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.

Tell us about your summer experience by completing your summer job evaluations in CSM. Please do so by September 12, 2025. 

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Learn more about the prosecutor's offices and defender agencies recruiting through V-PIIP. Review these resources to help you prepare your bids.

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.
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Some of you may be considering government work for your 2L summer. Most federal agencies (including DOJ), and many state and local offices have in the past offered formal internship programs for students. Learn more about how to approach your government internship search and read about important upcoming deadlines.

These 1-hour sessions, broken into two 30-minute slots each, are designed to allow you to connect directly with employers and learn more about their work. Register now!

Learn more about the government employers currently recruiting through V-PIIP and find resources to help you prepare.

Although most public interest employers will not begin to consider applications for honors programs or other permanent post-graduate positions until the fall, we wanted to alert you to some earlier deadlines of which we are currently aware. This list includes several government honors programs and organization-based fellowships (no third-party funder needed) with nonprofits and private public interest law firms. For more opportunities, be sure to review our fellowship host organizations list. 

Although the vast majority of public interest employers will not begin to consider applications for 2L summer internships until the fall, we wanted to alert you to a few earlier deadlines of which we are currently aware.

The 2025-2026 DOJ Honors Program application will open on August 22, 2025, and close on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

Learn more about the private public interest law firms recruiting through V-PIIP with these resources to help you prepare your applications.