public interest law cover letter

Cover Letters

E. common cover letter mistakes.

• Vide o and Slides from the CDO program “ Cover Letters That Do The Job” and handouts: Job Postings & Tips and Sample PIPS Cover Letters .

Your cover letter is as important as your resume because it is often read first and plays a vital role in your quest for an interview. A cover letter is not a transmittal letter, and you may be surprised at how time-consuming it is to craft a good one. A cover letter has a purpose, which is to let an employer know why they should bother reading your resume and why they should meet you. It also serves as an example of your written work product; thus it should be clear, brief, and written in a business letter style, without any typographical errors.

1. Cover letters for unsolicited applications come in three main types:

• Personal Letter. These are the most effective cover letters and are sent to people you have met or with whom you have a mutual acquaintance. These letters should all start with the sentence: “_______ recommended that I contact you.” As this type of letter is most likely to get a response, if you have any possibility of establishing this sort of connection to a prospective employer in advance of sending your letter, you should try your best to do so.
• Targeted Letters. Next best thing. Targeted letters are based on research of the employer, and are individually tailored. Your letter should incorporate the information learned through your research to show the employer that you have skills they will be able to put to use.
• Mass Mailers. Least desirable. These are generic except for the name and address of the employer, and have a very low success rate of getting interviews.

2. When you respond to a job listing, you will usually be requested to submit a cover letter as part of your application. In this case, use the job description and requested qualifications as a guide. While not simply imitating the language of the listing, your letter should demonstrate that you have what the employer is looking for.

3. A few employers at OCI request that students bring a cover letter to the initial interview. This is essentially to require students to think about why they want to work for this employer, but it makes for a letter which deviates from the usual “please consider me for an interview” approach. See below for suggestions on OCI cover letters.

Cover letters should follow standard business letter format, as to spacing, salutation, etc. If you are not sure of the fine points, consult a business correspondence reference source. Avoid abbreviations, contractions and shortcuts (such as a slash instead of “or”), although if there is an accepted short form of the name of the organization you are writing to (e.g., ACLU or Coblentz) it is acceptable to use it in the text of your letter. Your telephone number and email address should appear somewhere in the letter, either at the top with your address, or in the closing paragraph, when you ask them to contact you. Note that your resume is “enclosed,” not “attached” (which means clipped or stapled).

If you are not sure to whom you should send your letter, it is always acceptable to write to the executive director of a nonprofit, or the hiring partner or head of recruiting at a firm; they can forward your application to the appropriate person within the organization. If at all possible, write to an individual by name, not to “Director” or “Recruiting Coordinator.” Firm and organization web sites are very useful in finding this information (and for confirming correct spellings and the like); it may be more difficult to find the name of an individual addressee for government job opportunities. If you do not have the name of an individual, the salutation should be “Dear Sir or Madam” (not “To Whom It May Concern”). Of course if you are responding to a job posting, address your letter exactly as instructed.

As for the appropriate salutation, traditionally, it is “Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Last Name].  However, we understand that this prevailing business norm may not be inclusive of individuals who do not use either of those titles (for example, because they identify as gender nonconforming). One alternative, “Dear [First Name] [Last Name]”, avoids presuming how the recipient may identify, but it is not without some risk.  

If you use this approach, a recipient less attuned to thinking about gender inclusivity (and accustomed to seeing only “Dear [Mr./Ms] [Last Name]”) may wrongly conclude that you were unfamiliar with professional etiquette or that you used a mail merge template and did not bother to customize it.  While awareness around these issues is increasing, we believe that, unfortunately, it is still not a small number of recruiting representatives and attorneys who might draw the wrong conclusion.

One way to navigate this tricky situation might be to see if the recipient has an online presence (e.g., on the firm website or LinkedIn) that might give you a strong clue as to how they would like to be addressed.  Otherwise, you will need to make your own judgment as to whether recipients are more likely to recognize your inclusivity or to view the greeting as awkward or erroneous.

In our office, we are also working to help employers become familiar with gender-inclusive approaches like “Dear [First Name] [Last Name],” but like any process of education, this will take time. In the meantime, our primary goal is to make sure that all Berkeley Law students are fully informed as you navigate legal job markets. We are always available to discuss individually what approach would be the best fit for you.

First Paragraph. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and why you are writing. Introduce yourself as a law student (including the year you are in) or a graduate of Berkeley Law and specify what it is you are seeking: a summer job, an associate position, a clerkship, part-time work during the school year, etc.

The goal of this paragraph is to give the reader a reason to want to finish reading the letter. If you don’t have a personal connection to cite, try to establish a nexus between yourself and the employer, such as knowledge of their practice, an established commitment to or interest in their work, a connection to their city, or something else which conveys that you are not just writing to them as part of a mass mailing for any job in any location. (If that in fact is what you are doing, try not to be too obvious about it. An employer wants to think that you sought him or her out purposely rather than randomly.)

Body Paragraph(s). This is the section in which you “sell” your experience and qualifications to the employer. Your goal here is to answer the question, “Why should the employer meet you?”

Call attention to something which substantiates your interest in this particular employer. It could be coursework in their specialty, the recommendation of a professor in their area of practice, undergraduate residency in their city, or any other indication of your interest. Try also to show how your experiences will translate into skills which will be useful to this particular employer. Highlight relevant qualifications which are not on your resume, such as coursework, research, or a prior connection to the organization or the issues they work on. If you have general legal skills such as negotiation, litigation, client counseling, interviewing, mock trials, etc., you may want to include them. As much as possible, try to convey understanding of, and enthusiasm for, the aims of the organization.

Employers do not expect first-year students to have highly-developed legal skills to offer. Therefore, for first-year students writing to private firms, this section can be a single, short paragraph, unless you have a strong background in a relevant area. However, even inexperienced first-year students writing to public interest/sector organizations should make an effort to describe skills and interests that are relevant to the employer.

It is appropriate and not uncommon for a public interest cover letter to be somewhat more detailed or personal than a private sector cover letter. Of course, it is still very important to be concise, but it is acceptable for the letter to be a full page if your experience dictates. In a public interest cover letter, it is important both to highlight your demonstrated commitment to the mission/work/client base of the organization through your own relevant work or life experience, and to illustrate your relevant skills. Take another look at your resume for items that show your interest, commitment and skills. Even if you do not have experience in the specific area in which an organization works, it is still important to emphasize your demonstrated commitment to the public interest, and to draw connections between that general commitment and the specific work of the organization. As it is important not to merely regurgitate your resume, consider including a story that illustrates you are interested or qualified in the position.

If your application raises questions that are readily answered, such as availability after the Bar exam, judicial clerkship plans, etc., the letter can address those; other issues may be better deferred to the interview stage. Consult a CDO attorney-counselor if you’re not sure whether to include something in your cover letter.

Final Paragraph. In your last paragraph, thank them for their consideration, and say you hope to hear from them soon. For out-of-town employers, indicate when you plan to be in their geographic area and state your availability for an interview. Be sure to include your phone number and email in this paragraph unless you use a letterhead style that includes them at the top of the page. If you state that you will call the employer to follow up on your application, be sure you do so.

If you are bringing a cover letter to an on-campus interview (which you should do only if the employer requests you to), the content will be a bit different. You don’t need to introduce yourself, as you will be there in person, and you won’t request an interview at the closing. But you can thank the employer for interviewing you and say that you welcome the opportunity to learn more about the employer and to discuss the possibility of working for them. The important thing is to show why you are interested in this particular employer, and how you think your background makes you a good match for them.

The mistakes most commonly found in student cover letters are:

• Restating your resume. “ I graduated from the University of Oregon in 2005, with a B.A., cum laude, in Political Science, then worked as a substitute teacher in an urban high school before starting law school in the fall of 2008 .” Don’t waste space with facts that are readily gleaned from your resume! Instead, you could say (briefly) how your work experience led you to pursue a legal career in an area practiced by the employer.
• Focusing on what you stand to gain from the job . “ I am particularly interested in your firm’s excellent training program for summer associates, and in gaining exposure to a variety of different practice areas.” Remember, employers only grant interviews to candidates who offer something of potential use to the employer. Try to say how your skills and enthusiasm will help the employer serve its clients, or otherwise further its aims.
• Being too informal or familiar. “I’m thrilled by the possibility of working with you this summer, and would love to meet with you in person/by phone to chat about what the options might be.” Enthusiasm is good, but it must be presented professionally.

Other cover letter mistakes include: being defensive or apologetic; appearing arrogant or entitled, and being too long and wordy. Unsupported statements of your qualities (“I am highly motivated and a quick study”) do not help your case. Generic reasons for your interest in the employer (e.g., its “excellent reputation”) tend to demonstrate your lack of specific knowledge. Of course typos and inaccuracies, such as misspelled names, or (please!) stating an interest in a practice area that the firm doesn’t have, are automatic application-killers.

Our cover letter template  provides suggestions only; please do not feel excessively constrained by its approach. Your letter should, of course, be original work that reflects your unique background and the job you are aiming at.

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• Wolf Law Library
• Career Guides

Public Interest Law Career Guide

Portia L. Allen-Kyle, Advice to Thrive By: How to Use Your Resume and Cover Letter to Build Your Brand and Launch a Dynamic Public Interest Career (2022). Provides tips for crafting impactful resumes and cover letters for law students pursuing careers in public interest law. Publisher's Description KF299 .P8 A45 2022 (OCS)

Maria Armoudian, Lawyers Beyond Borders: Advancing International Human Rights Through Local Laws and Courts (2021). Reveals how human rights lawyers in the U.S. are advancing international human rights through civil litigation. Publisher's Description K3240 .A76 2021 (Law Library 2nd Floor)

Alan K. Chen & Scott L. Cummings, Public Interest Lawyering: A Contemporary Perspective (2013). Offers an in-depth analysis of public interest lawyering, covering NGOs, government agencies, and private firms. Addresses issues including ethics, the role of legal education, financing, and the globalization of public interest practice. Publisher's Description   KF299 .P8 C48 2013 (Law Library 2nd Floor)

Jefferson Decker, The Other Rights Revolution: Conservative Lawyers and the Remaking of American Government (2016). Explains how conservative lawyers have used public interest law firms to advance conservative causes. Full text on Oxford Scholarship Online KF299 .P8 D43 2016 (Law Library 2nd Floor)

Nicole Hallett, Becoming a Public Interest Lawyer (2022). A comprehensive guide for law students seeking a career in public interest law. Full text on West Academic

Earl Johnson, Jr., To Establish Justice for All: The Past and Future of Civil Legal Aid in the United States (2014). This three-volume set offers a detailed history of civil legal aid and analysis of its future prospects. KF336 .J64 2014 (Law Library 2nd Floor)

Kenneth A. Manaster, Alan W. Scheflin & Viva I. Harris, Pro Bono Practice & Legal Ethics (2016). Explores the challenges and rewards of pro bono work, with an emphasis on legal ethics. Publisher's Description KF299 .P8 M28 2016 (Law Library 2nd Floor)

Alfredo Mirande, Rascuache Lawyer: Toward a Theory of Ordinary Litigation  (2011). "Rascuache" is a Spanish word for "poor" or "wretched." The author describes his work representing rascuache clients and how he applies critical race theory to his day-to-day legal practice. Publisher's Description KF373 .M534 A3 2011 (Law Library 2nd Floor)

Jonathan Rapping, Gideon's Promise: A Public Defender Movement to Transform Criminal Justice (2020). Explains how public defenders can take a more active role in criminal justice reform. Publisher's Description KF9646 .R37 2020 (Law Library 2nd Floor)

Daniel Sheehan, The People's Advocate: The Life and Legal History of America's Most Fearless Public Interest Lawyer (2013). An autobiography from an eminent cause lawyer who was involved in several historic cases including litigation over the Watergate and Iran/Contra scandals. Publisher's Description   KF373 .S485 A3 2013 (Law Library 2nd Floor)

Michael E. Tigar, Sensing Injustice: A Lawyer's Life in the Battle for Change (2021). An autobiography by a prominent human rights lawyer known for representing controversial clients. Publisher's Description KF373 .T58 A3 2021 (Law Library 2nd Floor)

Cara Bayles, How Some Attys Are Ditching BigLaw for Public Interest Work , Law360, Sept. 13, 2020. Many law school graduates gravitate towards BigLaw to help pay off their law school debt, but still have an interest in someday pursuing a career in public interest law. This article explains how lawyers make the transition from BigLaw to public interest work.

Kara Blomquist, Beyond the Pay Gap: 5 Tips for Creating a Financially Viable Future in Public Interest Law , Student Lawyer, Nov.-Dec. 2018, at 17. Practical advice on the pay gap between nonprofit organizations and large law firms.

Scott L. Cummings, Movement Lawyering , 27 Indiana J. Global Leg. Studies 87 (2020). Explores the rise of "movement lawyering," an alternative model of public interest advocacy that integrates legal and political strategies.

Syeda Davidson, Don't Tell Me I Had to Start Somewhere , TYL, Fall 2014, at 10. A young lawyer who worked for legal aid challenges the perception that legal aid jobs are undesirable. 

Jenna Greene, Defending Legal Services , American Lawyer, July 2017, at 28. In an interview, the President of Legal Services Corp. talks about the survival of government-funded legal services under the Trump administration.

Gabrielle Orum Hernandez, A High-Tech Helping Hand , American Lawyer, June 2017, at L4. "Bar associations across the country are seeking technology platforms to help mobilize attorneys and create a more resilient legal assistance community."

Marianne Engelman Lado & Kenneth Rumelt, Pipeline Struggles: Case Studies in Ground Up Lawyering , 45 Harv. Env't Law Review 377 (2021). Using the battle over oil and gas pipelines as an example, this article examines how lawyers can support community-led efforts in environmental justice and explores the relationship between legal work and community-based movements.

Mary Beth Schluckebier, Movement Lawyering: Using People Power to Promote Change , The Legal Intelligencer, Sept. 20, 2021, at 7. Examines the history and current state of movement lawyering, also known as community or political lawyering. The author describes her own work for Philadelphia's Public Interest Law Center to support the rights of renters.

Sandra Simkins, The "Pink Ghettos" of Public Interest Law: An Open Secret , 68 Buffalo L. Rev. 857 (2020). Addresses the challenges women face in public interest legal careers.

Symposium, Rebellious Lawyering at 25 , 23 Clinical L. Rev. 471 (2017). Nine articles on the culture and practice of progressive public interest law.

Debra Cassens Weiss, How Much Do New Public Interest Lawyers Earn? Despite Raises, Pay Is Well Below that of Law Firms, NALP Says , ABA Journal, June 22, 2022. A brief report on median salaries for public interest lawyers.

Ashley Zink et al, Why I Do Public Interest Work , Student Lawyer, Jan.-Feb. 2019, at 14. A collection of nine statements from law students explaining why they chose a public interest career path.

Dialogue: The Magazine of the ABA Division for Legal Services Quarterly. Chicago: ABA Division for Legal Services On the Web at: https://www.americanbar.org/content/aba/groups/legal_services/publications/dialogue.html  

Organizations & Websites

ABA Division for Legal Services 321 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL 60610 tel: (800) 285-2221 The Division works to improve access for all to legal services. It offers periodicals, directories, and other information for lawyers. Within the Division, 11 committees and commissions focus on different aspects of legal services.

Equal Justice Works 1730 M St. N.W., Ste. 800 Washington, D.C. 20036 tel: (202) 466-3686 e-mail: [email protected]      “Equal Justice Works organizes, trains and supports public service-minded law students and is the national leader in creating summer and postgraduate public interest jobs.” Their website includes a searchable database of public interest law career opportunities.

Harvard Law School Office of Public Interest Advising: Job Search Toolkit This free site offers an overview of public interest work and provides detailed job search advice, including interview tips and sample resumes and cover letters.

Legal Services Corporation 3333 K St. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20007 tel: (202) 295-1500 This nonprofit corporation is the single largest funder of civil legal aid. Their website includes information on meetings and events, career and internship opportunities, online resources for legal aid attorneys, and a blog.

National Legal Aid and Defender Association 1901 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Ste. 500 Washington, D.C. 20006 tel: (202) 452-0620 e-mail: [email protected] NLADA is the largest and oldest organization for legal professionals who serve low-income clients. They provide support for their members, information for the public, and take part in legislative efforts.

PSJD: Your Pathway to Public Service Legal Careers 1220 19th St. NW, Ste. 401 Washington, D.C. 20036-2405 tel: (202) 296-0076 e-mail: [email protected] PSJD offers a database of nonprofit organizations and job opportunities in public interest law. The database covers internships, postgraduate fellowships, and permanent positions. Students at William & Mary Law School may create a PSJD account for free.

Photo:  Associated Press

University of Georgia

Cover Letters/Letters of Interest

Cover letters or letters of interest are the letters that accompany a job application, either in response to a job listing or inquiring about the possibility of unadvertised work.  They provide a bridge between your resume and the specific employer.  Don't overlook the importance of this valuable part of the job application.

General considerations

CDO counselors are always happy to review drafts of your letters. 

When applying to jobs through LawDawgDash , you are not required to upload a cover letter unless the employer requests one.  However, you may want to submit one if there is key information that may be crucial to their hiring decision (e.g., your geographic tie to their community) that is not already reflected in your resume.

Formatting tips

Cover letters and letters of interest almost always follow the same substantive structure:

• Paragraph 1:  Explain who you are and why you are writing.
• Paragraph 2:  Connect your skills and interests to the employer.  Draw from your resume, but do not regurgitate all of the information.  Be selective and concise.  Use brief, concrete examples.  Illustrate why you will be valuable to them.  Highlight your work experience, law school activities, volunteer experience, etc.
• Paragraph 3:  Conclude.  Identify any attachments to your letter, if not already done.  Indicate what the next step will be.  For example, let them know when you plan to be in their area, or if you will follow up or be available for an interview.  Thank them for their consideration of your application or request.

See the basic format with annotations .

• Keep the letter to one page, if at all possible.
• Keep your writing simple.  Avoid run-on sentences and passive voice.
• Avoid cliches, flowery adjectives, and colloquialisms.
• Show a real interest in the employer.  Don't just recycle their website.

Sample letters

• Job Posting/ No Contact Name
• Seeking Career Advice
• Summer Judicial Internship
• Unsolicited Application

Contacting an employer by email

Do not simply cut and paste your cover letter into the body of an email when contacting a prospective employer.  Instead, use a shorter, more direct message ( see sample email ).  Make sure to attach your resume and any other application documents in PDF format to avoid any formatting changes between computer programs.

Public interest cover letters

See the Public Interest Career Guide for excellent cover letter examples for public interest opportunities.

Public Interest Job Search Strategies

The basic steps of the job search process are fully discussed in Step by Steps for 1Ls . However, there are a few points of the public interest job search process that merit special mention here. 1. Self-Assessment 2. Credentials 3. Résumés and Cover Letters 4. Interviews 5. Meeting the Challenges of a Fluctuating Market

Section Menu

1. Self-Assessment

In charting your career path, you should start by determining your values, needs, and aspirations. Recognize your own strengths and abilities. Analyzing past experiences and current interests will help you understand what fulfills you, so that you can ultimately find gratifying work. With so many public interest options, but limited job search time, you can target potential employers in a realistic manner, based on the results of your self-assessment.

In addition to helping you find professional satisfaction; self-assessment has a very practical application. When interviewing for public interest positions, it is imperative that you demonstrate your commitment to and passion for public interest work. The process of self-assessment should help you articulate your desire to work in the public sector more effectively. You must also demonstrate what you can offer the organization or agency. In a tight market, the more time you spend figuring out what makes you stand out from the crowd, the better your chances for success will be. Therefore, your mental work in thinking about your skills, values, and goals and how they relate to public interest careers will prepare you to sell yourself at an interview. Your prior public interest employment and activities will allow you to showcase relevant skills, knowledge, and commitment.

2. Credentials

Public interest employers are likely to seek a wide range of credentials and qualities for summer and permanent employment. For public interest job seekers, experience, commitment, and personal qualities are the basic components of the “package” that is presented to a prospective legal employer. Employers want to know that you are committed to public interest work and that you are concerned about the issues they handle and the clients they serve. Although the phrase “building your credentials” makes the process sound mechanical and perhaps superficial, it isn’t. The challenge of building one’s professional credentials can be an exciting, educational experience.

3. Résumés and Cover Letters

As in all types of job searches, your résumé for a public interest job is a snapshot of your education, experience, and special skills. For public interest jobs, you must convey a strong interest and commitment to the job. Be sure to include other previous public interest experience. While direct experience in a public interest practice area is not a prerequisite, most employers look for a demonstrated commitment to public interest generally and, if possible, to their issue or the clients they serve. In addition, you must show that your education, employment, and volunteer work have allowed you to develop skills and experience that relate to the duties of the position. Direct service organizations, for example, are looking for people who have experience interviewing and working with clients. For more information on resumes, review the CDO’s resume advice page .

Your cover letter is an essential opportunity to demonstrate who you are and to convince an employer that you are passionate about their issue/client/advocacy and qualified for the position. Public interest employers generally read cover letters and often think of it as an additional writing sample. Take the time to make the connection between your past experiences and current career goals without just repeating the information on your résumé. A public interest cover letter is typically a full-page in length.

Your cover letter should include who you are (I’m a first-year student at Yale Law School), what you want (seeking a summer internship) and whether you have funding. If you spoke to a past intern or met someone from that office at a presentation, do include that information in your cover letter. Public interest employers are less concerned with grades and more concerned with what relevant experience you have had and your genuine public interest goals. For more information on cover letters, review the CDO’s advice webpage on cover letters .

4. Interviews

The interview is your chance to impress the public interest employer. Interviews for summer placements are usually less formal than those for permanent positions. Some consist of a short telephone conversation on the phone and some public interest employers even hire 1Ls volunteers on the basis of the résumé and cover letter alone, but most employers will want to speak with candidates to assess their fit for the office and its work

The key to a good interview is to prepare: research the organization and its current work, talk to students who have worked there, and practice answering interview questions. Knowledgeable questions about the current work of the organization are bound to engage the interviewers. These questions should also help you decide whether the organization fits with your interests and goals. CDO conducts a program on interview techniques and a mock interview program to help you refine your interviewing skills. In addition, CDO counselors are available to answer specific questions. Consult the CDO interview page and participate in CDO’s mock interview programs offered throughout the year.

Public interest employers typically are not able to reimburse you for travel expenses to the interview. If you cannot afford to travel to an interview, do not be discouraged but instead ask for a telephone interview. If you are a 2L, 3L or LLM, CDO’s TRI PI (Travel Reimbursement for Interviews in the Public Interest) program provides for some reimbursement of interview expenses for those seeking public interest work. For more information, visit the TRI PI program website .  

5. Meeting the Challenges of a Fluctuating Market

Like every sector of the job market, the public interest sector fluctuates. However, if a particular arena of the public interest market is in decline, another may be doing well. Public defender offices often hire a “class” of recent graduates and some legal services office in major cities have had a recent influx of funding to support hiring new attorneys for eviction defense. The key to surviving a tough market is flexibility. Consider the following strategies.

Short-Term Post-Graduate Opportunities . Find clerkships, fellowships, or other short-term post-graduate opportunities. These jobs can make you more desirable to public interest employers and give you valuable skills for later use.

Government Opportunities. Work for an expanding federal, state, or local government. The government depends less on fundraising than nonprofits do and often has a consistent hiring process from year to year. The government sector, however, can fluctuate, particularly during times of economic downturn, and some local or state governments will hire while others will downsize.

Look into Less Populated Areas. Consider legal aid, public defender, or local prosecutor jobs in less populated locations.

Find a Job that Requires Similar Skills to your Ideal Job. For example, if you’d like to be a housing attorney with the Legal Aid Society of New York but it is in a hiring freeze, you may want to look into housing advocacy/tenant group jobs, other direct services organizations working with individual clients and build litigation skills, or find policy or public advocacy position in the housing area. All these options will make you a more desirable candidate when the freeze is lifted.

Join an Official “Volunteer” Program. Work at the Peace Corps , at one of Equal Justice Works summer programs , or a similar volunteer program.

Join the ABA and State and Local Bar Associations. You can serve on committees in these bar associations that touch on your particular public service field. In addition to networking, you’ll have the opportunity to do good work and stay on top of emerging trends.

Do Pro Bono Work. If you can’t find paying work in the nonprofit or government sector, consider volunteering with your favorite nonprofit while you continue to search. This provides great experience, hopefully a good reference, and valuable networking opportunities.

Consider Working at a Public Interest Law firm or a Private Law Firm to do pro bono work.  Such a position can provide you with interesting work and increase your legal skills for a later job hunt.

Start Your Own Nonprofit or Private Public Interest Firm. This requires a significant time investment but is possible.

Suggested Timetables for Public Interest Job Search Activities

First year students, second year students, third year students.

Careers in Public Interest and Government

Defining public interest law practice.

Public Interest Job Search Resources

Mentoring Program

Postgraduate Entry-Level Employment Data

We educated, privileged lawyers have a professional and moral duty to represent the underrepresented in our society, to ensure that justice exists for all, both legal and economic justice.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor

The John and Terry Levin Center for Public Service and Public Interest Law at Stanford Law School serves as the hub of all public interest programs at the Law School. Levin Center staff work with students and alumni to develop summer and long-term job searches at public interest organizations, government agencies, as well as at private public interest law firms.

We can help you clarify your professional goals, identify a timeline that makes the most sense for your particular job search, review resumes and cover letters, offer mock interviews, and consult with you as you evaluate offers. We also administer public interest scholarships, summer internship funds, and postgraduate fellowships. Current students are invited to attend the workshops, panels, substantive skills trainings, and other activities we sponsor throughout the year.

We urge you to review our Public Interest Job Search Resources before meeting with a Levin Center advisor. To schedule an appointment, please contact an advisor directly via email. We welcome current students and alumni to set up an appointment.

How can you connect with others who share your interests? We rely on faculty, alumni, and upper-class students to provide guidance and help mentor incoming students through our Public Interest Mentoring program .

Please note that the Office of Career Services  (OCS) works with students and alumni pursuing summer and long-term job searches with private sector employers including traditional large law firms, corporations, investment banks and consulting firms. OCS also assists students seeking judicial externships and clerkships.

Postgraduate Entry-Level Advising

Postgraduate fellowship and government honors programs frequently provide the best avenue to enter public interest law practice immediately upon graduating or after clerking. The Levin Center develops individual plans with each student about how to best engage in these processes. Stanford law graduates have been very successful in obtaining Skadden, Equal Justice Works, and other fellowships to begin their careers in nonprofits, as well as being offered entry-level attorney positions with various governmental agencies like the U.S. Department of Justice’s Honors Program.

Stanford Law School also offers several postgraduate public interest fellowships for recent Stanford Law School graduates. These fellowships help our JD alumni launch their public interest careers through a paid one-year fellowship in a law-related endeavor designed to further the public interest.

• Stanford Law School Fellowships  (multiple positions)
• Stanford Law School International Fellowships (two positions)
• Stanford Law School Criminal Defense Fellowship  (one position)
• Stanford Law School Civitas Fellowship  (one position)
• The Sullivan and Cromwell Fellowship at Public Counsel (one position)

The Levin Center administers all of these programs except for the Sullivan and Cromwell Fellowship (which is designated for an SLS graduate but administered externally). We provide each SLS Fellow with a $60,000 grant (which includes salary and the same fringe benefits to which an employee of the host organization would be entitled). SLS’ Loan Repayment Assistance Program will provide additional funds to meet educational loan repayment obligations during the fellowship year. Only SLS JD alumni are eligible to apply for all fellowships and the Loan Repayment Assistance Program. Graduates from our Advanced Degree programs are eligible to apply for the International Fellowships.

Other resources This list includes the names of some of the public interest employers where entry-level Stanford Law School alumni have begun their public service careers in recent years.

Alumni Career Advising

It is not uncommon for a graduate committed to achieving a career in the non-profit or government sectors to spend some time at a private law firm at the beginning of their career. Economic, personal, and other reasons may dictate this path for some. We work with our graduates of all experience levels who request help creating a career plan, evaluating options and possible timelines for transition, ensuring that pro bono remains a constant part of their work, and thinking through the issues that will need to be addressed to achieve their long-term goals.

Schedule an appointment The Levin Center remains a resource for alumni after graduation. Whether you’re seeking a public interest position after a judicial clerkship, hoping to move from the private sector into a public sector position, or transitioning to a different public interest job, please contact one of the Levin Center advisors directly to schedule an appointment.

Sign up for job bulletins We can help identify prospective employers, connect you with alumni practicing in the same field, review resumes and cover letters, and help you prepare for interviews. We also publish a weekly e-bulletin of public interest job announcements which you can sign up for on the LinkedIn Stanford Law School group page . Once your request to join the SLS page has been approved, please subscribe to the subgroup, Postgraduate Public Interest Job Announcement s.

You may also contact the Office of Career Services for access to on-line job announcements, assistance in seeking reciprocity from another law school’s career services office, and general job search assistance for private sector job searches.

Serve as a Public Interest Alumni Mentor Finally, if you are not already serving as a public interest alumni mentor, please consider joining. We maintain a list of alumni across the country who are willing to provide mentoring to public interest students on a one-on-one basis, typically in the form of phone calls but sometimes in-person meetings when students are visiting or interning in a city. Students interested in particular fields, geographic areas, or in speaking to alumni from similar backgrounds make use of this network to ask questions about career planning, fellowship and clerkship applications, and how to make the most of their law school experience. Simply email Levin Center staff if you’d like to participate.

Post a job announcement If you have any internship, fellowship, or employment opportunities, please upload them to Symplicity first. We aren’t allowed to post it for you because employers must affirmatively agree to the nondiscrimination statement. You can create an employer account on Symplicity and upload your announcement for free. Once it has been uploaded to Symplicity, we can include it in our weekly postgraduate fellowship/entry-level Government Honors bulletin (which is published throughout the year) or the internship bulletin for students (which is published from fall to spring when our students are most actively looking for such opportunities).

Update your alumni directory profile Lastly, if you haven’t already, we encourage to sign up on the alumni directory , which now allows for joining and posting to groups such as your class year group. It also allows you to create your own group and invite others to join.

There are six primary practice settings where lawyers can work in the public service and are discussed generally below. Yet students should be aware that there are many lawyers working in public service but in less traditional roles that capitalize on their legal training, analytical skills, and writing ability. These roles may rely on a host of other non-legal skills and oftentimes do not arise from taking a predictable path.

Some examples might be:

• Serving as the chief executive officer (or other roles that are not limited to candidates with law degrees) for a nonprofit organization or philanthropic foundation • Working to implement programs at a nonprofit organization that does not provide legal services to clients • Proposing policy changes as a staff member of a legislative representative’s office or other governmental entity • Serving as a public official (whether elected or appointed) • Reporting on legal issues for a media outlet

Examples of Employers: Senate Judiciary Committee, Ford Foundation, New York State Assembly, Greenpeace, NPR

Non-Profit Direct Services

Non-profit impact litigation, civil governmental practice, criminal practice, private public interest law firms, international public interest.

A variety of non-profit organizations provide representation to clients, most of whom are indigent, in different kinds of cases. Many of our first-year law students will be exposed to one or more types of direct service practice through participation in our Pro Bono Program.

Some examples of this kind of practice are:

• Representing indigent clients in eviction or government benefits proceedings • Helping engage in public outreach regarding changes in immigration law • Advocating for a student with disabilities within the school system to enforce their legal rights to an Individual Education Plan

Examples of Employers: Bay Area Legal Aid, Bronx Defenders, California Rural Legal Assistance, AIDS Legal Referral Panel

• You will get a lot of client contact on a regular (if not daily) basis
• You will feel like you are making a meaningful difference every day as you work with your clients to solve their problems
• No two days are alike
• Low pay compared to other sectors
• Limited opportunities to do extensive research and writing
• High volume of cases can create immense pressure
• Nonprofits rarely hire staff attorneys directly from law school. Instead, they rely heavily on external funders to support entry-level attorneys in limited term fellowships. Many Stanford Law School alumni have begun their careers at nonprofits focused on direct legal services thanks to the support of a funder like the Skadden Foundation, Equal Justice Works, and Stanford Law School. Students should consider volunteering at nonprofits during their summers and possibly during the school year to build strong relationships with prospective fellowship host organizations.

A different kind of public interest practice focuses on using litigation—-the outcome of which will have a broader impact than on just the individual client in an individual case. This can be accomplished through class action lawsuits as well as through individual cases that challenge a government policy or administrative process that, if successful, could result in broad-based change.

• Litigation that seeks to stop implementation of an initiative that would prohibit undocumented immigrant children from attending public schools • Litigation that establishes a national class of women who claim they have been discriminated against by Wal-Mart and seek damages as well as policy changes • Litigation against the federal government for failing to implement sections of the Clean Water Act

Examples of Employers: Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Brennan Center for Justice, Natural Resources Defense Council, Legal Momentum, Legal Assistance Centre (Namibia)

• You will work on systemic change that will protect the statutory and constitutional rights of vulnerable communities
• You will get to do extensive research and writing on cutting edge legal issues
• Limited opportunities for client contact
• Slow pace of litigation can mean it takes years to see results
• Nonprofits rarely hire staff attorneys directly from law school. Instead, they rely heavily on external funders to support entry-level attorneys in limited term fellowships. Many Stanford Law School alumni have begun their careers at nonprofits focused on impact litigation thanks to the support of a funder like the Skadden Foundation, Equal Justice Works, and Stanford Law School. Students should consider volunteering at nonprofits during their summers and possibly during the school year to build strong relationships with prospective fellowship host organizations.

Lawyers are involved at every level of government (federal, state, regional, and local) in a broad range of activities that can include both defending and enforcing government policies, as well as developing new government practices.

Some examples of this kind of practice include:

• State Attorney General suing the tobacco industry to establish liability and obtain damages for health problems of the state’s residents related to tobacco use • Defending a Redevelopment Authority plan to change zoning designations of a neighborhood or defending a county sheriff’s office being sued for police misconduct • The Environmental Protection Agency filing suit against manufacturers of toxic chemicals for dumping waste products into public waters • Drafting and interpreting international agreements on behalf of the government

Examples of Employers: New York City Law Department, California Attorney General, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, U.S. State Department

• You may get to do extensive research and writing on cutting edge legal issues
• You may represent the government in enforcing important public rights
• You have more resources to support your work compared to nonprofits
• Lower pay compared to the private sector
• More limited opportunities for client contact
• You may be asked to defend laws you personally oppose.
• A growing number of governmental agencies offer governmental honors programs targeting entry-level attorneys. The most well-known program is the U.S. Department of Justice's Honors Program. The majority of those hires are for attorneys willing to move to Washington, DC. There are also some state and local government hiring programs, too. Students should consider volunteering at government agencies during their summers and possibly during the school year to build strong relationships with them.

You are likely most familiar with this type of law practice. Lawyers may work on the local, state, federal, or international level when engaging in criminal prosecution or criminal defense practice. Counties and states have criminal prosecution agencies and often have criminal defense agencies (although many smaller jurisdictions rely on a panel system where private attorneys are appointed to represent indigent clients). There are also federal prosecutors and defenders. In international settings, lawyers may work at criminal tribunals or in the criminal policy departments of intergovernmental agencies. This type of practice primarily involves individual client representation or prosecution. On the federal level, however, it may include broad-based prosecution of an entire industry.

Examples of Employers: Federal Defenders of San Diego, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Manhattan District Attorney’s office, Public Defender Service of the District of Columbia, UN Office on Drugs and Crime, International Criminal Court

• You will likely get the most opportunity for court time by representing the government or an indigent client in trials and/or appeals
• You may get to do extensive research and writing if you're working at the federal level
• You may have more resources to support your work compared to nonprofits
• Criminal lawyers at the state/county level often handle high case volumes despite limited resources
• There is a risk of emotional burnout from the types of cases you handle
• Only a minority of criminal law governmental agencies hire entry-level attorneys before graduation and/or Bar passage. The most well-known program is the U.S. Department of Justice's Honors Program. The majority of those hires are for attorneys willing to move to Washington, DC as the U.S. Attorney's Program, while part of DOJ, does not normally hire entry-level Assistant U.S. Attorneys. There are also some state and local government hiring programs, too. These include opportunities to be hired outright as a trial attorney, although some offices in competitive markets like the San Francisco Bay Area tend to offer "post-Bar law clerk" programs where graduates are expected to volunteer (or work for very low pay) until they pass the Bar. Once they are active members of the Bar, they are eligible to apply for trial attorney positions. Students should consider volunteering at government agencies during their summers and possibly during the school year to build strong relationships with them.
• Some lawyers begin their criminal defense careers by joining small criminal defense firms or applying to be court-appointed panel attorneys. Others choose to open their own small criminal defense firm after first gaining experience elsewhere.

There is a growing segment of law practice that takes place within a private firm practice but pursues what are traditionally considered public interest issues.

Examples of this kind of practice include:

• Union-side labor law firms • Law firms that will only represent plaintiffs in discrimination cases • Law firms that will only represent defendants in criminal cases

There is a wide range of firms that engage in this type of practice.

Examples of Employers: Altshuler Berzon LLP, Bredhoff & Kaiser PLLC, Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady LLP, Leonard Carder LLP; Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C., Neufeld Scheck & Brustin LLP, Phillips and Cohen LLP, Relman Dane & Colfax PLLC, Sanford Heisler LLP; Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP; and Strumwasser & Woocher LLP

• Higher salaries compared to nonprofits with similarly rewarding work
• You may get to do extensive research and writing
• Lower pay compared to the corporate sector
• Reliance on court-awarded attorneys' fees for prevailing plaintiffs may mean declining to represent plaintiffs whose defendants lack deep pockets
• Private public interest law firms' hiring practices can vary widely. Some offer limited term fellowships to entry-level attorneys, even making offers to students who have not yet graduated. Others prefer to hire laterals or at least someone with 1-2 years of clerkships. Students should consider working at private public interest law firms during their summers and possibly during the school year to build strong relationships with them. Most firms will only accept 2L summer associates, while some will accept applications from 1Ls. Most are paid positions but some very small firms do not offer pay.

Virtually every legal topic–from commercial law to intellectual property law, from public health law to national security law–has international aspects. In many instances there are public international law regimes that govern certain aspects of the field. In addition, focused comparative law analysis of foreign legal systems can be an important dimension of the field and practice.

It is difficult to cover all possible career options here. If you are considering practicing in the international arena, it is critical that you connect with advising at the Levin Center (contact Kevin Lo ) as well as engage in further research and reflection to focus your training and the scope of your job search.

Some examples of international public interest legal practice include:

• International legal work for the US government • Domestic or international legal work for a foreign government • Legal counsel work at an intergovernmental organization such as the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund etc. which regularly addresses both public international law and comparative law questions • Human rights monitoring, litigation and advocacy work at a non-governmental organization • Litigation, advocacy and capacity-building work at a non-governmental organization that works in transitional societies advancing rule of law and human rights

Examples of Employers: US State Department, US Treasury Department, Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, Chilean Ministry of Finance, The Supreme Court of Rwanda, the United Nations, The World Bank, The International Finance Corporation, Human Rights Watch, Center for Justice and Accountability, PILNet, American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative

Working in transitional countries can be extremely rewarding, both personally and professionally. Frequently, the policymakers and citizens of that country are in the process of making very fundamental decisions about the structure and function of the legal system and there is an opportunity to have a significant impact on those decisions as a practitioner of rule of law and human rights. In the field, relatively inexperienced lawyers are often able to take on more responsibility and enjoy more autonomy and access to decision makers than would be the case at a more established and stable working environment in the US. The opportunity to travel internationally and to immerse one’s self in different cultures and languages is another advantage of this type of practice.

Working conditions can be unstable and chaotic, even dangerous. Some inexperienced lawyers are concerned, depending on the organization and role, that they do not receive the best training and mentoring opportunities. Lawyers are often expected to take on a great deal of responsibility for their work and to represent their organization’s mission and interest, sometimes before they feel fully prepared to do so. Frequent international travel and field assignments can make work-life balance difficult to achieve.

There is no single or guaranteed pathway to a career in international public interest practice because of the great diversity of this work and because many of the employers in this field have fewer resources than private firms to offer formal training for new attorneys. While there are some entry level positions, it is often necessary to take short-term positions, seek work as a consultant, or apply for fellowships or grants to fund your work. Despite the competitive market, you will be able to create opportunities but only with flexibility and persistence.

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Cover letters and e-mail correspondence.

Drafting Effective Cover Letters and E-mail Correspondence

A cover letter informs an employer  why you are interested in working for their organization and why they should hire you . It should highlight your credentials and background as tailored to that employer. An informative, error-free cover letter sets a positive tone for the person reviewing your resume and credentials.

Be specific, but concise.

A cover letter should never sound like a form letter. Always take the time to write a cover letter tailored to the individual employer. If you are responding to a job announcement or posting, make sure that your letter details how your background or experience fits with the specific hiring criteria mentioned in the posting. Do not just reiterate issues already listed on the resume. If you are writing to the hiring partner or the head of a specific group, make sure to explain how you believe you fit with that group.

A well-written cover letter  should :

• Detail your specific background and strengths that match the needs of the employer;
• Add relevant information that is not on your resume; and
• When appropriate, indicate your reasons for geographical preference, if not apparent from your resume.

Post-interview correspondence–which may include thank-you notes and letters accepting or declining offers of employment–should be similarly tailored, specific, and error-free. Any post-interview correspondence should provide enough information to evoke the relationship you have established with the recipient and to fulfill the purpose of the correspondence (generally, either getting or giving information or thanks), and then should conclude gracefully, respecting the reader’s time.

In additional to our high-level overview below, please refer to the  Career Manual for a detailed discussion of cover letters and e-mail correspondence.  It provides additional information on drafting cover letters and e-mails and examples of different types of correspondence. It is highly recommended that LL.M. students consult the relevant chapter of the Career Manual when writing, editing, and formatting their written correspondence. For additional guidance in drafting your cover letters and e-mails, we recommend you review our samples of different kinds of correspondence.

Cover Letter Format

Cover letters should be written in general business letter style and printed on high-quality bond paper that matches your resume paper and envelopes. A one-page cover letter is sufficient for any job. See information below regarding content of individual paragraphs.

Also, please bear in mind that some non-profit organizations have started to ask for longer personal statements (or statements of interest). In this case, the one-page letter may take a different form, as some of the information set out below will need to be included in the personal statement rather than in the cover letter.

If you are sending your application materials in by e-mail, save your cover letter as a PDF file and attach it to your e-mail. This will allow you to retain your formatting when the employer prints out the document.

Cover Letter Content

A cover letter should include the following sections:

• Addresses (yours, then the employer’s)
• Introduction
• Concluding paragraph

Post-interview correspondence should follow the same general format, but may not need a separate introduction, body, and concluding paragraph.  If the subject of the correspondence is limited–a brief thank you, for example, or a quick question or response to a request–then a single paragraph might include both the introduction and the body, and perhaps even the conclusion.

Address and Employer Salutation

Your address should contain the following lines:

• A two-line address
• Your current phone number
• Your e-mail address

For example:

Your Name 207 P Street, NW Washington, DC 20008 (202) 555-0000 [email protected]

You may also choose to format your header in the same style as your resume.

You should then leave a couple of lines and add the current date in this format: October 14, 20XX.

In the employer address area, you should include the name and the title of the person to receive the letter, followed by the employer’s name and address (please do not forget to include the zip code). Whenever possible, your cover letter should be addressed to a specific individual, such as the hiring attorney, recruitment administrator or intern coordinator. If you do not know the name of the particular individual, call the firm or organization and ask to whom you should address your cover letter.

Ms. Nan Hunter Hiring Partner Hunter, Collins & Associates Suite 10 600 New Jersey Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20000

Body of Cover Letters

A cover letter normally should contain three or four short paragraphs—an opening paragraph, followed by the “heart” of the letter (one or two paragraphs) and a closing paragraph. Each paragraph should be no more than seven sentences, preferably less than five.

These middle paragraphs of the cover letter should collectively reflect your unique abilities and qualifications in a manner that sets you apart from other applicants. Tailor the discussion of your skills and career interests as much as possible to the employer—its work, location, size, reputation, etc. Many employers, particularly public interest organizations, prefer cover letters that discuss your background and commitment to the constituencies and/or issues the employer represents.

General Guidance on E-mails

Employers often request that students communicate with them by e-mail. Always treat e-mail correspondence as you would treat a hard copy of a cover letter or resume. Many employers view an e-mail as a writing sample, so pay attention to grammar rules, spelling and punctuation. Remember that e-mails are meant to be brief, yet professional, and should provide the reader with an immediate sense of what you are trying to communicate.

Write clear, short paragraphs and be direct and to the point. Always choose a professional typeface. We suggest that you keep your formatting simple so that it does not detract from the actual message you have written.

When using e-mail to assist you in the job search, always keep the reader in mind. Your first thought should be “who will be reading my e-mail?” Consider the reader’s position, organization and potential needs and objectives. You should use e-mail as a method of first contact to employers only when an employer specifically invites or suggests doing so in the instructions on the employer’s website, in a job announcement or in verbal advice after an informational interview.

The tone of a job search or business-related e-mail should always be professional. Never use the casual language that you would typically use in e-mails to family and friends. Be friendly and cordial, but do not try to joke around. This may be inappropriate or may not come off in the right way in an e-mail. You can never go wrong by letting professionalism be your guide. When in doubt, err on the side of formality.

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• Specifically, the final rule provides that it is an unfair method of competition—and therefore a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act—for employers to enter into noncompetes with workers after the effective date.
• Fewer than 1% of workers are estimated to be senior executives under the final rule.
• Specifically, the final rule defines the term “senior executive” to refer to workers earning more than $151,164 annually who are in a “policy-making position.”
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• New business formation: 2.7% increase in the rate of new firm formation, resulting in over 8,500 additional new businesses created each year.
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• This represents an estimated increase of 11-19% annually over a ten-year period.
• The average worker’s earnings will rise an estimated extra $524 per year. 

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