HLS in Focus

1L and Co-Chair of the Public Interest Auction Sarah Jelsema recently sat down for a Q & A with us after this yearly highlight of the HLS calendar.

What is the public interest auction?
The public interest auction is a fundraiser run entirely by the 1L class that raises money to support students who do public interest work over the summer. We solicit donations from faculty, staff, alumni, parents, students, firms, and local businesses. Some donate money and some donate things to auction off. We receive all sorts of donations – things like Red Sox tickets, gift certificates to restaurants and salons, lunches and fishing trips with professors, cookies and brownies made by the librarians, and a tour of the Northwest Corner Construction project. The auction is one of the biggest social events of the year. Every year the auction has a theme, and we decorate Austin Hall accordingly. This year the theme was “Bright Lights: Bid City” and so the different rooms were decorated as different big cities – London, Paris, and New York.

What has gone into preparing for this event and what have you gotten out of the experience as a co-chair?
Almost all of the 1L class helps out with the auction. We divide the students up by committees and committees mostly help out either by asking for donations, calling alumni and asking them to donate, emailing firms, going door to door in Cambridge, or by helping process the donations and get them ready to sell, or by helping out on the night of the auction. As one of the auction co-chairs, I had the opportunity to work with a group of amazing people to try to plan and coordinate this huge event – it was definitely a  challenging experience for all of us. From coordinating hundreds of student volunteers to keeping track of hundreds of donations, to making sure everything comes together on the night of the auction, being a co-chair was a lot of work, but it was extremely rewarding. It was also a good opportunity to meet new students.

The event is always a lot of fun for students, faculty and staff. What was your favorite part of the evening? Did anything surprise you?
The event was a huge success. My favorite part of the evening was the live auction. Our auctioneers – this year Professors Elizabeth Warren and Jonathan Zittrain – were auctioning off the “right to be – or not be – in the 2010 parody.” The first bidder was the Dean of Students because they gave her a hard time this year in the parody, but then Professor Mann, who bought this item last year, got in a bidding war with Professor Warren and everyone was laughing so hard!

Why should admitted and prospective students seeking a strong public interest community choose Harvard? Why did you?
I think that students looking for a strong public interest community should choose Harvard because they can go anywhere and do anything with a degree from Harvard Law. We are a bigger law school, but as a result, we have so many more options to pick from than other law schools. Good public interest law jobs are really competitive – and since I want one, I’m glad I chose Harvard. I know that the connections and friends that I will make here, with professors and fellow students, will be of benefit for the rest of my life.

Starting April 15, HLS will begin accepting transfer applications for the fall. Over the last couple of years, there have been increased opportunities for Harvard Law students to study off-campus through joint degree and foreign study programs which make it possible for us to admit more transfer students than ever before.

The question of whether to apply as a transfer student is the right move is up to you, but we think that a little research will show you the vast benefits of transferring to HLS. With 102 full-time professors and more than 300 courses, HLS is home to the most intellectually stimulating legal community in the world. Outside the classroom, there are 14 journals, over100 student organizations, clinical placements in approximately 30 areas of the law, and more than enough opportunities for you to experience the incredible diversity of the HLS community during your second- and third- year. For example, the Harvard Law Review encourages transfer applicants to apply for membership and several past transfer students have been successful in that endeavor.

Bottom line? Whether you are interested in constitutional law or environmental law or human rights advocacy or any number of other areas, the breadth and depth of our offerings is incredible. Whether you want to clerk at the circuit court level, follow the path to academia, or pursue a career in public service, the opportunities presented to our graduates are unsurpassed.

For more details on the transfer application process including eligibility guidelines, deadlines, and application requirements, please visit: http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/j…

Also, stay tuned in the coming days and weeks for blog entries of a few students talking about their experience transferring into Harvard Law School!

Interested in working in India doing either public interest or private practice work? If so, a recent panel hosted by the South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA) would have been right up your alley.

2L Nitya Shekar, whose interests include public interest litigation and activism, got her internship last summer with the Alternative Law Forum (ALF) in Bangalore through the Human Rights Program here at HLS. “It was really a great experience in a great city,” she said. “Bangalore is on the rise with public interest movements.” While she was there, Shekar was involved with the city’s first GLBT pride parade and anti-road widening litigation.

3L Lauren Birchfield and SJD student Iain Frame were also involved in public interest with the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) in New Delhi were. “The Human Rights Law Network provides pro bono legal services, conducts public interest litigation, participates in advocacy, and collaborates with social movements and human rights organizations. Maintaining both litigation and publishing departments, HRLN works on issues such as right to food, women’s justice, dalit rights, disability rights, and rights for persons living with HIV/AIDS,” explained Birchfield who worked specifically with the Right to Food Campaign. “I greatly appreciated how much HRLN invested in us and in our project, and how much freedom was given to us regarding the project’s construction and implementation. I found HRLN a fantastic organization to work for, and I was pleased to walk away from the internship having recognized that this – this kind of work, this kind of project – is what I want to pursue as a career.”

On the private-sector side was 2L Erin Walczewski, who spent Winter Term with Nishith Desai Associates in Mumbai. “I was interested in alternative dispute resolution and arbitration and got to do lots of research on the differences among arbitration tribunals,” she said. “I met with clients, and the attorneys walked me through how litigation worked in India. The attorneys were especially interested in how business practices differed between the U.S. and India.”

When asked how to approach the application process for public interest firms, the panel advocated being direct and having a project in mind. Respect for interns at HLRN? “It of course depends on the supervisor you get,” said Frame. “Because HRLN was so large it helps to have an idea about what you want to do when you get there… your experience will be more dynamic if you take charge.”

Concerned about needing experience in Indian or international law? “I dealt almost entirely with Indian law which was totally new to me,” said Shekar. “But since ALF is so small, the work they do is very focused and my relationship with them was more intimate… there was no hierarchy and everyone was happy to answer questions for me.” “I found my international law class from 1L year to be very helpful,” said Walczewski, “particularly in terms of understanding how international agreements work.”

While at HLS, alumnus Lam Ho was a public interest dynamo. As president of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, a supervising member of Reaching Out About Depression (R.O.A.D.), and Founder & Coordinator of the Giving Tree, which raises holiday gifts for children of the HLS clinical and student practice organization clients, Lam never shied away from going above and beyond the call of duty… including 60-90 hours a week dedicated to his clinicals.

Lam is currently on a Skadden Fellowship starting a community legal clinic for low income youths and their families in Chicago. Admissions staffer Julia Foresman recently caught up with Lam in the wake of a victory he scored with the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago. Lam had been trying to get Chicago Public Schools to follow through with the Individualized Educational Plan that CPS and his client Mary Greenlee had put in place for her 6 year old grandson, Rayvaughn.  “It’s been extremely rewarding to educate and empower my clients,” he said.  “… this is what gets me up in the morning.”

Podcast: Lam Ho (13:09)

With the spring semester getting underway, the opportunity to explore new pro bono options and summer internships has begun anew. Anna Schleelein, the Veterans Program Director and a staff attorney for Shelter Legal Services, a non-profit organization offering free legal advice and representation to homeless and low-income individuals in the Boston area, recently stopped by to chat about the organization. Shelter Legal Services (SLS) offers many different opportunities for law students, including 1Ls, to gain legal experience working directly with low income clients. By providing a vast array of civil legal services on site, Shelter Legal Services reaches underserved individuals who otherwise would not receive legal assistance.

“SLS is unique,” said Schleelein, “we don’t see clients in our office, but in order to serve the maximum number of people and provide services to those who might not otherwise have access we offer a variety of legal clinics at homeless shelters and service centers in the greater Boston area.” These centers, at which students perform intake surveys with clients alongside a staff attorney, include: Rosie’s Place; Cambridge Multi-Service Center for the Homeless; New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans; Chelsea Soldiers’ Home; and Veterans Advocacy Network.

The Veterans’ Advocacy Network (VAN) is a new collaborative with the Massachusetts Bar Association to assist veterans with benefits issues. Law student volunteers will be supervised by Shelter Legal Services while taking calls from veterans, providing referrals, and completing intakes. Veterans are then referred to attorneys for in-depth legal assistance with their veterans benefits claims.

“Once we’ve decided to take on a case for full representation, there’s a wide variety of ways in which students can be involved,” said Schleelein. “In addition to the intake process, we also follow up with a client confirming our agreement to represent them and specifically about which issue; clients often have multiple issues and we may only be able to help with one.” Schleelein stressed that she wants students to get as involved as possible. “One of the most rewarding parts of students volunteering with us is that they can to see a case through start to finish.”

That having been said, if you’re a 1L and the idea of going to court makes you nervous, SLS is looking for help in a variety of areas, including discrete research projects. “We’re all about practical experience… we want you to work with 2Ls and 3Ls who have done it before. Not going to be thrown to the wolves.”

When asked what sorts of cases they can take on, Schleelein responded, “Not everything that comes through our door is something we can take… we’re funded through various grants the terms of which limit is from taking criminal cases and fee generating cases.”

Bogged down with classes and constrained by time? Fear not. The time commitment is what you want to make it. As you get more familiar you can take on more. “What’s key is maintaining open communication with people who have agreed to take on major projects,” said Schleelein. “The more in depth you work on a case and get to know an individual client, the more rewarding it will be; we really do work on cases that make huge differences in people’s lives.”

For interested students, Shelter Legal Services is currently accepting resumes and cover letters for their summer internship program: info@shelterlegalservices.org. The deadline for submissions is February 27.

One of the newest and fastest growing programs at HLS is the Harvard Immigration Project. Designed to advocate for positive changes in U.S. immigration law with an emphasis on protecting immigrant’s rights, HIP provides a forum for HLS students interested in immigration law and policy, and to raise the profile on campus of immigration policy issues.

Admissions staffer Julia Foresman recently sat down with HIP Co-President 2L Nikki Flores. After graduating from Northwestern, Nikki became involved with the Workers’ Rights Center in Madison, WI. Working with the issues facing migrant workers and immigrant communities there led her to HLS, where she’s now Co-President of the Harvard Immigration Project and is involved with the Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review.

Have a listen: Nikki Flores (8:52)

Now back from her January abroad with UNCITRAL, 2L Leslie Lang followed back up with us for a quick recap.

“My three week winter clinic at UNCITRAL in Vienna, Austria has been an exceptional learning experience. In this small department made up of ten attorneys housed within the larger United Nations family, I was able to experience how influential legislative guides that impact national laws across the world are written and developed. Specifically, I participated in this process through the lens of legal solutions to cross-border insolvency of corporate groups. With the recent global financial debacle, an increasing number of corporations are entering bankruptcy to restructure or liquidate their businesses. The complicated global structures of multinational corporations demand a more coordinated insolvency regime to facilitate the legal reliability and efficiency that can help turn around corporations, corporate groups, and ultimately the world economy. In addition to researching existing literature on the topic and reviewing UNCITRAL papers on insolvency law, I had the opportunity to participate in a meeting of global insolvency experts who discussed potential legal solutions to the problem of cross-border group insolvency. Although UNCITRAL covers a wide range of legal topics, from arbitration to secured transactions, experiencing the institution through today’s prevalent topic of insolvency gave me the opportunity to learn about both a substantive legal topic and the procedures of international legal harmonization.’

“Having participated in an international winter clinic, I should not conclude this entry without at least a few lines about the beautiful city of Vienna. It was certainly to my advantage that UNCITRAL is located in the UN office of one of Europe’s leading cultural capitals. The impressive, grandiose buildings at the turn of every street corner do not disappoint when one walks in to experience the works of Gustav Klimt, a Beethoven symphony, or an opera by Mozart. Perhaps the best part is that with the right tickets, a budget-conscious UN intern can enjoy the opulence of the former Habsburg Empire for less than the price of a movie ticket!”

With Wall Street on a prolonged rollercoaster ride this year, some of the most interesting events around here this past fall have focused on law and economics. The Harvard Real Estate Association and the Forum on Local Government recent invited Seth Pinsky ’98, the President of the New York Economic Development Corporation, to discuss some of the most important development projects in New York today (and how they’re weathering the current crisis) including new stadiums for the Yankees and Mets, Atlantic Yards and the new Nets Arena, the Hudson Yards project and the development of the World Trade Center site.

“In 2002 when [Mayor Bloomberg] was taking the oath of office the city was experiencing its greatest economic challenges in a while,” said Pinsky, “There were doubts about the City’s future and there was a concern that people would leave the city.” Subsequently, the mayor made some important decisions that restored confidence and has been successful in raising capital; the City now boasts its highest bond rating in 80 years, welcomed 46 million tourists in 2007, and rezoned 1/6 of the land area of the City in order to make it more productive. Specific projects in which Pinsky has been involved including Hudson Yards, an area in midtown on the Westside that has been rezoned to allow for future commercial growth. “The key to this expansion is the extension of the subway line,” he said. “You can’t build on to the central business district without adequate connections to public transportation.” Other projects like Long Island City, Yankee Stadium, and Citi Field are focusing on rehabilitating depressed neighborhoods by constructing new office and residential space. The construction of these projects in addition to new transportation infrastructure will create new jobs.

“Quite a bit has have been accomplished, but it wouldn’t be a fair conversation if we didn’t acknowledge that the environment has become incredibly challenging,” said Pinsky “We’re facing unprecedented economic dislocation, foreclosures have jumped, wages in the city are projected to drop by 8% and large commercial real estate transactions are expected to decline by half.” These figures are important because one of the city’s primary sources of revenue is taxes on commercial transactions.

What does the future hold? Pinsky outlined Bloomberg’s 4 part strategy that first calls for fiscal prudence. “Our ‘rainy day fund’ has allowed us to cushion the fall of city revenue without cutting services which is allowing us to think rationally about how to plan for lower revenues in the next few years,” he said. The plan also attempts to avoid the mistakes of the 1970s that led to the destruction of infrastructure and alienation of residents. The plan also contemplates diversifying the city’s industry to include more film production and biotechnology, and to continue significant capital investment in the city. “Even in bad times, you don’t stop investing,” said Pinsky, “When the economy does recover we want to ensure that the city’s well poised to take advantage of it… the key to getting through this transition period is keep eye on future and keep smart motivated people in the city to ensure it remains vibrant.”

Interested in local government issues such as economic development, urban reform, and charter schools? Want to be inspired by someone who has been committed to public service since graduating from law school? Recently, the Harvard Real Estate Association (HREA) invited Stefan Pryor, Newark’s Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, to speak about obstacles facing struggling cities and current plans for reform under Mayor Cory Booker. He called on students interested in local government and city planning to join him in his quest to blow the embers on revitalization in Newark, New Jersey.

“This is an exceptional moment for urban life and urban centers in America,” said Pryor, “It’s been a long time since a president-elect has had such an elaborate set of proposals for urban revitalization.” Newark is taking advantage of this moment. As the second fastest growing city in the Northeast behind Boston, the city boasts a number of advantages not the least of which are its quick access to Manhattan and its claims to the largest seaport on eastern seaboard. The city is also a model for efforts to curb crime. “In 2008, Newark has seen a 40% drop in crime… this is the best in U.S.” Dozens of parks and other public spaces across the city are undergoing renovations with better lighting and landscaping. And the sense of safety among residents has begun to pave the way for further investment in commercial and residential space that Mayor Booker is overseeing.

But there are problems. With thousands of foreclosed properties, record high job losses, and frozen lines of credit to small business, Newark might not yet be worthy of Pryor’s rosy outlook. Yet the key to Newark’s silver lining seems to be its real estate potential. “Because Newark is so undervalued in region,” he said, “we think we will become a prime place for investment precisely because we are a lower cost environment in which to produce and lease office space and residential units.” Pryor later said that, over a 10-year period, Newark can save companies currently occupying office space in New York $40-70.

Yet given the current economy, one student asked, can builders get financing to make this stuff happen? Pryor is cautious but remains optimistic. “We brought in 25 banks to see what’s possible… we asked them, in effect, if we underwrite these deals, scrutinize them and establish a scorecard where we formally analyze which projects are most efficient with the least the public subsidy… would they form consortium of lenders? We got a very favorable response.”

When later asked how Newark plans to capitalize on its location without becoming a mere satellite for Manhattan, Pryor acknowledged the risk. “You want people to value their community which requires doing more than plopping buildings down… we need to revitalize streetscape, renovate parks, and the arts community has to be vibrant,” he said. We can capitalize on our assets, on our strategically important position on the eastern seaboard, our waterfront, our access to NYC and our community. I’m hoping we can recruit some of you to help us along the way.”

Last spring, we did an interview with now 3L Tony Borich about an organization he jump-started here at HLS called Boston Coalition to Stop Bank Evictions. As the year went on the number of foreclosures and predatory-lending cases nationwide skyrocketed. Consequently, many of the country’s legal aid bureaus are being overrun with more cases than they have attorneys. Just ask Sarah Bolling ’07, a Skadden fellow and staff attorney with the Atlanta Legal Aid Society who was just featured on NPR for her work on behalf of foreclosed tenants and former homeowners. Admissions staffer Julia Foresman recently caught up with Sarah to find out more.

Have a listen: Sarah Bolling (6:27)

While the situation on the ground here in Boston is still bleak, the work of Tony Borich, now a student attorney with the Legal Services Center and the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau has burgeoned into a broader effort called the Foreclosure Task Force within the law school and universities around town. “There’s usually a delay between that time when the bank takes over the property and when they bring eviction action in court, which is when lawyers can effect change,” he said. Intimidated or offered small amounts of money from banks, many tenants vacate without being fully aware of their legal rights guaranteed under Massachusetts’ landlord tenant law. “We recognized that we needed to focus on the period immediately around the foreclosure sale if we wanted to increase the number of people staying in homes as opposed to abandoning them and leaving them vacant or boarding them up,” he said.

True, there are many more potential clients than there are students attorneys to help them, but this is where the door-to-door outreach campaign ‘No One Leaves’ comes into play. “We’re helping renters who are experiencing the most egregious behavior by banks, such as illegal evictions … we’re hoping to drive up the costs of evicting tenants for banks and dissuade them in future from continuing their current policies. It’s sort of a triaged approach,” he said. “We take the winnable cases, those that most directly serve our broader goal of changing the economics of what banks are doing.”

And they have had success. Take HLAB member Dave Haller, for instance, who recently scored a $54,000 verdict against the Bank of New York for cutting off the water and heat of a Dorchester man it was trying to force out of the home he rented, which had been foreclosed on after the owner failed to make mortgage payments. The verdict may yet be doubled or tripled under the state’s consumer protection law. Short of securing representation for every client, the Foreclosure Task Force is canvassing as many homes as possible and informing people about their rights and persuading them to stay in their homes and fight. “The important part about getting to people early,” explained Borich, “is that by educating tenants and introducing them to attorneys who can help them, they start to learn through how to represent themselves. We’re doing more with less if we reach people earlier.”