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CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER
Doing Some Good: Careers in the Public Interest [Randi Rothberg] Many students enter law school with dreams of saving the world, but most end up taking a different path and never look back. Here’s what they’re missing—and how you can get involved.
Jay Tustin remembers his classmates at
essentially voiceless,” says Rebecca Epstein,
donations from philanthropic organizations
UCLA Law with a chuckle: “If I had polled my
who began her public interest career at the
to send lawyers to handle death penalty
first-year class, 90 percent of them would
U.S. Department of Justice in 1997. There,
cases through nonprofit capital representa-
have said they wanted to work in the social
she worked on civil cases involving police
tion offices. Among those that have signed
interest.” Far fewer actually took such jobs,
misconduct, trying to remedy problems
on is George Soros’s Open Society Insti-
opting instead for traditional law-firm posi-
from the management perspective. “[It was]
tute, which has pledged $100,000 per year
tions that would help them pay off student
probably the most intense work I have ever
through 2003-an amount that Semel and her
loans. Tustin sees the same pattern in the
done. That literally felt like I was working on
associates must match with an additional
students he has taught in environmental law
life-or-death issues,” she says. Today, Ep-
$50,000 annually from law firms, individu-
clinics at Denver University and the Universi-
stein is a staff attorney at Trial Lawyers for
als, the American Bar Association, and other
ty of Colorado since 1992: “I’ve had hundreds
Public Justice, a nationwide public interest
foundations. “When you’re a criminal defense
of students, and maybe 10-tops-have fol-
law firm headquartered in Washington, D.C.
lawyer and you want to be as good as you
lowed through to public interest jobs.”
She tackles Title IX funding issues for TLPJ,
can, and you see something as awful as the
working with universities to ensure that
death penalty, it’s a challenge,” Semel says.
According to the National Association for
women in athletic programs get the benefits
She now instructs law students in capital de-
Law Placement’s Jobs & J.D.’s: Employment
they deserve.
and Salaries of New Law Graduates-Class
fense, as director of the new capital clinic at the University of California-Berkeley’s Boalt
of 1999, which surveyed 173 ABA-accredited
Like Epstein, criminal defense attorney
Hall School of Law. But she will continue to
law schools, only about 27 percent of U.S.
Elisabeth Semel found her calling in the
raise funds for death penalty representation
law graduates head for careers in the public
public sector. She became head of the
and plans to “hit California firms very hard.”
sector. While some work in organizations
American Bar Association’s Death Penalty
geared toward causes like human rights or
Representation Project in 1997, shortly after
For Doris Ng, a staff attorney for Equal
environmental protection, others land posi-
Congress phased out funded postconvic-
Rights Advocates, a nonprofit women’s law
tions in government or clerk for a judge after
tion resource centers that sent experienced
center in the San Francisco area, the battle
graduation. Women generally fly the public
lawyers into the ring for clients on death row.
is against sexism that prevents women from
interest route more often than men; a third
Today, more than 3,700 people are under
enjoying equal treatment in the workplace.
of employed female law school graduates
the death sentence in the U.S., some without
Ng’s clients demand access to opportunities
take public interest jobs, compared with only
the guarantee of a lawyer during succes-
that men claim; some, for example, want to
a quarter of employed male grads.
sive postconviction proceedings. Death row
be police officers and firefighters. “It’s very
inmates are many times left with inadequate
gratifying to know that you can make a differ-
representation, according to the Death Pen-
ence,” Ng says.
Voices from the Field
alty Representation Project. Others agree, and also cite on-the-job fac-
Most people browse the newspaper simply to keep abreast of current events, but JDs who
Semel is dissatisfied with the representation
tors that fuel their passion. For example,
opt for the public sector tend to take front-
available to defendants during all phases
Epstein enjoys working with “smart, skilled
page travesties to heart. “The number one
of capital cases. As a lawyer, activist, and
attorneys dedicated to similar interests,” as
reason for entering public interest law is the
fund-raiser, she works to amp up the ABA’s
well as the challenge of handling “intense”
great job satisfaction you get from using your
recruitment of law firms to assist with or
cases and issues.
degree to lend your skills to those who are
undertake capital cases. She also solicits
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1.800. 973. 1177
CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER
students are offered public interest courses in
and three division delegates each summer.
such diverse subjects as refugee and asylum,
Applications are available at www.abanet.
You may know from your first day as a 1L that
prisoners’ rights, and children’s rights. Also,
org/lsd and are due in June. Check out the
you’re destined to follow in the footsteps of
consider doing an independent study with a
“Student Organizing” section of the NAPIL
the attorneys profiled above. While enthu-
professor based on a specific public interest
page for more opportunities to connect with
siasm is a great beginning, there are many
project.
other public interest law students.
Relevant Extracurriculars
Fellowship Opportunities
This is especially true in a field where funding
Perhaps the best way to prepare for a public
Competition for public interest jobs remains
constraints necessitate limited hiring. During
interest career is to participate in clinics
keen, partly because nonprofit employers
your first year, you generally have little (if any)
during law school. Clinics allow law students
have tight staffing budgets. A number of
say in scheduling your classes. Focus on earn-
to supplement their classroom learning with
organizations, however, do fund attorneys who
ing the best grades you can in such subjects
practical experience. And Reilly notes that
work in the public sector after graduation.
as contracts, torts, civil procedure, and other
public interest organizations-often under-
NAPIL, for one, pays recent grads to work for
1L rites of passage. Law school grades will be
funded and needing all the help they can get
two years on a project of their choosing or in
a factor in whatever field you choose-and they
from qualified, eager students-are perfect for
an organization selected by NAPIL. See the
often make or break perks such as fellow-
providing valuable hands-on experience.
“NAPIL Fellowships” section at www.napil.org
Getting a Head Start
concrete steps you can take during school to prepare for a public interest career. The more you distinguish yourself, the better.
ships, stipends, and clinic placements that
for more information.
can boost your public interest career. “It’s
“We did everything except represent our cli-
kind of a myth that grades are not important,
ents,” says Lisa Taylor, a 2001 graduate of the
Some law firms also provide public service
or not as important, in public interest law,”
University of Georgia School of Law, who was
fellowships to top-notch students. The Skad-
says Malcolm Reilly, a 2L at Brooklyn Law
involved with a public interest and community
den Fellowship Foundation, affiliated with
School who co-chairs his school’s public
service clinic. She researched and worked
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, has
interest student group. “Grades are always
with cases involving employment discrimina-
placed more than 300 law graduates and out-
important.” After the first year, strike a bal-
tion, divorce, and child care for incarcerated
going judicial clerks in public interest projects
ance between the core legal classes-evidence
mothers. Taylor-who is joining the Department
over the past 13 years. “We ask applicants
and corporations, for example-and classes
of Justice as a civil rights attorney-praises
to design their dream job, and we hope to be
that will help prepare you for public interest
her clinic not just for the career preparation
able to fund them,” says Skadden Fellowship
practice. “Take a diverse array of classes,”
it gave her but also for the inspirational op-
Foundation Director Susan Butler Plum.
says Joanne Kubiniec, a 2001 graduate of the
portunity to “translate the law” for clients who
University of Buffalo School of Law and former
might otherwise have been left in the dark.
executive editor of the Buffalo Public Interest
Hired for a year-with the general expectation that the highly competitive and prestigious
Law Journal. “Take classes that will be on the
Formerly president of the membership council
fellowship will be extended for a second
Bar, and expose yourself to everything.” After
for the National Association of Public Interest
year-Skadden fellows earn a $37,500 salary
all, before you can become a public interest
Law (NAPIL), Taylor says she always knew she
and get all the benefits normally granted to
lawyer, you have to become a lawyer. And
wanted to work at the Justice Department.
employees of the organization with which they
that means passing the Bar-which poses the
She advises students to participate in public
work. Also, the firm pays fellows’ law school
same challenge whether you’re headed to a
interest activities on campus, to submit case
loans (any that are not forgiven by the school;
top-10 firm, the District Attorney’s office, or
notes to public interest law journals across
see sidebar) for the duration of the fellowship.
the Legal Aid Society. Still, take advantage of
the country, and to join legal-oriented as-
Approximately 90 percent of Skadden fellows
relevant courses to gain exposure to interest-
sociations for both experience and leadership
remain involved with public interest law after
ed faculty, and to keep yourself up-to-date on
opportunities.
the completion of their term.
issues you will face as you begin your career. For example, students at American Universi-
For example, students may wish to consider
Skadden fellows work with a variety of orga-
ty’s Washington College of Law may choose
running for a position with the American Bar
nizations that provide civil legal services to
to add a seminar in human rights or postcon-
Association’s Law Student Division, which
the poor and disenfranchised; some examples
viction remedies to their course selection.
elects a vice chair of student bar associations
from the class of 2001 are the Urban Jus-
At Northwestern University’s School of Law,
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CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER
tice Center, the NAACP, Disability Rights
section for a current listing.
Advocates, the Juvenile Law Center, and the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. About 25
Passion with a Price Tag?
fellows are chosen each year; applicants must have stellar transcripts and demonstrate a
Money is certainly a concern for graduates
dedication to public service.
entering the public sector-especially those with considerable debts. Reilly, a 2L at Brook-
Several firms offer summer public inter-
lyn Law School who moonlights as a regional
est fellowships. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
coordinator at NAPIL, notes, “It’s not really a
sponsors four such fellowships each year.
legal issue, but a real-life issue.”
Students chosen for these positions enjoy all of the experiences and perks their classmates
Yet Epstein notes that the financial situation
get at firms across the country but devote half
is not as dire as some people imagine. “The
the summer to pro bono work on a project of
contrast is stark, because of how high law
their choice.
firm salaries are,” she admits. “But it doesn’t
The Job Search
ists that paychecks are “pretty decent” for
While judicial clerkships and public inter-
tions. Work in a judge’s chambers also helps
est fellowships are popular stepping stones
fill the piggy bank: According to the NALP
for public interest lawyers, these positions
survey, 1999 grads who took on judicial clerk-
are not available to everyone. A little extra
ships earned an average of $38,000-not a sum
legwork can go a long way in the quest for
to sneer at.
mean you’ll be dirt poor.” She assures ideallawyers who work in government organiza-
fulfilling employment. Tustin reminds recent grads that their careers Job fairs provide an excellent opportunity to
will take them many places-so public interest
drop a slew of resumés and peek at available
law doesn’t necessarily have to be the first
opportunities. Every fall, NAPIL sponsors a
stop. “What I think is most important is to
public interest law fair, the largest of its kind.
keep your goal in sight. So if your end goal is
Over 1,000 students flock to Washington, D.C.,
to work for the public interest, get there,” he
for the gala networking event, where they
says.
meet some 200-odd employers representing a nationwide mix of organizations. Similar events are held by regional law schools. New York University holds the Public Interest and Public Service Legal Symposium; Suffolk University’s Law School in Boston and the University of Pennsylvania School of Law in Philadelphia also host public service career programs, as do Georgetown and George Washington University in D.C. Those hoping to jump into the public sector should also trawl the Web: Though popular job search engines will yield some employment notices, there are a number of sites maintained specifically for public interest law positions. Check out the NAPIL Web site’s “Jobs and Opportunities”
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