The Semester in Washington Clinic is an extraordinary opportunity to work at the intersection of government, policy, and practice while pursuing your particular academic and career interests and goals. Clinic participants spend the Spring Term (or both the Winter and Spring Terms, if preferred) living in Washington and working as legal interns in either federal government offices in the Executive, Legislative, or Judicial Branches or not-for-profit policymaking organization. The placements, primarily in offices where lawyers provide legal advice and assistance on policy, legislative, or regulatory matters, are developed collaboratively between the students and the Clinic Director to match to the students’ interests.
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Location:  New York, NY
Deadline:  Open until filled
Learn more about the Summer Law Clerk position.
This job posting has not been vetted by our office and the employer has not given assurances of non-discrimination or compliance with our recruitment policies.

Location:  Washington, D.C.
Deadline:  September 8, 2025
Learn more about the Summer Legal Intern position.
This job posting has not been vetted by our office and the employer has not given assurances of non-discrimination or compliance with our recruitment policies.

Location:  Remote
Deadline:  Open until filled
Learn more about the 2026 Summer Legal Internship position.
This job posting has not been vetted by our office and the employer has not given assurances of non-discrimination or compliance with our recruitment policies.

Location: Santa Barbara, CA or Remote
Deadline: Open until filled
Learn more about the Summer 2026 Legal Intern position.
This job posting has not been vetted by our office and the employer has not given assurances of non-discrimination or compliance with our recruitment policies.

Over 110 organizations have signed up to participate in this year's Virtual Public Interest Interview Program (V-PIIP), either through virtual interviewing or resume collection! Take advantage of this exceptional opportunity to apply for summer and postgraduate positions with public interest organizations all across the country. Review our resources to help you prepare for the program. We will continue to send you important information and updates throughout the summer, including news on new employer registrations, which extends through August. Please schedule an appointment with an OPIA adviser to help you prepare for the program. Review more employer details through Symplicity CSM

OPIA is now using CSM for application materials review! Going forward, if you would like OPIA to review your materials, please complete this new form and attach your document(s) as Word docs. Your materials will then be assigned to an adviser for review. When completed, you will receive a notification to retrieve your reviewed document(s) from CSM.

Reminder: we will review one resume and one cover letter per academic year for 1Ls, 2Ls, and alumni. We will review multiple materials (including fellowships application materials, honors program essays, etc.) for 3Ls and LL.M.s pursuing post-graduate positions. Please allow 10-14 business days for your materials to be returned with edits and comments.

Please note that the following fall clinics still have open seats available:

Animal Law & Policy Clinic
Child Advocacy Clinic
Criminal Justice Institute: Criminal Defense Clinic
Criminal Prosecution Clinic
Family Justice Clinic
Food Law and Policy Clinic
Harvard Dispute Systems Design Clinic
Health Law and Policy Clinic
Human Rights Entrepreneurs Clinic
LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic
Tax Litigation Clinic
Veterans Law and Disability Benefits Clinic

Location: San Francisco, CA
Deadline: Open until filled
Learn more about the Summer Associate position.
This job posting has not been vetted by our office and the employer has not given assurances of non-discrimination or compliance with our recruitment policies.

Though the summer has just begun, some fellowship sponsorship deadlines have already been announced. Don’t miss the chance to apply for host opportunities closing in June and early July in particular.  Get a head start on surveying the landscape at our fellowship host organization deadlines feed, and read more about fellowships generally in our recent e-advising post. Sponsorship deadlines will continue throughout the summer.

The Nebraska Space, Cyber, and National Security Law Program is offering a Student Travel Award to support a law student's attendance at their Annual DC Conference on September 18, 2025, with additional visits to federal offices and commercial companies. The travel dates for this conference are September 16–19, 2025, and the award will cover the cost of domestic airfare and lodging. Apply by July 14. Learn more about the Student Travel Award.

As you are likely just starting your summer position, we know that it feels early to start thinking about your next one. But, for many students, the application process for 2L public interest summer positions begins in late summer/early fall, and we want to make sure you are well prepared.

The New World Social Innovation Fellows Program supports selected student changemakers – known as Cheng Fellows – advancing progress on a social challenge through an effort of their design. Through weekly co-curricular programming, coaching, mentoring, and seed funding, it provides a platform for students to develop and scale efforts while in school and post-graduation. The application deadline has been extended and is now July 13, 2025.

Location: Providence, RI
Deadline: July 16, 2025
Learn more about the 2026 Summer Associate position.
This job posting has not been vetted by our office and the employer has not given assurances of non-discrimination or compliance with our recruitment policies.

Timeline Your 2L summer job search in the public sector should be underway by late July/early August. Employers hire 2Ls much earlier than 1Ls, and…

Though some of these firms participate in campus recruiting, more accept direct applications over the summer and early fall, and even more will field a proactive inquiry about summer work even if there is no live job posting or formal summer associate program.  In addition to CSM, keep your eye on our 2L jobs board and the National Plaintiffs' Law Association (NPLA) job board, and watch this space for announcements about employers participating in our Virtual Public Interest Interview Program (V-PIIP).  For even more information and resources, refer to our blog post from April about plaintiffs’ firms.

Congratulations on completing your 2L year! Now that you are a rising 3L, be on the lookout for our 3L Weekly Bulletins and check out the 3L Guide to Entry-Level Post-Graduate Jobs to help you plan your post-graduate job search.

Congratulations on completing your 1L year! Now that you are a rising 2L, be on the lookout for our 2L Weekly Bulletins and check out the 2L Guide to Summer Jobs to help you plan your 2L job search.

Please note that first-round applications for Summer 2026 Peggy Browning Fund Fellowships are opening Monday, June 2 for rising 2Ls, and will close September 30, 2025. Another round with more organizations will start in early November 2025.

Location: Washington, D.C.
Deadline: July 19, 2025
Learn more about the Summer Law Clerk position.
This job posting has not been vetted by our office and the employer has not given assurances of non-discrimination or compliance with our recruitment policies.

Congratulations, graduates! We have loved working with you. We are inspired by your hard work and tenacity; by your outrage at the injustices and inadequacies that are far too present in our legal system and the world; by your deep commitment to using the law as a tool for change; and by your compassion for, and support of, each other.

The world needs you now, more than ever — and we know you are ready to meet the challenges that lie beyond the doors of Harvard Law School. We are looking forward to watching your impactful careers unfold and cheering on your accomplishments for the clients and communities you will be serving. Please know that we will always be among your biggest fans!

We very much hope that you will stay in touch through the months and years to come, and don’t forget that many of our services remain available to you after you leave HLS.

All graduating students are encouraged to join our alumni listserv to receive a weekly email highlighting job & fellowship opportunities, ways to engage with our office (such as alumni happy hours, mentoring programs and networking events), and various job-related events. And as an alum, please do contribute your thoughts to our Alumni Speak Series to inspire the next generation of students along the public interest path!

Not graduating in 2025? If you are a joint-degree student, on leave, or will for any reason be returning to campus next year, please let us know! We will need to move you to the appropriate class listserv.