In Illinois, PILI is serving in a "brokering role" between extended placement candidates or their firms and public interest law organizations interested in hosting such attorneys.  There are similarities between the Extended Placement Program and PILI's existing Internship and Fellowship Programs.  PILI has long served in this role through those programs. 

PILI has developed a list of agencies that are able to host extended placements.  Many of the same agencies that participate in PILI's Internship and/or Fellowship Program are also hosting extended placements.  To discuss participating in PILI's Extended Placement Program or to revise your description on PILI's Extended Placement Participating Agency Listing, please contact Michael Bergmann at 312-832-5129 or Susan Curry at 312-832-5128.

Working in conjunction on this issue, PILI and The Chicago Bar Foundation have developed a best practices document for extended placement programs.  Below is a link to this recently released document, entitled "Extended Pro Bono Placements in Chicago: Background and Best Practices." 

CBF & PILI's Extended Pro Bono Placements in Chicago: Background and Best Practices

At this point, most of the extended placement candidates have been deferred first year associates. These new attorneys have had their start date deferred by the firm; anywhere from three months to one year. The candidates are typically looking for their placement to begin in the fall of 2009. In some instances, candidates seeking these placements may have been offered a sabbatical or leave of absence from their firm to participate in such a placement or their position may have been eliminated due to a reduction in the firm's work force.

PILI has invited persons interested in extended placements to review our Extended Placement Participating Agency Listing and to provide us with their resume and a list of the agencies at which they would be interested in working. When PILI receives an application from an interested candidate, PILI then contacts the agency representative to see if there is an interest on the part of the agency to interview the candidate. The agency makes the decision as to whether or not they extend an offer to the candidate and is the one to determine how many candidates they can host based on physical, supervisory and caseload availability and needs.

On a national level, the Association of Pro Bono Counsel has developed an informative document on the considerations for the extended placement option.  A national clearinghouse also has been set up through PSLawNet for firms and legal aid organizations to post and/or find available placements on a national level.  PSLawNet has added a new "job type" to their search interface - "Law Firm Associate Host" - to specifically mark positions suitable for these kinds of placement. Searches may also be narrowed geographically and by practice area.  This is a great opportunity for public interest law organizations that want to expand their candidate pool throughout the country.  Click here to learn how to post your extended placement opportunities through PSLawNet.

Additional information and resources:

• LexisNexis Provides Services for Extended Placement Attorneys
• Presentation on Employment Issues--Deferred Law Firm Associates at Legal Aid and Public Interest Organizations

For more information about the Extended Placement Program or for assistance with developing such a program or placements at public interest law organizations, please contact Michael Bergmann at 312-832-5129 or Susan Curry at 312-832-5128.