Description
Legal Aid DC, a nonprofit organization with an approximately $18 million annual budget and a staff of approximately 125 employees, is seeking a Summer Intern to join our Pro Bono Program.
Since 1932, Legal Aid has provided civil legal assistance to clients in individual cases and engaged in systemic reform. Currently, we provide individual representation in consumer law, domestic violence/family law, housing, public benefits, and immigration matters. We also help people with the collateral consequences of their involvement with the criminal justice system. From the experiences of our clients, we identify opportunities for law reform, public policy advocacy, and systemic impact and appellate litigation. Legal Aid also administers the DC Resource Bridge, a single access point for legal services in the District.
Legal Aid believes that meaningful pursuit of our anti-poverty mission requires an unwavering commitment to racial justice and equity. We aspire both to reflect the rich racial diversity of the communities we serve and to value, respect, and empower our staff and clients to be effective agents of change. For more information about Legal Aid please visit our website, www.LegalAidDC.org.
Our work is supported through public and private grants and private fundraising from individuals, law firms, and other contributors.
Interns at Legal Aid DC have the unique opportunity to receive substantive assignments that will have an immediate impact on our clients. This internship is for Summer 2027 and will be 10 weeks in duration. Summer interns should expect to work full-time (40 hours per week). Interns mainly work out of Legal Aid’s NW DC office, with the option to perform some work remotely if approved by their supervisor. Summer interns may be required to perform duties off site, and will be required to travel locally for summer programming events.
The summer term is from May 27th through August 6th.
Legal Aid DC’s wide-ranging Pro Bono Program includes, among other things, specialized projects with individual law firms in the District, case referrals to pro bono counsel throughout the District’s legal community, loaned associates who are embedded at Legal Aid for rotations, co-counseling arrangements, and much more.
Responsibilities:
Under the guidance of supervisors:
- Conduct initial telephone screening of individuals seeking legal assistance.
- Respond to written and email requests for assistance.
- Draft case summaries for circulation to prospective pro bono counsel.
- Meet with and interview clients.
- Assist attorneys in requesting and obtaining clients' records.
- Prepare case materials for referral to pro bono counsel or other legal services providers.
- Filing/copying documents at the DC Superior Court, the DC Court of Appeals, and various local agencies.
- Provide general administrative support.
- Attend program meetings, skills workshops, Legal Aid staff meetings.
Scholarship Funding:
Legal Aid DC can provide scholarship funding to ensure that summer law students receive no less than $6,440 per summer, including scholarships from the Lee Horton Memorial Scholarship for Aspiring Public Interest Lawyers.
Summer law students are required to apply for outside funding to fund their internships in order to receive supplemental scholarship funding. We will provide a scholarship up to $6,440 to summer law school interns when:
- They attend a school that does not provide funding OR they are not approved for at least $6,440 of funding from their schools
AND
- They do not get funding from any other outside sources that gets them to total funding of $6,440 for the summer
Example: if a student receives $5,000 of outside funding, Legal Aid will pay them $1,440 in scholarship funding.
Students may waive funding if they are prohibited from receiving renumeration by their law school.
To Apply:
Legal Aid values an inclusive, diverse workplace and encourages applications from interested persons from diverse backgrounds of any race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, or any other legally protected status.
We strongly encourage applications from people with personal experience with the criminal justice system and/or with lived experiences in the communities we serve.
Submit your application, cover letter, resume, writing sample and transcript or letter of matriculation here. Applications will be accepted until 5:00 pm EST October 23, 2026.
Requirements
Current law school students or law school graduates interested in public interest and or pro bono.
Skills Required
- Current law school student or law school graduate
- Interest in public interest and/or pro bono work
- Cover letter, resume, writing sample, and transcript or letter of matriculation
What We Do
Legal Aid DC (the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia) is the District's oldest and largest general civil legal services organization. Since 1932, it has provided free legal advice and representation to low-income residents in Washington, D.C. The organization focuses on critical issues including housing, domestic violence and family law, public benefits, consumer law, and immigration to ensure equal access to justice.
