Wondering how to make the best use of your appointment time? Not sure what to expect when working with an adviser? Read this post to find out.

We know that many of you are considering whether – and to what extent – you’d like to become involved in the myriad student activities available to the law school community. We are often asked by students interested in public service work about the value of extracurricular involvement. While we cannot offer formal career counseling before September 29, we can help you make choices about extracurriculars before then. Broad guidance on those choices can be found below, but please note that it is impossible to truly provide “one-size-fits-all” advice. Feel free to come to our drop-in office hours to have a conversation tailored to your individual goals.

Sign-ups for advising appointments with public interest attorney mentors visiting through the Wasserstein Fellows Program are now available! All students can take advantage of this remarkable opportunity to receive guidance from current practitioners in a wide variety of fields.

Learn all about the 2025-26 Wasserstein Fellows and sign up for an appointment!

We look forward to getting to know you in the coming months and to helping you learn more about public interest career opportunities. Although formal career advising does not begin until September 29, you can still take affirmative steps now to begin your career exploration. Read this post to learn how.

Justice Catalyst Fellowship. Harnessing the interdisciplinary approach of Professor Hanson’s Systemic Justice Lab, target how your innovative solution to a community-informed, access to justice problem can be addressed for the greatest sustainable and scalable impact that shifts power dynamics (economic and political) and fuels a clear Theory of Change. Regional work may be nationally magnified. Watch the latest info webinar. Applicants are highly encouraged to submit a prospectus by September 30, 2025. Final full application is due on December 1, 2025. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment.

The ACLU runs multiple different organization-based fellowships for specific targeted litigation (Brennan First Amendment/National Security, Technology, and Privacy; Karpatkin Racial Justice Fellowship is now 2 yrs, etc.). Familiarity with their ongoing litigation and latest policy advocacy, as well as highlighting your writing and research skills, are key for integrating into their team hiring. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment. 

Please note that some deadlines vary by host country. Check the national deadline for your host country to determine which internal deadline you must meet. Project proposal should be endemic to the host country, detailed in methodology, and positioned as a “novel contribution to the field” driven by “why” and “how” questions for critical analysis. Besides the three letters of recommendation for a Fulbright (preferably 2 of the 3 from HLS Faculty), you will also need a Letter of Affiliation from the host country (faculty from an institute of higher learning/NGO), a language form from someone who has taught the host’s official language, and a Campus Evaluation (this fellowship requires a discussion with Judy Murciano in an advising appointment or during drop-in office hours). Submit your drafts for review well in advance of the internal deadline. 

Independence Foundation Fellows provide free, direct legal services in the Greater Philadelphia area. Only certain organizations are invited to host a single fellow. Consult your host organization about whether they are eligible for the fellowship this year. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment.

Starting on 9/2, 1Ls interested in summer public interest work will be able to make a one-on-one counseling appointment with an OPIA adviser to occur after September 29. Any of our generalist advisers can help you begin your job search; you can review adviser bios and schedule an appointment online in CSM.

Bidding for the fall Massachusetts Law School Consortium (MLSC) Government and Public Interest Interview Program closes on Tuesday, September 9, at 12 p.m. ET. This year's interviews will be conducted virtually on October 8 & 9, 2025. Review the employer list (subject to change) and learn more about the MLSC program and how to participate.

Applying for the U.S. Department of Justice's SLIP or Honors Program? Our application guide is now updated for this year's application cycle.

Read the 2025 OPIA Insider’s Guide

During your first year at HLS, there are many ways to get involved with the public interest community, including becoming part of the Public Interest Law Collective (PILC). The PILC is a student-led effort designed to provide support and uplift students with a strong desire to use their legal education in service of the public good.

To join, take 10 minutes to fill out the registration form by September 19.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is looking for a two-year (Aug./Sep. 2026–Aug./Sep. 2028) Constitutional Litigation Fellow who is committed to civil rights, impact litigation, and upholding core First Amendment protections. Your work will include defending the rights of women, LGBTQ+ people, and racial and religious minorities against religion-based discrimination and oppression. And you will fight to keep religion out of government—including through challenges to religious activities in public schools, public financing of religious institutions, and government-sponsored religion in the public square.

Jonathan W. Cuneo COSAL/Justice Catalyst Fellowship

The COSAL enforces anti-trust laws to promote class equity by holding large corporations accountable and stemming anti-competitive practices that harm consumers and small businesses. Applicants must contact one of the preferred law firm host(s) before applying. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment.

EJW Fellows seek to meet the unmet legal needs of marginalized communities in a wide range of issue areas highlighted on their website. Project-driven, the EJW application prioritizes: 1) a clearly defined problem of significant magnitude; 2) an ambitious but feasible means to address the problem with an impactful, creative/innovative concrete strategy; 3) a sustainable and scalable solution; 4) a series of opportunities for engaging the sponsoring firm/corporation in the project. EJW proposals can often serve as a template for many additional fellowships throughout the year. Recommendations sent directly to the EJW portal must be received a week before the deadline. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment. Please check the EJW site for relevant info sessions and Guide. 

Skadden Fellows address civil legal services for low-income individuals to foster economic security and provide access to justice for marginalized communities. Whether you are conducting direct legal services or working on impact systemic change, it is critical to identify clients’ legal needs first and address the racial justice lens of your work overall. Host organizations may attach to their sponsorship letter community and/or media support for the targeted issue. Former and current Fellows can also contribute additional supporting letters for your work. Please consult the Skadden Application page for important dates. Sign up early for mock interviews with Judy Murciano by selecting Fellowship Advising when making an appointment. Semi-finalists often design colorful one-page handouts for their interviews.

The Equal Justice Works Career Fair is the largest public interest legal career fair in the country, bringing together more than 250 public interest employers and over 2,500 law students and recent graduates for prescheduled interviews and informal “table talk” discussions over the course of three days.

The 2025 Equal Justice Works Career Fair will be held virtually from October 16-18. Registration is now open!

View the employer list for up-to-date listings of employers participating either through table talks or interviews. Note that you must apply for prescheduled interviews by Friday, September 19 at 12 p.m. ET.

The Equal Justice Works Career Fair is the largest public interest legal career fair in the country, bringing together more than 250 public interest employers and over 2,500 law students and recent graduates for prescheduled interviews and informal "table talk" discussions over the course of three days.

The 2025 Equal Justice Works Career Fair will be held virtually from October 16-18. Registration is now open!

3Ls participating in the EJW Career Fair can have their registration fees covered by the Public Interest Interview Fund. Please email opia@law.harvard.edu for the registration code.

View the employer list for up-to-date listings of employers participating either through table talks or interviews. Note that you must apply for prescheduled interviews by Friday, September 19 at 12 p.m. ET.

Bidding closes for V-PIIP virtual interviews on August 18 at 12 p.m. ET. All applications must be submitted through Symplicity CSM. Visit the step-by-step guide on how to submit your bids through Symplicity CSM.

Missed out on registering for a virtual chat with a public interest employer? Not to worry! We have extended the registration period for organizations scheduled to conduct a virtual chat between August 11-14. Register here.

In this recent webinar, OPIA staff discussed factors to consider when choosing a 2L summer job. Topics include: how to determine which kinds of internships to pursue; key steps to a successful search; applications and job search timeline; and summer networking strategies.

Watch or listen now.