According to the article, the effort is gaining momentum across the country. “This month, Utah became the first state in the country to take the leap, shifting most of its 17,000 state employees to a mandatory 10-hour-a-day, four-day workweek and closing most state offices on Fridays. Hawaii is piloting a similar experiment with about 100 state workers, and officials in Fairfax County are studying whether such an arrangement would work for them. Even officials in governments that are not ready to move to a four-day week, such as those in Michigan and West Virginia, say they might allow more workers to do so or to work other alternative schedules to help them save money and reduce commuting stress.

After taking other steps to reduce energy consumption, car giant Chrysler is pondering whether to shift about a dozen of its manufacturing facilities and several of its parts units to 10-hour, four-day workweeks. The change, which must be negotiated with unions, could affect more than 10,000 workers. Because it could mean plants would be shuttered three days instead of two, it could save the company millions in utility costs, spokesman Ed Saenz said.”

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Under the terms of the proposal, the attorney general will assume the obligation to repay the student loans of attorneys who commit to spending at least three years as criminal prosecutors at the state or local level, or as public defenders in criminal cases at all levels of government. The amount of the grant for each student is capped at $10,000 per year or $60,000 total. Repayment benefits will also be given on a preferential basis to those who have the least ability to repay their loans.

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Since she started in 2003, Dean Kagan has enacted extensive and innovative initiatives to promote public interest work at HLS. The Public Service Initiative, announced this spring at the Celebration of Public Interest, forgives the entire third year of tuition for students who commit to five years of public service work after graduation. Other highlights of Dean Kagan’s tenure include a generous loan repayment program, guaranteed Summer Public Interest Funding, and the mandatory Pro Bono Service Program.

Dean Kagan’s public interest efforts have increased the richness of OPIA’s program offerings and have also positioned HLS as the leader of public interest law. To read more, click here.

For more on the story, click here. The complete report is also available at the OPIA office in Pound 329.

Private law firms are increasing their pro bono commitments to the microfinance industry, the banking sector for the world’s poor. In response to the recent jump in food prices and contracting credit, firms are stepping up and offering their finance expertise for the social good. Mary Rose Brusewitz, a global finance partner at Orrick, explains the motivation for such public interest work in this way: “Young lawyers are simply not planning on just working and earning money. They want to be inspired.”

To read the full article in New York Lawyer, click here.

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William Neukom, a founder of the World Justice Project, describes the project as a way to constructively engage with rogue nations “in a relentless and long-term way.” The project is a step towards increasing robust legal protections and fair enforcement around the world. To read more on the Index, click here.

Despite this dubious evidence, Kelly was convicted, and because she refused to plea bargain and admit guilt for a crime of which she was innocent, served 28 years in prison. Abbe Smith continued fighting for Kelly throughout these nearly three decades, filing continuous appeals and clemency petitions. It was not until the case was featured in a 2004 PBS documentary and garnered media attention that Kelly’s parole petition was finally granted. Even after practicing law for 25 years, teaching at Harvard’s criminal defense clinic, and directing Georgetown’s criminal justice clinic, Abbe Smith counts this case – her first as a criminal defense lawyer - as her life’s work. To read her essay, published in the Washington Post and adapted from her forthcoming book Case of a Lifetime, click here.

In response to students’ increasingly myopic focus on financial security, schools are starting to place a greater emphasis on alternate career paths. Some, including Harvard, have started to expand their public service fellowships and internships. In her address to seniors during commencement week, Dean Faust urged students to look for measures of success beyond financial compensation. This same call to public service has been echoed by Barack Obama, who warned Wellesley graduates last month that the pursuit of narrow self-interest betrays a “poverty of ambition.”

Even so, the appeal of Wall Street salaries and prestige remains strong, and applying to corporate jobs is still the automatic option for many students. They continue struggling to balance real-world concerns with high-minded ideals. To read more, click here.

Students also stand to benefit from VAP programs. Akiba Coviz, director of academic affairs at Harvard Law School explains, “Anytime someone has practiced out in the world it brings an additional level of value to the students.” These visiting professors are able to offer real-world insights and instruction in practical skills that can be lacking in a traditional legal education. For more on this story, click here.

During the tenure of Attorneys General Ashcroft and Gonzales, DOJ Pride had been forbidden from using the Hall or any government computers for its activities. Along with recognizing the contributions of the GLBT community to the DOJ, Mukasey was given a standing ovation by the audience. The keynote speaker, Robert Spagnoletti, closed event by urging the audience to embrace who they are, affirming, “We can demonstrate pride in ourselves everyday.” To read more, click here.