2 - Opportunities During Law School

Opportunities During Law School

Law students do not need to wait until after they pass the Bar to begin using their legal skills in public interest law. There are many programs already established to help students participate in public interest law. There is also considerable room for students to create their own ways of helping others based on their specific interests and desires to help.

Sections:
During the School Year
    Externships
    Law School Courses
    Directed Research
    Public Interest Law Foundation
    Pro Bono Alliance
    Service Projects
    Public Interest Networking
During The Summer
    Public Interest Externships
    Government (Public Service) Externships
Funding Resources
    Summer Funding Sources
    Paid Summer Positions
    Firms with Split Summer Programs
    Other Sources of Funding

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During the School Year

There are several opportunities for students to work in public interest law during the school year, some of which provide school credit. These opportunities include externships, law courses, directed research projects, the student-run Public Interest Law Foundation, and the Pro Bono Alliance, to name a few.

Law students benefit greatly from getting involved in public interest work during law school. Students working in public interest placements are usually able to gain practical experience more quickly, and get more responsibility than students in conventional placements. This is usually due to the large amount of work that needs to be done by the employer and to the scarcity of resources to assist those in need of help. Additionally, third-year law students may be able to gain in-court experience through these programs under the third year practice rule.

Students can benefit from networking opportunities by working with, or being in contact with, practicing lawyers. These networking opportunities can help students decide how public interest work is going to be a part of their legal practice because they allow students to talk with lawyers involved in this important work.

There are, however, certain guidelines the student should be aware of before determining which of these opportunities they would like to pursue. Pursuant to ABA standards, the maximum number of credit hours a student may receive for externships, directed research, and co-curriculars (Law Review, Moot Court, etc.) during law school is fifteen.

Externships

During the school year, there are different types of externships available that allow students to work in public interest law. In the past, students have worked with attorneys on pro bono cases and with local public interest organizations. In addition to the practical experience gained, students also earn school credit by participating in the externship program. Two public interest externships that are consistently offered are detailed below.

Tribal Courts Externship
The Tribal Courts Externship is a specialized, two credit hour externship in which students serve as advocates in the Ute Tribal Court in Fort Duchesne, Utah. In addition to serving as advocates in the Tribal Court, students have the opportunity to be sworn in as members of the tribal bar. Contact Professor Backman for information about arranging this externship placement.

Mediation Externship
The Mediation Externship is a program available to students who have completed the Basic Mediation course. In this externship, students are able to earn one credit for each 50 hours of work performed in an approved mediation externship or with the Campus Center for Conflict Resolution (BYU) or Community Mediation Center of Utah County (CMC).

A more in depth discussion of available externship opportunities is discussed below under During the Summer.

Law School Courses

The Law School offers several courses that incorporate a service-learning component allowing students to practice what they learn. There are also courses where students, working independently or in teams, can design their own public interest project to meet specific community needs. Brief descriptions of these courses are listed below.

Community Lawyering
Community Lawyering is a three credit hour course presented as a Christian reconstruction of the lawyer's role in public life, especially how that role is performed among our less-advantaged neighbors. It teaches an alternative to adversarial policy reform and confrontational public interest legal proceedings. Rather than allow zealous advocacy, technical experts, and authorized tribunals to control the framing and handling of legal outcomes, Community Lawyering negotiates with diverse parties in order to redeem the problem-solving and community building talents of local residents and public agencies. It rests on the conviction that God wants Christian attorneys to humbly listen to human voices before translating them into legal pleadings. As legal problem solvers we are called to redeem the eternal value of everyone regardless of their human achievements, credentials, or titles (D&C 76:24, John 3:16).

Community Lawyering seeks to increase the availability of legal services (counsel, advocacy, representation) for accused juveniles and their families well before the formal court arraignment on pending criminal charges. To this end, students will intervene early in the detention process, when accused youth are first placed in lock-up facilities. They will perform such duties as scrutinizing pending criminal charges, encouraging parental involvement, proposing and negotiating acceptable conditions for immediate release from lock-up, and enlisting help from a range of community resources such as Legal Equity for Minority Youth, Centro Hispano, and Utah Valley State College.

The goal of Community Lawyering is not only to achieve positive short-term outcomes in particular circumstances (e.g., helping specific kids and their families with their legal cases in the juvenile justice system) but also to improve the larger problem solving relationship between local school districts and the Juvenile Justice System. Students look to assist these parties as they negotiate better ways to treat status offenses (e.g., truancy, smoking, and curfew violations) and minor juvenile infractions (e.g., loud music, pushing, and shoving). The long-term objective is to reform public polices governing such practices. These include suspension, intake/placement in detention facilities (jail), detention hearings before the Juvenile Justice System, and alternative placement in home arrest/community-based programs.

Advanced Community Lawyering
Advanced Community Lawyering is a three credit hour course in which students learn and practice a form of joint-gain negotiation. This course is designed to build a village of justice in the South Franklin Neighborhood of Southwest Provo. The goal of this course is to help residents and agencies learn how to trade openly and productively on common, divergent, and opposing interests. As local residents, police officers, schoolteachers, community groups, and others learn how to practice this negotiation method, they also learn how to recruit and teach other residents and agencies to do the same.

Basic Mediation
Basic Mediation is a three credit hour course that covers both the theory and practice of mediation. Students learn mediation skills through simulated exercises and role-play; therefore, attendance and participation are essential. Students are also required to spend thirty-five hours mediating at small claims court.

Domestic Mediation
Domestic Mediation is a two credit hour course that focuses on preparing students, as professionals-in-training, to understand and participate knowledgeably and effectively in the process of domestic mediation. The pedagogical approach is a "discuss-model-practice" progression that allows students to learn from course materials, the instructor, and one another.

Domestic Violence Intervention
Domestic Violence Intervention is a two credit hour course offered in the fall semester, in which students learn about the dynamics of abusive families and possible legal remedies. These include: protective and restraining orders, personal injury cases, custody and divorce actions, and criminal actions. Students have the opportunity to work with real clients through local agencies such as Utah Legal Services, the Center for Women and Children in Crisis, and local Victim Advocates, who serve as the liaison between the police department and the city prosecutor. Additionally, students may have the opportunity to represent clients seeking protective orders under the third-year practice rule.

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Elder Law
Elder Law is a two credit hour course offered in the fall semester in which students learn how to handle legal issues common to the elderly. These include: estate planning and medical directives; consumer fraud; public benefits such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security; nursing homes; property issues; and elder abuse. Students meet with elderly clients weekly at local senior citizen centers where they have the opportunity to draft simple wills, medical directives, and deeds in behalf of actual clients.

Child Advocacy
Child Advocacy is a two credit hour course taught by Judge Kay A. Lindsay and Professor Susan Griffith each winter semester. The course is an overview of the juvenile court system, covering both delinquency and dependency (abuse and neglect) cases. Students have the opportunity to "shadow" the Guardian ad Litem, Public Defender, Assistant Attorney General, and Juvenile Court Judge. In addition to the observation of these officials, students have the opportunity to tour various agencies. Agencies included are: The Detention Center, Independence High School (an alternative education school), The Children's Justice Center; Family Support and Treatment, Vantage Point (which serves as the receiving center for children picked up on lesser charges), Observation and Assessment, the House of Hope (an inpatient substance abuse treatment program), and the Division of Child and Family Services.

Community-based Legal Research
Community-based Legal Research is a two credit hour course in the Winter Semester in which students study principles from community-based and service-learning literature. Research projects are planned and developed in collaboration with a governmental or non-profit agency serving the community. As part of the course, students will produce a paper, presentation, materials, report, grant proposal, or some other tangible product that will be used by the community-based partner.

Street Law
Street Law is a two credit hour course offered in the winter semester in which students have the opportunity to develop lawyering skills by working with real clients from the community. Students meet with clients at the Food Bank/Community Action, Centro Hispano, and the Food and Care Coalition where they collect information through an "intake" process. That information is reviewed with the professor/attorney to determine what can be done for the client. Students can expect to see a wide range of issues, including public entitlements, housing, immigration, consumer, criminal, and family law.

Youth in Mediation
Youth in Mediation is a two credit hour course in which students learn advanced mediation concepts and use their mediation skills with at-risk youth. As part of the course, students are trained and receive a certificate for Parent-Teen and Victim-Offender mediation. The students augment their basic mediation skills by participating in one-on-one instructor feedback, video tape review, lecture, role-plays, and other activities. The students learn many advanced skills about mediating with youth such as co-mediation, questioning, power imbalance, future focus, and relationship-based mediation techniques. These advanced skills are put to practice in a 39-hour practicum. Students must attend five sessions of Parent Teen Mediation with the remaining hours completed in one or more of the following options: Slate Canyon, Summit; Slate Canyon, Horizon; Observation and Assessment (O&A); Focus, Youth in Custody for Junior High; Starbright, Youth in Custody for Elementary; Parent-teen mediation; Victim offender mediation and intake; Off-Campus Housing; Coaching Undergraduates; Mediation Presentation; Slate Canyon Coaching; Parent Teen Training and Schools Training; Coaching at the Basic Mediation Training; Department of Children and Family Services; Community Mediation Center Projects; American Fork Small Claims Court; Coaching basic mediation students at Small Claims; Anger Management; and Family Conflict Resolution Class. The students who have taken this course in the past have had great influence on the lives of youth and have enriched their own lives.

Directed Research

Full-time instructors may approve academic credit for Directed Research for students who have completed their first year of study. No more than two credit hours of directed research may be approved for a student in any semester, with no more than four cumulative credits.

Some of these projects have been related to public interest work in the past. Professor Goldsmith works with the Rocky Mountain Innocence Project and in the past, students have worked with him in a directed research capacity on this project. Additionally, students may make their own proposals regarding the type of directed research they wish to pursue and present their ideas directly to full-time instructors for approval.

Public Interest Law Foundation

The Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) is one of 100 chapters of Equal Justice Works (EJW) throughout the United States. Through various activities, PILF strives to educate and prepare future lawyers to recognize the inequities that exist in our legal system and to dedicate their professional lives to the development of a more just society. PILF does this through hosting speakers and activities, administering the Pro Bono Alliance program, and raising funds to support law students who wish to pursue careers in the public sector.

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Pro Bono Alliance

The Utah State Bar / Utah Legal Services / BYU Law School Pro Bono Alliance provides an opportunity for law students to work one-on-one with local attorneys. Through this program, students are matched with local attorneys to work on pro bono cases assigned by the Utah Bar or Utah Legal Services.

In general, the Pro Bono Alliance matches second- and third-year students with local attorneys, but first year students have also been matched with attorneys upon request. Students participating in this program work one case per semester and can expect to dedicate ten to thirty hours assisting in a wide range of tasks including research, writing, client meetings, hearings, and other aspects of the case.

In addition to the great learning experience for the student, this program helps local attorneys become more engaged in pro bono work and more importantly, provides underprivileged Utah residents with greater access to legal assistance. For more information regarding the Pro Bono Alliance, please visit the CSO Pro Bono web page at www.law2.byu.edu/probonohome.

Service Projects

Participation in service projects is a meaningful way to be involved in public interest work during law school. While service projects are not always law-related, they provide opportunities to work side-by-side with public-minded students, faculty, and community members, to work with and gain experience with the populations served by public interest law, and to step away from the rat race of law school and make a difference while reaffirming or reordering priorities. Some service projects are appropriate for inclusion on your resume. Many of the law school’s extracurricular organizations sponsor service projects, whether one-time projects or annual events. There are many such projects, including Stump the Professor (a Women’s Law Forum event for students that raises money for women and children in need), Warm Hands Warm Hearts (a Phi Alpha Delta clothing drive), the PILF Auction (which raises money for public interest extern scholarships), Sixth Grade Mentoring (which connects law students with sixth grade students from a local school for weekly mentoring sessions), and tree planting or trail clearing done by the Natural Resources Law Forum. Representatives of student-run extracurricular organizations are happy to provide additional information about these projects.

In addition, students should consider creating their own service projects where they see areas of need. For the first time in Fall 2005, a law student worked with the law school administration to develop a very successful new service project that allowed all interested 1L students to spend the Saturday after 1L registration participating in several service projects in the community. Students wanting to develop their public interest abilities and connections should look for ways to help with existing projects or create new ones.

Public Interest Networking

The following section was developed from notes taken during “More Than Just a Handshake: Networking for Public Interest Jobs,” a panel discussion at the Equal Justice Works Conference in Washington, D.C. in October 2005. Sara Woods (Director of Public Service Careers & Pro Bono Programs at Villanova Law School) was the moderator, and M. Stacey Bach (Office of Chief Counsel for Employment in the U.S. Senate) and Douglas Troutman (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) were panelists. For additional information about networking in general, see the CSO’s Professional Development Handbook.

“It’s not who you know, it’s who you get to know.”¹

Networking is very important for those seeking public interest jobs, because few public interest organizations have the money or time to actively advertise open positions or recruit employees. Networking is always important, but it is especially important for those seeking careers in public interest law.

What is networking?
Networking is the strategy and skill of building and maintaining contacts for mutual benefit. Networking is about people.

Common misconceptions about networking
(and responses to those misconceptions)

“I just started law school and have no contacts.”
Everyone you know is a contact, whether or not he or she is a lawyer.

“Networking is using people.”
You’re not using them; you’re building relationships, asking for advice, etc.

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“Networking is just for jobseekers.”
Networking is an ongoing life skill.

“Networking is unnecessary because of the internet.”
While the internet can be helpful, in-person contact is very important.

“If there’s no immediate benefit to me, my time was wasted.”
The point is to build relationships; your focus should be on long-term results.

Why is networking important?
Personal contacts are the best way to find a job – 80 to 90% of jobs come from personal contacts. NALP surveys suggest that nearly 50% of law students find their jobs through self-initiated contact with an employer or through other personal contacts. Networking is a career skill.

How to network
Planning is key! First, figure out what you want. Your school’s career services office is a great resource to help you plan and develop your career goals. Second, develop a system for tracking your contacts. People use a wide range of tracking systems, some more effective than others. Yours could be sheets of paper, a planner, a database, a Word table, an Excel spreadsheet, or something else. Third, devote the required time to your search. A good goal is to spend about ten hours a week on networking. Much of that time can be done at parties, activities, and other fun events. Fourth and most important, start now!

If you get a business card from someone, write notes about the person on the back of the card shortly after the conversation ends. When you see/hear something that reminds you of one of your contacts (e.g. a newspaper article about their field of work or about something they’re interested in), contact him or her (e.g. by e-mailing a newspaper article or by calling and telling what made you think of your contact). Be sure to update your network regularly: note job changes, remove people from your list if they pass away or if you just can’t remember who someone is. Keep your contact info somewhere where you can readily access it and add to it – and keep a backup copy.

Getting started
First, talk to everyone you know: CSO staff, fellow alumni (college and law school), professors (college and law school), former employers, friends and family, people from religious organizations, service professionals (e.g. your barber or hairdresser), people you met while interviewing (whether legal or non-legal), fellow students, local bar associations (committees focusing on certain practice areas, law student section, etc.), people you met while traveling, contacts from religious volunteer service, co-workers, opposing counsel, and more.

Avoid assuming opposing counsel in a case you have worked on or people you have not always gotten along with cannot or will not help. Many jobs are found through relationships with opposing counsel. If you have a negative history with someone, evaluate it and mend it if necessary.

In-person contact is best. To determine how to dress for the contact, gauge the formality of the situation. If possible, ask someone else that works with your contact. If in doubt, err on the side of dressing conservatively. Other ways to make contact include telephone calls, e-mail, and letters. If you decide to send a letter to reinitiate contact, do not send a resume; instead, consider bringing your resume to an in-person meeting later on.

Formal and informal networking

“Formal” networking usually takes the form of an informational interview. Start by mentioning your connection to that person. Then introduce yourself, and then talk about what it is you are seeking from the person (advice, information, referrals, etc.).

“Informal” networking is a valuable alternative for the very shy, because it can be done at your own pace. It consists of quite simply getting involved in activities that allow you to build relationships over time. Even if you are doing formal networking, informal networking efforts can put you in contact with people to contact formally later on.

There are many activities that provide opportunities for informal networking: write an article, get involved in activities at law school, volunteer (this is key for public interest jobs), plan a career panel (this is an opportunity to have several contacts who are involved in what interests you in the same place at the same time), work with your local bar association (many have public interest/service committees), plan a public interest auction, plan a “Day in the Law” where each student spends a day with a legal professional, participate in mock interviews, do pro bono work, attend career fairs and conferences, go to lunch with coworkers at summer jobs, talk to people at your summer job, attend board meetings, organize and/or attend brown bag lunches, join or attend the meeting of a local coalition about your area of interest, attend benefit dinners, and more.

Following up with your contacts
Be sure to send a thank you note thanking the contact for whatever he or she advised you to do, did for you, or taught you. In the legal field, typewritten thank you notes are generally best. Handwritten notes on stationery are good for more personal contacts. To determine whether to type or handwrite, gauge the formality of the person and of the situation.

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Decide whether to use Mr./Ms. or their first name in the salutation by gauging the person and situation. If the contact tells you when you meet with them, “Call me John,” then do so in the note as well. Also, follow the contact’s lead; if he or she calls you by your first name, it is more likely that it would be fine or even preferable for you to do the same.

Thank you notes can be relatively short; the important thing is to make the follow-up contact. Remember to proofread your thank you notes. It is never too late to send a thank you note – but send it the next day if possible.

Finally, be sure to pursue the new leads you get from a contact.

A few things to remember about networking
•   Most people really want to help!
•   One of the most important skills is to remember people and remember things about them; when you develop this skill, you will be able to help or ask for help at the most unexpected times.
•   Networking results are not consistent, so do not get discouraged. Sometimes you will get no immediate results and other times you will get many opportunities.

Top 6 networking tips
(adapted from Power Networking by Marc Kramer)

   6. Dress appropriately and arrive early
   5. Set a networking goal for every event
   4. Never start a conversation by talking about yourself
   3. Keep your conversation short and focused
   2. Never sit with your friends or colleagues at events
   1. Always send a letter to people you want to know
       within two days of being referred

Resources for additional information about networking
•   Guerilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, by Kimm Alayne Walton
•   How to Work a Room, by Susan Roane
•   It’s Who You Know, by Cynthia Chin-Lee
•   Power Networking, Marc Kramer
•   Villanova University School of Law website
   (www.law.vill.edu/studentservices/ careerstrategy/networking.asp)

During the Summer

Students interested in public interest law often complete externships in their desired area of law. Students participating in externships receive credit instead of pay for the work they do (one credit hour per fifty hours of work). Externships last anywhere from five weeks to the entire summer. Students often work in more than one externship or find paid positions for part of the summer. Students may also work for public interest law firms, professors, or work with lawyers on pro bono cases.

The Career Services Office maintains a database of hundreds of past externships that students have completed and helps students interested in public interest externships with their search.

Public interest externships are available all over the country and throughout the world. Students can seek externships in certain geographical areas, in certain legal specialties, or externships that require the use of a foreign language. These experiences are often tailored to fit the needs and desires of the students, allowing the students to gain valuable legal experience and satisfaction from helping people.

Most first-year students pursue externships during their first summer. There are many advantages to pursuing public interest externships. Students placed in public interest externships usually experience client contact and direct exposure to the law much quicker than students placed in private externships, and students are often given almost as much responsibility as practicing attorneys working in the office due to the limited resources of most public interest organizations.

Public Interest Externships

A list of public interest organizations that have had BYU externs in the past or have expressed an interest in having BYU externs is provided below as a sample of what is available. The CSO staff, CSO externship database, and other resources listed on the CSO Public Interest web page will be helpful in locating an externship.

Through the Career Services Office, the Law School is a member of various organizations that assist students with their public interest career search. Because the law school pays the fee for them, students can register with PSLawNet for free and can search for public interest organizations with openings in the United States and internationally. PSLawNet is a great place to start an externship search because those students interested in international placements can search by country. Students can also search through the listing of employers attending the Equal Justice Works Career Fair in Washington D.C. in October of each year. If you would like additional help with your public interest externship search, speak with Debbi Myers, Karen Andrews, or the public interest research assistant in the Career Services Office.

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Arizona
Hopi Legal Services-DNA Peoples Legal Services, Keems Canyon
Never Again Foundation, Gilbert

California
Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Los Angeles
California Legal Services for the Deaf, Oakland
California Rural Legal Assistance Inc., San Francisco
California Rural Legal Assistance Marysville, Marysville
Catholic Charities of the East Bay, Oakland
Channel Counties Legal Services Association, Santa Barbara
Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles, Monterey Park
Equal Justice Society, San Francisco
Law Offices of Public Advocates, San Francisco
Legal Assistance for Seniors, Oakland
National Center for Youth Law, San Francisco
Resource Mediation Services, Santa Rosa
Self-Help Legal Access Center - Ventura County, Ventura
Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center, Woodland

Colorado
Colorado American Civil Liberties Union, Denver
Colorado Counties, Inc., Denver

District of Columbia (metro area)
The Advancement Project, Washington, D.C.
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Washington, D.C.
AYUDA, Inc. Legal Aid, Washington, D.C.
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Washington, D.C.
Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence Legal Action Project, Washington, D.C.
Center for Medicare Advocacy, Washington, D.C.
Council for a Livable World, Washington, D.C.
Environmental Defense, Washington, D.C.
Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Summer Internship Program, Washington, D.C.
Frontiers of Freedom, Arlington, VA
Global Rights, Washington, D.C.
Institute for Justice, Washington, D.C.
International Center for Non-Profit Law, Washington, D.C.
International Human Rights Law Group, Washington, D.C.
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Washington, D.C.
Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), Washington, D.C.
National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (NAPALC), Washington, D.C.
National Center for Victims of Crime, Washington, D.C.
National Crime Victim Bar Association, Washington, D.C.
National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP), Washington, D.C.
National Women's Law Center, Washington, D.C.

Natural Resource Defense Council, Washington, D.C.
The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA
Northern Virginia Legal Services, Falls Church, VA
Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.
Public Defender for the City of Alexandria, Alexandria, VA
United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Washington, D.C.
United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Washington, D.C.

Florida
Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Miami

Georgia
Georgia Legal Services Program - Farmworker's Division, Atlanta
Southern Center for Human Rights, Atlanta

Hawaii
Federal Public Defenders, Honolulu
Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Honolulu
Native Hawaiian Advisory Council, Kailua
Office of the Public Defender, Honolulu

Idaho
Bonneville County Public Defender, Idaho Falls
Comprehensive Advocacy, Inc. (Co-Ad), Boise
Idaho Legal Aid Services, Caldwell

Illinois
Citizen Advocacy Center, Elmhurst
Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI), Chicago

Indiana
Indianapolis Legal Aid Society, Indianapolis
Public Defender of Indiana, Indianapolis

Kentucky
Appalachian Research and Defense Fund, Prestonburg

Massachusetts
Children and Family Law Program, Boston
Children's Legal Services, Boston
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, Cambridge
National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project, Boston

Michigan
Wayne County Neighborhood Legal Services, Redford

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Minnesota
Minnesota Advocates For Human Rights, Minneapolis

Mississippi
Community Law Office, Mendenhall
Mississippi Center for Legal Services, Hattiesburg
Southeast Mississippi Legal Services, Hattiesburg

Nevada
Clark County Public Defender’s Office, Las Vegas
Nevada Legal Services, Las Vegas

New Jersey
New Jersey Summer Public Interest Legal Intern Program, Edison
Rutgers Environmental Law Clinic, Newark

New York
ACLU Women's Rights Project, New York City
Central American Refugee Center (CARECEN), New York City
Farmworker Law Project - Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, New Paltz
Legal Aid Society (Intern Investigator Program), New York City
Legal Aid Society (Juvenile Rights Division), New York City
Neighborhood Legal Services, Buffalo
Pace Women's Justice Center, White Plains
Public Interest Law Office of Rochester, Rochester

Ohio
Ohio State Legal Services Association, Columbus

Pennsylvania
Community Justice Project, Pittsburgh
Community Legal Services-Philadelphia, Philadelphia
Defender Association of Philadelphia, Philadelphia
Juvenile Law Center, Lansdale

South Carolina
Center for Capital Litigation, Columbia

Tennessee
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee, Nashville
Metropolitan Davidson County Public Defender, Nashville
Tennessee Justice Center, Nashville

Texas
Bexar County Dispute Resolution Services, San Antonio
Bexar County Legal Aid, San Antonio
Catholic Charities of Dallas, Inc., Dallas
Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, Dallas
Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, Dallas
Legal Services of North Texas, Dallas
Political Asylum Project of Austin, Austin

Utah
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Salt Lake City
BYU Schooley Mediation Program, Provo
Community Mediation Center, Provo
Contract for Juvenile Defense, Orem
Disability Law Center, American Fork
Disability Law Center, Salt Lake City
Guardian ad Litem, Brigham City
Guardian ad Litem, Provo
Guardian ad Litem, Salt Lake City
Help for Orphan Children Abroad, Orem
Legal Center for Victims of Domestic Abuse, Provo
Legal Equity for Minority Youth, Provo
Marriage Law Foundation, Provo
Multi-Cultural Legal Center, Salt Lake City
NGO Family Voice (World Family Policy Center), Provo
Salt Lake Legal Defender's Association, Salt Lake City
Sierra Club, Salt Lake City
Utah County Public Defender Association, Provo
Utah Issues Center for Poverty Research and Action, Salt Lake City
Utah Legal Services, Cedar City
Utah Legal Services, Ogden
Utah Legal Services, Provo
Utah Legal Services, Salt Lake City
Utah Legal Services (Native American Law Program), Salt Lake City
Welcome Place, Salt Lake City
Western States Water Council, Midvale

Virginia
Frontiers of Freedom, Arlington (D.C. Metro)
The Nature Conservancy, Arlington (D.C. Metro)
Northern Virginia Legal Services, Falls Church (D.C. Metro)
Public Defender for the City of Alexandria, Alexandria (D.C. Metro)

Washington
National Court Appointed Special Advocate, Seattle
Society of Consel Representing Accused Persons, Seattle
Washington Environmental Council, Seattle

Government (Public Service) Externships

Although government work is not always public interest law as defined in this handbook, there are many public interest jobs available in government. Working for a government office can provide students with a great opportunity to provide much-needed public service. Below is a list of government offices that have mentored, or expressed interest in mentoring, BYU law externs in the past.

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Alaska
Alaska Attorney General's Office, Juneau
Alaska Attorney General's Office (Environmental Section), Anchorage
Kenai Public Defender Agency, Kenai
Public Defender Agency, Palmer
Municipality of Anchorage, Anchorage
State of Alaska (Department of Law), Anchorage
US Attorney (District of Alaska), Anchorage
US Department of Agriculture (Forest Service), Juneau

Arizona
City of Mesa Prosecutor's Office, Mesa
Navajo Nation Attorney General's Office, Window Rock
Pima County Attorney's Office, Tucson
Tucson City Prosecutor's Office, Tucson

California
California Attorney General's Office, Los Angeles
County of San Diego, Department of Public Defender, San Diego
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Los Angeles
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Los Angeles
Orange County District Attorney's Office, Santa Ana
Orange County Superior Court, Fullerton
Redondo Beach City Attorney, Redondo Beach
Sacramento District Attorney, Sacramento
San Joaquin County District Attorney, Stockton
San Diego City Attorney's Office, San Diego
San Diego County Counsel, San Diego
San Diego County District Attorney's Office, San Diego
Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office, Santa Cruz
US Attorney's Office (Southern District of California), San Diego
US Coast Guard, Alameda
US Department of Justice - California, San Diego
US Securities & Exchange Commission, Los Angeles
Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Ventura

Colorado
Colorado Attorney General's Office, Denver
Denver City Attorney’s Office, Denver
Douglas County District Attorney's Office, Englewood
El Paso County District Attorney's Office, Colorado Springs

US Attorney's Office (District of Colorado), Denver
US Courts Library, Denver
US Securities and Exchange Commission, Denver

District of Columbia (metro area)
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Enforcement Bureau, Washington, D.C.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Office of General Counsel, Washington, D.C.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Washington, D.C.
House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Lands, Washington, D.C.
National Labor Relations Board, Washington, D.C.
National Telecommunications & Information Administration, Washington, D.C.
Office of Administration, General Counsel, Washington, D.C.
Office of Counsel to the President, Washington, D.C.
Office of the Legal Adviser, Washington, D.C.
Office of the Solicitor General, Washington, D.C.
President’s Interagency Council on Women, Washington, D.C.
Representative Chris Cannon, Washington, D.C.
Research Integrity Branch (Office of the General Counsel), Rockville, MD
Senate Judiciary Committee, Washington, D.C.
Senate Legal Counsel, Washington, D.C.
Senator Daniel Inouye, Washington, D.C.
US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.
US Department of the Army, Office of Judge Advocate, Arlington, VA
US Department of Defense (Office of Legal Counsel), Washington, D.C.
US Department of the Interior (Office of the Solicitor), Washington, D.C.
US Department of Justice (Aviation & Admiralty Litigation Office), Washington, D.C.
US Department of Justice (Civil Rights Division), Washington, D.C.
US Department of Justice (Civil Rights Division - Criminal Section), Washington, D.C.
US Department of Justice (Criminal Division), Washington, D.C.
US Department of Justice (Environmental Enforcement), Washington, D.C.
US Department of Justice (Narcotics & Dangerous Drug Section), Washington, D.C.
US Department of Justice (Torts Branch, Civil Division), Washington, D.C.
US Department of State (Legal Advisor's Office), Washington, D.C.
US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Washington, D.C.

Florida
State Attorney's Office, West Palm Beach
State Attorney’s Office - 11th Circuit, Miami
US Department of Justice (Immigration Court), Miami
US Department of Justice - Florida, Tampa
US Attorney's Office (Middle District of Florida), Tampa

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Georgia
Albany District Attorney's Office, Albany
Georgia Guardian ad Litem, Lawrenceville
US Department of Treasury (Federal Law Enforcement Training), Glynco
Talking Rock City Attorney's Office, Jasper

Hawaii
City & County of Honolulu (Prosecutor's Office), Honolulu
Hawaii Attorney General's Office, Honolulu
Office of the Public Defender, Honolulu
US Attorney's Office (District of Hawaii), Honolulu
US Department of Justice - Hawaii, Honolulu

Idaho
Ada County Prosecutor's Office, Boise
Bingham County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Blackfoot
Boise City Attorney's Office, Boise
Bonneville County Public Defender, Idaho Falls
Shoshone-Bannock Tribe, Fort Hall
Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney, Twin Falls
US Attorney's Office (District of Idaho), Boise
US Attorney’s Office (District of Idaho), Pocatello
US Department of Justice - Idaho, Boise

Illinois
Kane County State's Attorney, St. Charles

Kansas
US Attorney’s Office (District of Kansas), Wichita

Maine
Maine Attorney General’s Office, Augusta

Maryland
Maryland Attorney General's Office, Baltimore
Research Integrity Branch (Office of the General Counsel), Rockville
US Attorney's Office (District of Maryland), Baltimore

Massachusetts
Massachusetts Office of Child Care Services, Boston

Mississippi
US Attorney's Office (District of Northern Mississippi), Oxford

Missouri
Missouri Attorney General's Office, Jefferson City

Montana
US Attorney's Office (Montana), Billings

Nevada
Clark County District Attorney's Office, Las Vegas
Clark County Public Defender’s Office, Las Vegas

Nevada Attorney General, Las Vegas
Nevada Department of Justice - Attorney General’s Office, Carson City
Nevada Public Defenders, Clark County, Las Vegas
Las Vegas District Attorney's Office, Las Vegas
US Attorney's Office (District of Nevada), Las Vegas
Washoe County District Attorney, Reno
White Pine County District Attorney's Office, Ely

New Jersey
US Attorney's Office (District of New Jersey), Newark

New Mexico
District Attorney's Office, Albuquerque

New York
Kings County District Attorney's Office, Brooklyn
Legal Aid Society (Immigration Law Unit), Brooklyn
Special Inspector General for Fiduciary Appointments, New York City
US Attorney's Office (Southern District), White Plains and New York City

North Carolina
Office of Indigent Defense Services, Durham
US Attorney's Office (Western District of North Carolina), Asheville

Oregon
Baker City District Attorney's Office, Baker City
US Department of the Interior - Oregon, Office of the Field Solicitor, Portland

Rhode Island
State Government Internship Program, Providence

South Dakota
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Eagle Butte

Tennessee
US Attorney's Office (Middle District of Tennessee), Nashville

Texas
Texas Attorney General (Consumer Protection Division), Houston
District Attorney's Office (Denton County), Denton
District Attorney’s Office (San Angelo), San Angelo

Utah
American Fork City Attorney's Office, American Fork
Alpine City Planning Commission, Alpine
Alpine School Board, American Fork
Beaver County Public Defenders Office, Beaver
Cache County Attorney's Office, Logan
Davis County School District, Farmington
Duchesne Public Defender, Duchesne
Federal Defenders Office, Salt Lake City
Guardian ad Litem, Brigham City

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Utah Office of Ethnic Affairs, Hispanic/Latino Advisory Council, Salt Lake City
Utah Senate, Salt Lake City
Utah State Department of Community & Economic Development, Salt Lake City
Utah State Office of Education, Salt Lake City
Wasatch County Attorney's Office, Heber City
Wasatch County Public Defenders, Provo
Weber County Attorney's Office, Ogden
West Valley City Attorney's Office, West Valley City
West Valley City Prosecutor's Office, West Valley City
Worker's Compensation Fund, Salt Lake City

Virginia
US Department of the Army, Office of Judge Advocate, Arlington
US Department of the Army, Office of Judge Advocate, Rosslyn

Washington
Asotin County Prosecuting Attorney, Asotin
Immigration and Naturalization Services (now CBP, ICE, and USCIS), Seattle
King County Prosecutor, Seattle
Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Tacoma
Thurston County Prosecutor's Office, Olympia

Wyoming
Teton County Attorney, Jackson

International
American Chamber of Commerce - PRC, Beijing, China
European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium
Legislative Yuan, Taipei, Taiwan
National Association of Democratic Lawyers, Cape Town, South Africa
Tribunal de Justicia, Asuncion, Paraguay

Funding Resources

Various outside sources provide funds to students working in public interest placements during the summer and a small portion of public interest summer jobs are paid positions. The requirements for these sources vary depending on the sponsoring institution. Some sponsors provide funding to students working in specific offices or in specific cities. Other funds are available to students working in specific areas of law or in public interest law in general. These funding sources may be quite competitive due to the limited availability of funds, but a student may be able to find sources beyond those discussed in this publication.

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Most summer public interest placements are unpaid, and students may have to expend considerable effort trying to find funding to provide for expenses during the summer. You may want to save money during the school year to help with your summer expenses. Many students also take steps to reduce living expenses during the summer. This can be done by living with family or friends and finding other creative ways to save money during the externship. For example, some students choose to use car pools or public transportation to reduce the cost of their commute to work. Others contact as many people as possible in the city where they will be working, through religious or other channels, in hopes of finding reduced-rent housing options. For students that will not be accompanied during the externship by a spouse or children, many universities offer relatively inexpensive on-campus housing.

Additionally, the law school’s Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) provides scholarships to students working in public interest jobs during the summer. To be eligible for a scholarship, students must help with the annual PILF auction (the main fund-raising event for the scholarship fund). All students who fulfill the requirements will receive PILF scholarships, usually ranging from $500 to $3000 depending on the auction’s success and the student’s need.

The J. Reuben Clark Law Society Internship Program is another source of summer funding that provides a living stipend to one student each year that has distinguished him or herself in law school and is not engaged in paid employment for the summer. The program provides a stipend of $3000 and the recipient is expected to work approximately six weeks at a public service agency, private non-profit organization, or on a self-initiated, independent service project.

Some private law firms allow students to split their summers between work at the firm and work at a public interest placement while paying the full firm salary for the entire summer.

A number of funding opportunities and funded positions are listed below as an example of what is available. These are just examples; with some effort, you should be able to find additional options. Pursue the ones you qualify for and are interested in, but do not let them limit your own searching efforts and creativity.

Summer Funding Sources

BYU PILF Scholarships
California Women's Law Center
Child Welfare Law Summer Fellowship
Dan Bradley Fellowship
Everett Public Service Internship Program
Federal Communications Bar Robert E. Lee Internship
Haywood Burns Memorial Fellowships for Social and Economic Justice
John J. Curtin, Jr. Justice Fund

Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Public Interest Fellowship
Martin Luther King, Jr. Internship Program
Massachusetts Bar Foundation Legal Intern Program
Napolitano Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination Internship
New Jersey Public Interest Legal Intern Fellowship Program
Patrick Stewart Human Rights Scholarships
Peggy Browning Fund
Pride Law Fund Summer Fellowships
Public Interest Law Initiative (Chicago)
Public Interest Law Program Summer Fellowship
Robert M. Takasugi Summer Fellowship Program
Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
Goldmark Internship

Paid Summer Positions

Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Mercer County Prosecutor's Office (NJ)
Colorado Attorney General's Office
Colorado Legal Services (Migrant Division)
Colorado State Public Defender
Legal Aid of North Carolina - MLK Internships
NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund
Southern Poverty Law Center Summer Internship
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

Firms with Split Summer Programs

The following firms allow students to split the summer between the firm and a public interest organization, usually in the same city, while the firm pays the student's salary throughout the entire summer. Note that for some of these firms, the split summer program is location specific, and you will need to make sure that the program exists in the location you are applying for. Be sure to investigate the specific program at each firm you are interested in: some firms have a list of specific public interest organizations you will have to choose from, some firms require you to develop your own public interest project, most of them significantly limit the number of summer associates that can participate, and some have other limiting rules. Also keep in mind that different online sources list different firms offering split summer programs, so it may be worth your while to do your own online search for additional split summer firms. While this list combines several sources, it is probably not comprehensive.

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Considers All Summer Associates:
Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn
Bradley Arant Rose & White
Day Berry & Howard
Dewey Ballantine LLP
Goodwin Procter
Hughes Hubbard & Reed
King & Spalding
Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham
Miller & Chevalier
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett
Torys LLP

Considers Only 2Ls:
Arnold & Porter
Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley
Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft
Crowell & Moring
Kelley Drye & Warren
Kilpatrick & Stockton
LeBoeuf Lamb Greene & MacRae
Steptoe & Johnson
Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman
Vinson & Elkins
Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP
Wiggin & Dana

Considers Only 1Ls:
Munger Tolles & Olson
Schulte Roth & Zabel

Other Sources of Funding

Other funding options are available to students who are unable to obtain funds sufficient to meet their financial needs over the summer. These funding options include both federal and private loans.

If a student takes out a Woolley Law loan during the fall or winter semesters, the student will likely have some remaining federal funding available to help fund the summer. It is important to note however, that federal funding is only available to students enrolled in summer courses by way of a consortium agreement between BYU and the school through which the student is taking summer courses.

Summer courses are offered every year at the University of Utah located in Salt Lake City (about an hour north of Provo). The classes usually run four days a week for approximately two hours each. This type of program allows students to arrange externships in Salt Lake and attend summer courses at the same time. Students taking a minimum of six credit hours should have full access to federal funding.

For students who are not interested in summer school, there are alternative private loans available from banks such as Wells Fargo and Key Bank. These private loans only require that the student earn credit of some sort during the summer. Private loans offer the public interest minded student a way to afford summer expenses if other funding is not available.

Students contemplating private loans should consider the differences between federal funding and private funding. These differences include, but are not limited to, repayment plans, deferment options, interest rates, and flexibility of repayment plans. Private lenders often do not defer their loans as easily as do federal funding sources. The terms of repayment of private loans are often more strict than the flexible federal funding plans.

Federal loans usually offer students deferment and forbearance for situations including unemployment, school attendance, and low-income. Private lenders do not usually give leeway for similar situations. These are important considerations for students; especially students who will likely be taking public interest jobs, and therefore making much less than those working in the private sector.

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Section 2 Footnotes
1 Guerilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, by Kimm Walton