Career Resources

As you make your game plan for applying for 1L summer internships, you may be trying to strategize about when to submit which applications. Public interest employers’ hiring timelines vary significantly. Here are some examples of employers with early deadlines.

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. 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.

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.

If you would like OPIA to review your resume and/or cover letter in advance of the V-PIIP virtual interview bidding deadline you must submit them through our resume and cover letter review request form by Wednesday, July 22nd, 11:59 p.m. ET. Please submit your materials as Word documents (not PDF).

OPIA will review one resume and one cover letter per student per academic year. Materials submitted to OPIA for review for V-PIIP are factored into our policy.

Over 90 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

As you are likely just starting your summer position, we know that it may feel early to start thinking about next summer. But the application process for many 2L public interest summer positions begins in late summer/early fall, and we want to make sure you are well prepared.

Check out our summer job FAQs for answers to more commonly asked questions about the summer public interest job search, and plan to attend our …

You have successfully navigated the summer job search, and you begin your internship full of excitement and optimism. But what if, in the middle of your summer, you’re not having the experience you’d hoped for? Perhaps you’re not getting enough work, or enough supervision. Or, maybe you’re getting too much work, or are confused about how to approach a project, or are feeling overwhelmed. Here are some suggestions for addressing some common summer internship challenges students face.

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

Speaking with attorneys practicing in your areas of interest is a critical component of a successful post-graduate job search. Here are some ways you can maximize your networking opportunities this summer and beyond.

Searching for post-graduate job opportunities can feel daunting – or even overwhelming. We can help you get started by breaking down the process into more manageable chunks. Here are the four primary ways to search for entry-level job opportunities.

At OPIA, 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 moment to review our list of common job search mistakes so you can avoid them along the way! 

While the public sector is extremely varied, most employers are looking for a core set of skills. These are skills you may already have and should continue to develop during law school through internships, clinics, and coursework.

As you develop your plans for your post-graduate public interest job search, you may be considering applying to fellowships, government honors programs, and/or direct entry-level positions. Along with these options, you may be wondering about whether to include clerkship applications.

We strongly encourage you to apply for fellowships to support the work that excites you. Because many fellowships require you to pursue a project with a host organization and some fellowships have very early deadlines, it is important to begin preparing NOW.

We are often asked by students interested in public service work about how to weigh their wide-ranging academic options while in law school. This advice is meant to offer broad guidance on the choices you may be contemplating. Please note that it is impossible to truly provide “one-size-fits-all” advice — if you have questions about particular options and how they might relate to your career plans, be sure to seek out an OPIA adviser. 

We know it may seem early to start thinking about your post-graduate job search as a 2L. However, your 2L spring is the best time to check out our 3L Guide to Entry-Level Post-Graduate Jobs, start monitoring the CSM job bank for entry-level jobs, and make an appointment with an OPIA adviser to position you for success in your search.

Networking is an essential part of getting to know the world of public interest law. But sometimes, it can feel intimidating to approach a potential contact, or hard to know where to plug in and get started. Review this Q&A to help make networking a smoother part of your professional journey.