Special Winter Break Edition December 17, 2014 CONNECT WITH US ON Congratulations! You have made it to winter break, and it is time to reconnect with family and friends! Tis E-news is filled with information about opportunities and programs, so now is the time to give some thought to all of the excitement ahead – advocacy projects, field visits, social/networking opportunities, summer placements, clinics and fellowships! For our 1Ls:You did it! Please look forward, not back. Reliving exam questions or talking about what is co mplet ed i s not produ ctiv e. E njoy the victo ry la p of finishi ng a semest er , a nd g et b ack to b eing excited about fiction, movies, hanging out, or sleeping in! You also now have time to get back to doing some of the outreach and service you care about. Te holidays are a great time for that! For our 2Ls:Nicely done! Hoping the Spring is filled with courses you are eager to take and opportunities you are excited to pursue. Summer opportunities are around the corner. Check our IN ORDER TO ACCESS LINKS THROUGHOUT THIS E-NEWS, PLEASE OPEN THE ATTACHED PDF VERSION.
Congratulations! You have made it to winter break, and it is time to reconnect with family andfriends! Tis E-news is filled with information about opportunities and programs, so now is the time
to give some thought to all of the excitement ahead – advocacy projects, field visits, social/networkingopportunities, summer placements, clinics and fellowships!For our 1Ls: You did it! Please look forward, not back. Reliving exam questions or talking about
what is completed is not productive. Enjoy the victory lap of finishing a semester, and get back to beingexcited about fiction, movies, hanging out, or sleeping in! You also now have time to get back to doingsome of the outreach and service you care about. Te holidays are a great time for that!
For our 2Ls: Nicely done! Hoping the Spring is filled with courses you are eager to take andopportunities you are excited to pursue. Summer opportunities are around the corner. Check ourrecommended resources, including PSJD, for leads. Tis is a great time to shadow attorneys, observe in
court, or connect for coffee talk with someone doing the type of work you may want to do!For our 3Ls: Can you believe this is your last semester? Exciting and overwhelming, all at once!o our grads, KUDOS! Especially those who reached the HOPE Pro Bono Challenge and will berecognized at graduation! We will share news on those great grads, and where they are headed post-graduation, in upcoming editions of the E-News, on our Facebook page and on the HOPE website.
For all: Enjoy the break, get involved in the community, go observe in court, shadow an attorneyto a mediation, use this E-news as a resource and feel free to e-mail us over break with any questions youhave at [email protected]. Here’s to 2015!
Sincerely,Marni Lennon, M.S.Ed., Esq.
Assistant Dean for Public Interest and Pro Bono Director HOPE Public Interest Resource Center
Congratulations to the following December 2014 graduates who met the HOPE Pro Bono Challengeand will be recognized with a graduation honor cord and a transcript notation:Brendan Corrigan
Tanner FormanEileen Helmer
Sarah Hoyt Vanessa JosephDaniel NenkovHellen PerezJose Vazquez
Pro Bono Challenge Honor Roll
WONDERING WHAT TO DO OVER BREAK? Observe court proceedings, shadow an attorney, or volunteer! Winter Break is a great time to
sharpen your legal skills. Want to get a feel for litigation? Visit a courtroom proceeding in state orfederal court or shadow an attorney or mediator. Looking for some inspiration after a hard semester ofstudying? Contact your local Legal Aid or Legal Services agency to ask if they need volunteer assistanceon intake days. There are many opportunities to volunteer in a variety of nonprot agencies. [email protected] if you’re looking for some suggestions.
VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) VITA volunteers help people with basic tax returns, particularly those with moderate income and
xed income, individuals with disabilities, non-English speaking and elderly taxpayers. No prior taxexperience is required! Volunteers are needed throughout tax season, so please contact [email protected] to learn about the different ways in which you can become involved with this project.Greeters and translators are also needed if you are not able to commit to preparing tax returns. (Pleasenote there is a mandatory orientation on January 21st.)
PRO BONO LEGAL RESEARCH PROJECTSPRACTITIONER NEEDS LEGAL RESEARCH AND DRAFTING ASSISTANCE for a case in Miami-
Dade County involving Florida constitutional issues as well as environmental, Sunshine Law, and landuse issues. Interest or experience in local/state government a plus. If interested in the project, or formore information, please submit your resume to [email protected].
ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITY for law students interested in seeking to expand and enhance accessto the justice system in Miami-Dade County for victims of domestic violence, specically those who aremembers of the deaf community. If interested in the project, or for more information, please [email protected].
HANDS ON MIAMI Check out Hands on Miami at www.handsonmiami.org for community service activities during
winter break and beyond.
Ongoing Pro Bono & Community Service Projects
We are thrilled to welcome Clifford Friedman to the HOPE PublicInterest Resource Center as our Post-Graduate Public Interest Fellow.
Cliff is a May 2014 graduate of Miami Law and a member of theFlorida Bar. During law school, Cliff served as a Summer Public InterestFellow with Legal Services of Greater Miami’s Affordable Housing Project.He also worked with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s
Alternative Dispute Resolution Division and Ryder System, Inc.’s GlobalLabor and Employment Law Department. On campus, Cliff also served as aSupervisory Writing Dean’s Fellow for the Academic Achievement Programand as research assistant for Professor Mary Anne Franks.
Prior to law school, Cliff attended California State University, Chico.There, Cliff was the program director for an environmental advocacy lawclinic and a member of the Chico City Council’s Sustainability Task Force.
Welcome Cliff Friedman to the HOPE Team!
Wednesday, January 21st5:30p.m., Room TBD
VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) ORIENTATION
VITA volunteers help people with basic tax returns, particularly those with moderate incomeand xed income, individuals with disabilities, non-English speaking and elderly taxpayers. If you areinterested in volunteering, you must attend this training session with a representative from the IRS andour own student project leaders.
January 21st, February 17th, March 25th12:30p.m. in Room A110A
HOPE PUBLIC INTEREST LECTURE SERIESJoin HOPE for a series of roundtable discussions with Miami Law alumni who are engaged in
public service work in the community.
Monday–Wednesday, January 26th–28thMain Campus
TUNNEL OF OPPRESSONTunnel of Oppression is a multi-sensory tour that serves to challenge peoples’ thoughts and
perceptions of issues dealing with oppression and hatred. It is designed to put participants out of theircomfort zone and expose them to the social injustices that exist in society today. If you’re interesting involunteering for this impactful event, click here to access the volunteer form!
Wednesday, January 28th12:30p.m. in Room F209
SPEAKER EVENT – AARON COHEN LIFE PROTECTION ACTJoin us for a discussion on how the Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act became law in Florida. State
Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, JD ’87 and a sponsor of the act, will share how the community cametogether after Mr. Cohen was struck and killed while cycling to support a change in the law whichincreases the punishment for leaving the scene of a crash resulting in serious injury or death.
Sunday, February 1st5:00pm
PUBLIC INTEREST LEADERSHIP BOARD APPLICATION DEADLINEAre you interested in playing a larger role in public interest activities at Miami Law? Consider
joining the Public Interest Leadership Board! Please email [email protected] for an application
and submit by Sunday, February 1st at 5:00pm.
Tuesday, February 3rd12:30p.m. on the Bricks
10TH ANNUAL PUBLIC INTEREST OPPORTUNITIES FAIRJoin your peers on the Bricks to learn about the many public sector agencies in South Florida and
the important work they are performing. Students will be on hand to share their experiences at a varietyof public interest organizations, exceptional Miami Law clinics and other agencies.
February 4th, 11th, 18th and 24th
12:30-1:45 in Room E265MIAMI LAW CLINICS INFORMATION SESSIONSStop by to learn about clinic opportunities for the summer and 2015-16 academic year!
Friday and Saturday, February 6th-7thMIAMI LAW REVIEW SYMPOSIUM
CRIMINALIZED JUSTICE: CONSEQUENCES OF PUNITIVE POLICY Join the University of Miami Law Review for its 2015 Symposium featuring keynote speakers
Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens and Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.Additional details can be found here.
Friday, February 13th5:00p.m.
SUMMER FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINESee “Summer Funding Opportunities” below for additional information on the HOPE Fellows
Program and the Summer Public Interest Fellowship Program!
Thursday, April 9th6:00pm
PUBLIC INTEREST RECOGNITION RECEPTIONMiami Law and the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center invite you to join us to celebrate our
outstanding students, faculty and alumni. We will be honoring those in the law school community andbeyond who have made an impact through public service. Come and celebrate your peers who havemet or exceeded the community service/pro bono challenge. (And, as always, don’t forget to log your hours!)
Save the Dates
UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS SCHOOL OF LAWThe Memphis School of Law’s 6th Annual Alternative Spring Break Program is one of the few
student-led initiatives in the country that recruits law students nationally and seeks to serve thecommunity while providing students with the opportunity to gain legal experience. Please visit www.
memphis.edu/law/career/asb2015.php for more information. Application deadline is January 16, 2015.Subject to available funds, a limited number of scholarships may be awarded to help with hotel costs.
MISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR JUSTICEThe Mississippi Center for Justice is a public interest law organization that advances racial and
economic justice through an approach that combines legal services with policy advocacy and communityeducation. Law students provide crucial support through spring break initiatives in the agency’s threeMississippi ofces. To learn how you can help, please contact Pro Bono Counsel Whitney Barkley [email protected].
PRISON POLICY INITIATIVE
The Prison Policy Initiative in Easthampton, MA documents the impact of mass incarceration onindividuals, communities, and the national welfare in order to empower the public to improve criminal justice policy. The agency accepts law student interns during spring break to help create and disseminatecutting-edge research on incarceration policy. For more information, visit www.prisonpolicy.org.
Alternative Spring Break Opportunities
Summer Funding Opportunities
FUND YOUR PUBLIC INTEREST DREAM JOB! APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 13TH
THE HOPE FELLOWS PROGRAM is a 9-week summer fellowship program that allows risingsecond- and third-year students to create their public interest dream jobs and work across the globe toeffectuate change. HOPE Fellows receive a stipend for work in local, national and international publicinterest and government agencies. HOPE Fellows serve as an integral part of campus culture, returningto school to create advocacy projects and bring the lessons of their experiences to their peers.
THE SUMMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM is designed for rising second-yearstudents who have a genuine interest in public interest work. This highly competitive program includesan eight-week, full-time internship at a local public interest organization, a public interest law seminar,
and a legal research and writing project. Students receive a stipend and academic credit.
EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS AMERICORPS JD PROGRAMThe Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps JD program provides law students with the opportunity to
earn a $1,212 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award for dedicating 300 hours of service to a qualifyinglegal project with a nonprot program or other qualifying organization.
Students serving in the following priority areas may apply now through Friday, February 6, 2015:veterans, military families, victims of disasters, employment/housing.
EJW will also accept applications beginning in late February from students who provide serviceduring summer 2015 to low-income communities outside of the specied priority areas. More detailsto come.
Helpful Resources
PSJD.ORGThis website provides job listings, post-graduate fellowships, internships, and other opportunities
for law students who want to pursue public interest work. This is a great resource for positions thatqualify for HOPE Summer Fellowships!
The CDO BlogCheck out Miami Law’s Career Development Ofce blog for regular postings about job opportunities
in the public interest, the public sector, and the private sector.
USAJobs.govIf you are interested in working for any federal agency, this site provides a comprehensive listing of
federal jobs across the country.
New York Bar Pro Bono RequirementIf you are planning to take the New York Bar, please be aware that all applicants are required to
perform at least 50 hours of pro bono service prior to admission. After reviewing the link, feel free tocontact [email protected] with any questions.
EJW Student Debt BlogEqual Justice Works is excited to announce that their new blog on Hufngton Post is up and
running. It will provide the latest information and helpful advice on managing student debt.
Don’t Forget ...
LOG YOUR HOURS for pro bono advocacy and community service!Congratulations to the hundreds of students who made the choice to begin the year with service
through HOPE DAY. Over 800 hours of community service were logged by participants for their workacross Miami-Dade County on August 14th. Take the HOPE pledge of performing at least 75 hours ofpro bono advocacy and at least 25 hours of annual community service in law school.
Like the UM HOPE Facebook Page!Connect with the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center on Facebook to learn more the inspiring
work Miami Law students are doing in the public interest.
If there is something you would like included in the next HOPE E-News, email [email protected].
“ Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,committed citizens can change the worl d; indeed, it’s the
only thing that ever has. ” – Margaret Mead
IN ORDER TO ACCESS LINKS THROUGHOUT THIS E-NEWS, PLEASE OPEN THE ATTACHED PDF VERSION.
