be done remotely if necessary. The work will involve revising and updating the course materials for a class on public-interest environmental litigation and research into various environmental and administrative law topics. If interested, please send a cover letter and CV to sgoho at law.harvard.edu.

 

Former TLC clinical student launches start-up

April 25, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Former HLS clinical student John Bennett recently launched a Kickstarter project to fund Zen of 180, an LSAT preparation product that provides free explanations to LSAT questions. The project comes out of Zen Way Inc, Bennett’s  education technology startup committed to democratizing access to higher education. Zen Way is a 2013 Harvard University President’s Challenge finalist at the Harvard Innovation Lab.

Bennett, who worked at the Transactional Law Clinics while a student at HLS, found his clinical experience to be an asset when he began Zen Way.

My work with TLC has proven surprisingly helpful in running my business, especially in how to interface with our legal counsel and business consultants.

TLC helped me know which legal resources to use at Harvard, and the various services those groups could offer us. We used HLEP (Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project) to do some initial patent research for us, and have been at the i-lab since it opened to student teams.

Mainly, though, TLC helped me the most in thinking through the intellectual property issues that my business has; the clients I worked with presented challenging questions on patent ownership, creative commons licensing for online content, and even how to market a product that is not protectable under any IP regime.

Watch as Bennett explains Zen of 180 in the Kickstarter video above, or visit the campaign page to learn more about the project.

 

After the Bombings, Boston Marathon Remains an Inspiration

April 22, 2013 / / 0 Comments

International Human Rights Clinic Senior Clinical Instructor Bonnie Docherty wrote a blog post for today’s one-week anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings. Before she was an internationally renowned arms expert, Docherty was a local reporter for the Middlesex News (now MetroWest Daily News) whose job it was to cover the marathon every year. You can read her post, After the Bombings, Boston Marathon Remains an Inspiration, at the IHRC blog.

Clinical Staff Teach Multiparty Negotiation Class

April 18, 2013 / / 0 Comments

[L to R] Jonathan Bennett ’12, Alexis Beveridge ’13, Tarik Elhussein ’13, Chris Davis ’14, Jae In Kim ’13, and Rory Van Loo ’07

HLS student Chris Davis’ (’14) reflects on the experience of advising Major League Baseball executives on an upcoming negotiation aimed at the implementation of an international amateur draft. Davis and his team (pictured above) competed for the chance to advise the MLB as part of the course “Advanced Negotiation: Multiparty Negotiation, Group Decision Making, and Teams,”  co-taught by clinical faculty Prof. Robert Bordone and Lecturer on Law Rory Van Loo. Read more here.

In the spirit of Gary Bellow

April 15, 2013 / / 0 Comments

By Jeanne Segil and Abbey Marr, Co-chairs of the Gary Bellow Public Service award

Photo credit: Jon Chase

On Friday April 12th, the HLS community gathered to honor the legacy of Professor Gary Bellow, founder and former faculty director of Harvard Law School’s Clinical Programs, while recognizing the work of an incredible HLS alumna, Laurel Firestone (HLS ’04) and an inspiring HLS student, Stephanie Davidson (HLS ’13). The Gary Bellow Public Service Award was created in 2001 to recognize excellence in public interest work at HLS and to honor Professor Bellow.  The Award is entirely student-run and given annually by the student body of HLS to a student and alumnus/a whose commitment to social justice makes us proud to be a part of the HLS community.

Dean Minow opened the ceremony, speaking eloquently about Professor Bellow and his commitment to community lawyering and public service. She also introduced Professor Jeanne Charn, the Director of the Bellow-Sacks Access to Civil Legal Services Project and the wife of the late Professor Bellow, who shared the personal stories of faculty and students who fondly remembered Professor Bellow and his charges to his clinical students. Bellow’s presence was felt in the room as the two honorees received recognition for their commitment to legal services and community lawyering.

Laurel Firestone and community organizer Susana de Anda founded the Community Water Center, an environmental justice organization, based in San Joaquin Valley to ensure that access to water is recognized as a human right. Firestone’s dedicated work has impacted change at the community, regional, and state level. Her talk inspired students to “find their purpose,” to look in their own backyards and see people who often remain invisible. She suggested that community organizing is a vital component of creating change and empowering people.

Stephanie Davidson, the current president of the WLA and a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, spoke about her work within these organizations as she dedicated herself to anti-violence activism. Stephanie spoke passionately about her desire to change the paradigm of violence against women work, to move from being reactive to instead think about how to prevent such violence from occurring in the first instance. She plans to dedicate her career to such efforts and we were so excited to hear about the inspiring and important work she will continue to pursue.

The room erupted into standing ovation at the end of these talks as the HLS community demonstrated its appreciation for the work of individuals such as Laurel and Stephanie, committed and conscientious, determined to create change in a world that so needs it.

Jeanne Charn, the Director of the Bellow-Sacks Access to Civil Legal Services Project and the wife of the late Professor Bellow.
Photo credit: Jon Chase

Photo credit: Jon Chase

Photo credit: Jon Chase

International Clinical Collaboration in Argentina

April 12, 2013 / / 0 Comments

In November 2012, the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic arranged for continuing clinical student Marisa Taney ’13 to work with the University of Buenos Aires, CELS, and CAREF. Read about her experience at the HIRC blog; excerpts from her post are below.

“Upon arriving in Argentina, I went to CAREF to set my schedule: three days per week I would participate in the clinic, and the other three to four days I would work on the research project and help out on other tasks as needed. I had the opportunity to interview members of the government-run Comisión del Migrante (the commission within the national public defender’s office dedicated to immigrant advocacy), to confer with attorneys in the field, and to speak with numerous immigrants themselves. I attended workshops and trainings for immigrants to inform them of their rights under the new law and engaged in candid discussions about the immigrant experience in Argentina. Through it all, I learned an enormous amount about the region, the politics, and the social implications of being an immigrant in Argentina”

“During case presentations, the lawyers and interns would pause periodically to ask if I had any questions, and would go to pains to explain banal legal processes if they were unique to Argentina. My peers were as genuinely interested in my experiences in the United States as I was in theirs in Argentina, and they regularly stayed after meetings or class to talk to me or invite me to social events. It was in incredible experience.”

“Not only was it an opportunity for me to learn about another system of immigration law, but it also allowed me to truly engage with a different society and gain multiple perspectives on immigration policy. The geographic and region-specific challenges were different, but the basic issues underlying the work were the same, and the missions of our organizations remarkably parallel. Since returning to the states I have continued to speak with my supervisors and peers in Argentina, collaborating on cases and discussing future opportunities for exchanges.”

Clinical Blog Roundup

April 12, 2013 / / 0 Comments

A recap of posts from HLS clinics and student practice organizations over the past week.

Tortured for Testimony: Anarchists Get Solitary Confinement for Not Snitching
Posted by Tori Porell at PLAP

Job Opportunities
Posted by HIRC

Business and Human Rights in Ireland: A New Blog
Posted by Shane Darcy, Visiting Fellow, Human Rights Program at IHRC

Filling the News Gap in Cambridge and Beyond
Posted by Cyberlaw

After Protests, Prison Firm Pulls Donation
Posted by Tori Porell at PLAP

Build the Future, Fix Our Schools
Posted by Jeanne Segil, JD ’14, at IHRC

The Queer Case Against Prisons
Posted by Tori Porell at PLAP

Event 4/17: IHRC launches MSI Integrity: A New Business and Human Rights NGO

April 8, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Wednesday April 17
4:30 – 6:30 PM
Harkness South

Join the International Human Rights Clinic in celebrating the launch of the Institute for Multi-stakeholder Initiative Integrity (MSI Integrity), a non-profit organization that the Clinic has helped get off the ground. MSI Integrity examines the impact and value of voluntary business-related human rights initiatives, such as Fairtrade labeling and the Kimberley Process certification for conflict diamonds. Through research, critical assessment, and shared learning, MSI Integrity aims to ensure that these initiatives protect and promote human rights. Drinks will be served!

2L wins custody

April 3, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Article written by HLS student Lerae Kroon

After months of advocacy, HLAB student attorney Chris Suenram’s hard work paid off. He delivered a baby to his client.

Suenram’s advocacy reunited Jasmine* with her baby girl after two-and-a-half months apart. Domestic violence forced Jasmine from the home she shared with her husband and his family.

Jasmine and her husband were married overseas through an arranged marriage. They came to Massachusetts with their baby and moved in with his family. She almost immediately became the target of abuse from her husband and his relatives. Jasmine was essentially a slave in the home — she was confined to the house, had no keys, and was not allowed to call her family overseas or do anything without permission.   The family believes female children are “liabilities” and subjected Jasmine to verbal abuse and physical violence.

When Jasmine contacted HLAB, she was staying in a shelter. She spoke very little English and had no family or friends in Massachusetts.  When she fled, her husband prevented her from taking the baby and also did not allow her any further contact.

Once HLAB took her case Suenram got right to work. With the support of his third-year mentor and his supervising attorney, he crafted a legal strategy to meet her immediate goal of getting her baby back.

One step was the hearing for temporary custody at the Probate and Family Court, where Suenram argued for Jasmine to be given full custody of her baby. He prevailed and mother and daughter were reunited.  “The social worker has told me that the transition has gone incredibly well,” said Suenram.

The power disparities in Jasmine’s case are prevalent among clients in HLAB’s Family Law practice. Many HLAB clients are victims of domestic violence, and face financial and emotional obstacles.

“It’s not exaggerating to say that Jasmine could not have obtained this result without legal assistance,” said Suenram. “It’s pretty amazing what she has been able to achieve in terms of standing up for herself and finding people who were able to help her.  She still has a long road ahead, but I am confident that she will be able to achieve a good life for herself and her children.”

*Not her real name

Suenram (’14)

HNMCP Director Robert C. Bordone co-authors innovative new dispute systems design book

April 3, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program Director Robert C. Bordone has co-athored an innovative new dispute systems design book with Nancy H. Rogers, Frank E.A. Sander, and Craig A. McEwen.

The first coursebook of its kind, Designing Systems is a guide for both practitioners and pedagogues—a multi-disciplinary, skills-based, practical reference for the dispute resolution field. The authors use six, real-life case studies developed over the course of the book to illustrate dispute resolution systems theory and practice. They range from the design and construction of eBay’s innovative online dispute resolution mechanism to the groundbreaking work of Cure Violence as it systematically learns how to deploy former gang members as street mediators/violence interrupters on the streets of Chicago.

“I hope,” says Bordone, “this text will serve as a resource for faculty teaching dispute systems design and related courses, as well as to practitioners in the field whose job it is to facilitate the creation and improvement of more effective dispute resolution processes and systems.”

“Finally—the definitive coursebook dealing with designing and implementing alternative dispute resolution programs. One-stop shopping that explains the challenges and solutions in designing ADR Systems to resolve disputes both large and small. Must reading for students and practitioners alike.”
–Kenneth R. Feinberg, Administrator of the 9/11 and BP Gulf Oil Spill Compensation Funds

“This is the gold standard for teaching and learning dispute system design. It brings multidisciplinary perspectives and practical wisdom from case studies. Anyone new to dispute system design in any field cannot afford to miss this. Every experiences scholar also will need to read this book to keep up with the next generation of scholarship and practices.”
–Clark Freshman, Professor of Law, University of California, Hastings College of Law

Events: April 1 – 14

April 2, 2013 / / 0 Comments

What: Clinical Registration Opens for 2013-14 Academic Year
When: Wed, April 3, 9am
Note: Clinical registration is for the entire 2013-14 year.

What: Veterans Legal Clinic Panel
When: Wed, April 3, 12-1pm
Where: WCC 2019 Milstein West A
 Details: With featured speaker Coleman Nee (Secretary of MA Department of Veterans’ Services), Zach Stolz (Chisholm, Chisholm & Kilpatrick) and Dan Nagin (Clinical Professor and Director of HLS’s Veterans Legal Clinic). Join panelists and student members of the Veterans Legal Clinic to learn about the urgent needs of local veterans and the exciting work students are undertaking on their behalf. Lunch provided. (Flyer below)

What: Clinical Registration Closes for 2013-14 Academic Year
When: Fri, April 5, 12:59pm
Note: Clinical registration is for the entire 2013-14 year.

What: Toward a Civil Gideon: The Future of Legal Services
When: Sat, April 6, 10:15-3:30pm
Where: Wasserstein Hall 1015
 Details: This symposium will feature scholar-practitioners from around the country discussing the access to justice crisis and how to solve it. Panelists include: Scott Cummings (UCLA); Russell Engler (New England School of Law); Jim Greiner (HLS); David Grossman (HLS); Gene Nichol (Center on Poverty); Deborah Rhode (Stanford); Rebecca Sandefur (U of I); and Richard Zorza (UCLA). If you can’t make it the whole day, feel free to stop by when you are available!

What: The People’s Law School: Community Education Workshops & Open House
When: Sat, April 13, 1-5pm
Where: 122 Boylston Street Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130
 Details: Presented by the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School This is a Free Event, Registration Not Required. For More Information Call 617-522-3003 (Flyer below) Continue reading

Human Rights panel discusses cost of Iraq invasion, 10 years after: Video

April 2, 2013 / / 0 Comments

The Human Rights Program at HLS, brought together representatives from Iraq Veterans Against the War, the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq, and the Center for Constitutional Rights to discuss the launch of the Right to Heal Initiative, a partnership they formed to “fight for redress.” Read more or watch below.

Human Rights panel

Clinical Blog Roundup

March 29, 2013 / / 0 Comments

A recap of posts from HLS clinics and student practice organizations over the past week.

Recap of International Law Journal Panel: Environmental, Human Rights, and Development Issues in International Investment Arbitration
Posted by Cara Solomon at IHRC

Finding Momentum: Human Rights and the Environment
Posted by Tyler Giannini at IHRC

America’s Domestic Black Sites: The Tragic History of Solitary Confinement
Posted by Tori Porell at PLAP

Fighting for the Rights of Immigrant Detainees
Posted by HIRC

CJI Deputy Director Gloria Tan confirmed for judgeship

March 29, 2013 / / 0 Comments

HLS Clinical Instructor Gloria Tan was unanimously approved by the Governor’s Council for a judgeship on the Juvenile Court in Middlesex County. As a judge on the Juvenile Court, Tan will rule on cases regarding delinquency, care and protection petitions, adoption, guardianship, termination of parental rights proceedings, and youthful offender cases.

Ms. Tan is the deputy director of the Criminal Justice Institute at Harvard Law School. She has also worked as a public defender for the Committee for Public Counsel Services in Boston and as an attorney in the Youth Advocacy Project. Ms. Tan has also served as chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Criminal Justice section council, as a member of the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee, and on the Board of Directors of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights.

Law Students Spend Spring Break on Human Rights, Other Service Projects

March 29, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Via New York Law Journal:

Last week, the New York Legal Assistance Group hosted five Harvard Law and two University of Southern California Gould School of Law students volunteering with Sandy victims in Coney Island and Staten Island. They spent last week helping with intake at legal clinics and visiting people’s homes to document damages for FEMA and insurance claims.

Melanie Berdecia, a 1L Harvard Law student who is from the Bronx and helped with NYLAG, said she has been particularly interested in issues surrounding recent immigrants, some of whom aren’t applying for disaster aid or seeking help because of language barriers or because they are undocumented.

“In law school I’ve learned how many free legal services are out there that people just don’t know about,” Berdecia said. “It’s exciting to reach out to people who don’t know what’s available to them.”

Harvard law students visit the Delta

March 28, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Via Delta Business Journal:

The Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University introduced six Harvard law students and their supervisor, Nate Rosenberg, to the Delta’s cultural heritage. The students are based in Clarksdale, and all have an interest in the legal issues that govern food.

Lee Aylward, of the Delta Center, provided the heritage tour, following an introductory lecture by Dr. Luther Brown.

Sports Law is “cool”

March 28, 2013 / / 0 Comments

At the suggestion of Dean Minow, Sports Law clinic students and Professor Carfagna gathered for lunch on March 27.  Each student had the opportunity to describe their placement, which included work with the Celtics, New England Patriots, Red Sox, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Sports Legacy Institute to name a few.   Almost every student  said they had a very “cool” time just being there, in the ball park, working on a wide range of issues, including negotiating contracts, representing players and/or leagues and working on technical devices to install in helmets to measure impact hits, designed for both school age athletes as well as professional athletes.

Students interested in learning more about the Sports Law Clinic should contact Peter Carfagna or Liz Solar in the office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs directly.

Harvard Immigration Project: Fighting for the Rights of Immigrant Detainees

March 27, 2013 / / 0 Comments

A new blog post from the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program discusses student work with the Harvard Immigration Project’s Bond Hearing Project’s campaign to provide free representation to detained immigrants seeking release from custody. In an excerpt from the post below, students talk about the value of their clinical experience. Read the article at HIRC’s blog.

SPOs, like HIP, allow first-year students, who are not yet eligible for enrollment in a clinic, to begin learning valuable legal skills, such as interviewing a client and presenting an argument in court.  These skills can then be developed in greater depth when students take advantage of the myriad clinical opportunities at HLS following their first year.

“You can do all of this, and even as a first year law student, really have the opportunity to help someone,” Heeger said.

Vigil added that the Bond Hearing Project and other HIP projects are valuable because they ground the law school experience: “You put in a lot, but you get so much more out of it in terms of finding your motivation and direction, and getting back to why we decided to come to law school in the first place.”

Event 3/29: Learn about the LSC and CHLPI Clinics

March 27, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Come learn more about the Legal Services Center (LSC) and Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation (CHLPI) Clinics

Friday March 29
5 to 7:00pm at the WCC Pub
Come eat food, meet staff and students, and learn about our amazing clinical programs! Appetizers provided.

Administrative/Disability Law Clinic
Domestic Violence Clinic
Estate Planning Clinic
Family Law Clinic
Health Law and Policy Clinic
Food Law and Policy Clinic
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Law Clinic
Post Foreclosure Eviction Defense Housing Clinic
Predatory Lending/Consumer Protection Clinic
Veterans Legal Clinic

Today: Clinical 101 and Clinical Fair

March 27, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Clinical 101 and Clinical Fair

Wednesday March 27:

5:30-6:00 PM – Clinical 101
WCC 2012
Learn about clinical registration and how best to navigate the clinical fair, and get an introduction to the HLS clinical program.

6:00 – 8:00 PM – Clinical Fair
Milstein East A, B, & C
Talk with clinical faculty and students. Refreshments provided.

HLS Summer Research Assistant Position

March 26, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Professors Wendy Jacobs and Todd Rakoff will be working on a project this summer looking at the ways the Law School currently teaches its students and comparing that pedagogy to what is expected of beginning attorneys in various practice settings.  They seek a law student interested in educational matters to help in the endeavor.  The position will involve both developing data from inside the School and connecting with practitioners to analyze present day practice.

The hours will be flexible during May and June, but full time during July and at least the first two weeks of August; compensation will be at the standard Law School research assistant rate.  Applicants should send a letter describing their interest and detailing their qualifications together with a resume and transcript to Professor Wendy Jacobs, wjacobs@law.harvard.edu.

Clinical Blog Roundup

March 22, 2013 / / 0 Comments

A recap of posts from HLS clinics and student practice organizations over the past week.

Clinic and Human Rights Watch: Obama Should Urge Jordan to Stop Sending Asylum Seekers Back to Syria
Posted by Meera Shah at IHRC

Iraqi Civilians and U.S. Veterans Come Together to Demand the Right to Heal
Posted by Cara Solomon, Deborah Popowski and Stella Kim at IHRC

Solitary in Iran Nearly Broke Me. Then I Went Inside America’s Prisons.
Posted by Tori Porell at PLAP

US: A nation of inmates?
Posted by Tori Porell at PLAP

Student Perspectives – Working with Clients
Posted by Mary Triick at HIRC

Fee Award in ACLU v. Alvarez
Posted by Cyberlaw Clinic

2013 Gary Bellow Public Service Award student finalists all involved in HLS clinics

March 15, 2013 / / 0 Comments

The Gary Bellow Public Service Award was created in 2001 to recognize excellence in public interest work at HLS and to honor Professor Bellow (’60). The awards are given annually by the student body of Harvard Law School to a student and alumnus/a for their commitment to social justice.

The three student finalists for the 2013 Gary Bellow Public Service Award are all HLS clinical students. Their involvement spans a range of HLS clinics and SPOs.

Crystal Redd: Prison Legal Assistance Project, Harvard Defenders, The Mississippi Delta Project, Post-Foreclosure Eviction Defense Clinic, Employment Law Clinic, and Criminal Justice Institute.

Lara Berlin: International Human Rights Clinic, Harvard Mediation Program.

Stephanie Davidson: Harvard Legal Aid Bureau.

Read more about finalists’ work and vote for student and alumnae candidates by March 27th.

Gary Bellow was the founder and former faculty director of Harvard Law School’s Clinical Programs, and a pioneering public interest lawyer. His career was dedicated to providing legal services to the poor and to teaching law students practical skills. Commenting about his time from 1962-1965, when he was serving as deputy director of the Legal Aid Agency for the District of Columbia, and when he and his colleagues faced an enormous caseload with no job training, Professor Bellow told the Harvard Law Bulletin, “We discovered the best legal education America had to offer didn’t teach us how to get someone out of a cell block.”

Professor Bellow co-founded the WilmerHale Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School, the school’s major legal clinic, located in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston.

Event 3/26: A Decade of War

March 15, 2013 / / 0 Comments

For Us, The Wars Aren’t Over: The Right to Heal Initiative
Tuesday, March 26
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Harvard Law School, Wasserstein Hall, Room 2012

Ten years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the Harvard Law School Human Rights Program joins organizations from across the Harvard and Boston communities to mark the anniversary with speakers from two groups still living the consequences of the last decade of U.S.-led wars: Iraqis and U.S. veterans and service members.  Members of the Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) and Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) will speak about the costs of war they share.  Together with attorneys from the Center for Constitutional Rights and Harvard Law School, they will discuss the Right to Heal Initiative, the partnership they have formed to fight for redress.

Speakers:
Yanar Mohammed, President, Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq
Ms. Mohammed is the founder of OWFI, a nongovernmental organization that promotes women’s rights and interests in Iraq.  She will speak about OWFI’s work in an Iraqi town near a U.S. military base that has seen dramatic increases in the incidence of birth defects, cancers, and other severe health ailments.

Matt Howard, Member, Iraq Veterans Against the War
Mr. Howard served two tours in Iraq with the Marine Corps.  He will discuss the costs of war for U.S. service members and veterans, particularly the obstacles that prevent too many from receiving proper medical and mental health care.  IVAW and its subcommittee, Afghan Veterans Against the War, have advocated for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, and for reparations to Iraqis for the costs of war.

Pamela Spees, Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights
Ms. Spees will discuss CCR’s role as a support player in the Right to Heal’s collaborative project to ensure the U.S. takes concrete steps for health care, accountability, and reparations.

Moderator:
Deborah Alejandra Popowski, Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School

Dinner will be served.

Co-Sponsored By: HLS Advocates for Human Rights, Harvard National Security and Law Association, Islamic Society of Boston, National Lawyers Guild (Mass. Chapter), Veterans for Peace (Ch. 9, Smedley D. Butler Brigade), BC Law Holocaust/Human Rights Project, HKS Human Rights Professional Interest Council, HLS American Constitution Society, HLS Democrats, HLS Human Rights Journal, Harvard International Law Journal, HLS Muslim Law Students Association, Harvard Women’s Law Association, HSPH Muslim Student Group, MIT Amnesty International, MIT Center for International Studies, MIT Muslim Student Association, Northeastern Univ. Arab Student Association, Human Rights Caucus at Northeastern Univ. School of Law, Tufts Univ. New Initiative for Middle East Peace, Tufts Univ. Fletcher School Human Rights Project

Events: March 18th – April 5th

March 14, 2013 / / 0 Comments

We hope you will join us for some or all of these events over the next few weeks:

** Great for 1Ls (2Ls also welcome) **
What:Clinical 101: Information Session
When: Wed, March 27, 5:30-6pm
Where: WCC 2012
 Details: Learn about 2013-14 clinical registration (April 3-5) and how to best navigate the clinical fair, and get an introduction to the HLS clinical program.

** Great for 1Ls (2Ls also welcome) **
What: Clinical Fair
When: Wed, March 27, 6-8pm
Where: WCC Milstein East B&C
Details: Please join us for the annual Clinical Fair. Students curious about clinics will have the opportunity to speak directly with current clinical students, attorneys and faculty to learn more about the work experience, potential projects, types of client interaction, time commitment and opportunities that are unique to each clinic.

What: Winter Term – Attorney General Clinic
When: Mon, April 1, 12-1pm
Where: WCC 4063
Details: Interested in spending winter term working with an Attorney General’s office outside of Boston, in your home town, or in another city? Attend an informational session with former Maine Attorney General, Prof. Tierney, who directs the Attorney General Clinic and teaches the Role of the Attorney General. Lunch will be provided. For more details, contact Liz Solar, Externship Director, Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs.

What: Clinical Registration Opens for 2013-14 Academic Year
When: Wed, April 3, 9am
Note: Clinical registration is for the entire 2013-14 year.

What: Clinical Registration Closes for 2013-14 Academic Year
When: Fri, April 5, 12:59pm
Note: Clinical registration is for the entire 2013-14 year.

Legal Services Center Summer Fellows Program – now accepting applications

March 13, 2013 / / 0 Comments

LSC Summer Fellows Program

Program Dates: May 28 – August 2, 2013
Go to the LSC website for more information on the Fellows Program.
For program inquiries please contact lscsummer@law.harvard.edu.

Summer fellows are unpaid but eligible for all public interest fellowships including SPIF and EJA. 

Students interested in being a summer fellow at the Center must commit to work 35-40 hours per week for the duration of the program. The program cannot accommodate students who wish to split with another summer internship.

Supervision for students working at the Center is provided by one of our Clinical Instructors, chosen for their skills and abilities as practitioners and for their ability to teach, mentor, instruct and guide students through early learning experiences. Each Clinical Instructor has a caseload in one of the Center’s areas of practice which is shared with the Instructor’s supervisees.

Students at the Center interview people seeking advice or assistance; undertake direct assistance and responsibility to clients; engage in investigation and, often, formal discovery; counsel and advise clients; plan and strategize to achieve the best results for their clients; prepare pleadings for courts or applications to administrative agencies; and research case specific legal issues.   Some students appear before courts on contested motions, preliminary matters or assist in a trial; others will represent clients before administrative agencies.

To find out more about the power of working here, read why this 2L thinks everyone should Think Legal Services.

HOW TO APPLY:

The 2013 summer program runs from Tuesday, May 28th to Friday, August 2nd for a minimum of 35-40 hours per week.   Application is by email including cover letter and resume to lscsummer@law.harvard.edu. 

Placement is determined by need and Clinical Instructor availability from among the following areas, so please rank your 3 top choices when applying. Applications will be received and reviewed on a rolling basis until opportunities are filled.

Summer fellows are unpaid but eligible for all public interest fellowships including SPIF and EJA.

Business Insider’s “most impressive students at Harvard Law” include mostly students who are (or have been) involved in clinics and SPOs – keep up the good work!

March 6, 2013 / / 0 Comments

On Business Insider’s recent list of the 21 Most Impressive Students At Harvard Law School Right Now, 15 of the featured HLS students are involved in clinics and Student Practice Organizations.

Event 3/7: Dr. Jorja Leap will speak about her work on youth gang violence

March 4, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Thursday, March 7th at 12pm in WCC 3018

Dr. Jorja Leap, an expert on gangs and at-risk youth, is currently working to reduce community-based violence and promote pro-social attitudes within violence-plagued neighborhoods. As part of these efforts, Dr. Leap is currently the senior policy advisor on Gangs and Youth Violence for the Sheriff of Los Angeles. Dr. Leap will discuss her work and answer questions you may have on issues relating to gang violence and how we can address the problem.

Sponsored by the Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project. This event is open to anyone who is interested. (Non-pizza) lunch will be provided.

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