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.

Location: Manhattan, NY & Remote
Deadline: May 11, 2024
Learn more about the Law School 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.

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.

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

Over 120 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.

Check out our summer job FAQs for answers to more commonly asked questions about the summer public interest job search. Timeline Your 2L summer job search…

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 summer positions begins in late summer/early fall, and we want to make sure you are well prepared.

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.

Don’t miss the chance to apply for fellowship host opportunities closing soon.  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.

Congratulations, graduates! We have loved working with you. Many of our services are available to you after you leave HLS and we very much hope that you will stay in touch. 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. Read more.