Announcements for Students

Because your 2L summer tends to be more important from a strategic standpoint than your 1L summer, one of the best things you can do before you begin your 2L public interest job search in earnest is to reflect on both your interests and your personal career goals.

Are you beginning to think about your 2L summer and weighing the decision of whether to work in the private sector or the public sector? We in OPIA want every HLS student to feel empowered to make career choices that are the best for their individual interests and circumstances – whether those choices involve work in the public or private sectors.

The Harvard Law School Library Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (HLSL DIB) team shares their Anti-Racist Resource Guide.

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

Government Honors Programs are the most common pathway for 3Ls and certain recent graduates to enter government service. In preparation for your 3L year, 2Ls should start to get familiar with these opportunities now.

We strongly encourage you to apply for any fellowship that may help you reach the work you are excited about. Because many fellowships require you to pursue a project with a host organization, however, and because some fellowships have very early deadlines, it is important to begin preparing NOW for your fellowship search.

Speaking with attorneys practicing in your areas of interest (i.e., networking) is a critical component of a successful post-graduate job search. If you have been slow to make career connections in your city and/or field of interest, now is the time to kick things into gear, even if you're working remotely this summer.

Congratulations, graduates! We have loved working with you. Many of our services are available to you after you leave HLS. We very much hope that you will stay in touch, and will always remain among your biggest fans. All graduating students are welcome to join one or both of our postgraduate listservs. Learn more about resources and how to sign-up for the Recent Grads listserv for a weekly email with fellowship and entry level job opportunities and/or the Alumni Jobs Digest listserv for a weekly email with job opportunities, relevant announcements, and events.

The HLS Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs (OCP) is posting volunteer opportunities for HLS students looking to support the COVID-19 response on our volunteer opportunities page. If you are looking for ways to collaborate, get involved, or share resources, please contact Lee Mestre at lmestre@law.harvard.edu in OCP. Additionally, please see this National Disaster […]

Professors Sullivan, Rabb, and Crespo, in conjunction with the Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) and the Impact Defense Initiative (IDI), seek student volunteers interested in developing and executing strategies for the release of inmates from both federal and state penal institutions in light of the COVID-19 world pandemic. The aim of the project is to research […]

Join us on Friday to learn more about the clinical options available to you at HLS!  All of our clinics will be represented at the showcase, with clinical attorneys and students on hand to answer your questions. Registration for 2020-2021 clinics will occur April 6-7, 2020.  Clinical registration is for the entire upcoming year.  Stop […]

We are often asked by students interested in public service work about how to weigh their wide-ranging academic options while in law school. Our advice gives broad guidance on the choices you may be contemplating.

Take this opportunity to make a difference by engaging in pro bono work over Spring Break 2020! It’s a great chance to learn more about legal services work and do some good in the Boston community. This year, students have an opportunity to participate in spring break projects with the Massachusetts Court Service Centers and […]

Just in case you missed this post in December, make sure to read our advice on communicating with employers throughout the potentially difficult public interest hiring timeline to make it easier for you to manage your timeline and make your decision.

The LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic offers students the opportunity to work directly on cutting-edge issues involving LGBTQ+ rights, with a particular emphasis on issues affecting underrepresented communities within the LGBTQ+ community. Clinic offerings include local and national projects covering the spectrum of LGBTQ+ issues. Students will have the opportunity to engage in a range of work […]

Advisors are available to help with whatever job search questions you may be facing. If you have special concerns about your summer job search, please make an appointment to discuss your search with OPIA.

The LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic offers students the opportunity to work directly on cutting-edge issues involving LGBTQ+ rights, with a particular emphasis on issues affecting underrepresented communities within the LGBTQ+ community. Clinic offerings include local and national projects covering the spectrum of LGBTQ+ issues. Students will have the opportunity to engage in a range of work […]

OPIA has compiled a few key dates that may be useful as you plan your summer internships and other commitments, including the confirmed 2020 EIP dates.

Spring 2020 Clinics with Available Seats The drop deadline has now passed for all spring clinics.  If you are already signed up for a clinic in the spring, you can no longer drop it without receiving a withdrawal (“WD”). There are a handful of clinics that have a few seats available for the spring term.  […]

Spring 2020 Clinics with Open Seats The following spring clinics still have a few seats available!  Please log in to Helios and navigate to the Add/Drop section to enroll in one of these clinics.  Open seats will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.  The add/drop deadline for most spring clinics is TOMORROW, Friday, December […]