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Columbia Law School Social Justice Initiatives

Reminder: Class of 2023 Public Interest Honorees Should RSVP for the Honors Reception

If you have been named a Class of 2023 Public Interest Honoree, we hope you will be able to attend the reception on Apr. 19, 6-8 p.m. at Faculty House. Please RSVP for the reception as soon as possible.

The Honors Reception is open by invitation only. To be named an honoree, you must be a Class of 2023 member (J.D. or LL.M.), have completed the opt-in questionairre, which was emailed to students on Mar. 10, and received an invitation to the reception. Questions? Email Eleanor van Hest at ev2494@columbia.edu.

SJI Monday: Looking Ahead to 3L Year

Monday, Apr. 10
12:10-1:10 p.m. on Zoom
Register

Get set for success in your 3L year! Current 2Ls are invited to join this program for guidance on how to use the next year to chart a path toward a public interest, government, or human rights career. Hear from SJI advisers on how you can best use your time at the Law School so that you graduate ready to achieve your goals.

State Department Info Session

Tuesday, Apr. 11
12:10-1:10 p.m. on Zoom
Register

Each year, the Office of the Legal Adviser at the U.S. Department of State offers a summer internship for rising 3Ls. The application is due very early—usually in August after your 1L summer. At this session, you will learn about the application process from the person who has conducted the State Department's on-campus interviews in the past.

While we will primarily cover the summer internship program, we will also discuss term-time externships and postgraduate employment.

Public Defense Brown Bag Lunch Series

Friday, Apr. 14
12:10-1:10 p.m. on Zoom
Register

Come learn more about working in public defense! Chat with public defenders about their career paths, what their workdays look like, and all aspects of their specific offices including training, culture, and hiring.

With the King County Department of Public Defense and the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender.

Coming Up...

Postgraduate Fellowships: Equal Justice Works and Justice Catalyst
Tuesday, Apr. 18
12:10-1:10 p.m. on Zoom
Learn about these programs, which both fund public interest work with a host.

3L Public Sector Drop-Ins with Coffee and Snacks
With SJI, OJC, and Financial Aid
Thursday, Apr. 20
2:30-4:30 p.m. in the Feldberg Space, WJW 1st Floor
Bring questions for SJI, the Office of Judicial Clerkships, and the Office of Financial Aid: how to complete your Bridge Loan application, how to plan for post-graduation job transitions, and more!

SJI Monday: Making the Most of Your Summer
Monday, Apr. 24
12:10-1:10 p.m. on Zoom
Summer internships hold enormous value! Make the most of yours by joining SJI for the view of summer internships from the other side—the employer's.

Postgraduate Fellowships

May 2: J.D. Pathways

Other

Apr. 19: Mindfulness and Racial/Social Justice Award
Apr. 24: Externship Applications Due
May 12: Public Service Bridge Loan

SJI Is Here for You

Make an advising appointment on Symplicity

Marka Belinfanti
Pro Bono

Joel Dodge
Postgraduate Fellowships, Public Interest Lawyering

Solmaz Firoz
1Ls, LL.M.s, Public Defense

Alex Hogan
Government

Kerry McLean
Human Rights, Public International Law, HRIP

Tory Messina
Career Transitions, LRAP, Public Interest Law Firms

Devi Patel
PI/PS Fellows

Hasan Shafiqullah
Direct Services, Immigration, Housing, Welfare Benefits, LGBTQ+ Advocacy

Full staff list and bios

Prizes and Awards

Irell & Manella Prize
Awarded to a 1L whose outstanding leadership and good citizenship helped create a sense of community and engagement during the first year of law school. In addition to receiving a monetary award, the recipient will select a student organization to receive a monetary award. Apply by May 26.

Mindfulness and Racial/Social Justice Award
Open to J.D.s and LL.M.s. Includes a monetary prize and an invitation to share their thoughts at a CLS Mindfulness event or help plan a session on a topic or with a teacher of their choice. Apply by Apr. 19 at noon.

Social Change and Community-Based Lawyering Externships

Interested in direct legal services, law and policy, or civil litigation in social change arenas? Apply for one of the following externships by noon, Apr. 24.

Bronx Defenders Holistic Defense
Amin Fernandez, additional lecturer TBA

Constitutional Rights in Life and Death Penalty Cases
Nika Cohen, George Kendall, Corrine Irish

Criminal Appeals with Megan Bryne
Ben Schatz

Harlem Economic Justice
Tashi Lhewa, Shervon Small

Housing Justice: The Right to Counsel in Housing Court
Jackeline Solivan, Matthew Tropp

Immigration Defense
Katherine Buckel, Mia Unger

Law, Power and Social Change
Andrew Friedman, Kumar Rao

Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem Community Defense (Full-Year)
Alice Fontier, Danielle Jackson

(RETURNING) Racial Justice: NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Kevin Jason, Rachel Kleinman

Join the CLS Energy Reading Group

Are you interested in energy law or passionate about the climate crisis? Want to join a group of CLS students discussing climate/energy law? The group will meet regularly to discuss a climate/energy law paper, energy-related current events, or climate/energy policy. Please fill out this form to indicate interest and help shape this new group! To share questions or ideas, reach out to Kai Salem at kai.salem@columbia.edu.

Also @ Columbia (and Beyond)

The Universities and Slavery Movement with Dr. Ruth Simmons
Apr. 10, 5:30 p.m.

Free Chol Soo Lee: Film Screening and Discussion
Apr. 10, 6 p.m.

Resilience and Renewal in Europe by Debora Revoltella
Apr. 12, 2:10 p.m.

Fireside Chat with Former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer
Apr. 13, 4:30 p.m.

American Voter Project: The Future of the Supreme Court
Apr. 13, 6 p.m.

Caribbean Crucible: Atlantic Migrations and the Making of the Modern
Apr. 14, 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Join Professor Katherine Franke's Gender Justice Class
Tuesdays through Apr. 25, 4:20 p.m.
Professor Franke will open her class to the public and feature a guest speaker.

Still Seeking a Summer Internship?

Take a look at our Hot Jobs List of public interest employers still seeking interns. And reach out to an SJI adviser to discuss your search!

Donate a Bar Prep Course or Receive a Free Course!

Many bar prep courses (which firms will purchase for incoming associates) include a second course that can be donated to a public interest student.

Fill out this Student Senate form to be matched with a classmate who can offer or who needs a bar prep course.

Questions? Email Jermel McClure.

Parole Advocacy Project Fundraiser:
Mr. Johnson's Return Home

Emma Alzner and Priyanka Radhakrishnan of the Parole Advocacy Project are raising money to help a client who was just granted parole after more than 20 years in prison. Learn more about their client, Mr. Johnson, and help support him as he returns home!

Select Deadlines
Download applications

J.D. Pathways:
May 2

Resources

Sign up for fellowship emails for LL.M.s, 3Ls

Intro to Fellowships (Video)

Organization-Based Fellowship Tracker

Funding Opportunities

MAX Scholarship Opportunities
MAX by AccessLex, which provides financial education for law students, automatically enters students into scholarship drawings if they complete online courses or attend events.

CLS Funding Resources
Internal and external funding available to and/or specifically for CLS students.

3L Bridge Loan
Receive assistance with the costs of bar registration, bar prep, and living expenses. Requires demonstrated commitment to public interest/public service. Due May 12.

Social Justice Initiatives (SJI) inspires and prepares students and graduates to pursue public service and public interest work throughout their careers anywhere in the world.

Staff List