Public Interest
Class of 2027
Class of 2027
Your 1L summer can be a good time to start networking for your 2L summer positions as well as toward postgraduate fellowship sponsorship. Talk with a counselor through OCS or OPIC to learn more. Public interest and government deadlines for 2L summer are earlier than for 1L summer although most don’t arise until fall semester. There can be exceptions, so research opportunities of interest and their timing over your 1L summer. Be sure to contact OPIC to be added to their weekly digest if you're pursuing public interest for your 2L summer.
Each year in June the LA Law Library invites law students to attend free brown bag trainings and networking opportunities. Watch your emails or this site.
Postings include non-profit organizations and private law firms with an expressed public interest focus within their primary practice areas (firms are not included on the basis of pro bono work alone). Government opportunities to work in the public sector are posted on our Government tab.
While you will not apply for public interest fellowships until your 3L year, it can be helpful to understand the fellowship process in advance. Some students start as early as 1L Summer or 2L year making connections with organizations that they would like to host their 3L applications. Students are encouraged to consult early on with an advisor in the Office of Public Interest Counseling.
Be sure you contact the Office of Public Interest Counseling and ask to be signed up for their jobs digest for additional public interest opportunities.
PSJD is a wonderful source of public interest jobs nation wide. They also have a deadline calendar: PSJD | Fellowship Calendar
Deadline: September 5, 2025
2025 National Law Students Workers' Rights Conference Scholarship Application. We are continuing our scholarship program to support labor focused law students who might not otherwise be able to attend the two-day event which hosts multiple substantive workshops, networking breakout opportunities, plenary sessions, and a keynote address. This year’s conference will be held outside of Baltimore, Maryland, October 17th - 18th. We have multiple types of scholarships that include: all-inclusive scholarships covering travel, meals, hotel, and conference registration; conference scholarships covering conference registration, meals, and hotel; and local scholarships covering meals and conference
registration. More Info and Apply Here (Posted 8.7.25)
Deadline: September 15, 2025 8 pm PST
The Surfrider Foundation - Summer 2026 Legal Internship Program (San Clemente, CA). Contact Person: Staley Prom, Esq. | Senior Legal Associate | Surfrider Foundation |
949.492.8170 | sprom@surfrider.org More Info and Apply Here (Posted 8.19.25)
Deadline: September 30, 2025
ACLU of Pennsylvania - 2026 Summer Legal Intern (Philadelphia, PA). More Info and Apply on LinkedIn (Posted 9.4.25)
Deadline: October 1, 2025
Southern Environmental Law Center (SEL) - 2026 Summer Legal Internship Program (Asheville, NC; Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Chapel Hill, NC; Charleston, SC; Charlottesville, VA; Nashville, TN; and Washington, DC.). This program provides second-year law students with an opportunity to address environmental challenges such as climate change, environmental justice, clean energy, healthy air, transportation and land use, clean water, wetlands and coasts, and forest protection. SELC offers a hybrid work model, requiring a minimum of three days per week in the office. Duration: 10 weeks (40 hours per week), beginning May 26, 2026. Compensation: $9,000 for the summer ($900 per week for 10 weeks). SELC does not reduce this amount for additional funding received by interns from other sources. Interns based in our Washington, DC office are also eligible for a cost-of-living supplement. Learn more and apply here: https://www.selc.org/career/summer-legal-interns/ More Info and Apply on LinkedIn (Posted 8.27.25)
Deadline: October 13, 2025
Advocates for Children of New York - Summer Law Student Intern Program in Education Advocacy (New York, NY/Hybrid). Advocates For Children (AFC) is a dynamic social justice organization that strives to ensure a high-quality education for New York students who face barriers to academic success, focusing on students from low-income backgrounds. The internship program is 10 weeks long, with the option to extend the internship for another 2 weeks (for a total of 12 weeks) with supervisor approval. The internship will run from May 26, 2026 until July 31, 2026. This is an unpaid internship. More Info and Apply on LinkedIn (Posted 8.13.25) (Posting still active 9.4.25)
Deadline: October 31, 2025
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWYERS - 2026 HONORS INTERN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. The American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL) is pleased to launch its second annual Honors Intern Scholarship Program. On the heels of a highly successful inaugural program, ACOEL is now expanding the Program for 2026 and will award scholarships of $10,000 each to five second-year law students who are committed to pursuing a career in environmental law and are applying for a summer internship with an eligible environmental non-profit organization or government agency. If you have any questions regarding your application or the eligibility requirements for the program, please email Chris Locke (clocke@martenlaw.com) and Polly Jessen (pjessen@kaplankirsch.com) More Info and Apply Here (Posted 5.20.25)(Posting still active 7.16.25)
Deadline: November 28, 2025
NRDC - Summer 2026 Legal Intern (Nationwide including NY, NY; Chicago, IL; Santa Monica, CA; SF, CA). NRDC’s summer legal interns support a broad range of our legal and policy advocacy. In past summers, intern projects have included researching and preparing legal memos in support of litigation and rulemaking proceedings; interviewing NRDC members and preparing standing declarations; helping draft and review portions of pleadings and briefs; helping prepare comments to submit to administrative agencies or legislative bodies; and helping craft proposed legislation to address environmental and public health problems. More Info and Apply Here (Posted 8.27.25)
Rolling Deadlines:
Children's Law Center of California - 2026 SUMMER LAW CLERK (Monterey Park, CA). More Info and Apply on LinkedIn (Posted 9.4.25)
Community Legal Services - Summer 2026 Law Student Intern - (Philadelphia, PA). More Info and Apply on LinkedIn (Posted 9.4.25)
Los Padres Forestwatch - Legal Intern – Summer 2026 (Santa Barbara, CA/Remote). We’re seeking a highly-motivated Legal Intern to work out of our Santa Barbara office remotely or in person. Assist with preparation of comment letters, legal reports, and administrative appeals under such laws as the Endangered Species Act, the National Forest Management Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Clean Water Act to eliminate threats to public lands. Conduct legal research to support our cutting-edge efforts to protect public lands. Assist with preparation of comment letters and administrative appeals to various land management agencies. Requires strong legal research and writing skills. Background in environmental studies, biology, or related coursework and/or experience preferred. Send a cover letter, resume, a legal writing sample, and list of relevant coursework via email to info@LPFW.org with “Legal Internship” in the subject line. This internship includes a $2,000 stipend and we are happy to assist with financial aid through your law school. More Info and Apply Here (Posted 5.5.25)(Posting still active 7.16.25)
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OCS does not specifically endorse the above opportunities, and students are encouraged to research positions prior to contacting and/or interviewing with potential employers.
Please note that this site includes a sampling of opportunities, and students are still encouraged to check Symplicity often for additional postings.
The opportunities re-posted on this site are collected from employer-posting sites with the assumption that the source sites are in compliance with all applicable laws including pay transparency laws.