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Massachusetts Advocates for Children (MAC) is a private non-profit child advocacy organization dedicated to being an independent and effective voice for children who face significant barriers to equal educational and life opportunities. MAC works to overcome these barriers by changing conditions for many children, while also helping one child at a time. For almost 40 years, MAC has responded to the needs of children who are vulnerable because of poverty, race, disability, or limited English. Available Position: MAC is seeking a part-time or full-time staff attorney to represent parents in special education cases and to provide technical assistance to parents. Representation of parents may include attendance at Team meetings, mediation sessions and administrative hearings at the Bureau of Special Education Appeals, and court actions. The attorney will work as an integral part of MAC’s special education project team. Qualifications: Bilingual candidates who speak Spanish or Haitian-Creole are encouraged to apply. Applicants should have knowledge of special education law. They should also have experience in administrative advocacy and litigation. Experience with autism preferred. Applicants should indicate whether they are available for full-time or part-time employment. They should mail or email a cover letter and resume to: Salary is based on a scale commensurate with experience. MAC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Position is open until filled. INTERNSHIPS: LACCM regularly welcomes student interns to work with us. During the law school year, LACCM advocates generally recruit students at East Coast public interest job fairs in Washington, D.C., Boston, and New York; first- and second-year students are encouraged to attend these job fairs if they want to learn more about summer internships at LACCM. We are especially interested in providing internships to students who are work-study eligible or who have secured partial- or full-funding of their own (through public interest law grants or other sources). Interested students should review the website of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation to learn about the Foundation’s summer internship stipend. LACCM also encourages students participating in a co-op program to consider working with us for a semester or a school year. In the family law unit, interns assist advocates in handling complex family law cases involving domestic violence. Unit interns may perform the following activities: conduct client interviews and advise clients where appropriate; prepare financial documents; prepare pleadings and discovery; draft legal memorandum and motions, and conduct research when necessary; assist in negotiating settlements; attend community meetings, including domestic violence roundtables; attend court hearings with staff attorneys; and assist in trial and/or hearing preparation. Second- and third-year law students (if they obtain 3:03 certification) are also able to represent clients in court at motion hearings, pre-trial hearings and other proceedings under the supervision of an attorney. In the elder law unit, interns assist advocates handling cases for people age 60 or older, involving health care issues, social security benefits, consumer credit issues, elder abuse, including financial and physical abuse by caretakers and/or family members, housing issues and family issues. Interns may perform the following activities: conduct client interviews and advise clients where appropriate; prepare financial documents; prepare pleadings and discovery; draft legal memorandum and motions, and conduct research when necessary; assist in negotiating settlements; attend community meetings, including trainings LACCM advocates conduct for elders and agencies who work with the elderly; and assist in trial and/or hearing preparation. Second- and third-year law students (if they obtain 3:03 certification) are also able to represent clients in court hearings under the supervision of an attorney. In the benefits and employment unit, interns assist advocates handling social security, welfare benefits, health care benefits, unemployment, and employment discrimination cases. Interns may perform the following activities: conduct client interviews and advise clients where appropriate; prepare medical requests; compile discovery; draft memorandum, and conduct research when necessary; assist in hearing preparation; attend hearings with advocates; and assist in trial and/or hearing preparation. In addition, since an advocate does not need to be an attorney (or certified under Rule 3:03) to represent a client at an administrative law judge hearing, the intern may be able to represent his/her own client(s) at administrative hearings, under the supervision of an attorney. In the General Law/housing and homelessness unit, interns have several responsibilities, including interviewing new clients, assisting attorneys in drafting pleadings in eviction cases, doing legal research, and helping advocates with all stages of the unit’s housing discrimination work. In appropriate cases, with Rule 3:03 certification, a second- or third-year law student may argue a pre-trial motion or conduct direct examination of a witness in a summary process (eviction) trial. Outreach work: The most significant work will be divided between outreach to Worcester's African-American community and the Vietnamese community as part of LACCM's diversity action plan. Interns play an important role in implementing LACCM's outreach efforts by going out to meet with church leaders and other community representatives. Interns may also participate in intake at community centers, including the South East Asian Center. Interns may also coordinate the distribution and translation (where necessary) of brochures and community education literature to the community. LACCM is making a strong effort to outreach to diverse populations. We would especially welcome students who speak languages other than English who are interested in assisting our outreach efforts. To apply, please send resume and cover letter to: Sarah Loy, Executive Assistant, Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts, 405 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608 or email sloy@laccm.org . DEVELOPMENT EVENTS & TRAINING COORDINATOR: The National Consumer Law Center is seeking a dynamic, highly organized person who is interested in coordinating our annual conference, training workshops, and development events. Founded in 1969, NCLC is a nonprofit advocacy organization that uses our legal and public policy expertise to fight abusive consumer transactions. We advocate for the rights of low-income consumers in key areas such as mortgage, auto, credit card, home utility, and other significant transactions. Our staff is widely called upon by legal aid and private consumer lawyers, federal and state policymakers, community activists, journalists, and providers of human services. NCLC is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, ethnic background, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by law. Women, persons of color, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. RESPONSIBILITIES:
QUALIFICATIONS:
SALARY: $38,000. Excellent benefits, including family health and dental insurance, long- and short-term disability, and life insurance as well as generous vacation, sick, and personal leave time. CLOSING: Cover letter and resume by January 2, 2009. RESUME & COVER LETTER TO: Dept. DETC, National Consumer Law Center, 7 Winthrop Square, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1245. E-mail: consumerlaw@nclc.org; Fax: 617-542-8028; Website, www.nclc.org. No Calls Please. AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER |