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Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Legal Support Network?
The Legal Support Network (LSN) is a national network of volunteer lawyers, law students, law professors, judges, and paralegals from throughout the United States. The broad aims of the LSN are to focus on the legal aspects of Amnesty International's campaigns and to work to end human rights violations, particularly those directed at lawyers and law students. In the past, LSN members have participated in letter-writing actions, organized seminars on international human rights law, and assisted with legal research projects.
Why Join the LSN?
The protection of human rights can be only as effective as the laws that uphold them. This places at the frontline the lawyers and judges who uphold the law in countries where human rights are under attack. Lawyers and other legal professionals can work not only to uphold the law, but also to assist in its development to better protect human rights. However, in many circumstances, the efforts of lawyers to uphold human rights are met with intimidation, harassment, imprisonment, physical harm and even death. The LSN is a unique opportunity for lawyers, law students, law professors, judges and paralegals to become involved in the human rights movement by working to end human rights violations against those who uphold human rights.
How Can Lawyers and Other Legal Professionals
Become Involved with the LSN?
Lawyers and other legal professionals can self-tailor their level of involvement with the LSN. As an individual LSN member, you will automatically receive letter-writing actions concerning human rights violations against legal professionals and law students or other law-related human rights issues. In addition, you will receive regular mailings of the LSN newsletter that will contain news, updates, and other action opportunities about Amnesty's legal work. Beyond being an individual LSN member, legal professionals can become more involved in the legal aspects of Amnesty's campaigns, educating other lawyers and non-lawyers, missions abroad, human rights monitoring, legislative work, legal actions, and annual meetings. You can tailor your level of commitment and involvement.
How Can Law Students Become Involved with the LSN?
There are a number of ways law students can become involved in the LSN. As with other legal professionals, law students may join the LSN as individual members (see above). In addition, there are programs specifically tailored to law students. If your law school has an Amnesty group, get involved. If there is no Amnesty group at your law school, establish one. For more information about Amnesty student groups, go to www.amnestyusa.org/group/events/stureg.html. As a student group, law students can receive regular actions and mailings from the student program and join particular campaigns and programs designed specifically for the group setting. Many of these programs have legal components on which law students may wish to focus. A law school student group may use the tipsheets included in the LSN packet to work on the International Criminal Court (ICC), the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), or the death penalty. Law student groups may also adopt a Prisoner of Conscience case (Action File). Action Files will allow your group to become the primary advocacy body for a jailed prisoner of conscience abroad. For more information, email aicasework@amnestyusa.org or visit www.amnestyusa.org/casework/index.html. Law students can also become involved in groundbreaking Amnesty legal research and advocacy projects through their law school's clinical programs while earning academic credit. If interested, please contact the LSN (see below) about the possibility of setting up a research project at your school through a clinical program.
What Is the Difference between an LSN Law School Group and Other Student Groups?
Law student groups will receive the same action opportunities as other Amnesty student groups. In addition, law student groups will receive special LSN actions and program opportunities with a particular legal focus.
How Does the LSN Function within AIUSA?
The AIUSA LSN is part of the National Programs based in Chicago. The goals and priorities of the LSN are determined in consultation with a volunteer steering committee composed of several LSN members including law students, lawyers and other legal professionals who have been appointed to reflect the array of geographic and legal interests. Actions and projects for the LSN are generated by the various programs within AIUSA, AI's main headquarters in London (the International Secretariat), or by LSN members themselves.
Does the LSN Offer Internships for Law Studensts?
The LSN does not offer any specific internships for law students; however, it is possible for students to set up LSN projects through a clinical program at their respective law schools (see above: How can law students become involved with the LSN?). For other internship opportunities not directly involving the LSN, contact your regional office or go to www.amnestyusa.org/contact/volunteer.html.
Are LSN members Paid for Their Work with Amnesty?
The LSN is strictly a volunteer, membership-based program.
What Else Can Lawyers and Law Students Do for Human Rights?
See LSN publication: "10 Things Lawyers Can Do for Human Rights" available on-line at www.amnestyusa.org/lsn/tenthings2.html, or in hard copy by contacting the LSN. Or see LSN publication: "10 Things Law Students Can Do for Human Rights" available on-line at www.amnestyusa.org/lsn/tenthings1.html, or in hard copy by contacting the LSN.
Who Can I Contact to Learn More about the LSN?
Send an email to legal@aiusa.org or request information by mail: LSN, AIUSA, 53 West Jackson Suite 731, Chicago IL 60604-3507.
How Much is Membership in the LSN and How Do I Join?
Regular membership is $25 annually. Student membership is $15, but you can ask for a complete or partial waivers of that fee if you have a limited income. To join the LSN, send an email to legal@aiusa.org or contact: LSN, AIUSA, 53 West Jackson Suite 731, Chicago IL 60604-3507.
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