An opportunity for impact
Navigate changing problems and prepare for the exceptional opportunities that await you.
Navigate changing problems and prepare for the exceptional opportunities that await you.
Why Join Legal Aid?
Make a change in the fight for equal justice. The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation.
Pictured: Former Legal Aid clients (mother and children on left) with their attorneys
An opportunity for impact
Help change the world
From assisting your clients with challenges to providing them with required help, thus changing their lives.
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.
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.
We want to provide you with tools, resources, and feedback to help you achieve your goals.
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The spirit of collaboration makes Legal Aid a great place to work. We all work together to creatively problem solve issues to best serve our clients and meet their wide range of legal needs. I love being able to tell clients they have not only my support, but the support and expertise of the whole office behind them
Charlene “Charlie” Whitman-BarrSupervising Attorney -
I first started at Legal Aid in 2014 as an intern in the housing unit. Seeing the creative and zealous lawyering of Legal Aid attorneys convinced me that I wanted to find my way back to Legal Aid after I finished law school. I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to join the housing unit as a staff attorney in 2018. Legal Aid has given me the chance to grow as an attorney with supportive and encouraging supervisors and colleagues who push me to see new perspectives on my cases.
Mel ZahndSupervising Attorney -
We have smart, collaborative colleagues who care deeply about providing high-quality representation to people who cannot afford lawyers. We strive to listen to the needs of our client community and meet those needs. We also actively engage in non-litigation policy advocacy to pursue broader systemic change.
There's a supportive, collective energy. People are open to learning and adapting to meet the needs of our clients. There is expertise and capacity for policy advocacy to pursue systemic change.
June LeeDirector, Immigration Project -
Working at Legal Aid has been very rewarding because my work allows me to help members of our community who are either facing foreclosure or are involved in debt collection matters. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my clients to understand their individual needs and working with colleagues who are eager to come together to resolve these issues. It has been a privilege to be part of a team that is dedicated to ensuring the rights of individuals and families with limited means are protected.
Sudi TasissaStaff Attorney
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Working at Legal Aid
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
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
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.