ANNOUNCEMENTS
Summer Corps
For a list of each law school's 2009 Summer Corps members, please click here.
In 2008, 333 Summer Corps members performed over 120,434 service hours at 234 nonprofit public interest organizations across the country. The 2008 Summer Corps members assisted 42,237 individuals and families in need of legal assistance directly and though clinics, presentations and outreach.
General Information
The Equal Justice Works Summer Corps program engages law students around the country who are expanding the delivery of legal services to those who need it most. Summer Corps is an AmeriCorps-funded program that in 2009 will provide 355 law students with the opportunity to earn a $1,000 education award voucher for dedicating their summer to a qualifying legal project at a nonprofit public interest organization. Summer Corps members provide critically needed legal assistance in low-income and underserved communities in the United States on a broad range of issue areas.
Program News
- For the first time, the Summer Corps program will fund law students working in state, local, and nonprofit Public Defender’s offices.
- This year also marks the first time law students will be able to work in teams in conjunction with Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellows and their host sites. Please click here to see which sites are accepting applications.
- The 2009 Summer Corps Initiative is Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention. Equal Justice Works is committed to providing assistance to those individuals and families facing mortgage foreclosure and will set aside member slots for law students working on eligible mortgage foreclosure-related issues.
Previous Successes
In 2007, 34 Katrina Summer Corps members provided services to more than 1,200 survivors of the hurricanes. Due to our long-standing commitment to legal justice in the region, Equal Justice Works continues to encourage students to develop projects that focus on needs related to the Gulf Coast disasters of 2005.
In 2006, in response to the devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Equal Justice Works dedicated 65 Summer Corps slots to form the Katrina Summer Corps. Katrina Summer Corps members dedicated their summer to assist hurricane survivors and evacuees in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Member Benefits
As a Summer Corps member, you will:
- Have access to Equal Justice Works’ network of alumni, experience, and expertise as the nation’s largest provider of public interest opportunities for law students and attorneys;
- Serve a minimum of 300 hours at a nonprofit public interest organization of your choosing;
- Earn a $1,000 AmeriCorps education award voucher upon completion of 300 hours of service that can be used to pay current educational expenses or qualified student loans;
- Gain first-hand experience and legal skills in areas such as client intake, representation and legal research and writing; and
- Become an official member of AmeriCorps, one of the largest national service networks in U.S. history.
Summer Corps Timeline
| March 18, 2009 | 2009 Summer Corps application will be available on the Equal Justice Works website. |
| April 1, 2009 | Application Deadline - 5:00 p.m. EDT. |
| April 17, 2009 | Notification of status—accepted, rejected or waitlisted—will be received by all applicants. |
| May 2009 | 2009 Summer Corps members must complete all enrollment paperwork and submit to Equal Justice Works by the first day of their service or May 22 (whichever date is earlier). |
| May – June 2009 |
Summer Corps members begin their service. |
| July– September 2009 |
Summer Corps members complete their 300 hours of service by Sept. 1 and submit exit paperwork to Equal Justice Works within 14 days of completion. |
| October - November 2009 |
Summer Corps members receive a $1,000 AmeriCorps education award voucher in the mail. |
Questions?
If you have questions about the Summer Corps program, email summercorps@equaljusticeworks.org.