Spring Break Trips 2012

The Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs offers students the opportunity to conduct pro bono work during spring break through organized group trips. This year, trips run between March 10-18, 2012.

HLS will cover the cost of hotels/housing and rental cars for the group. Students may need to contribute to airfare costs of less than $250 depending on final numbers of student participants.

Download an application  /  Watch the information session slideshow

Please submit the completed application and a resume to Lee Branson (6 Everett Street, Suite 3085, lbranson@law.harvard.edu) by Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

Decisions will be announced by Monday, January 30 and selected students must commit by making airfare reservations by Monday, February 6.

PROJECT INFORMATION

1) AIDS Gulf Coast Disaster Network (New Orleans, LA)

AIDSGulf.net, a network of people living with HIV/AIDS, advocates and law students, is hosting students for policy and direct legal services work in response to the AIDS Gulf Coast Disaster.  Students will work within the NO/AIDS Taskforce with the following possible organizations - Louisiana AIDS Advocacy Network (LAAN), the CHANGE Coalition, AIDSLaw of Louisiana, and Health Law Advocates of Louisiana. Work within these organizations will include policy and/or direct client contact work. More at http://aidsgulf.net/

Approximately twelve students will be selected for this trip.

2) Delta Fresh Foods Initiative (Clarksdale, MS)

In coordination with local partners, the HLS Mississippi Delta Project will host workshops and draft a guide on estate planning and how to gain clear title to land for small farmers in the Mississippi Delta. Generations of small landowners have lacked the resources to draft wills and otherwise prepare for estate succession. As a result, current small farmers often lack clear title to their own property, leaving them unable to access a variety of federal programs, including those designed to provide disaster relief and to serve small and underserved farmers. The workshops and accompanying guide will include information on estate planning generally, how to gain clear title to land, as well as how retiring farmers can connect with beginning farmers interested in purchasing land. Additionally, we will discuss issues relating to passing land down to non-family members and alternative ways of preserving land for farming, including land trusts. More at http://www.deltafreshfoods.org/about.html

Four students will be selected for this trip. Optional night in Memphis before or after.

3) Combating Anti-Immigration Legislation (Alabama)

Support organizations countering the anti-immigration legislation in Alabama. One group of students will work with the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama in Birmingham and another group will work with Alabama Appleseed in Montgomery.  Students will provide legal support including outreach, interviewing and intake, legal research and writing, and other work that may be helpful to legal services and advocacy organizations as anti-immigration legislation goes into effect soon.

More at http://www.hispanicinterest.org/ and http://www.alabamaappleseed.org/

Four to eight students will be selected for this trip. Students should speak Spanish.

4) TBD Possible Projects in Boston