Legal Commentary

Fellowship Opportunity for Graduating Law Student

By Professor University of Miami School of Law

The American Constitution Society (ACS), one of the nation’s leading progressive legal organizations, seeks a talented, versatile and energetic recent law school graduate to serve as a Law Fellow. The Fellowship will begin in September 2009. The Fellow will serve as part of ACS’s Programs staff, which is led by a group of experienced attorneys who coordinate and facilitate ACS’s rapidly expanding output of innovative, highly relevant legal and public policy work. The Fellow will work with existing Programs staff to assist in coordinating the work of ACS’s Constitution in the 21st Century project, an ambitious multi-year effort to engage scholars, practitioners, public officials and law students in the articulation and dissemination of a progressive vision of the Constitution, law and public policy. In close coordination with the Programs staff attorneys, the Fellow will:

• Assist in developing and planning ACS speaking programs on cutting-edge legal and policy issues, such as briefings at the National Press Club and on Capitol Hill, conferences and symposia around the country and the ACS National Convention;
• Manage the listservs of the ACS Issue Groups (ACS’s national network of legal practitioners, scholars, and activists), selecting and posting relevant materials and leading substantive discussions among Issue Group members;
• Help draft program guides for ACS chapters and materials for the public such as short papers based on ACS Issue Briefs;
• Maintain relations with public interest advocates, academics and private practitioners;
• Perform legal research and writing projects as assigned, to further the work of the ACS Issue Groups;
• Attend conferences, hearings or other events as assigned; and
• Assist the Program team in other ways as the need arises.

The Fellowship is a one-year position, with salary and excellent benefits provided by ACS. A law degree from a U.S. law school is required. The ideal candidate will be a recent law school graduate who has a strong academic record; excellent research, writing and oral communication skills; and strong interpersonal skills. He or she also will have demonstrated initiative, organization and attention to detail.

Salary commensurate with other public service legal fellowships; the same benefits that are offered to full-time ACS staff. ACS is an equal opportunity employer; women, people of color, people with disabilities, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are encouraged to apply. To apply, send a cover letter; resume; 5-10 page, self-edited writing sample; and three references to ACS via U.S. mail (ACS, 1333 H Street NW, 11th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005); email (jobs@ACSLaw.org); or fax (202-393-6189; Attn: Shannon Hiller). No phone calls please.

Full post as published by Discourse.net on December 16, 2008 (boomark / email).