Join Defenders

Harvard Defenders provides first-, second-, and third-year Harvard Law School students with an invaluable opportunity to engage in direct, hands-on legal advocacy. Working in small groups, students participate in all stages of case development including case intake, interviewing clients, witnesses, police officers, and victims, conducting legal research, visiting the scene of the incident, and participating at the final hearing.

In addition to representing clients, students gain experience running a non-profit organization — a unique feature of student practice organizations. Defenders gives students the opportunity to become involved in all aspects of daily administrative and managerial operations, including conducting annual recruiting initiatives, overseeing the intake and management of cases, developing trainings, and actively participating in a wide range of community outreach projects.

Harvard Defenders accepts approximately 50 new members each fall through an interview process. All 1L's, 2L's, and 3L's are welcome to join. Throughout the year, students work with an assigned team of approximately ten students who meet once a week with Defenders' clinical instructor, John Salsberg, to discuss cases. In addition, students must complete one hour of intake each week. This involves answering phone calls from potential clients and directing callers with legal issues outside the scope of show-cause hearings to other legal service agencies. Members are also expected to attend periodic training sessions.

For more information about Defenders, please email us.

Jack T. Litman Fellowship Program

We are pleased to announce the newly established Jack T. Litman Summer Fellowship Program in connection with Harvard Defenders. The Jack T. Litman Fellowships are dedicated to the memory of Jack T. Litman, a renowned defense attorney who was a member of Harvard Defenders during his time at the law school.

This year, Harvard Defenders will select three law students to serve as full-time Litman Fellows.  Fellows have the unique opportunity to handle all their own cases, which involves interacting with clients, interviewing them in preparation for hearings, and conducting extensive investigations, which often entail meeting with witnesses and police officers.  In addition, Fellows develop their own litigation strategies and ultimately present their cases to clerk magistrates in the Boston area's criminal courts.

Fellows will also be required to write an academic paper, on a topic of their choosing, related to a legal issue that they encounter during their fellowship. The papers will be supervised by a Harvard Law School faculty member and will be presented in the fall to the Defenders organization.

The Fellowship allows for flexible schedules and independence while providing a rare opportunity to advocate on behalf of actual clients.
Work is supervised by John Salsberg, Harvard Defenders' Clinical Instructor, a practicing attorney with over thirty years of trial experience.

Fellows will be awarded $1000, in addition to SPIF funding. To apply for a 2012 Jack T.  Litman Fellowship, please submit a cover letter and resume to dstern@jd13.law.harvard.edu and jmachlin@jd13.law.harvard.edu.
Applications now accepted.