Live Auction Coordinator: Katie Finch
Silent Auction Coordinator: Aditi Fruitwala
Outreach Coordinators: Kelly Rayburn and Gabby Alexander
Wine Coordinator: Lauren Schweizer

Public Relations: Caitlin May and Becca Dames
Events: Shauna Madison and Alicia Kauk
Treasurer: Ian O’Banion
3L Representatives: Liz Pearce and Selby Abraham
2L Representatives: Adriana Puente and Elizabeth Ballart
Design, Web, and New Media: Richard Yao

There are a total of six positions students can apply for: Public Relations Chair, Events Chair, Treasurer, 2L and 3L Reps, and Web & New Media Chair. The descriptions of the positions are available here.

If you are interested in applying for any of these positions, please write a brief candidate statement, no more than 200 words, about your interest and qualifications for the desired position and send it to chairs@usfpilf.org. Candidate Statements will be due to the chairs by Tuesday, March 27 at 5:00pm.

Elections for the 2012-2013 PILF Board will take place on Wednesday, March 28 at 12:30 pm and 5:30 pm in Room 102). We encourage all members to come out and support the candidates, but please remember you are only allowed to vote at one meeting.

If there are any questions about the positions or the selection process, please contact chairs@usfpilf.org.

Trivia teams are forming now.  To form a team, just gather a group of 6-10 friends and sign up today.  The team entry fee is $100 ($35 is due upon registration, the remaining $65 is due at the event).  Winners will be awarded fabulous (well, almost fabulous) prizes, but more importantly, fame and glory!

To sign-up, visit the PILF Table on the Student Boulevard Wednesday 3/14-Friday 3/16.  You can also download an entry form here, or pick up a hard copy on the bulletin board outside the PILF office.

We hope to see you there! If you have any questions regarding the Trivia Challenge or any upcoming PILF events, please feel free to email the Co-Chairs at chairs@usfpilf.org.

2012 Auction Coordinator Application

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as the new Co-Chairs for USF’S Public Interest Law Foundation. As former Live Auction Coordinator (Catherine) and Silent Auction Coordinator (Natasia) for the 2011 Auction, we feel ready to lead PILF through another wonderful year. We recognize the value PILF brings to USF students and the community at large. Both of us firmly believe in PILF’s mission and are dedicated to its continued success.

We would also like to thank and acknowledge Amy and Kristin for their commitment as PILF’s most recent Co-Chairs. PILF’s successes over the past year would not have been possible without their dedicated service.

In the next couple of weeks we will be emailing out important information regarding the grant application process and PILF board selections and elections. We hope that you all consider applying or running for positions that are opening up on the PILF Board. Each position is a chance to directly serve the public interest community while developing valuable leadership skills. Please note that the application for auction coordinator positions is available today – you can download a electronic version from our website or pick up a hard copy from the bulletin board outside the PILF office. Applications are due next Friday, March 2nd, at 5 pm.

For those of you who were unable to attend our general meetings this week, we wanted to provide a brief synopsis of important dates and events:

Auction Coordinator Applications: Available Friday, February 24, Due Friday, March 2, 5pm
Grant Information Sessions: Week of March 12
Grant Applications: Available Wednesday, March 21, Due Wednesday, April 4, 5pm
Board Positions: Available positions released Tuesday, March 20, Statements of Interest Due Tuesday, March 27, 5pm
Board Elections: Wednesday, March 28
Volunteer Opportunities (hours count towards PILF service hours for the 5 hour requirement for grant applications)

Food Bank – Wednesday, February 29, 6-8 pm (RSVP due to kmfraser@usfca.edu by Friday, February 24 at 5pm)
EJS Art Show– Friday, March 16, at USF School of Law (see below for additional details)
Presidio Habitat Restoration – Saturday, March 24 , 9 am – 12 pm (see below for additional details)
Bake Sale & Auction Item Sale- Wednesday, March 14

We are very excited about this upcoming year and are looking forward to working with all of you. Please feel free to contact us at any time, our door is always open.

Best wishes,

Catherine Crider & Natasia de Silva
2012-2013 PILF Co-Chairs
chairs@usfpilf.org

Additional information about March Volunteer Opportunities:

1. EJS Art Show – contact mpalmer9@gmail.com

The Equal Justice Society is hosting its 8th Annual Creative Justice Art Show on Friday March 16th at 6pm. EJS needs you to help volunteer at the event! The Art Show takes place at our law school and will be open to the public. This year’s theme is Hunger Pains, and donations will benefit the SF Food Bank. Local Artists and performers will display their creativity and commitment to justice.

EJS especially needs volunteers (up to eight) to help set up before the event. These volunteers will need to arrive at 3pm and stay until around 8pm (5 hour shift) to help with some of the following tasks: setting up tables and chairs, preparing the food and beverage area, collating programs, organizing name tags, posting art labels next to the art.

EJS also needs volunteers (up to 6) for a whole host of other tasks during the show. For instance, we need help at the coat check, at the event check-in table, and for general circulation and monitoring at the show. After the event, we’ll need help counting the ballots and cleaning up. These volunteers will need to be at the show from 5:45pm-8:15pm (2.5 hour shift).

2. Presidio Park Habitat Restoration – contact kelly.rayburn@gmail.com

PILF’s March service event will allow students to participate in a Presidio Park Stewards work days March 24. The goal of this volunteer project is to help restore and nurture the Presidio’s plant and animal life. Activities may include seed collecting, planting, weeding or removing invasive plant species. Volunteers will meet at the Presidio Transit Center, Building 215, at the corner of Graham Street and Lincoln Boulevard (near Presidio Fire Department), on the Main Post. The building is the main stop for the PresidiGo Shuttle and MUNI. Bike racks are available. The parking lots directly adjacent to the Transit Center are metered, but free parking is available in the Main Post lot. The March 24 event lasts from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and students can get 3 PILF hours for participating.

Our largest fundraising opportunity is the Annual PILF Gala and Auction. This year’s Gala and Auction takes place on November 4th. As the Auction draws nearer, we want to take a moment to introduce our most recent 2011 Summer Grantees in the Q&A’s below.

Maya Grey Opens Up About Her Summer At Legal Aid of Marin

Maya Grey is originally from Layfette, California in the East Bay. She attended UCLA as an undergraduate. This past summer she worked at Legal Aid of Marin.

Why did you choose law school, and why USF in particular?
I believe that the law is one equalizing factor for those in poverty and so wanted to gain the skills necessary to help enact social justice on a wider scale. I decided to go to USF because it has so many clinics and is committed to positive social change.

What kind of work did you do this summer or what type of projects did you work on?
I helped low-income and elderly people obtain legal advice, representation, and other community assistance. I did intakes with clients, wrote demand letters, assisted in judicial proceedings, and performed other work that will help our clients achieve the solution to their problems.

What do you find most inspiring about the work you are doing or the organization you are working for?
I loved meeting with community members and seeing the direct positive impact our work can have on their lives. I think it’s inspiring that Legal Aid of Marin is committed to trying to improve the social and legal affairs of Marin’s neediest residents.

Are you interested in public interest legal work as a career? What sort of law would you like to practice?
I am still not sure what I want to do after I finish law school but I know that I want to work in the public interest sphere in some respect. Whether it’s as a child advocacy lawyer, a legal aid worker, or an associate at a plaintiff’s firm, I see myself helping the community through public interest work.

Our thanks to all of the volunteers, donors, and sponsors who are helping us raise funds for PILF grants, enabling students to do legal work in the nonprofit and public sectors this summer. We look forward to seeing you at the Auction on Friday!

Didn’t get your ticket in advance? Don’t worry! You can still register at the door.

More info about the Auction here.

Our largest fundraising opportunity is the Annual PILF Gala and Auction. This year’s Gala and Auction takes place on November 4th. As the Auction draws nearer, we want to take a moment to introduce our most recent 2011 Summer Grantees in the Q&A’s below.

She Knows What She Wants.  3L, Lauren Winkler Recounts An Inspiring Summer Working in Washington, D.C.

Lauren Winkler is from Slidell, Louisiana, just outside of New Orleans.  She attended Southeastern Louisiana University as and undergraduate where she majored in English with a concentration in creative writing.  This past summer she worked at the Indian Law Resource Center in Washington, D.C.

 
Why did you choose law school, and why USF in particular? 

I chose law school because I wanted to impact the world in a big, positive way. Before attending law school, I was interested in international human rights issues, and I was involved with my campus’ chapter of Amnesty International. USF was my first choice because of its focus on public interest law and its international human rights clinic. I felt compelled to be part of a community that was focused on helping others.

What kind of work did you do this summer?

This summer, I worked at the Indian Law Resource Center in Washington, D.C. The Center’s mission is to protect indigenous peoples rights in South, Central, and North America. Specifically, the office in Washington is involved in international indigenous peoples rights and provides legal representation for communities to help protect land rights and cultural sights, and it helps in promoting tribes’ cultural preservation.

I worked largely on litigation.  I researched and drafted documents having to do with the Rapa Nui case, which will go forth in the Inter-American Commission. I also worked on a case based in Guatemala. In addition to litigation, I worked on the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a project of the OAS. I also worked on other domestic policy issues regarding the implementation of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the United States.

What do you find most interesting about the work you are doing or the organization you are working for?

I think the most inspiring thing about my work is the people I work with. Not only are my supervisors incredibly knowledgeable and experienced in the human rights field, but they are passionate about the issues even after doing it for thirty years. Sometimes in law school, one’s view of the world becomes hyper-focused on resume-building or to-do lists, and we forget why we enrolled in the first place. Working at the Indian Law Resource Center has reminded me of my passion and has made me realize that I will be able to help people in a big way.

Are you interested in public interest legal work as a career? What sort of law would you like to practice? 

I am interested in public interest legal work as a career. Ultimately, I want to practice Indian law and develop domestic Indian policy as well as international indigenous peoples rights policy (basically, exactly what I’m doing at the Center).

]]> http://wordpress.usfpilf.org/2011/11/01/spotlight-on-2011-pilf-grantee-lauren-winkler/feed/ 0 http://wordpress.usfpilf.org/2011/10/31/spotlight-on-2011-pilf-grantee-david-truong/ http://wordpress.usfpilf.org/2011/10/31/spotlight-on-2011-pilf-grantee-david-truong/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:13:45 +0000 USF PILF http://wordpress.usfpilf.org/?p=586 Continue reading →]]> By far one of the greatest ways USF Public Interest Law Foundation helps to make an impact in our community is by providing grants to USF Law students who choose to pursue unpaid summer legal work. This past summer, 25 remarkable students were selected to each receive grants of $4,000. We are proud to offer these grants through the generous donations we receive throughout the year as well as through several fundraising events sponsored by USF and PILF.

Our largest fundraising opportunity is the Annual PILF Gala and Auction. This year’s Gala and Auction takes place on November 4th. As the Auction draws nearer, we want to take a moment to introduce our most recent 2011 Summer Grantees in the Q&A’s below.

3L, David Truong Spent His LA Summer Steeped in Dependency Law

David Truong is from San Diego.  He attended UCLA as an undergraduate.  This past summer he worked at Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers Inc.

Why did you choose law school, and why USF in particular? 

I wish to get into public interest work dealing with low income and immigrant groups. USF was a school with a dedication to public interest work.

 What kind of work did you do this summer?

I represented parents in dependency law cases, helping parents work towards maintaining a family instead of having their children go into adoption and foster care.

What do you find most interesting about the work you are doing or the organization you are working for?

I find it inspiring when despite the harsh acts some parents have committed that has caused their children to be taken away, they quickly realize what is at stake and reform their ways.

Are you interested in public interest legal work as a career? What sort of law would you like to practice? 

I am very much so interested in public interest work as a career and would like to get into Civil Rights

Our largest fundraising opportunity is the Annual PILF Gala and Auction. This year’s Gala and Auction takes place on November 4th. As the Auction draws nearer, we want to take a moment to introduce our most recent 2011 Summer Grantees in the Q&A’s below.

Rei Teng Talks About Her Summer at San Francisco Bay Area Legal Aid.

Rei Teng is from Taiwan. She attended FuJen Catholic University in Taiwan as an undergraduate. This past summer she worked in the San Francisco Bay Area Legal Aid office in the domestic violence unit.

Why did you choose law school, and why USF in particular?

I wanted to be in California because I cannot stand cold weather at all, as I grew up in a tropical island. USF is known for its commitment to social justice and public interest, which I am particularly drawn to.

What kind of work did you do this summer?

I worked with domestic violence victims. I assisted them throughout the whole proceedings and helped them get a fresh start in their lives. Our help starts from getting a restraining order, divorce, custody of minor children, child support, spousal support, to property division.

What do you find most interesting about the work you are doing or the organization you are working for?

A majority of the lawyers that work at Bay Area Legal Aid went to top law schools like Harvard or Yale. They didn’t choose a career path that will earn them a lot of money; instead, they choose to devote themselves to social justice and public interest work. I sincerely admire their work ethic. They care about our clients, both as attorney, and as friends.

Are you interested in public interest legal work as a career? What sort of law would you like to practice?

Yes. I would love to pursue a career in public interest. I would love to work with violence victims, immigrants, and other minorities.