The New York State Office of the Attorney General (NY OAG) is both the “People’s Lawyer” and the State’s chief legal officer. The NY OAG not only guards the legal rights of New York citizens, but it also advises the State government and defends the State in proceedings. The NY OAG is charged with the statutory and common law powers to protect consumers and investors, charitable donors, the public health and environment, civil rights, and the rights of wage-earners and businesses across the State. The NY OAG also investigates organized crime and Medicaid fraud. The NY OAG is divided into five primary divisions: Appeals and Opinions, State Counsel, Criminal Justice, Economic Justice, and Social Justice. With over 650 Assistant Attorneys General and 1,700 employees, the NY OAG is one of the largest public interest law firms in the country.
The Position
The NY OAG seeks law students to participate in its full-time, paid summer internship program. Interested students may apply to specific divisions and regional offices for consideration. Students will assist in all phases of attorneys’ work, including legal research, court filings, discovery, and trial preparation.
The ideal candidates will have finished their first semesters of law school and demonstrate an interest in public service.
Community Legal Services (CLS) is a civil legal aid organization dedicated to providing free legal assistance to low-income Philadelphians. CLS staff work in legal areas of debt and consumer protection, housing, family issues, employment, public benefits, criminal records, and elder issues. CLS services extend not only to individual representation and counseling, but also class action litigation, community education, and social services.
The Position
Community Legal Services seeks a staff attorney to aid low-income immigrant and Limited English Proficient communities. This position allows the attorney to become an expert in Language Access law through representation of clients and political advocacy. The attorney will be expected to create and implement Language Access Policies and Plans at public agencies, governments, and courts. The attorney will also have the opportunity to work in CLS’s various legal units to aid in the representation of immigrants and Limited English Proficient persons.
The ideal candidate will have experience in litigation, policy, and immigration. The ideal candidate will also have a passion for working with and representing low-income clients, particularly those who are Limited English Proficient or immigrants.
The International Human Rights Law Clinic (IHRLC) at Berkeley School of Law is one of the first of its kind. IHRLC designs and implements projects for the advancement of human rights and collaborates with researchers, scholars, and human rights activists worldwide. Clinic students currently work in four areas: Promoting Human Rights Within the U.S.; Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights; Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights; and Accountability and Transitional Justice. While working on these issues, students also participate in a seminar to bridge the gap between legal theory and practice.
The Position
The IHRLC seeks a Clinical Teaching Fellow to assist in the supervision and administration of the clinic. The Fellow will be responsible for assisting students in their work, teaching and planning at least one seminar, conducting human rights studies, and traveling with students for any case-related tasks.
The ideal candidate will have experience with and knowledge of international human rights issues and experience in clinical teaching.
Human Rights First is a non-profit, international human rights organization based in the United States. Its mission is to challenge the United States to live up to its ideals by pressuring the U.S. government and private companies to respect human rights and the rule of law. Not only does Human Rights First condemn and expose injustice, it also creates and advocates for policy solutions to ensure consistent respect and protection of human rights.
Human Rights First campaigns span topics of refugee protection, national security, and foreign policy.
The Position
Human Rights First seeks Spring and Summer legal interns in their New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. offices. Interns will work on refugee representation, human rights sanctions, or foreign policy. Duties will include legal research and writing, collaboration with Human Rights First staff, and advocacy with government entities.
Ideal candidates will have strong written, organization, and communication skills, as well as a dedication to human rights. Foreign language skills are preferred.
New Mexico Legal Aid (NMLA) is a civil legal aid organization primarily focused on providing legal services to rural communities in New Mexico. NMLA’s work includes twelve individual projects such as the Statewide Domestic Violence HelpLine, the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, and the Native American Program.
NMLA also organizes the Centro Legal Campesino Farmworker Program, which provides free legal aid to agricultural workers in New Mexico. These cases often involve wage theft, employment discrimination, civil rights abuses, and more.
The Position
NMLA seeks a staff attorney for Centro Legal Campesino who has a passion for confronting systemic injustices faced by farmworkers. In this role, the attorney will provide advocacy and outreach in rural areas, litigate cases in state and federal courts, represent farmworkers in administrative hearings, and develop community legal education materials.
The ideal candidate will be bilingual (English/Spanish) and willing to go above and beyond the traditional capacity of a staff attorney. Additionally, the candidate will be able to work collaboratively and with a team, and have experience working with marginalized populations, particularly immigrants.
The Northwest Justice Project (NJP) is a legal aid organization dedicated to providing free civil legal services to low-income individuals throughout Washington State. NJP believes in providing access to legal services to all individuals, including those in need of interpreter services. NJP staff assist on cases involving family safety, housing preservation, protection of income, access to health care, and education. Where NJP cannot provide assistance directly, they provide resources and referrals. Through their dedication and hard work, NJP provides services to over 18,000 individuals each year.
The Position
The Northwest Justice Project is hiring multiple staff attorneys in various offices throughout Washington State. Depending on the location, new law school graduates will be considered. Additionally, some offices prefer candidates who are bilingual (English/Spanish). Ideal candidates for all openings will be able to work collaboratively, have demonstrated experience working with diverse communities, and be committed to providing civil legal aid.
Justice 360 is a non-profit organization based in South Carolina that works to reform policies and practices in capital and juvenile life without parole proceedings. Justice 360 achieves its goals through direct representation of death row inmates, the creation of legal resources, policy reform efforts, and public education materials and programming. Justice 360 wholeheartedly believes that justice is not linear and it does not end with a verdict.
The Position
Partnering with Cornell Law School’s Death Penalty Project, Justice 360 seeks a recent law graduate to participate in the two-year Craig N. Yankwitt Fellowship for Death Penalty Advocacy.
This fellowship honors the memory of Craig N. Yankwitt, a Cornell Law School graduate. During his time in law school and in his post-graduate practice, Yankwitt contributed significantly to Cornell’s Capital Punishment and Capital Appeals Clinics.
The Fellow will participate in all aspects of Justice 360’s work. Additionally, the Fellow will work on litigation and academic projects with Cornell Law School Professors Sheri Johnson and John Blume.
The ideal candidate will have experience with capital and/or criminal defense, either through an internship/externship or a clinic.
Family Equality is national non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of legal and lived equality for LGBTQ families and individuals. Family Equality strongly believes that every person deserves the right and opportunity to form and sustain a family without discrimination, no matter the process by which the LGBTQ individuals seek to form their families.
The Position
The organization seeks multiple legal interns for this coming Spring semester to work remotely with the Policy team. These students will advocate for LGBTQ parents and families in the pursuit of legislative, regulatory, and policy goals.
The ideal candidates will have completed their first year of law school before the start of the internship, as well as have a demonstrated interest in LGBTQ rights, civil rights, and social justice.
Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) is a federally-funded civil legal aid organization providing free services to Philadelphia County’s indigent community. Their legal services extend to family law, federal taxes, housing, migrant farmworkers, public benefits, unemployment compensation, and more. PLA’s mission is to enforce and protect the rights of all individuals and families by providing accessible, creative, and high-quality legal assistance. PLA also works hard to achieve systemic change to improve the lives of the citizens of Philadelphia.
The Position
PLA seeks a Staff Attorney to join the Unemployment Compensation Unit, where the attorney will fight to provide temporary income replacement to workers who have lost their jobs. The attorney will service as a case advocate and litigator, representing clients in administrative hearings. Additionally, the attorney will work on policy and public education addressing new computer systems evaluations and payment of Unemployment Compensation benefits.
The ideal candidate will have 2 to 5 years of client representation experience and a commitment to workers’ rights and employment law.
Day One is a New York-based organization committed to ending dating abuse and domestic violence, particularly among young people. Day One achieves its goals through community education, supportive services, legal advocacy, and leadership development. Day One believes in empowering young people so they can have safe relationships for themselves and their peers. The organization provides counselling and legal services for survivors of relationship abuse, as well implements preventative educational programming about intimate partner abuse and the law. All of the organization’s services are provided to youth for free and in both English and Spanish.
The Position
Day One seeks an attorney with at least two years of experience to further the organization’s mission of promoting healthy relationships among young people. The staff attorney would be expected to represent clients in family and domestic violence courts, conduct trainings on intimate partner abuse and the law, collaborate with social service providers, and coordinate community outreach and awareness activities. The ideal candidate will be Spanish-English bilingual, creative, respectful, collaborative, and committed to empowering youth.
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