Salaries of public interest attorneys
Can lawyers, a group that traditionally avoids pooling information, especially when such knowledge sharing crosses firm lines, collaborate in such an effort? The answer, in short, is yes — and then some.
Advice for students interested in pursuing public interest careers.
law student professional development; Equal Justice Works; public service; professionalism
This past year, Harvard Law School undertook two major public interest initiatives: the first ever public interest reunion and a new public interest financial aid program.
These tips can help you involve more of your firm's associates in pro bono work that not only serves the community but also furthers associate professional development
The new Department of Homeland Security ... employs 170,000 people and is the third largest department in our federal government. The following is a brief current overview of DHS structure and suggestions for locating attorney and law student positions.
This month PSLawNet will become PSJD, a new Fellowship Guide will be released, and a new Fellow will join the NALP staff.
Federal hiring reform has introduced new paths to public sector employment.
Here are some tips for making sure that pro bono achievements are captured in associate reviews.
The latest NALP/PSJD survey of public service employers showed some signs of an improving job market and yielded many tips for job seekers.
By rethinking pro bono and leveraging community resources, you can not only help to address the lack of legal services available but also create substantive, practical learning opportunities for your students.
When we present PD programming for law students, we often default to using examples that are most relevant to private practice. Here are some suggestions for including both private and public interest arenas in PD discussions.
There's still time to get involved in this important work of the NALP Public Service Section.
Not all fellowships are created equal. Some of them truly allow graduates to break into their chosen fields while providing a substantial benefit to underfunded public service organizations.
The Equal Justice Works Career Fair & Conference (EJW) brings together over 180 public interest employers with law students and law school professionals committed to social justice. The event, to be held October 26-27, 2018 in Arlington, VA, is part career fair, part conference, featuring a plenary and breakout sessions. EJW offers 2Ls, 3Ls, and recent graduates a chance to apply and be selected for a scheduled interview. In addition to the scheduled interviews, EJW features a large Table Talk event where students have a chance to speak to attorneys from across the country. For social justice-minded students who often report feeling isolated ...
Social justice solo practitioners and small firms are increasingly seen by students and alumni as aspirational and not as a fallback plan. Young lawyers embracing the gig economy find solo practice an appealing option for the increased flexibility and independence it offers. How can we help create a more defined path for these students?
There’s always a lot going on at NALP’s Public Service Initiatives desk, but since my return to NALP 18 months ago, I’ve devoted the bulk of my team’s time and attention to PSJD.org. I’d like to take a few inches in this column to catch you up on what we’ve done with our time, and why. If you use PSJD regularly, I hope this column will fill you in on where the service is headed. If you don’t, I hope it will give you a little insight into how I approach technology development projects that may be useful in your own work.
“They like our idea!” exclaimed a young man whose team of “attorneys” had their patent and trademark accepted by a panel of judges. This joyful expression is one of the many I hear throughout the year. This is what I love about my job. What makes this scenario unique is that I am not looking at law firm veterans. I am observing high school classmates role-playing attorneys as part of a legal simulation. Through the NALP/Street Law Legal Diversity Pipeline Program, I train and support volunteer legal professionals so they can get young people of color excited about our profession and inspire these young people to be their best. By collaboratin...
A strong network has always been an important tool for employers seeking to quickly connect with talented candidates. However, some employers and some geographic locations rely more on professional contacts to spread the word about job opportunities than others. Employers may want to adopt a variety of tactics when designing a recruitment strategy to avoid the hazards of a homogenous workforce. But based on my outreach and research as the PSJD Fellow, I believe that open hiring via company websites and/or online job boards provides an excellent and affordable first step.
It’s easy for public service law students to forget to develop their business management and other skills. Remind them of the importance of a balanced skillset.
For the thirteen+ years I’ve headed our school’s CSO, I have been fortunate enough to be able to send both our Public Interest Careers and Government Careers counselors to the annual NALP/PSJD Public Service Mini-Conference. Budgets being what they are though, I haven’t been able to attend this excellent event myself until this year, as NALP President. It was this year’s keynote speaker though, who stole the show with her plenary on Movement Lawyering — Seema Sadanandan, Managing Director of State Campaigns at Alliance for Safety and Justice. Seema’s fast-paced, earnest, and colorful narratives describing work she has done on public safety ca...
Among attorneys working in civil legal services organizations, as public defenders or local prosecuting attorneys, or as attorneys in public interest organizations, those providing civil legal services have the lowest median entry-level salary, have the smallest increases in salary based on experience, and have seen the slowest growth in salary levels over the past 14 years. This is a key finding from NALP/PSJD’s 2018 Public Service Attorney Salary Survey and is consistent with findings from earlier surveys which have been conducted periodically since 2004.
These tips will help students get the most from attending a public interest career fair.
Pro bono allows 1Ls to engage in the material they are studying and develop critical lawyering skills as well as empathy, listening skills, and the ability to build relationships with clients.
NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives Sam Halpert highlights key findings from the results of the Legal Incubator Lawyers’ Survey from the ABA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services.
University of Alabama School of Law’s Glory McLaughlin looks at some of the silver linings related to the positive outcomes from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public service and public interest legal communities.
Director of Research Danielle Taylor provides analysis on the results from NALP/PSJD’s 2022 Public Service Attorney Salary Survey.
Strategies and guidance for students pursuing work in the public sector.
Jasminder Deo and Chelsea-Leigh Flucus encourage NALP members to join the Public Service Section.
Public service employers may not have financial resources but they may be able to increase recruitment and retention by providing a shorter work week.
split public interest summers
NLADA's directory seeks to fill a gap -- there was previously no comprehensive directory of those employers providing LRAPS to their employees.
The best internships are transformative: students see that public service law can be their life's work. This article provides tips to employers for making internships more effective.
Some advice for students on preparing for and obtaining a job as a public defender.
A knowledgeable counselor can help make sense out of the fellowship maze, enabling students to embark on fellowship research and the creation of an application game plan...
Review of So Goes a Nation: Lawyers & Communities, a video and discussion guide, jointly produced by the New York Laywers for the Public Interest and Fordham University School of Law's Louis Stein Center for Ethics & Public Interest Law
The American Bar Association Commission on Loan Repayment and Forgiveness worked to promote loan repayment assistance programs (LRAPs)
The author's own career provides an example of the most common but least discussed path to public service.
Here are some tips and free tools to help both career counselors and students manage the information flow.
In 2011, a group of staff and faculty at Berkeley Law met to address concerns among students, staff, and faculty that their public interest/social justice efforts were not sufficiently coordinated to create the kind of community they knew their public interest-committed students deserved. That meeting led to collaborations that have reaped rewards for all concerned.
Learn how using some form of "grit" assessment with students throughout law school can provide helpful feedback to students as they encounter different challenges.
Rafael Cancel-Vazquez has two passions: his environmental law practice and salsa dancing. At the Annual Education Conference in San Juan he will be a panelist at the Public Service Luncheon and will also be the leader and dance instructor for a special Salsa Night sponsored by Major, Lindsey & Africa.
As with government agencies and nonprofit organizations, private public interest firms offer students the opportunity to use their law degree as a tool to advocate for the public interest, but how do students identify opportunities and conduct successful job searches?
A year's worth of work by a NALP Pro Bono and Professional Development Task Force culminated with a live Roundtable event in Washington, DC. Here are some highlights.
The Nuts and Bolts of Equal Justice Works Fellowships
Informational interviewing is especially vital to a public service job search. Here are five tips to share with students.
In recent months there has been a surge of rapid response, grassroots pro bono efforts developing in a variety of areas.
The ABA’s Standard 509 Reports reflect that law schools across the country have increased enrollment of international JD students. From the perspective of a career counselor, this means understanding and counseling on legal career pathways for non-citizens, offering support on non-immigrant visa issues, and providing professional integration and job search resources. As counselors, we need to be knowledgeable about employment options and challenges impacting our international JD students. If you are fortunate enough to be on a campus that offers services for foreign nationals, it is very helpful to refer students to advisers trained on visa i...
A new division set up at the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) called the Office of Data Governance and Analysis. The work this office is producing, and the way they are producing it will provide many new resources from which we can learn more about trends in legal organizations management.
Kudos to those of us who counsel students on public service careers — we have helped to get the word out about this important and stable sector. So, now what? How do CSOs support these enthusiastic students and prepare them for the federal job search?
Public service attorney salaries are a key indicator of public service attorneys’ experiences of work — and one that NALP has been watching and reporting on for some time. In our reports, we’ve worked to give these salary figures context, mostly by comparing them with the salaries of private firm associates with similar experience. For legal aid attorneys tending bar and driving rideshare on the side, a more relevant — and more threatening — figure than what they might make if they changed careers is what they need to make to pay rent: the cost of living. That’s why I’m proud to report that the online, interactive version of NALP’s Public Ser...
For public interest job seekers, finding “the right clerkship” is not always easy, and there are numerous ways career advisors can help.
Public interest career counselors can play a role in furthering students' awareness of public interest issues on their own campus and in their own community.
There are some important things for career counselors to know about counseling law students and graduates about Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
While it can be easy to get on board with the idea of strategic planning, a clear understanding of what it is and how to do it ensures an effective process and results.
Cybele Smith and Jim Tomaszewski explain the importance of listing your law school’s job openings on PSJD.org.
NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives Sam Halpert examines the lasting impacts of EO 13590, the Executive Order issued by former President Donald Trump and revoked by President Biden in January 2021.
Jennifer Rosato Perea, a Cornell and Penn Law educated lawyer and legal educator, has always been a high achiever. After serving in senior roles at several law schools, she became Dean of DePaul University College of Law in 2015. She was appointed as managing director of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar at the American Bar Association (ABA) on June 1, 2024 – the first woman to hold this role. The Bulletin+ had the opportunity to speak with Rosato Perea, who shared insights on the road ahead and emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing these complex issues.
The LSC's Quality Initiative is working to widen the path for law graduates and practicing lawyers who want to work with LSC-funded legal services programs.
Three new Public Service Section work groups and a new version of PSLawNet are among the plans for the coming year.
Loyola and Tulane students organized quickly to provide legal services following Katrina.
Two career services professionals talk about how they started the first Public Interest Law Career Day in Canada.
The expertise and leadership of law firm PD professionals can make a real difference in helping legal aid attorneys access training opportunities and thus in building bridges with the pro bono community.
It's time to tell the truth about some commonly repeated myths concerning women in public interest law....
In January, NALP surveyed offices of attorneys general in the U.S. states and territories to get a sense of the hiring market. Here's what was learned.
Students pursuing legal services, public defender, or prosecutorial positions are likely to encounter "stress interviews" that are deliberately designed to put candidates into stressful situations. These tips can help students succeed despite the stress.
Demanding times require creativity, flexibility, and a bit of faith that dedication to public service careers will work out.
Here are ten tips for integrating fellowships into existing CSO programs.
Law school pro bono programs address legal education needs as well as needs for legal services. This article outlines strategies for developing a program.
These studies revealed differences in the value placed on law school experiential learning opportunities by law firm associates and public service lawyers.
As the criminal justice reform movement has gained momentum over the years, opportunities to work in this field have grown to include new avenues. This article details a number of ways in which students and attorneys can impact and reform the criminal justice system from many different angles.
Even if you have a small staff, there are simple steps you can take that will promote pro bono engagement among your law students and allow your law school to begin benefiting from pro bono work.
Career counselors can play an important role in advising students who are questioning their interest in a federal career.
There is no shortage of talent for state court clerkships, externships, or internships. State chief justices and administrators are working to make these opportunities more accessible through the new online portal for state court opportunities, CORA.
Why are you driven and motivated to counsel and mentor public service students to pursue a career as a legal services lawyer or a government lawyer?
Legal scholars have coined the term “public interest drift” to describe a phenomenon many of us have observed: students who enter law school with the intention to work in public interest often veer away from that goal by the time they graduate.
UNT Dallas College of Law’s Katherine Mikkelson offers tips on career services professionals who are having the relocation conversation with their public service-leaning law students.
Aoife Delargy Lowe of Equal Justice Works explains the important takeaways for legal professionals related to the U.S. Department of Education’s Temporary Waiver Opportunity for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Achieving a balance of experience in international law, international human rights law, and domestic public interest law will support the widest range of international public opportunities.
Public interest fellowships are unique opportunities for graduates to pursue their passions and take on significant responsibilities early on in their careers.
Over the next five years, more than 50% 0f the federal workforce may be eligible to retire. At the same time, surveys show that few college educated Americans express significant interest in working for the federal government.
Candidates who want to transition to the public sector or public service need to be able to point to specific examples of where they have worked or volunteered in this area.
Students who are still looking for either a summer or post-graduate position can help further their searches even during spring break.
Pro bono work is often the best way to provide developmental opportunities to our associates.
Pro bono work offers kinds of hands-on experiences associates often can't get elsewhere.
Law student efforts in the wake of superstorm Sandy may suggest models for other recovery efforts.
The value pro bono legal work can provide to society is obvious, but what is less apparent is what pro bono work can offer to the lawyers who are doing the work.
Here are a few ways pro bono can provide opportunities for lawyers to put new skills to work.
Encouraging students to seek out and get involved with pro bono organizations can yield wonderful benefits both for the student and for the legal profession.
The NALP Foundation has just released its associate attrition findings for calendar year 2013.
The Class of 2013 reported taking 820 jobs in legal services, but that number would look far different without positions funded by law schools.
Students with a passion for justice and fairness usually gravitate toward public sector opportunities, but the private sector also offers some interesting possibilities.
Whether your law school is starting or enhancing a Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP), these tips can help.
NALP’s day-long Summit on Emerging Careers for Law Grads, held last month in Washington, DC, was a remarkably rich event. For me in particular, as I emerge from my work with legal technology and take stock of my new responsibilities as the Director of Public Service Initiatives, it was a great opportunity to examine my former area of practice through the lens that NALP applies to the field of legal services: what kinds of opportunities do these emerging technologies and techniques present for lawyers? The person whose remarks landed closest my previous responsibilities was our keynote speaker, Professor Daniel Katz of Illinois Tech - Chicago ...
“Help! I have several public interest job offers and competing deadlines and I don’t know what to do!” We all have heard this frantic plea from a 1L or 2L who only weeks earlier was in despair they would not land a public interest job. What can we do as career professionals to assist with navigating these waters, but make sure they are the one steering the ship?
Inspired by Michele Bendekovic’s helpful article in the January 2018 NALP Bulletin, here are some helpful talking points for public interest attorneys and pro bono directors to use when appealing to employers to attend conferences, including NALP events.
Aoife Delargy of Equal Justice Works and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law’s Rochelle R. McCain recap the lessons learned from the EJW Conference and Career Fair held virtually in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
DePaul University College of Law’s Lauren Worsek explains how law schools have used pro bono programs a means for students to contribute work safely and have also created other unexpected positive outcomes, creating a compelling case for continuing remote programs post-pandemic.
Whatever the model, it is clear that the solution to long-term access to justice for low-income individuals must be multi-pronged and that it will involve legal technology innovations.
Research Director Danielle A. Taylor outlines trends in public interest law firm careers from Jobs & JDs: Employment and Salaries of New Law Graduates, Class of 2021.
How to Successfully Advise Students Seeking Public Interest/Government Opportunities. January 20, 2016
NALP's Public Service Committee has been in high gear this spring, with new and expanded outreach to share NALP's value with public interest and public service legal employers.
Collectively, these three days of public interest programming offer something for every law school public interest career counselor -- whether from a school with a thriving public interest program or a school that is seeking to strengthen this area.
Public sector career fairs are a wonderful way to help students learn about the wide variety of career opportunities in the field. They also provide law schools with a chance to efficiently conduct extensive outreach into the public sector community.
First-year job searches, alumni alerts, and 2008 award winners.
Can students today afford to opt for a legal career in the public sector? What role can NALP play in addressing issues related to student debt loads?
With loan payments averaging $700 to $1,000 a month, along with rent, groceries, and transportation costs, it really is impossible for a new graduate to accept a public interest job paying $30,000 per year.
Seventy-five percent more law students have been enjoying a firm-sponsored split public interest summer this year.
Law school public interest offices can benefit greatly from strong relationships with their law school and legal community.
Partners at law firms that treat pro bono hours as the equivalent of billable hours make a very tangible contribution to pro bono service. What, then, do the associates contribute?
Here are some tips for helping students acquire the traits public interest employers are seeking and land public interest jobs.
Students who use their law school summers strategically may be able to compete for more advanced international public interest positions upon graduation.
Will an experiment in Washington State be able to provide both greater access to justice and adequate consumer protection?
For the most part, salary medians have increased by about $1,000 per year for the public service attorneys whose earnings have now been researched for a decade by NALP.
A Civil Justice Boot Camp and work for Legal Aid of North Carolina provide Duke students with important opportunities to gain experience in public service law.
Here are a few resources and ideas for helping public service-minded students who want to begin the process of exploring international opportunities.
This five-part outline can help students move closer to their public interest career objectives.
While the civil legal aid hiring outlook remains bleak, there are ways law students can increase the likelihood of finding a job in this area.
For too many law students, self-care — particularly involving mental health issues — can become an isolating struggle. As public interest career counselors, we can help to end the silence about mental health challenges by beginning to adopt an intentional plan of addressing law student concerns. In many of our own communities, we can already see hopeful changes, such as efforts to foster dialogue, raise awareness, and provide support and services that help students gain better access to counseling, medical treatment, and other means of maintaining mental wellness.
Speakers at the 2019 Professional Development Institute (PDI) will focus on culture, diversity and inclusion.
Three strategies for attorneys seeking to transition their path from working in the private sector to career in public service law.
NALP's Sam Halpert explains the recent modifications to upgrade the PSJD.org website.
PD professionals can play a key role in cultivating civility in the legal profession.
Students are protesting, and many may turn to their public interest advisers for advice or support.
On Monday, March 19, 2018, NALP’s Public Service Initiatives staff presented the 2017 Pro Bono Publico Award to Lydia X.Z. Brown, a 3L at Northeastern University School of Law. NALP’s Pro Bono Publico Award exists to call attention to the substantial and praiseworthy contributions law students make to their communities and their profession — even before they have fully completed their training.
Apps and programs have been developed and implemented to streamline process management and project management, making processes more efficient, reducing variance and waste, and increasing quality. But the stakes for the legal field are higher than those for ride-sharing or food delivery apps — if technology can improve access to justice for those who have traditionally been left out in the cold, then software engineers will have truly made the world a better place. They are already off to a good start.
PSJD offers lessons in how you can develop the untapped potential in your job database to counsel students and reach out to employers more effectively.
Strategic data collection helps public interest advisors evaluate their resources and overall impact and effectiveness in supporting public interest careers.
A Public Service Section work group recently surveyed law school members about their LRAPs. Here are a few key findings.
Benefit corporations and public interest law firms are two types of for-profit organizations that offer opportunities that may be of interest to public interest-minded students.
Sarah Jasper of Equal Justice Works and William & Mary Law School’s Moriah Berger Allen share results from an environmental scan of how the public service environment has changed due to the lingering effects of the pandemic.
The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law’s Rachel Lawrence examines how to encourage law students who are seeking careers in public service to pursue their passion.
The situations we’ve confronted over the last year are not merely “complex and ambiguous” (as they’re termed in a decision-making framework that preceded Cascio’s work), but “nonlinear and incomprehensible.”
The Public Service Section is for NALP members who have an interest in or responsibility for advising law students whose career paths lead to public sector, public interest, and pro bono work during law school and after graduation.
As PSLawNet prepares for the launch of a new and improved website in the fall, one thing remains constant: PSLawNet depends on susbscriber school to share public service job postings.
The firm's hope is that, by encouraging future lawyers to incorporate public service into their careers, the communities in which the firm resides will benefit and the experiences of all Morgan Lewis lawyers will be enriched.
Career services offices around the country have developed created programs for their public interest students that also provide a way for public interest alumni to remain connected to their alma mater.
The REAL Project introduces law students -- and sometimes law firm associates as well -- to work for rural justice.
NALP's Public Service Section is active on several fronts
This February, Ark Group USA offered a two-day conference for general counsel attorneys. One program provided an opportunity for government GCs to learn more about how law schools can help them in the recruitment process.
This account of Chicago-Kent's implementation of a public interest law certificate program is intended to spark ideas on how law schools can further their own public interest opportunities.
Here is an update on pro bono requirements in place and under consideration in New York, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Montana.
Students entering the private sector are encouraged to seek the highest salary they can get in the market they are competing in, while students entering the world of public service are counseled about how to manage their inevitably low salaries. But now there has begun to be greater scrutiny of the longer term consequences of lower salaries in the public service arena.
When a public service-minded student is considering private sector options such as summer diversity programs, counselors should help students to understand the pros and cons of different avenues and make informed decisions.
Collaboration between CSOs and experiential learning programs can provide the practical learning opportunities that are especially important for students planning to pursue public service careers.
This article provides suggestions for understanding New York's new pro bono requirement, a requirement that may become a model for additional states.
Given changes in federal loan repayment assistance programs, law schools should assess how well their own LRAPs are filling gaps in the federal programs.
As more and more law schools are considering incubator programs, here is a look at what these programs are and how they function.
University of British Columbia Peter A. Allard School of Law’s Tracy Wachmann explains how small U.S. law schools could learn from the successes of Pro Bono Students Canada.
Anne Sexton provides a brief overview of a new program at the University of Minnesota Law School and shares advice for others looking to implement similar programming.
What can career counselors do to help students feel less untethered as they navigate changing public service employment opportunities, or even fears of discrimination?
As Judy Collins teased in her companion article, NALP will be breaking new ground with the 2018 Public Service Attorney Salary Report by releasing it simultaneously as a traditional, static PDF and an interactive web tool. The core of the tool will be a series of visualizations that readers will be able to tweak to their needs. We are excited to share this tool with you later this summer, when it will be released on www.psjd.org/salary-report, free to PSJD subscribers and for purchase to non-subscribers. We hope this new way of presenting our research will bring the survey data and Judy’s findings to life in a way that engages your students, ...
Over the past decade or so, the number of law school graduates who pursue JD Advantage positions has risen from 8.8% to 16.9%.3 But what does one need to do to secure a JD Advantage position? As someone who is currently going through the process of finding a JD Advantage job, I want to share with you my perspectives on best practices for a JD Advantage job search. I’ve written the remainder of this article as advice I would give to someone who wants to pursue a JD Advantage job search.
Here are some basics to know for students who want to conduct a search for an international public interest job.
Here is a look at key findings from a new survey about law school bridge-to-practice programs.
Three NALP members write about their experience creating a public interest counseling program from scratch.
How can one most effectively enhance student counseling skills while remaining connected to public interest practice and the pressing issues of our times?
The CCRAA and the continued need for additional LRAPs.
A look at the issues involved in public interest placements of associates with deferred start dates.
Here are some quick tips for linking PD and pro bono.
Pro bono can be just as important to the professional development of a firm's most senior lawyers as to its junior associates.
Social entrepreneurship may be one of the keys to fixing our justice gap. The only question for today's students will be if they are empowered enough to strike out on their own.
Here are some suggestions for collaboration both within and outside of your law school to better serve public interest minded students.
The NALP office welcomes two new Fellows, and PSJD features new resources and new opportunities to contribute.
Even busy 1Ls with little or no prior work experience can find opportunities that will help them demonstrate their commitment to public interest work and their understanding of the clients public interest organizations serve.
Discussion at the fifth Roundtable on the Future of Lawyer Hiring, Development, and Advancement made it clear that law schools, law firms, and other legal employers are changing in ways that are likely to be permanent.
Law students seeking a public service position face a challenging market, but these resources can help.
Legal services employers are looking for somewhat different characteristics in resumes. Here are some tips.
Networking is critical to getting a job in the tight-knit public interest community where most legal professionals know one another.
Here are some tips for career counselors and law students on the art of effective grant seeking.
A profile of the University of Minnesota Law School's Public Interest Residency Program
As the world changes and seems to be more unpredictable and tumultuous, it is important that we take care of ourselves, so we can better take care of others. In a recent survey of some of our Public Service Section colleagues (who work in myriad positions at their schools), we asked members to share their tips for living a balanced life and staying positive in these crazy times.
NALP is proud to announce it will confer this year’s Pro Bono Publico Award on Teresa Smith, a 3L at Lewis & Clark Law School. Teresa’s work lies at the intersection of farmworker rights, environmental law, and immigration law. Her efforts to date have included direct work with asylum clients in detention that, in the words of one supervisor, “has contributed to the reputation that Lewis & Clark law students have...for in-depth knowledge, experience, teamwork, and competence[,]” as well as policy research that helped convince the Portland City Council to create funding for a “Universal Representation Project,” providing access to counsel in r...
Although an overwhelming number of the borrowers who have applied for Public Service Loan Forgiveness have been denied, there are several steps those hoping to obtain loan forgiveness can take to better ensure they will qualify.
Here are seven habits to increase the effectiveness of public interest advising.
The PSJD Resources Work Group and LRAP Work Group have been hard at work.
Students are increasingly interested in working at private public interest law firms (PPILFs). Given current uncertainty in Federal government employment, this path could provide students with meaningful legal work. This article define PPILFs and explores resources and considerations for students and law school career professionals.
Washington and Lee University School of Law’s Freda Coleman-Jackson offers best practices to increase student engagement in a virtual environment.
NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives Sam Halpert reviews Sarah Jaffe’s 2021 book, Work Won’t Love You Back.
New public service resources
This year's Public Service Section work groups offer new opportunities for involvement by private sector and government employer NALPers.
New Orleans is at a critical junction in striving to meet the needs of a rebuilding city and still greatly needs hope -- and help.
pro bono programs in law firms
Jessica Fry raised just under $13,000 in less than three months to support herself in her dream public service job. Her creative mix of fundraising efforts may spark ideas for other students.
A list of firms sponsoring split public interest summers.
Various associates, whether a PIF or otherwise, move on after several years. Would you rather they leave to go to a public interest job or to a competitor firm?
Review of The Great Firm Escape: Harvard Law School's Guide to Breaking Out of Private Practice and Into Public Service
Looking ahead at NALP public service initiatives.
Several law firms have instituted programs that enable law students to work half of the summer with the firm, and half of the summer with a public interest organization, with the firm paying the students' salaries for the entire summer.
Several law firms have instituted programs that enable law students to work part of the summer with the firm and part of the summer with a public interest organization, with the firm paying the students' salaries for the entire summer.
Two of the fundamental leadership development areas critical to public interest lawyers are communication skills and client/community outreach.
The fact that women outnumber men at least two to one in lower paid public interest law positions must spark an important discussion of how these jobs are valued.
Judicial clerkships are just as beneficial for students interested in public service careers as for those who want to pursue private practice, but public service-minded students are often much less likely to consider clerkships.
J. Martin Bunt of Emory University School of Law was named the 2013 Pro Bono Publico Award winner for his creation of and work with the Volunteer Clinic for Veterans. Learn more about his work and others named as finalists.
Projects supported by the Pro Bono Innovation Fund offer opportunities for recent law graduates to work side by side with seasoned attorneys to improve access to justice.
Introducing a new column from NALP's Pro Bono and Professional Development Task Force.
Are Legal Services jobs up or down?
One of the roadblocks frequently faced by law school pro bono coordinators is an abundance of students willing to participate but a shortage of attorneys willing to supervise. Faculty involvement can provide one of the answers.
Counseling today's public service minded law students is a lot about student debt.
According to California’s Inspection of Public Records Act, “access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state.”1 Part of conducting the people’s business is compensating government employees. For groups like the Nevada Policy Research Institute, government compensation is a particularly important part. They argue that “accurate, comprehensive and easily searchable information on the compensation of public employees … is necessary to increase public understanding of government and help decision makers, including elected officials and voters, make informed d...
AmeriCorps openings for law graduates have historically been unpredictable, and today may seem more confusing than ever to career counselors.
As decreased federal funding makes public interest positions even more elusive for law school graduates, public interest-minded students are considering opening their own practices to address the needs of clients who are ineligible for legal aid, but who cannot afford traditional law firm fee structures. This group of modest-income individuals is caught in what is called the “access to justice gap” and is the client base for this type of “affordable legal services” practice.
Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law’s Kiva Zytnick shares ideas about how to promote pro bono work in law schools.
By becoming aware of public service funding options, counselors can help students make their dreams a reality.
Gap year clerkships, which are slated to begin one year out from a student's date of graduation, are increasingly common but can be particularly challenging for public interest law students.
Here are some tips for law school professionals to share with students to help them stay connected to their personal and professional goals and cultivate a fulfilling career.
The conversation about overcoming the obstacles to diversity and inclusion in the public interest sector continued at this year's Mini-Conference.
Here are some suggestions for enhancing a law school pro bono program and expanding participation.
The 10-year span of NALP's Public Sector & Public Interest Attorney Salary Survey documents public interest salaries
With a fresh look, new navigation, and improved search capabilities, the Public Service Law Network (PSLawNet) takes a technological leap.
Here are some tips for helping students acquire the skills public interest employers are seeking and land public interest jobs.
NALP's Public Service Law Network Worldwide has undergone a redesign to make it more accessible to public interest employers and job seekers.
Steve Grumm has become NALP's first Director of Public Service Initiatives.
Over the last two decades there has been unprecedented growth in the number of law school pro bono programs. Here are some suggestions for launching a program -- or making an existing program more effective.
New survey reveals some gains in public sector salaries -- but also a widening gap between the public and private sector.
What's the best advice for someone who wants to pursue a career in public policy? Here are a few pointers.
NALP has recently released a free webinar on the public interest job search. Here are a few highlights.
Here are some tips for helping students to foster an entrepreneurial approach that will yield more opportunities.
For students pursuing public interest internships, CSO professionals often need to be able to offer financial planning guidance.
One emerging trend that combines concerns both for providing practical training for new lawyers and for providing access to justice for those who can't afford a lawyer is the modest means/affordable fee delivery of services.
Here are some tips for dispelling common myths 1Ls have about the search for a public service summer job.
The NALP Public Service Section recently conducted its second annual survey of the public service employment landscape. Here are some of the findings.
The D.I.S.C. Personality Assessment is a helpful tool to help students learn how personality impacts specific career paths in the practice of law.
Integrating new attorneys into a firm's pro bono practice can also aid in integrating them into the firm.
The post-graduate search for public interest jobs can be challenging. Here are some tips to help recent graduates stay encouraged and connect with a rewarding position.
Philadelphia area law school public interest administrators share a fondness for collaboration and cooperation. The Law School Outreach Committee (LSOC) is composed of administrators from pro bono/public interest and career development offices from Delaware Law School Widener University; Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law; Rutgers University Law School (Camden location); Temple University Beasley School of Law; the University of Pennsylvania Law School; and Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. LSOC operates as a committee under the auspices of the Public Interest Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association, and, as ...
A new study showed that factors emphasized in law school, such as grades, honors, and potential career income, have comparatively little bearing on lawyer well-being.
This article highlights several models illustrating how technology is being taught in law schools, potential roles for career development professionals in each, and access to justice connections.
NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives Sam Halpert explores the legal responses Executive Order 13950 “on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping” issued by President Donald Trump.
Equal Justice Works’ Brooke Meckler lays out a series of tips for fellowship programs impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including a look at the EJW Fellowship Program.
The start of the fiscal year provides a perfect time for public service professionals to take steps to assess and improve their relationships with their organization’s advancement team, colleagues who are raising resources and the profile of your law school. These relationships can be a key to garnering more resources for public service efforts of all sizes.
NALP’s 2021-22 PSJD Fellow Chelsea-Leigh Flucus explores wage transparency and its impact on public service attorneys as employers strive to retain their workers amid the “Great Resignation.”
Highlights of recent changes.
Al Hofeld, staff attorney at the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago
While most law students state in their initial admissions essays that they want to use the law to better society, the first-year curriculum can sap them of the passion and vision that brought them to law school...
New legislation just passed by Congress has made some important changes in educational lending policy and has some important implications for public service-minded students.
Criminal law is a unique practice area with a distinctive interview process. A former Assistant District Attorney and a former Assistant Public Defender share inside tips, including examples of criminal hypotethicals.
Developments in the affordability of public service legal careers
There are many ways a firm can support pro bono and showcase that support as a recruiting and retention tool.
Public interest law requires that people be smarter than their competition, AND have initiative, drive, and people skills. But if you have those qualities, it doesn't matter from which law school you are graduating — we have jobs for you.
In the Public Interest; public interest funding; public interest; public service; economy
The Public Service Section's Diversity in Public Service Employment Work Group has been reaching out to law schools to learn about their diversity initiatives.
What do we say to convince our public interest students to consider opportunities in rural areas? Here are a few of the things we might tell them.
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about how the New York pro bono requirement affects non-U.S. trained LL.M. students.
Enhancements to PSJD, the Mini-Conference, and new publications are highlights of NALP's current public service resource offerings.
Second-language skills are becoming increasingly important in today's legal market, and some law schools are looking at ways to help their students acquire these skills.
NALP's Director of Public Service Initiatives outlines three upcoming efforts to gather and distribute essential data on the public service legal employment market -- and also offers five "musts" for international public interest job seekers.
This action plan can help 3Ls prepare effectively for the bar exam while still furthering their public interest job hunt, managing their finances, and maintaining their sanity.
There is rarely a more important moment in counseling public interest students than when a student is feeling burned out and considering whether to change career paths.
Online tools may not replace face-to-face contact, but here's an example of how they can significantly enhance clinical placement experiences.
As deferred associates entered the public service arena this fall, questions remained about the effectiveness -- and effects -- of these placements.
The path from law school to public interest work is often a winding road, but under current economic conditions students and career services professionals need to be more creative in getting to public service jobs.
I had the great pleasure of seeing Sally Yates speak at the Equal Justice Works Career Fair & Conference in Washington, DC this year. I had not attended this event before, and was incredibly impressed by the organization and professionalism on display. The positive energy was palpable, and it was easy to see the value of the experience for the students and the employers. Ms. Yates, currently of King & Spalding, formerly of the Department of Justice, had five pieces of advice. While the guidance was directed at the adoring law students in the audience, it easily translates for all of us.
Managing the repercussions of government shutdowns on the legal employment market.
Sue Schechter and Tom Schoenherr cover the history of the NALP Public Service Section for the 50th Anniversary of NALP in 2021.
NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives Sam Halpert provides an update on recent changes to PSJD.org, a website dedicated to helping law students and lawyers find internships and jobs in the public service sector.
Many law schools recognize that students who are planning to pursue careers as public interest lawyers can benefit from specialized attention and training during law school. Not only do public interest students often feel left out of the mainstream when the majority of their peers pursue private sector careers, but they also encounter different issues in their job search process and throughout their careers. Public interest student groups, certificate programs, competitive fellowship programs, and dedicated advisers are all ways that law schools attempt to bridge this gap and nurture new public interest lawyers into existence.
Self-care and wellness are key to thriving in a career as a Public Interest Advocate. The reasoning for this is rather obvious since Public Interest Law Students train to serve the unmet legal and social needs of underserved communities and individuals. This challenging career choice requires healthy advocates who know how to stay well and how to manage stress before it starts managing them.
As we move into a more technologically advanced world, the fact that the public interest sector is looking for creative ways to use technology to benefit those less fortunate can have an impact on legal careers.
Learn how law schools are making the most of public interest auctions as well as other fundraising ideas.
News in the public interest arena
With this knowledge, you can help students understand the security clearance process and encourage them not to let the process get in the way of pursuing government opportunities.
With increasing frequency, students are seeking assistance in securing jobs both inside the US and abroad that have international components.
In 2002, a fifth-year attorney in a private law firm earned a median of $115,000, while her or his public sector counterpart most likely made less than $45,000 a year.
Three types of firm sponsored fellowship arrangements have emerged, each offering different benefits for the firm and the attorney fellow.
The Presidential Management Intern (PMI) Program is tailor-made for students who are interested in careers in analysis and management of public policy.
Tips for 2Ls seeking public interest fellowships.
Achieving small victories is vital when growing a law school public interest program.
Harvard's experience may suggest ways that career services offices of all sizes can benefit from cross-training among advisors.
Suggestions for encouraging volunteerism among the law students or lawyers in your organization.
Public service opportunities and the NALP conference.
Comprehensive hiring reform has made the pathways to federal employment clearer.
Use these tips this summer to help summer associates start the pro bono habit early.
Students who want to pursue positions in nonprofit organizations should research the organizations' missions.
Pro bono supervision provides an opportunity to break down practice group walls and involve seasoned professionals.
As law student debt-loads continue to increase, some of the long-established federal loan repayment and forgiveness programs students may be counting on may soon be constricted.
Consider developing a Public Service Day as part of your school's 1L orientation week. The benefits are many, as this author shares.
Law students interested in the public service careers in the field of workers' rights have a number of options.
Approximately 145 career services professionals attended the 2011 NALP/PSLawNet Public Service Mini-Conference on October 19 and 20.
A recent survey found that 78.3% of public defenders, 73.7% of legal services providers, and 60% of local prosecutors reported hiring no Class of 2010 graduates as of September.
The 2019 Public Service Mini-Conference featured a plenary speech by Human Rights Watch’s Nicole Austin-Hillery, a Public Service Section meeting, and presentations on a variety of topics including student debt and loan forgiveness.
There are important differences between cover letters and the type of diversity statements needed to apply for diversity fellowships and scholarships.
University of Hawaii’s Trisha Nakamura and Indiana University’s Whittley Pike explore how small and solo career services offices can help students build skills beyond traditional roles.
It Takes a Village: Strengthen Your Public Interest Community through Thoughtful Collaboration with Faculty and Students
NALP’s Jobs & JDs analysis for the Class of 2022 found that public service jobs accounted for 30.7% of all jobs taken by employed graduates and that the total number of public interest jobs was at an all-time high for the Class of 2022. Here is a look at some NALP resources.
As students navigate evolving timelines, it is helpful to ensure that faculty can provide students interested in public interest careers with the necessary resources to help them make decisions.
Access to legal aid in rural communities for low-income and under-resourced residents has long been a challenge. Programs exposing students to the justice gap in rural communities not only builds capacity at legal aid organizations to help more rural community members with their legal issues, but can also prepare law students for careers in public interest law.
The program was offered at the perfect time of year when firms were able to schedule the build day to serve as a community service project for their summer program.
Here is a list of firms sponsoring split public interest summers.
The ABA President's Commission on Loan Repayment and Forgiveness has addressed three major areas to improve the loan repayment picture in the U.S.: federal loan repayment programs, law school LRAPs, and state LRAPs.
How can you encourage a student interested in environmental law to look beyond the Department of Interior and Environmental Protection Agency?
Several pieces of loan repayment legislation would directly benefit qualifying public interest lawyers by lessening their educational debt burdens.
Yale has again graciously shared its list of law firms that sponsor split public interest summers.
public service; Civil Justice Inc.
Two work groups of the NALP Public Service Section will be working this year in the areas of the public interest job market (including associate deferrals) and federal employment.
tips for acing public defender interviews
A new resource will soon be available for NALP law school members seeking to enhance their schools' LRAPs.
With a successful Mini-Conference behind us, an expanded PSJD Resource Center will soon be rolled out.
Just in time for the Equal Justice Works Career Fair, here are some suggestions for helping students get the most from public service career fairs.
New to public interest career advising? These resources are helpful places to start.
This article begins an examination of a post-recession trend: the emergence of full-time volunteer attorney positions in the public interest arena.
The need for legal services is greater than ever. Can — and should — law schools act to narrow the justice gap?
PSLawNet will soon become PSJD, with exciting new features.
NALP Director of Public Service Initiatives Steve Grumm puts the findings of the 2010 Public Sector and Public Interest Salary Report in context by analyzing public service salaries in light of increasing law school tuition and increasing law firm salaries.
Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law’s Elyse Diamond addresses how to support the racial and social justice movement within public interest law institutions.
NALP’s 2019-2021 PSJD Fellow Brittany Valente explains why employers should look at remote work as a tool and continue to offer fully remote internships for law students even after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
Transgender veterans need allies within NALP now more than ever to show their support.
Every year, NALP hires a new PSJD Fellow to update and improve the PSJD website. Because of the Fellow’s attention, PSJD remains one of the most valuable tools for any law school professional, but especially those who specialize in public interest advising. This year’s Fellow, Brittany Swett, has a background in education, previously teaching fourth and fifth grade in Baltimore City. At the University of San Diego Law School she devoted her time to special education law projects and civil rights issues within education law, and she hopes to continue to combine her interests in education and public interest law for her future career.
Villanova Charles Widger School of Law’s Sharon Buckingham reflects on the importance of volunteering for professional development as part of a recap for the 2021 NALP PSJD Public Service Mini-Conference in December 2021.
