Ways to Stay Engaged While You Stay Home: April 28 Edition

During these unprecedented times, ACS continues to provide a virtual forum for our network to engage and work toward a Constitution that is truly “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Here are some ways to help you stay engaged while in-person events are canceled, and you can view all available volunteer opportunities here. Do you have ideas we should include in future editions? Let us know by emailing info@acslaw.org! 

Call for Amici in Fourth Circuit Brief on Harassment and Discrimination in the Judiciary. In the last few years, stories of harassment and discrimination in the judiciary have gained media attention; however, judiciary employees still lack many basic employment protections and many are left without adequate protections to report harassment, much less seek redress. Attorneys at Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP are drafting an amicus brief on behalf of current and former employees of the federal judiciary who have experienced or witnessed employment harassment and discrimination—whether sexual or of any other nature. The brief will allow employees to share their experiences, anonymously or not. If you or anyone you know is a current or former employee of the federal judiciary who has experienced or witnessed harassment, you can find more information about the brief and sign on here before May 14. 

Open Justice Police Accountability Volunteer Project

Law students are needed to assist the Chicago Justice Project in transparency research related to the impact of state legislation, collective bargaining agreements, & court precedent on the accessibility of data & records from local, county, and state criminal justice agencies across all 50 states. CJP asks that volunteers dedicate 5 - 10 hours per week to research this summer. All work will be done remotely. For more information and to volunteer, please email LCEmails@acslaw.org. 

Law Student Volunteers Needed to Help with Progressive Local Policy Work

The Harris County Attorney’s Office is looking for remote law student volunteers to help on a variety of progressive special projects. Some areas of focus include consumer protection, environmental justice, economic justice, criminal justice reform, and voting rights. The office is hoping volunteers can commit to at least 10 hours a week for 8 weeks (though more is welcome!) and volunteers do not need to be based in Texas. If you are interested, please reach out at LCEmails@acslaw.org for more details.  

Notice & Comment Opportunities

The Census Bureau is requesting comment by May 20 on proposed criteria for defining urban areas based on the results of the 2020 Decennial Census. It also provides a description of the changes from the final criteria used for the 2010 Census. Comments may be emailed here: geo.urban@census.gov, to Vincent Osier, Geographic Standards, Criteria, and Quality Branch, Geography Division, U.S. Census Bureau.

Learn more about these opportunities on the ACS Notice and Comment Page. Check out our Notice and Comment Webinar and email LCEmails@acslaw.org with any questions.