An opportunity for impact

Navigate changing problems and prepare for the exceptional opportunities that await you.

Help change the world

From assisting your clients with challenges to providing them with required help, thus changing their lives.

Broaden your skills

Work on a wide-range of legal projects and benefitted from substantive contact with our staff attorneys.

Career growth & development

We want to provide you with tools, resources, and feedback to help you achieve your goals.

Working at Legal Aid

Former and current Legal Aid attorneys

Legal Aid is a fast-paced non-profit law office committed to providing high quality civil legal services to persons living in poverty in the District of Columbia. Our staff is passionate about what we do and the clients we serve. And as an organization, we care deeply about our employees and their well-being. We are also committed to providing significant professional development opportunities for our staff. Legal Aid is proud to have been included in the 2019 list of “Best Non-Profits to Work For” compiled by The Non-Profit Times.

Legal Aid values an inclusive, diverse workplace and does not unlawfully discriminate on any basis prohibited by law. Legal Aid is also committed to equal employment opportunity. Employment decisions are made consistent with both Legal Aid’s organizational values and the law, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, or any other legally protected status.

Legal Aid is currently accepting applications for the following positions:

 

 

Please note that because of the volume of applications that we typically receive, we regret that we will only be able to contact those candidates whom we would like to invite to participate in an interview. When you submit your application, you should receive an auto-response indicating that it has been received. Please do not send follow-up email messages or contact us by phone to inquire about your application. Thank you for your interest.

Legal Aid’s Student Internship Program

 

 

Eviction exhibit visit

Legal Aid has academic year (fall and spring semester) as well as summer internship opportunities for law and undergraduate students. Summer interns are expected to work full time for a minimum of 10 1/2 weeks. Academic year interns are expected to work a minimum of 12 hours per week, to be arranged according to their class schedules, but are welcome to work more hours or full time for the semester if available to do so. While Legal Aid’s internships are generally unfunded, full time summer interns can apply for funding through Legal Aid's Lee Horton Memorial Scholarship for Aspiring Public Interest Lawyers, which may provide a stipend to help cover living and other expenses during the internship. Students interested in learning more about the Lee Horton Scholarship should express interest in their cover email or letter.

Law Student Interns

Law student interns are assigned to one of Legal Aid’s substantive practice areas or to the Barbara McDowell Appellate Advocacy Project and should express an area(s) of interest in their cover letter when submitting their application.

Law student interns working in Legal Aid’s substantive practice areas assist attorneys in representing clients in proceedings in D.C. Superior Court and before public agencies. Interns have the opportunity to interact with clients and may attend client meetings, hearings, trials, and administrative proceedings. They also may help staff our housing, consumer, and family law court-based projects. Assignments will include legal research, drafting legal documents and memoranda, and factual investigation.

Law student interns working in the Appellate Advocacy Project will engage in substantial research and writing projects in connection with appeals in which Legal Aid is participating (either by representing a party or as amicus) or potential appeals that Legal Aid is evaluating. Interns will also participate in moot courts and observe oral arguments.

Undergraduate Student Interns

Undergraduate student interns assist Legal Aid staff in representing individuals and families in adversarial proceedings in D.C. Superior Court and before a variety of public agencies. Undergraduate interns are not assigned to a substantive unit/practice area. Undergraduate intern responsibilities include answering telephone inquiries from persons seeking legal assistance; filing and retrieving court documents; greeting potential clients who come to Legal Aid for assistance; serving subpoenas; reviewing and organizing legal files; drafting correspondence; and summarizing intake interviews. Interns participate in internal meetings and are responsible for some administrative duties. Interns also may have the opportunity to conduct factual research and investigations, attend client meetings, and observe hearings and trials.

To Apply for an Internship

To apply for an internship position, please email a cover letter, resume, writing sample and proof of matriculation (e.g. unofficial transcript, matriculation letter, etc.) addressed to Jennifer Mezey, Legal Director, to intern@legalaiddc.org.  

Please note that positions are open until filled (please see the top of this page for our current hiring status). Additionally, because of the volume of applications that we typically receive, we regret that we will only be able to contact those candidates whom we would like to invite to participate in an interview. When you submit your application, you should receive an auto-response indicating that it has been received. Please do not send follow-up email messages or contact us by phone to inquire about your application. Thank you for your interest.

Volunteer

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Legal Aid has some limited opportunities for volunteers to contribute outside of our more formal Pro Bono and Internship Programs. Over the years, Legal Aid has benefited greatly from volunteer attorneys and others with special skills who have expressed an interest in working with us.

If you are interested in exploring volunteer opportunities beyond handling a pro bono case or doing an internship, please send an email to volunteer@legalaiddc.org. Please include a resume and a brief description of what skills you can contribute, and what hours you are available. Please note that we receive a large number of inquiries from potential volunteers, so we may not be able to accommodate your request. But we would be more than happy to hear from you.