Early Civil Rights Project Legal Fellowship (Summer 2013)

The National Archives at Philadelphia (one of 15 facilities nationwide in the National Archives network), The Constitutional Sources Project (ConSource) and the National Constitution Center invite Philadelphia-area law students to participate in a summer legal fellowship program exploring the constitutional and cultural legacy of the 1875 Civil Rights Act. Legal fellows will build off of the excellent work accomplished by noted historian John Hope Franklin and graduate students in Villanova’s public history program. Legal fellows will work with specialists at the National Archives, ConSource, and the National Constitution Center to research the state and federal court cases that shaped the post-Reconstruction understanding of civil rights.

The research accomplished through the Early Civil Rights Legal Fellowship program will be adapted for use by legal professionals, educators, and museum specialists. The research will also be used to create online and on-the-ground museum exhibits and public lectures, both locally in Philadelphia and nationwide.

New Year's Resolution: Nominate Your Organization for an Award

Each year the National Conference of Women's Bar Associations honors one or more programs of its member associations with the Public Service Award and the Outstanding Member Program Award. The awards will be presented on August 9th at the NCWBA Women's Bar Leadership Summit in San Francisco.

There are only three weeks left to submit your nomination and cross this resolution off your list! For more information and an awards nomination form, go to www.ncwba.org

Fifteen Things You Didn't Know About Ms. JD Board Member Courtney Gabbara

1. I love everything Michigan (the state, not the school)! Seriously, I am a diehard Michigander. When you ask me where I'm from, I will not hesitate to bring out my map of Michigan (my right hand) and show you.  The history alone should be enough to sell people (Motown, Motor City, the Spirit of Detroit), not to mention the gorgeous seasons, the apple picking, the lakes, and the people!

2. In my lifetime, I have earned myself over 25 nicknames, almost all of which have stuck. Cabba Gabba is currently my favorite and has been used by classmates, professors, and professionals alike. 

3. At the age of 3, I was bit on the ankle by a poisoness spider.  How still remains a mystery.  Today, the only proof we have is the scar and the doctor's bill. 

Executive Directing: From Intern to Executive Director

At age 19, while studying political theory at the George Washington University, I began work as an intern at The Constitutional Sources Project (ConSource). If you had asked me then where I would be working five years later, I would not have told you that I would again be at ConSource, only this time as its Executive Director.

My career trajectory is not typical for a recent law graduate nor is it typical within the non-profit sector. How often does an intern become the executive director, period, let alone in five year’s time? Even more unusual, is that I left ConSource as an employee for several years – first, to experience internship programs in all three branches of government and to work with other non-profit organizations, and then to complete my law degree at the William & Mary Law School. Although I no longer filled out W-2 forms and other employment paperwork, I had become a committed member of the ConSource family and continued to serve as a volunteer for the organization.

I even coordinated a unique documentary transcription pilot program at my law school – recruiting my peers to transcribe annotated early drafts of the U.S. Constitution (also known as the Committee of Detail report).  With the expertise I had acquired at ConSource, I was able to guide my law school colleagues as they meticulously transcribed annotated drafts from George Washington, James Madison, James Wilson, and John Dickinson.

Why Lawyers Can Make Great Non-Profit Directors

There’s a conventional view of lawyers from those who are non-lawyers, and it is often less than flattering. However, lawyers know these easy assaults aren’t based on facts. Lawyers exude some of the personality traits – quick wit, analytical minds, passionate dispositions, empathy for others – that make a great leader. In fact, many of our presidents, from John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and Barack Obama, were all lawyers before becoming presidents.

Set aside the clichés and attorneys suddenly emerge as the sort of people you would want running complex operations and leading others. This can prove especially true in the world of non-profits, where passion plays such a huge role in success.

Personality Traits of Great Non-Profit Leaders

The blog Greenlight for Non-Profit Success recently released a list of traits that make for successful non-profit leaders, and most can be associated with attorneys. For example: 

Visionary leadership

Attorneys are essentially thrust into leadership roles, especially those who head up teams of investigators and other attorneys on bigger cases. A clear vision of success, and a roadmap to get there, are essential aspects of any lawyer’s skills. 

Public Interest Paths: Legal Aid for Veterans

I’ve wanted for some time now to interview a lawyer who worked with veterans in a legal public service capacity. Strangely enough it was a rather difficult position to locate. There are a plethora of organizations and governmental bodies tasked with aiding veterans, but they all seemed to be staffed with social workers and nurses, rather than lawyers.

Interviewing Lauren Peach 

I found Lauren Peach on LinkedIn by doing a search of people who had worked in veteran legal aid, contacted her, and found a very enthusiastic woman who joined the legal profession specifically to aid the public. Lauren spent two years after her undergraduate education working with the Peace Corps in Namibia as a health and HIV/AIDS volunteer. When it was time for her to figure out what to do when she came home, she settled on gaining further tools to help people by attaining a law degree at the University of Washington School of Law.

Lauren sought out hands-on volunteering and internship opportunities in the local public service community in Seattle throughout her law school experience, working often with the Northwest Justice Project (NJP), where she found her first job after graduation. She filled the newly created position of Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellow, a one to two-year position for young lawyers.

The Offbeat Path: Working for an NGO in Turkey

Hello! This month's interview is with Kutina Williams. Kutina reached out to me after reading this blog, and I am so happy she did! She's had a number of unique experiences and I think you'll find them very interesting. If you'd like to be featured on this blog, please contact me at carissa.mulder@gmail.com. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your background? Where did you grow up, where did you go to undergrad and law school, etc.?

I was born in Beaufort, S.C. on the coast and grew up in Winnsboro, SC.  I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology and Biology from Davidson College in 2002.  I studied abroad in Zimbabwe, Australia, New Zealand, Mongolia and Madagascar while in college.  I spent one year in Papua New Guinea after graduation to pursue a Davidson College fellowship.  My research topic was cargo cults.  I completed my legal studies at the Charleston School of Law and I am admitted to the South Carolina bar.  My professional focus is on human and civil rights, women’s issues and elections.

Best Friends at the Bar: Vital Voices and Women Lawyers - It Is All about The Journey

Earlier this week, I attended a reception at the House of Sweden, the stunning Swedish Embassy on the harbor in Georgetown, Washington, DC.  My Swedish grandmother would have been happy to see me there, but that is not why I went.  I went to celebrate Vital Voices Global Partnerships, a nonprofit which began as part of the U.S. government's Vital Voices Democracy Initiative. That initiative was established in 1997 by then First Lady of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, following the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing to promote the advancement of women as a U.S. foreign policy goal.

Public Interest Paths: Non-Partisan Legislative Counsel

For this month’s public interest career spotlight I spoke with Kelly Pfundheller, non-partisan counsel for the Washington State House Committee on Local Government. I met Kelly when she came to give a presentation to my class on the bill creation process. She had the kind of bubbly enthusiasm about her work that I usually identify with people trying to convince me that World of Warcraft builds valuable life skills, or that I should come to their Society of Creative Anachronism meeting and learn how to joust. “Oh my goodness,” I thought, “this woman is a democratic processes nerd. That’s awesome!”

Kelly graduated from the University of Washington in 2010 without a job, and with the looming specter of the recession making her realize that maybe she would have to look outside her initial field of interest in order to find a job. She ended up in her current position rather fortuitously through the suggestion of a mentor who thought she would be a good fit for policy work.

“It’s all about who you know. That doesn’t mean that you have to force those experiences or force those personal relationships but you should seek them out and develop them and take care of them, just like you would any other friendship.”

Congratulations to the 2012 Winners of Ms. JD's Summer Public Interest Scholarships!

Ms. JD is pleased to announce the winners of Ms. JD's 2012 Summer Public Interest Scholarships, Michelle Born and Judith A. Pond!

Selected from over fifty applicants nationwide, the recipients demonstrate extraordinary commitment to promoting women in the law through public service careers. Michelle and Judith will each receive a $250 prize to support their continued commitment to public interest work.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the award-winning essays of Michelle and Judith that answered the question: "What about law school presented an unexpected challenge? What have you done to successfully meet this challenge?" We'll also be featuring the outstanding essays of other Summer Public Interest Scholarship applicants.

Learn more about our winners below.