
Job Announcements
2009 THURGOOD MARSHALL CIVIL RIGHTS
FELLOWSHIP
2009 THURGOOD MARSHALL CIVIL RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP
The Lawyers' Committee views the causes we champion as broadly related to positions and ethical stances taken by Justice Thurgood Marshall during his distinguished legal career. Applicants for the Marshall Fellowship program should demonstrate a strong commitment to, and experience in, civil rights law. Under the supervision of staff attorneys, the Fellow will assist with the ongoing work of the organization.
Position summary:
During the twelve-month course of the fellowship, the Fellow may be
involved with many of the following aspects of legal advocacy: case
analysis, depositions, court appearances, discovery, brief-writing,
trials, settlement negotiations, appellate strategy, appellate and amicus
briefs, drafting of regulations and legislation, meetings with client
organizations, representation of groups before administrative and legislative
bodies, technical assistance to policy makers, informal dispute resolution,
advice and counseling, and public education.
The Fellow will participate fully in all office activities,
including staff and litigation meetings. It is our hope that the fellowship
will enhance the Fellow's understanding of litigation-oriented, transactional,
and other non-traditional practices of civil rights law, and prepare
her or him for a career of promoting social justice.
Requirements:
The fellowship is designed for recent law school graduates and attorneys
with no more than five years of post-law school work experience. Candidates
will be evaluated on the following criteria:
* Demonstrated commitment to the mission and ideals of the Lawyers'
Committee.
* Knowledge of and demonstrated interest in civil rights law.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Application process:
Please send a cover letter, a resume with three references, and a writing
sample to the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco
Bay Area, care of the Thurgood Marshall Fellowship Committee 131 Steuart
Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94105. No phone calls please.
2008 LAW STUDENT CLERKS NEEDED (FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME)
Under the supervision of an attorney, the law clerk
will prepare legal memoranda, conduct legal research, perform other
litigation and non-litigation related legal assignments, and conduct
client interviews. Clerks also participate in legal staff meetings.
Law clerks work in all of our issue areas (race, immigration, poverty).
If you have a particular interest in homelessness/poverty issues or
our African-American Agenda, please indicate this in your cover letter
- there may be an opportunity to work with staff on special projects
in these areas.
Summer law clerks are ordinarily expected to work 37.5 hours per week
for 10 weeks. During the semester, law clerks are expected to work at
least 15 hours per week. We encourage clerks to seek academic credit
or independent funding for their work.
Law clerks at the Lawyers' Committee may be considered in the future
for post-graduate fellowships at the Lawyers' Committee, including our
Thurgood Marshall Fellowship and sponsorship for the Skadden and Equal
Justice Works Fellowships.
To Apply
Send a cover letter, resume, writing sample and three references
by the corresponding deadline to the attention of Silvia Contreras to
the following address: Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the S.
F. Bay Area, 131 Steuart Street, Ste. 400, San Francisco, CA 94105.
Prior public interest experience preferred. If applicable, please indicate
if you are fluent in a foreign language (particularly Spanish, Mandarin,
or Cantonese). Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as
early as possible as decisions are made on a rolling basis.
Suggested application submission periods:
Fall 2008: All Fall positions have been filled.
Spring 2009: Applications are now being accepted on a rolling basis.