Two LSU Law students will spend this summer interning with nonprofit public interest law organizations as a part of Equal Justice Works’ Summer Corps Program. Laura Davenport and Adia Moore will each receive a $1,000 education award voucher through this national AmeriCorps-funded program. The two students were among 608 applicants for 315 participant-slots nationwide.
The 2006 Summer Corps participants are first-year and second-year law students from 113 law schools. They will each serve at least 300 hours in public interest internships, providing critically needed legal assistance to low-income and underserved communities in 42 states. Summer Corps members will also gain first-hand experience and legal skills in areas such as client intake, individual representation, research, and writing. John J. Costonis, Chancellor of the LSU Law Center, praised the students for their commitment to public service. “I am very proud of our students’ efforts to assist our community and others throughout the nation. Service to the community has been a primary mission of our Law Center since its inception in 1906.”
Summer Corps program participants work on a broad range of issues, including civil rights, community economic development, death penalty, disability rights, housing, domestic violence, education, public benefits, and workers’ rights. In addition, Equal Justice Works set aside 65 “Katrina Summer Corps” slots this year for students who are helping to provide legal assistance to hurricane survivors in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
Ms. Davenport will intern in general legal services with Acadiana Legal Services in Lafayette, and Ms. Moore will work in family law with Community Legal Services in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1986 by law students dedicated to working for equal justice on behalf of underserved communities and causes. Today, Equal Justice Works is the national leader in creating summer and postgraduate public interest opportunities for law students and lawyers as well as in urging more public interest programming at law schools. For more information about Equal Justice Works, visit www.equaljusticeworks.org.
