Paid Public Interest Fellowship
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) seeks 1L and 2L students to apply for a summer position funded by the California Bar Foundation (CBF). The Public Interest Fellow will work on a project related to increasing employment opportunities for justice involved adults of color residing in the Antelope Valley, a remote part of Los Angeles County. The intern will gain a full range of skills in public interest lawyering, including direct legal services, impact litigation, and policy advocacy.
NLF Public Interest Internship at NLSLA : The goal of the Public Interest Fellowship is to provide support for one law student to experience a meaningful 2018 summer internship at a public interest organization that provides direct legal services, impact litigation, and advocacy on behalf of low-income clients.
The Public Interest Fellow will work on a project related to increasing employment opportunities for justice involved adults of color residing in the Antelope Valley. The project will include three prongs of legal advocacy to have the greatest impact: 1) Outreach and Education: The Fellow will prepare materials and conduct trainings for local community members on the process of removing barriers to employment, such as getting their criminal records cleared, reinstatement of driver’s license, appealing the denial of a professional license, and correcting inaccuracies in their background check for employment through "Know Your Rights" workshops; 2) One-on-One Consultations: The Fellow will meet with clients, under the supervision of an attorney, to conduct a holistic assessment of the clients’ legal needs, prepare legal documents such as expungements, Proposition 47 petitions, and provide counsel/advice at our community based legal clinics; and 3) Impact Litigation & Policy Work: The fellow will work with our staff attorneys and Director of Litigation & Policy to conduct community surveys, prepare legal briefs and perform target research to help focus our efforts on larger, systemic issues that could develop opportunities to bring forward high impact litigation related to policy reform on clean slate initiatives and fair hiring practices.
The Public Interest Fellow will be a part of the organization’s larger summer internship program. The fellowship is for a 10-week period, 35 hours per week. NLSLA hires about 15 law students during the summer. Under the supervision of NLSLA attorneys, interns have the opportunity to work on cases at different junctures, including interviewing clients, participating in case reviews, obtaining evidence and arranging records, preparing clients for hearings and trials, writing briefs and other legal memoranda, representing individuals at administrative hearings, conducting community outreach and education, and assisting self-represented litigants in NLSLA’s various clinics. Students who wish to gain courtroom experience and are able to become certified by the State Bar of California will have the opportunity to represent clients at court hearings.
Salary: The Public Interest Fellowship will provide $6,000 to fund the Fellow’s salary. This salary may be combined with other sources of summer public interest funding and grant opportunities.
About NLSLA: NLSLA has been changing lives and transforming communities since 1965 and is a steadfast advocate for individuals, families and communities throughout Los Angeles County. Through a combination of individual representation, high impact litigation and public policy advocacy, NLSLA combats the immediate and long-lasting effects of poverty and expands access to justice in Los Angeles County’s diverse neighborhoods. NLSLA works holistically across multiple areas of the law that disproportionately impact low income communities. By offering free legal services, these efforts can lead to improved health, expanded economic opportunities and positive neighborhood development. Assistance is available to qualifying residents in a variety of areas: Family Law, Immigration Law, Administrative (Public Benefits) Law, Housing Law, Employment Law, Health Law, Reentry, and Consumer Law. NLSLA offers assistance in multiple languages: English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin and Armenian. About California Bar Foundation California Bar Foundation’s mission is to build a better justice system for all Californians, not just those who can afford a lawyer. In particular, CBF knows there are many new lawyers who seek career opportunities in legal aid, and legal aid organizations that require additional capacity. That’s where CBF’s Legal Fellowship Program comes in. The program covers the cost of hiring year-long and summer fellows at organizations throughout California. CBF’s Fellowships bolster capacity of critical legal services organizations, while launching careers for the next generation of community leaders.
Qualifications Candidates must have a strong interest in social justice and poverty-related issues, and a desire to serve low-income and disadvantaged communities. Language proficiency in Spanish is encouraged but not required.
To Apply Submit a resume, cover letter, transcript, and writing sample (5 to 10 pages) to Sharon Bashan, Director of Pro Bono & Operations at sharonbashan@nlsla.org, with subject line, Public Interest Fellowship Application – [First Name, Last Name]. Questions may also be directed to sharonbashan@nlsla.org. Applications must be received by Friday, February 2, 2018, for priority consideration. Applications received thereafter may be considered. Candidates will be contacted for interviews with NLSLA in February.