Volunteer Opportunities
AmeriCorps
Make a difference by becoming a member of AmeriCorps and being placed at Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS)
There are 3 AmeriCorps Opportunities available for lawyers, law students or aspiring law students to begin in September, 2018
GBLS is the primary provider of free, non-criminal legal assistance in the Greater Boston area, assisting low-income individuals, families, and community-based organizations with a wide range of poverty law matters. Our staff work in the following specialized units to best address the problems faced by the people in our service area living in poverty: Asian Outreach, Elder, Health and Disability, Employment, Family, Consumer Rights, Housing, Immigration, Welfare, the Mass. Medicare Advocacy Project and Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) & Re-entry Project. In addition, our Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services Office (CASLS) offers legal assistance in a number of these areas to residents of Cambridge, Somerville and surrounding towns. Placements are available in the Employment Unit, Welfare Unit and Cambridge and Somerville Office.
AmeriCorps members will serve as legal assistants under the direct supervision of an experienced GBLS legal professional, many of whom are considered national experts in their respective areas of poverty law. Their responsibilities may involve provision of advice, referrals, brief service, and direct representation of clients at administrative hearings; participation in community education and outreach activities, as well as other related work.
Terms/Benefits: Members making a one year service commitment, and who complete their 1,700 hour service commitment will receive: $21,500 taxable yearly living allowance (paid bi-weekly); a $5,920 education award (payable on completion of the service term); health insurance; day care assistance, if eligible; hands-on supervised exposure to the practice of law and the ability to place eligible student loans in forbearance with interest paid upon completion of service.
Eligibility/Qualifications: Members must be at least 18 years of age, be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or a lawful permanent resident alien of the U.S. In addition, candidates must be college graduates with an interest in attending law school, attending law school at night, or a law school graduate with an interest in public service law. Proficiency in a non-English language desirable. Education Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree, JD’s encouraged to apply. Training will be provided.
Sponsorship: The AmeriCorps placements at GBLS are part of the Legal Assistance for Self-Sufficiency Program, run under the auspices of the South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc. The program is funded through the Corporation for National Community and Service, and administered through the Massachusetts Service Alliance.
Interested individuals must complete and submit an application online at www.ala-mass.org/applynow.htm. A cover letter, resume and the signed application should be submitted to Sonia Marquez, Director of Human Resources by email at jobs@gbls.org. Please use job code: “AmeriCorps” when applying. Cover letter should indicate unit of interest. For more information, please contact Ms. Marquez at (617) 603-1805.
GBLS is an AA/EO/Handicapped accessible employer, committed to diversity in the workforce and regards differences as assets.
Fellowships
Greater Boston Legal Services, Inc. (GBLS) will sponsor a limited number of applicants for two national fellowship programs: Equal Justice Works and the Skadden Fellowship Program. Both programs require applicants to develop a proposed project with a sponsoring legal agency. Selections for the fellowships are made by the national programs and not by GBLS. Because of the time needed to develop projects acceptable to GBLS and the applicants, interested persons should contact GBLS as soon as possible. Earlier applicants will have an advantage.
GBLS is the oldest and largest legal services program in New England. Throughout its history, GBLS has been committed to providing aggressive high-quality civil legal services to as many poor people as possible. The people who seek our assistance most often are women and children who need protection from abuse; families and elderly who face eviction from their homes; the homeless who have been denied temporary or permanent shelter; and single parents who have been inappropriately refused welfare, food stamps, or medical benefits. GBLS also provides assistance to client groups such as the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, and the tenants of the Boston Housing Authority.
GBLS' main office, located at 197 Friend Street in downtown Boston, houses the administrative staff and the following specialized units: Family, Elderly, Health & Disability, Mass. Medicare Advocacy Project, Housing, Immigration, Harvard Immigration Clinic, Employment, CORI & Re-entry Project, Welfare, Asian Outreach and Consumer Rights. GBLS’ Cambridge office consists of advocate teams comprised of Family, Housing, Elder, Income, Mental Health & Disability Rights.
GBLS is an AA/EO/Handicap-accessible employer, committed to diversity in the workforce and regards differences as assets.
Equal Justice Works Fellowship Program
The goals of the Equal Justice Works Fellowship Program are to serve under represented communities; create new public interest law positions; select a diverse group of highly qualified fellows; and develop future leaders in public interest law.
Terms: Salary provided for two full years, loan repayment assistance, national training programs; fringe benefits to be paid by GBLS.
Eligibility: Must be a third-year law student, a recent graduate from an Equal Justice Works law school or an experienced attorney who is committed to public interest law. Please check the website: www.equaljusticeworks.org for a list of current law school members.
Application procedure: The application and instructions are available online at www.equaljusticeworks.org. In addition to submitting an application and other related information, applicants should develop, in conjunction with GBLS, a new project to benefit under represented communities. Applications must be submitted online through the Equal Justice Works website at www.equaljusticeworks.org. Hard copies or email copies of the application will not be accepted.
Application and Selection Timetable:
| Application opens online: | June 27, 2018 |
| GBLS deadline: | July 20, 2018 |
| EJW Application deadline: | September 19, 2018 |
| Interviews Begin for Selected Candidates | November 2018* |
| Interviews continued; fellowships are offered on a rolling basis | December 2018 - April 2019 |
| Fellows commence work: | September 2019* |
*date to be determined
Interested individuals must submit a cover letter and resume to Sonia Marquez, Director of Human Resources by email at jobs@gbls.org with the subject line “Fellowship Opportunities”. Please include in your cover letter a proposed project and indicate unit of interest. For more information on how to apply contact Ms. Marquez, at (617) 603-1805.
For more information on the EJW Fellowship Program please go to www.equaljusticeworks.org.
Skadden Fellowship Program
The goal of the Skadden Fellowship Program is to provide support to 2019 law school graduates and outgoing judicial law clerks who want to work at an organization that provides civil legal services to the poor, including the homeless, the elderly, the disabled, or those deprived of their civil or human rights.
Terms: Salary and fringe benefits provided for two full years.
Eligibility: 2019 law school graduates or outgoing law clerks who are not receiving any other fellowship or prize monies for the Skadden Fellowship duration are eligible. The worthiness of the proposed project's goals as well as the applicant's competency, character, and commitment will be considered by the grant making panel.
Application procedure: Applicants should submit an application, a proposed project, and additional information in conjunction with GBLS, the sponsoring organization. Applications can be found online at www.skaddenfellowships.org
Application and Selection Timetable:
| GBLS deadline: | July 20, 2018 |
| Application deadline: | September 17, 2018 |
| Finalists notified: | November 16, 2018 |
| Fellows commence work: | September 2019 |
Interested individuals must submit a cover letter and resume to Sonia Marquez, Director of Human Resources by email at jobs@gbls.org with the subject line “Fellowship Opportunities”. Please include in your cover letter a proposed project and indicate unit of interest. For more information on how to apply contact Ms. Marquez, at (617) 603-1805.
For more information on the Skadden Fellowship Program, please go to www.skadden.com