Federal Public Defender, Trial Unit (2 Positions)
The Federal Public Defender of Arkansas operates under the authority of the Criminal Justice Act to provide legal representation to indigent persons in federal proceedings and related matters upon appointment by the United States District Courts. The Trial Unit represents persons charged with federal offenses and who cannot afford retained counsel. An extern in the Trial Unit will work exclusively on serious felony cases. Responsibilities include assisting trial lawyers with the preparation and presentation of defense motions and legal arguments in federal district court. For more information about the Federal Public Defender, see www.ar.fd.org.
Education, training, or experience in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, social work and/or education is desirable, but not necessary. Successful completion of courses in criminal procedure also would be beneficial prior to beginning this externship, but it is not required. Strong research ability, people skills, initiative, and a commitment to equal justice are required. The Trial Unit will interview students recommended for an externship prior to final approval of the placement.
Social Security Administration, Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (1 position)
The Social Security Administration (SSA) operates its own administrative adjudication system, which has original jurisdiction on disability claims that are denied either in part or in full by the Agency. The Office of Disability Adjudication Review (ODAR) is the office that administers the hearings and appeals program for SSA. Headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, ODAR is one of the largest administrative adjudication systems in the world, and is committed to providing prompt due process to claimants under the Social Security Act. Decisions are issued by Administrative Law Judges and Senior Attorney Adjudicators at locations throughout the United States, who hear and decide challenges to SSA decisions. Dissatisfied claimants can appeal to ODAR’s Appeals Council as well as U.S. District Court. The Little Rock ODAR office holds hearings for claimants located in Central, Eastern, and Southern Arkansas at its main Little Rock office and at satellite offices situated in Batesville, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff, and El Dorado. The office is comprised of twelve Administrative Law Judges and fifteen staff attorneys who work to hold hearings and issue decisions in a timely and legally sufficient manner.
An extern serving in the hearing office will have the opportunity to observe disability hearings, provide evidence summaries for the Administrative Law Judges prior to hearings as needed, research legal issues as needed, and discuss research with Administrative Law Judges and staff attorneys. The extern also will be responsible for reviewing the cases remanded and upheld at the appellate level and composing a report on appellate court actions and findings to be distributed to all hearing office judges and attorneys by the end of their externship. The staff attorneys in the hearing office will interview the student recommended for the externship prior to final approval of the placement.
United States Department Of Housing And Urban Development, Office Of General Counsel, Little Rock Field Office (1 Position)
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is a Cabinet-level agency whose mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes; utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. For more information about HUD, please visit its website at http://www.hud.gov.
The Office of General Counsel (OGC) is composed of 700+ attorneys who operate at HUD Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and in 48 Regional and Field Offices. OGC Field Offices generally consist of an Associate Regional Counsel for Housing Finance and Programs (ARC) and one or two Attorney Advisors. Attorneys in the HUD Little Rock Field Office conduct multifamily loan closings; work with U.S. Attorneys on single family defensive foreclosure actions; and advise program staff on issues arising in Multifamily development and asset management, Public Housing, and Community Planning and Development.
An extern with the Little Rock OGC Field Office will work with the ARC and the Attorney Advisors and may be called upon to, among other duties, (1) assist Attorney Advisors in preparing for and conducting loan closings; (2) review single family foreclosure petitions and provide answers to various U.S. Attorney’s offices; and (3) assist the staff attorneys in performing legal research and advising program staff. Courses in secured transactions and real estate law would be beneficial, although they are not a prerequisite to placement in the externship. Although law review experience is not required, law review caliber research skills, proficiency with the Lexis research system, and attention to detail are a must. Little Rock OGC staff will interview students recommended for an externship prior to approval. The selected student will be required to successfully complete the federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process, which is a federal background check that will necessitate travel to Hot Springs for fingerprinting, prior to beginning the externship.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Little Rock Field Office (1 position)
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency that is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. It also is illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
The EEOC has the authority to investigate charges of discrimination against employers who are covered by these laws. Its role in an investigation is to fairly and accurately assess the allegations in the charge and then make a finding. If the EEOC finds that discrimination has occurred, it will try to settle the charge. If the charge is not settled, the EEOC has the authority to file a lawsuit to protect the rights of individuals and the interests of the public. It does not, however, file lawsuits in all cases where it finds discrimination.
The EEOC provides leadership and guidance to federal agencies on all aspects of the federal government’s equal employment opportunity program. EEOC assures federal agency and department compliance with EEOC regulations, provides technical assistance to federal agencies concerning EEO complaint adjudication, monitors and evaluates federal agencies’ affirmative employment programs, provides guidance and assistance to its Administrative Judges who conduct hearings on EEO complaints, and adjudicates appeals from administrative decisions made by federal agencies on EEO complaints. For more information about the EEOC, see www.eeoc.gov/field/littlerock/index.cfm.
An extern’s primary responsibility will be to assist an EEOC Administrative Judge with hearings and written decisions based on the transcripts as developed at hearings. The extern will help analyze the hearing transcript and develop issues of fact and law for opinions. The extern also will assist with an active motion practice, including motions for dismissal and summary judgment, discovery motions, and other issues. The extern also may have the opportunity to observe and/or participate in mediations of EEO complaints and to assist attorneys in the EEOC legal unit, who conduct hearings and trials in federal district court. The EEOC Administrative Judge will interview students recommended for the externship prior to final approval of the placement.
