What kinds of cases does the Southern Poverty Law Center take?
The Center generally takes only class action civil rights cases and cases in which a person has been victimized by members of an organized hate group. We typically do not accept individual civil or criminal cases. The Individual Legal Assistance page further clarifies these policies.

Does the Center have job opportunities for law students or recent law graduates who want to do public interest work?
The Center's legal department has three different types of opportunities for law students and recent law graduates:

• A two-year legal fellowship is offered every year to one 3L or recent law graduate.
  
• Paid summer intern positions are offered every summer to 2-3 law students. Second-year students are preferred.
  

Volunteer work is offered to some law students (usually research and writing) during the school year on a project-by-project basis. Law student volunteers do not work at the Center's offices; students communicate with Center attorneys by e-mail, phone, and mail.

Can attorneys in the general public volunteer their time to help Center attorneys with cases?
Although we greatly appreciate the offer of volunteer assistance, we don't have enough legal staff to take on volunteers. Please visit How You Can Help to find other ways to assist the Center.

Can you tell me more about your cases, such as statistics and other information?
Although we do not have the staff to personally respond to requests for information about our cases, a list of the Center's most important cases – with descriptions, legal pleadings, and important court decisions – is available in the Case Docket.

Does the Center provide technical or financial assistance to private attorneys with individual cases?
The Center provides some financial assistance for out-of-pocket litigation costs in civil rights cases through the Strategic Litigation Grant Project. This assistance is only provided to attorneys. Application information is found on the Grant Project page.