Legal Extern, Consumer & General Civil, Pro Bono Center

The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, an independent nonprofit organization, seeks a law student interested in civil legal services for a legal externship position for Spring 2025. The Pro Bono Center transforms lives by providing free legal assistance to individuals, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses through volunteer lawyers. Established in 1978, the Pro Bono Center has become the largest provider of pro bono legal help in the District of Columbia.

The Center serves more than 20,000 individuals, nonprofits, and small businesses each year. With the support of our donors and more than 1,500 dedicated attorney volunteers, we operate award-winning legal clinics, projects, and resource centers where and when the community most needs our help.

This position will support our bankruptcy, consumer, legal information helpline and advice & referral brief services programs by conducting legal research and analysis, updating materials that are distributed to the public, and working directly with our clients. This position will be primarily remote, with some in-person requirements.

The student must be enrolled in a for-credit externship program. There is a minimum requirement of 15 hours of work per week over at least 11 weeks. This position will be supervised by an attorney in the housing unit but will support programs in several practice areas. This is an unpaid position. The Pro Bono Center will review and sign contracts necessary for course credit.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

•    Conducts in-depth research on various legal issues, case law, statutes, and regulations. Externs often summarize their findings in memoranda or briefs.

•    Assists in the preparation of legal documents, such as motions, pleadings, contracts, and briefs. Externs may also draft correspondence and other legal writing.

•    Participates in clients and customer interviews, gathering facts, and helping to prepare clients for court appearances. Externs may also assist in drafting client letters or providing legal information.

•    Observes court proceedings, hearings, and trials. Externs often take notes and may discuss the cases with their supervising attorney or judge.

•    Assists with the organization and management of case files, including reviewing discovery documents, organizing exhibits, and summarizing depositions.

•    Participates in meetings with clients, opposing counsel, and other stakeholders.

•    Performs administrative duties related to case management, such as filing, photocopying, and organizing documents.

•    Assists Pro Bono Center staff in preparing for and reporting on various remote and in-person legal clinics.

•    Attends in-person and virtual clinics and resource center, and provides support to Pro Bono Center staff, volunteer attorneys, and clients. 

•    Responds to phone calls and emails from members of the client community, and provides appropriate information and referrals, as needed. 

•    Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

•    Successful completion of at least two semesters of law school.

•    Successful completion of a course in legal research and writing.

•    Record of academic and/or professional accomplishment.

•    Demonstrated commitment to public interest law.

•    Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment.

•    Must be able to interact with individuals with diverse backgrounds, including people of limited means, with patience and compassion.

•    Excellent oral and written communication skills.

•    Must be detail-oriented and deadline-driven. Able to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment.

•    Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. Must work well in a team environment and be able to interact with Bar members, volunteers, vendors, the public, and Bar employees.

•    Must work well under pressure, possess excellent organizational abilities, and be able to manage several priorities in a day.

•    Must be adaptable, creative, and self-motivated.

•    Ability to handle and maintain the confidentiality of highly sensitive information.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

•    Additional language proficiencies.

•    Previous experience at a non-profit or legal services organization.

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested law students must submit the following:

•    Résumé and cover letter indicating interest and dates of availability

•    A writing sample – 3 to 5 pages in length

•    An unofficial transcript

This position is currently a hybrid position, with days worked in the office and days worked remotely.  Please see above for some of the required in-person events. The hybrid status of this position may change at any time subject to the Pro Bono Center’s discretion.

This is not an attempt to list all essential functions of this position.  Job duties may change over time based on organizational/department needs. 

The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive, diverse, and accessible workplace environment.

The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center is committed to providing qualified individuals with reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of their jobs, pursuant to applicable law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact Human Resources.

As part of the accommodation process, we will conduct an individualized interactive process and may ask you for additional information.  Additionally, any final hiring decisions or start dates may be delayed while the accommodation review process is ongoing if the individual is unable to begin work without the requested accommodation.