2025 Summer Law Clerk
We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
JOB SUMMARY:
Public Rights Project (PRP) is a public interest legal nonprofit with a remote team based throughout the United States. Our mission is to help local government officials fight for civil rights.
Since its founding in 2017, PRP has trained 131 prosecutors and government lawyers in 24 states; built a partner network of over 670 government offices, elected officials, and community-based organizations in 43 states; secured court victories on police accountability, abortion, immigrant, worker, and voting rights; and helped to recover over $46 million in relief for marginalized people.
PRP supports local government partners in the face of an onslaught of federal and state abuses of power. We provide direct representation, legal analysis, research, training, and community partnerships to help local governments develop strategies that protect their residents’ civil rights.
We support progressive state and local governments, including Attorneys General, District Attorneys, and City Attorneys' Offices with legal strategy, research, fellowships, and community partnerships to help offices develop high-impact legal cases.
Alongside these enforcement efforts, PRP represents local governments in strategic litigation. For example, PRP sued Florida governor Ron DeSantis on behalf of local governments to challenge a limitation on those cities’ ability to craft sensible law-enforcement budgets. In 2024, PRP also represented the Pima County Attorney in a challenge to Arizona’s criminal abortion ban. PRP further regularly drafts and files amicus briefs on behalf of local governments and advocates on issues like voting rights, reproductive, and workers’ rights in state supreme courts, federal appeals courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Across issue areas, we advocate against state efforts to abusively preempt local government actions that protect historically underserved communities.
Public Rights Project seeks to hire Summer 2025 Law Clerks to join our team. This is a remote, temporary position, lasting 8-10 weeks. A summer Law Clerk position with PRP would be ideal for law students interested in cutting-edge impact litigation, public service, and creative strategies to core civil rights.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Law Clerks will have an opportunity to contribute to case generation, development, and strategy in order to shape the direction of Public Rights Project. Law Clerks may support litigation and other advocacy efforts through legal research and writing, factual development, and litigation and regulation tracking.
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:
- Completion of at least one year of law school
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Excellent research and writing skills
- Attention to detail
- Passion for social justice and public service lawyering
- Curiosity about the role of government to promote social change
- Experience working with underserved communities in and out of the legal context
- Self-motivation and the ability to structure your time effectively
- Time Commitment:
- Summer Law Clerks must be able to work 40-hours per week for 8-10 weeks
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Other duties as assigned.
ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIP:
Law Clerks will report directly to the Legal Fellow and have an opportunity to work with the Assistant Legal Director, Director of the Election Protection Hub, Staff Attorneys, multiple cities and states across the country, and community and nonprofit partners.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Requires sitting, talking and listening for up to 8 hours per day. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Fully remote organization and team. This role may require travel a few times a year to PRP events or meetings. We currently have remote staff in Oakland, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), and Washington, DC, as well as other cities.
COMPENSATION
Public Rights Project has funding available to pay Summer Law Clerks at a rate of $20/hour.
PRP HIRING COMMITMENT:
PRP is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. A diverse and inclusive workplace, both at PRP and within the government offices we serve, is a key ingredient for achieving our mission of building equitable enforcement capacity within state and local government.
We aim to assemble a team that reflects the world we live in and the communities we serve with respect to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and immigration status. People with personal or family experience with the type of harms we seek to combat, including wage theft, predatory lending, fraud, discrimination, and environmental degradation are particularly encouraged to apply.