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 (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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

We welcome you to stop by the OPIA suite any time after the diploma ceremony so we can congratulate you on your graduation and sing your praises to your loved ones. Hope to see you there!

Thursday May 29, 3:00 - 5:00 PM
OPIA Suite, WCC 4039

Mimosas and cookies will be served.

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.

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.

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.

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.