Join us as a law fellow or intern.
The DC Volunteer Lawyers Project is a dynamic, rapidly-growing legal services organization. We recruit, train, and support volunteer lawyers to provide pro bono legal services to domestic violence victims and at-risk children in the District of Columbia. We represent victims in cases to obtain protection orders, as well as in family law cases involving custody and divorce matters. We also serve as court-appointed Guardians ad litem for children at risk of harm in high-conflict custody cases.
Law Fellowships
The DC Volunteer Lawyers Project seeks public interest law fellows to learn to be a voice in court for domestic violence victims and at-risk children. A fellowship with DCVLP is an excellent opportunity to learn trial skills while helping low-income victims and children achieve safety and stability in their lives.
After a training period featuring a live mock trial, fellows will provide direct representation to DCVLP clients in DC Superior Court, under the supervision of our experienced supervising attorneys. Fellows will also advise clients at our weekly Domestic Violence Resource Clinic.
Our fellowship is:
• For recent law school graduates;
• Full-time;
• A 6-month to 1-year position (1-year strongly preferred)
• Funded by law schools or other private sources (DCVLP does not provide a salary or health benefits); and
• Available starting each fall in September – exceptions may be made for 6-month positions.
LITIGATION EXPERIENCE:
Under a DC court rule, fellows may represent clients as soon as they take a bar exam, and may start litigating civil protection order cases soon after completing our training program. Our fellows receive extensive litigation training before representing a client. Fellows typically litigate between 25-35 protection order cases during their tenure. Fellows will also represent domestic violence survivors in family law cases, which may involve discovery, motions and trial preparation. In addition, Fellows will advocate for the best interests of children living with abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and worse as court-appointed Guardians ad litem.
TO APPLY: DCVLP does not provide a salary for law fellows, so applicants should have their own funding source. Interested candidates should send a cover letter — describing your availability, where you plan to seek funding from, and when you plan to take the bar exam — as well as a resume to: Milena Benitez, at mbenitez@dcvlp.org.
We are accepting applications on a rolling basis.
College Intern Program
The DC Volunteer Lawyers Project (DCVLP) is searching for current college students or recent graduates to join our dedicated staff of lawyers and administrators for a part-time internship in Washington, DC. If you are interested in working at an established legal non-profit, this could be the internship for you! In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to work directly with lawyers and contribute to helping low-income DC residents with their legal needs.
INTERNSHIP DUTIES:
- Attending court hearings at the DC Superior Court, and providing legal and administrative support to the supervising and volunteer attorneys.
- Assisting in the case administration of Child Advocacy (Guardian ad Litem) and Domestic Violence matters, including court document management.
- Supporting the operation of our weekly walk-in Domestic Violence Resource Clinic
- Any additional projects as assigned
REQUIREMENTS:
- Minimum commitment of 12 hours per week
- Availability to travel to and from DCVLP’s office and the DC Superior Court
- Keen attention to detail and strong organizational, computer, and writing skills
- Positive attitude and ability to deal with sensitive issues
Spanish-speakers and those with an interest in law school are strongly encouraged to apply.
TO APPLY: Email your cover letter and resume to Lauren Leavell at lleavell@dcvlp.org. Internships are available for the fall semester (September – December), spring semester (January – May), and the summer (June – August). Internships are unpaid; however, DCVLP may be able to assist you in obtaining academic credit if provided with the required documents. Applications for our Fall 2018 internship are now closed. Applications for our Spring 2019 internship will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning September 17th.
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