From Fired to Fired Up

So far this year, more than 3,000 lawyers and staff find themselves with some unexpected time on their hands, and that doesn’t count all the new grads and 3L’s whose summer gig has vanished in these troubled times. So how do you go from fired to fired-up? It’s easy. Do some good in the world. With a little help from the National Law Journal and Wall Street Journal, we found a handful of Web sites where you can find a meaningful volunteering gig:

EarthJustice (www.earthjustice.org) – Non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting wildlife and natural resources. Began in 1971 as the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund. Based in Oakland CA, it has a legal staff of more than 50 in eight offices around the country. Active and current job board with legal positions and internships.

Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org/pnd) – One of the the nation’s leading authorities on philanthropy. Its Job Corner offers current full-time job listings – legal and nonlegal – at US-based foundations and nonprofit organizations.

Idealist (www.idealist.org) – Searches nonprofit and community organization listings to find volunteer opportunities (high level to grass roots), and job and internship listings.

National Legal Aid & Defender Association (www.nlada.org/jobs) – The site posts current job listings in civil legal services, defender organizations, pro bono and public interest organizations, public interest law firms and academia.

onPhilanthropy (www.onPhilanthropy.com) — Global resource for non-profit and philanthropy professionals. Click on the jobs section (DotOrgJobs) for current positions — many of them senior level — in the US and around the world. Email job alerts available.

OpportunityNOCs (www.opportunitynocs.org) – A national online job site focused exclusively on the nonprofit community. Extensive array of current job listings.

PSLawNet (www.PSLawNet.org) – Should be one of your first stops in any search for public interest law work in the US and abroad. PSLawNet is a public interest job clearinghouse that is free of charge to students and alumni at some 200 subscribing law schools. Operated by the National Association of Law Placement, the PSLawNet database includes internships, postgraduate fellowships, and a variety of permanent positions. It also has more than 11,000 organizational profiles for nonprofit, government, and other public interest employers around the world. Registration required.

USAservice (www.usaservice.org) – Mostly for environmental organizations. Next-day, near-term, and continuing opportunities listed. Users can search based on personal interests and/or your zipcode.

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (www.vlany.org) – VLA advocates on behalf of the arts community in 30 states and the District of Columbia. Unpaid summer associate positions are available to law students from an accredited law school. Attorneys and recent law school graduates interested in volunteering must be admitted for at least 3 years, in good standing, and have malpractice insurance. Click on the site’s “National Directory” for state-by-state opportunities.

VolunteerMatch (www.volunteermatch.org) – Many easy, one-day projects plus continuing gigs and virtual volunteer work. Easy interface with helpful maps and contact information.

1-800-Volunteer (www.1-800-Volunteer.org) – High level-to-grass roots opportunities, many of them in United Way-related projects related to health care, fund-raising, and kid and teen work.

For additional public service listings, return to the Home Page and click on Legal Career (see The Job Bank).