- Bureau à Washington
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 in Spring 2026. 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 the Advocacy and Justice Clinic (“A&J Clinic)”, which is the full representation litigation program. Founded in 1993, the A&J Clinic provides full representation to pro bono clients in the areas of housing, family, and social security disability law. This position will be supervised by an attorney in the Advocacy & Justice Center.
The legal extern 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 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 summarize their findings in memoranda or briefs.
- Investigates and researches best practices and successful model programs of legal services providers and bar associations, nationally.
- Participates in gathering facts and may also assist in drafting client letters or providing legal information.
- Performs administrative duties related to case management, such as filing, photocopying, and organizing documents.
- Assists Pro Bono Center staff in preparing, executing, and reporting data for various remote and in-person legal clinics.
- Attends in-person and virtual legal clinics, and provides support to Pro Bono Center staff, volunteer attorneys, and clients.
- Identifies and establishes relationships with community programs and organizations to present community education on Social Security disability benefits rights, protections, and responsibilities.
- Engages as main contact with community programs and organizations to schedule outreach programs.
- Participates in community workshops.
- Collaborates with Advocacy & Justice marketing and communication teams to create effective outreach materials.
- Keeps accurate and timely reports of contacts, participating programs, organizations and outreach activities.
- 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.
- Must be able to interact with individuals with diverse backgrounds, including people of limited means, with patience and compassion.
- Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment.
- 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, including in-person, with Bar members, volunteers, vendors, the public and Pro Bono Center and Bar employees.
- Must work well under pressure, possess excellent organizational abilities, and 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, including 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. 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 Pro Bono Center 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.
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. Any final hiring decisions or start dates may be delayed while the accommodation review process is ongoing if the individual cannot begin work without the requested accommodation.
