A strong resume and cover letter are essential to making a good first impression with a potential summer employer and helping them start to get to know you. The following OPIA resources can help you perfect these documents and present your background and experiences in a way that employers will find compelling.

Interested in learning more about government careers? The following resources can help you begin your exploration.

1Ls interested in summer public interest work are now invited to make a one-on-one counseling appointment with an OPIA adviser to occur after October 15. Any of our generalist advisers can help you begin your job search; you can review adviser bios and schedule an appointment online. Choose one of the “general advising” scheduling options if you are in the early stages of exploration. Alternatively, if you have identified specific interests aligned with one of our more specific appointment options, you can select one of those instead. Please do not email the general OPIA email address or individual advisers asking for an advising appointment, as all 1Ls should be using our online appointment system.

To help prepare for your advising session, we encourage you to read our e-advising post that provides further guidance on your 1L appointment.

In an effort to help guide you in your public sector summer job search and beyond, we've answered some common 1L questions about accessing OPIA advisers and services.

Wondering how to make the best use of your appointment time after October 15? Not sure what to expect when working with an adviser? Read this post to find out.

Thinking of applying for a U.S. Department of Justice Volunteer Legal Internship? Our application guide is now updated for this year's application cycle.

Read the 2023 OPIA Insider’s Guide to the U.S. Department of Justice Volunteer Legal Internship Application Process.

OPIA announces deadlines for internally administered fellowships for which 3Ls and alumni are eligible to apply. Mark your calendar and make an appointment to speak with an OPIA adviser!

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 October 15, 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.

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 October 2, 2023. Final full application is due on December 1, 2023. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment.

Independence Foundation Fellows provide free, direct legal services in the Greater Philadelphia area. 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. 

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 October 15, you can still take affirmative steps now to begin your career exploration. Read this post to learn how.

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 need a Letter of Affiliation from the host country (faculty from institute of higher learning/NGO), a language form from someone who has taught the host’s official language, and a Campus Evaluation (discuss with Judy Murciano in a fellowship advising appointment or during drop-in office hours). Submit your drafts for review well in advance of the internal deadline. 

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

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.

Although the vast majority of public interest employers will not begin to consider applications for post-graduate employment until the fall, we wanted to alert you to some earlier deadlines of which we are currently aware.

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

Some of you may be considering government work for your 2L summer. Most federal agencies, and many state and local offices (including the U.S. Department of Justice [DOJ]) offer formal internship programs for students. Learn more about how to approach your government internship search and read about important upcoming deadlines.

Learn more about the nonprofit and legal services employers recruiting through V-PIIP. Review these resources to help you prepare your bid list and get a snapshot of currently registered employers.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Public Service Venture Fund, which serves to support HLS graduates’ public interest careers and amplify the impact of their work. Read more about the PSVF, its history, and how some alumni are using PSVF funds to build a better world.