Public Interest Organizations
Pro Bono & Public Interest Law at UT
The University of Tennessee college of Law encourages students, faculty and staff to participate in pro bono, public interest and social justice activities. Through course work, clinical education, volunteering opportunities, honors and awards, as well as other means of direct guidance and support, the College of Law demonstrates its commitment to a justice system that is fair and accessible to all.
Equal Justice Works (formerly The National Association for Public Interest Law) was founded in 1986 by law students dedicated to surmounting barriers to equal justice that affect millions of low-income individuals and families. Today, Equal Justice Works leads the country in organizing, training and supporting public service-minded law students, and in creating summer and postgraduate public interest jobs. Through more than eight million dollars in annual donations from prestigious law firms, corporations and foundations, Equal Justice Works funds law students and lawyers in programs that bring justice to millions of low-income persons and families.
The Public Service Law Network Worldwide (PSLawNet) is a global network of some 120 member law schools (of which UT is a member) and nearly 10,000 law-related public service organizations and offices around the world. PSLawNet fosters law student community service and encourages all future lawyers to incorporate public service into their careers. To that end, PSLawNet offers comprehensive, current information on a broad range of pro bono and public service opportunities, as well as resources and expertise to assist law schools in empowering future lawyers as public servants. The crux of PSLawNet is its database, which allows students at each of the more than one hundred twenty member law schools to search for appropriate public service opportunities. The database currently lists several thousand organizations with available public service opportunities ranging from short-term, uncompensated volunteer positions during school semesters to full-time summer internships, to post-graduate jobs and fellowships.
National Legal Aid & Defender Association
The National Legal Aid & Defender Association is the nation's leading advocate for front-line attorneys and other equal justice professionals - those who make a difference in the lives of low-income clients and their families and communities. Representing legal aid and defender programs, as well as individual advocates, NLADA is proud to be the oldest and largest national, nonprofit membership association devoting 100 percent of its resources to serving the broad equal justice community.
Since 1979, the Public Interest Clearinghouse has provided technical assistance, coordination and advocacy in order to leverage scarce resources and build the capacity of over 100 nonprofit civil and legal aid programs in California. Working with legal aid programs, law schools and students, law firm practitioners, the State Bar, the courts and others in the community, PIC fosters a united community that shares responsibility for fairly, compassionately and effectively meeting the essential legal needs of indigent and under-served people, and for removing barriers to achieving self-sufficiency and meaningful access to justice.
The Alliance for Justice is a national association of environmental, civil rights, mental health, women's, children's and consumer advocacy organizations. Since its inception in 1979, the Alliance has worked to advance the cause of justice for all Americans, strengthen the public interest community's ability to influence public policy, and foster the next generation of advocates.
The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) is a national non-profit that works to improve the lives of low-income people. CLASP's mission is to improve the economic security, educational and workforce prospects, and family stability of low-income parents, children, and youth and to secure equal justice for all.
Open Society Institute / Soros Foundation
The Open Society Institute (OSI), a private operating and grantmaking foundation, aims to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform.
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice - Public Interest Advocates' Database
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice is a national public interest law firm dedicated to using trial lawyers' skills and resources to create a more just society. TLPJ fights for justice through precedent-setting and socially significant individual and class action litigation designed to enhance consumer and victims' rights, environmental protection and safety, civil rights and civil liberties, workers' rights, America's civil justice system, and the protection of the poor and powerless. This site contains job openings and a public interest employer database with web links.
AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that engage more than 50,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps members serve through more than 2,100 nonprofits, public agencies, and faith-based organizations. They tutor and mentor youth, build affordable housing, teach computer skills, clean parks and streams, run after-school programs, and help communities respond to disasters. Created in 1993, AmeriCorps is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which also oversees Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America. Together these programs engage more than 2 million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year.
Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGS)
The state Public Interest Research Groups are a network of independent, state-based, citizen-funded organizations that advocate for the public interest. Since 1970, PIRGS have been delivering results-oriented citizen activism to protect our environment, encourage a fair and sustainable economy, and foster a responsive democratic government.
Idealist.org / Action Without Borders
Action Without Borders is a global network of individuals and organizations working to build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives. While not specifically law-related, for free you can: search for jobs and internships; register for e-mail updates with new job openings and internships matching your interests and location; read the handy guide Starting Your Job Search; find links to more nonprofit jobs on the web; view a list of programs that offer financial support for a period of research, study or work in the nonprofit and public policy sectors; learn about colleges and universities offering degrees and programs for nonprofit managers; receive resume writing tips; see salary surveys; meet others who share your career interests; and get information about volunteering abroad.
The UN employs more than 14,000 people serving in different parts of the world. This link takes you directly to the Human Resources Management page where you can search for internships and permanent positions with the UN.
Founded in 1982 by Ralph Nader, Essential Information is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization involved in a variety of projects to encourage citizens to become active and engaged in their communities. It publishes a monthly magazine, books and reports, sponsors investigative journalism conferences, provides writers with grants to pursue investigations and operate clearing houses which disseminate information to grassroots organizations in the United States and the Third World. This site also contains many web links to other non-profit organizations.
The OneWorld network and portal brings you the latest news, action, campaigns and organisations in human righs and global issues across five continents and in 11 different languages, published across its international site, regional editions, and thematic channels.