Career and Application Guides
OPIA’s career and application guides provide an in-depth look into many fields of public interest law. In the guides below, you’ll find background information on issue areas and practice settings, narratives and career advice from practicing attorneys, key hiring information, and organization and fellowship listings.
Featured Guides
Featured Guides
Insider's Guide to Successful Fellowship & Grant Applications
Insiders' Guide to the Department of Justice SLIP and Honors Program Application Process
All Guides by Type
All Guides by Type
Subject Matter Guides
- Administrative Law
- Animal Law
- Children’s Rights
- Civil Rights/Civil Liberties
- Conservative Public Interest Law
- Education Law Guide (2015 update)
- Environmental Law Guide (2013 update)
- Food Law Guide (Developed by staff and members of the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic and the Harvard Food Law Society; 2013 update)
- Health Law
- Human Trafficking
- Immigration & Refugee Law
- International Development Guide
- Intellectual Property/Cyberlaw Guide
- Juvenile Defense Policy and Practice Resource Guide (This guide is published by the National Juvenile Defender Center.)
- Labor and Employment
- LGBT Rights Law
- National Security Law
- Reproductive Rights & Justice Internships & Fellowships (This guide is published by the Law Students for Reproductive Justice.)
- Women’s Rights
Practice Setting Guides
- Foundations
- International Resources at HLS
- Legal Services (2013 Update)
- National Juvenile Defender Center’s Juvenile Defense Career Resource Guide
- Outstanding Lawyers in Action: A Day in the Life of Wasserstein Fellows
- Outstanding Lawyers in Action II: A Day in the Life of Wasserstein Fellows (2012 update)
- Political Campaigns
- Private Public Interest and Plaintiffs’ Firm guide
- Pro Bono
- Public Defender Programs
- Prosecution
- State and Local Government
- United Nations Jobs and Internships
- U.S. Attorneys’ Offices
Application and How-to Guides
- Arizona Guide (Government Honors and Internship Handbook) (email OPIA for the password)
- Citizenship Guide: Information on Hiring for Non-Citizens
- Department of Justice SLIP and Honors Program Application Guide (Fall 2020 update)
- Insider’s Guide to the Department of Justice Volunteer Legal Intern Application Process (Fall 2019 update)
- Insider’s Guide to Successful Fellowship and Grant Applications
- Presidential Management Fellowship Application Guide (for 2021 application cycle)
- The Great Firm Escape
Cheap Living Guides
Our Cheap Living Guides offer some advice on how to find affordable housing, neighborhoods to stay in, how to get around and what do for fun around some major cities, both here and abroad.