Ways to Stay Engaged While You Stay Home: May 12 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 28. 

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 General Services Administration (GSA) is providing notice of an open public virtual meeting of the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States (Commission) held on May 19, 2021, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET. The purpose of this meeting is to provide introductions and a statement of plan for the meeting, a ceremonial swearing in of the Commission members, discussion of the public meeting format and calls for testimony, areas of research focus, and information available on the Commission website. Written comments must be received via email at info@pcscotus.gov no later than 5 p.m. ET on May 17, 2021. To attend this public virtual meeting, you must register by submitting your full name, organization (if applicable), email address, and phone number to the Designated Federal Officer, at info@pcscotus.gov by 5 p.m. ET on May 17, 2021.

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.