Massachusetts Public Banking (MAPB) is a network of individuals and organizations that includes attorneys, banking and finance experts, community activists and government specialists working to create a public bank for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There are campaigns in several states to create public banks that will be owned by the state for the purpose of providing low-interest financing to projects that will benefit their communities yet cannot qualify for commercial loans, on the model of the existing Bank of North Dakota. MAPB is currently focusing on broadening its outreach beyond the State House by engaging municipal governments and civic organizations such as unions, with the goal of creating a broader coalition in support of the bank. This internship is an opportunity for an HLS student to learn about state government, gain experience drafting legislation and building political consensus, chart the key power players in state-level policy work, and contribute to the formation of a groundbreaking public bank. The student will work with members of the MAPB Steering Committee to:
- Identify and survey coalition partners, including but not limited to municipal governments, unions, and political committees;
- Gather the priorities of new stakeholders and answer whether the current MAPB legislation meets their needs;
- Design new outreach methods for specific policies;
- Compare aspects of legislation being prepared in other states with the MA bill with some attention to law on access to “master accounts” at the Federal Reserve and requirements of collateralization for deposits of public funds.
Interested students can review the Campaign at its website: www.masspublicbanking.org. Nancy Ryan, Co-Chair of the Steering Committee, will act as the day-to-day supervisor. Kate Royce, public banking organizer and attorney, Brockton Legal Services, will oversee that work as legal supervisor. Christine Desan will act as HLS academic supervisor.
Students should submit a resume and cover letter to Sirrah Dobbert at Sdobbert@law.harvard.edu by December 18, 2025 with the subject line “Public Bank Campaign Independent Clinical”.
Once students are selected by the Massachusetts Public Bank Campaign and in order to earn credits students will be required to submit an independent clinical application.