You have successfully navigated the summer job search, and you begin your internship full of excitement and optimism. But what if, in the middle of your summer, you’re not having the experience you’d hoped for? Perhaps you’re not getting enough work, or enough supervision. Or, maybe you’re getting too much work, or are confused about how to approach a project, or are feeling overwhelmed. Here are some suggestions for addressing some common summer internship challenges students face.

Once you identify jobs for which you would like to apply, it is time to start preparing your application materials. During your 2L summer, complete the following to prepare materials for an entry-level public interest job search.

The Ms. JD Fellowship is a program to promote mentoring and professional development to women law students. Each spring, Ms. JD selects a group of outstanding rising 3L students for this nine-month program. Applications are due May 4, 2025.

Speaking with attorneys practicing in your areas of interest is a critical component of a successful post-graduate job search. Here are some ways you can maximize your networking opportunities this summer and beyond.

Government Honors Programs are the most common pathway for 3Ls and certain recent graduates to enter government service. In preparation for your 3L year, you should start to get familiar with these opportunities now.

OPIA's end-of-year survey is your opportunity to tell us what's working well in OPIA -- and what isn't! Your feedback is extremely important to us, and we will use your thoughts to inform our planning for future years. All responses to the survey are anonymous.

Thank you for your feedback!

This student-led initiative shares testimonials and signatures from students committing to not participate in EIP and not pursue a career in Big Law in the future. View the "You Are Not Alone" poster and read the article in the Harvard Law Record.

Read this guidance if you plan to bid on plaintiffs' firms this summer.

Spring of your 3L year is the best time to start preparing for your post-clerkship public interest job search. Watch or listen to the Entry-Level Job Search webinar to get your post-clerkship job search questions about getting started, how to decide what jobs to pursue, what employers are looking for, and how to find job opportunities answered by the knowledgeable OPIA advisers.

Spring of your 2L year is the best time to start preparing for your post-graduate public interest job search. Watch or listen to the Entry-Level Job Search webinar to get your entry-level job search questions about getting started, how to decide what jobs to pursue, what employers are looking for, and how to find job opportunities answered by the knowledgeable OPIA advisers.

At OPIA, our goal is to help you find a great public interest job and avoid the common mistakes that can derail your job search. Read our list of common job search mistakes and don’t let them happen to you!

Searching for post-graduate job opportunities can feel daunting – or even overwhelming. We can help you get started by breaking down the process into more manageable chunks. Here are the four primary ways to search for entry-level job opportunities.

The LGBTQ+ Public Interest Scholarship is intended for law students and/or recent law school graduates studying for the Bar who are working or will be working in the LGBTQ+ space doing public interest work. One or more scholarships of up to $5,000 each are awarded annually. The deadline is April 30, 2025.

During the week of August 5-9, CEO will host 10-12 law students from around the country at its fourth annual Civil Rights Fellowship in Washington, D.C. The application deadline is April 15, 2025.

The Rural Summer Legal Corps is a collaboration between Equal Justice Works and Legal Services Corporation that aims to address critical legal issues facing rural communities. The following host organizations are seeking additional law student applicants for the 2025 Rural Summer Legal Corps: Michigan Advocacy Program: Farmworkers Legal Services / Legal Aid of the Bluegrass / Colorado Legal Services

The Curtin Fellowship provides a $3,500 stipend to three law school students who spend the summer months working for a bar association or legal services program designed to prevent homelessness and/or assist indigent clients (including those experiencing homelessness) or their advocates. The deadline to apply is March 28, 2025.

Harvard’s Presidential Public Service Fellowship (PPSF) program supports a broad range of summer opportunities that serve the common good. Students from Harvard College and from Harvard’s graduate and professional Schools are eligible to apply. The application deadline is March 21, 2025 at 5:00pm EST.

Law Students for Climate Accountability, creators of the scorecard assessing law firms' work with the fossil fuel industry, is accepting applications to join its student board for the 2025–26 school year.  Responsibilities range from strategic operations to outreach to content generation, and board members receive a stipend. Successful applicants are passionate about climate justice and student engagement. Applications are open until March 24; you can apply here.

While the public sector is extremely varied, most employers are looking for a core set of skills. These are skills you may already have and should continue to develop during law school through internships, clinics, and coursework.

You are encouraged to apply for the Borchard Fellowship even if you have not worked on Elder Law issues in the past. An Elder Law lens can often be applied to the work you’re doing whether it involves housing, employment, health issues, or criminal law. Past fellows have worked on issues ranging from immigration detention to consumer affairs. For assistance with your application, set up an appointment with Judy Murciano or attend Judy’s drop-in hours.

As you may have heard, over the last few days, several U.S. Attorney’s Offices have notified students who had accepted internships (and in some cases, had interviewed) before the federal hiring freeze that their office now has permission to hire unpaid volunteer interns. If you have been notified of a re-issued offer and would like to speak with an OPIA adviser about your options, please come to drop-in hours or schedule an appointment in CSM.  We strongly discourage reneging on an alternative offer you have already accepted, but can speak further about exploring split summers or other opportunities to work in government while at HLS.