Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund (NPILF) Spotlight: Rachel Tomlinson Dick, Nebraska Appleseed
The Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund (NPILF) provides a limited number of stipends to University of Nebraska College of Law students who secure unpaid public interest positions with a host organization that serves an unmet legal need. 2L Rachel Tomlinson Dick, a 2020 NPILF recipient, worked with Nebraska Appleseed and shares more about her experience below.
Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund (NPILF) Spotlight: Seth Keith, Environmental Law & Policy Center
Seth Keith is a third-year law student at the University of Nebraska College of Law and a 2020 NPILF recipient. He spent his summer working remotely for the Environmental Law & Policy Center, which is based in Chicago, and shares more about the experience below.
Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund Spotlight: Julia Dohan, Colorado State Public Defender (Part II)
Julia Dohan ('20), a 2019 NPILF recipient, worked in the Fort Collins office of the Colorado State Public Defender during the summer following her 2L year. In Part I, Julia reflected on some of the things she took away from the experience. In Part II below, Julia writes about her first jury trial – the culmination of her summer experience.
Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund Spotlight: Mauricio Murga Rios, Los Angeles County Public Defender
Mauricio Murga Rios is a third-year student at the University of Nebraska College of Law. He is a California native and a 2020 Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund (NPILF) award recipient. Below, Mauricio reflects on the impact his summer with the Los Angeles County Public Defender had on him.
What Changes in Federal Student Loan Servicing Mean for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
In late June, the U.S. Department of Education announced that contracts with many of the Department's major loan servicing contractors will end this December, with five new companies taking their place. The announcement means that, for many borrowers, the end of the year may bring a new loan servicer. So, how might this change impact those pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness?
Project Harmony Legal Summer Institute
Project Harmony, a child welfare-focused nonprofit based in Omaha, started its Legal Summer Institute Program (LSI) in 2019. LSI places law students in 10-week summer internships with juvenile court judges, county attorney’s offices, private practitioners, nonprofits like Nebraska Appleseed, and community-based child advocacy groups.
Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund Spotlight: Julia Dohan, Colorado State Public Defender (Part I)
3L Julia Dohan, a 2019 NPILF recipient, worked in the Fort Collins office of the Colorado State Public Defender during the summer following her 2L year. She received an offer from the Public Defender’s Office after interviewing with them at the 2018 Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair in Washington, D.C.
Q&A: Margene Timm ('83) Reflects on a Long Career in Public Service
Upon graduating from Nebraska Law in 1983, Margene Timm spent one year working at a small general practice firm in Bemidji, Minnesota before returning to Nebraska to work for Legal Aid. After five years, she was hired at the Lancaster County Public Defender’s office, where she worked for thirty years until her retirement in 2019.Read more about Q&A: Margene Timm ('83) Reflects on a Long Career in Public Service
Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund Spotlight: Paul Bachman, Law Office of Seamus Kelly
2L Paul Bachman, a 2019 NPILF recipient, worked at the Law Office of Seamus Kelly, a Nebraska Law alumnus. Mr. Kelly operates a niche law firm that serves almost exclusively people with disabilities, their families, and their caregivers.
In Pursuit of Environmental Justice: 2019 Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair
Last October, 2L Seth Keith attended the 2019 Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair in Washington, D.C. It's the nation's largest public interest legal career fair, bringing together more than 200 public interest employers from around the country to conduct interviews for summer internships and full-time postgraduate positions.
Untie Online: Maximizing Technology to Increase Access to Justice
Under the leadership of managing partner and Nebraska Law alumna Angela Dunne, Omaha law firm Koenig|Dunne recently launched Untie Online, an affordable online divorce service that seeks to empower clients to complete their divorce on their own terms.Read more about Untie Online: Maximizing Technology to Increase Access to Justice
Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund Spotlight: Cheng (Kevin) Zhang, Center for Legal Immigration Assistance & Office of Federal Public Defender
2L Kevin Zhang, a 2019 NPILF recipient, was able to split his summer between the Center for Legal Immigration Assistance (CLIA) and the Office of Federal Public Defender for the District of Nebraska.
Pro Bono Spotlight: Naturalization Clinic, Catholic Charities' Immigrant Legal Services
Catholic Charities’ Immigration Legal Services has scheduled four naturalization workshops for 2020, with the possibility of adding more if needed. The four workshops, which are always held on Saturday mornings in Omaha, will be held on March 7th, May 16th, August 1st, and November 7th.
Q&A: Amy Peters ('16) - Gideon's Promise Summer Training Institute
Amy Peters is a 2016 graduate of Nebraska Law who has worked as Deputy Public Defender in Lancaster County since 2018. Last summer she was selected to attend the Gideon’s Promise Summer Training Institute, a 14-day “boot camp” in Atlanta for public defenders from across the nation. Peters spoke with JDs Advancing Justice about her career as a public defender and her experience at the Summer Training Institute.Read more about Q&A: Amy Peters ('16) - Gideon's Promise Summer Training Institute
Law School Application Fees and the Access to Justice Crisis
Jessica Valdez is a 2018 graduate of Creighton University who has been working at an Omaha law firm since graduating. Her next step, going to law school and becoming an immigration attorney, has hit roadblocks, not due to any lack of qualifications but due to the costs associated with just applying to law school.Read more about Law School Application Fees and the Access to Justice Crisis
