Published by Above the Law. Posted By STACI ZARETSKY
The ABA agrees that exploitation of law students and other interns is unacceptable; however, the FLSA uncertainty inhibits law firms from offering students the opportunity to work on pro bono matters in a real-life practice setting. …
Furthermore, in the current economic climate with shrunken employment opportunities for law school graduates, hindering the ability of law students and recent graduates to work side-by-side with experienced lawyers who could provide both strong mentoring and favorable substantive references unnecessarily reduces access for future employment prospects.
– Laurel Bellows, president of the American Bar Association, in a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor endorsing the use by private law firms of unpaid law student and graduate labor.
Read ABA letter to Dept. of Labor: Legality of Unpaid Interns: http://www.scribd.com/doc/144691085/ABA-Letter-to-Dept-of-Labor-Legality-of-Unpaid-Interns
