Jobs & RFPs

It is an impossible task for many law students to understand how to begin a career in legal aid. One of the ways many recent graduates are able to start a career - importantly before they pass the California Bar Exam and are a licensed attorney - is through an external fellowship program, such as the Skadden Fellowship, the Equal Justice Works Fellowship, or the Borchard Foundation Fellowship. There are a smaller number of “bridge fellowship” programs that support recent graduates for a short period before they get their bar results. The fellowship application process is confusing, and it is difficult to learn which legal aid or immigration nonprofit would be willing to hire a recent graduate. Similarly, it is challenging for legal services organizations to connect with law students who may be interested in working in their offices without those organizations expending a lot of time and energy. This is especially challenging for organizations that serve rural Californians.

After consultation and focus groups with legal services organizations, law school career services staff, law students, and recent grads, LAAC will consult with the web development contractor to build an online platform to strengthen the new attorney pipeline. Importantly, in the fall of their second year, many law students interview for summer positions that ultimately turn into their career. The platform will make it easier for law students to start their career in legal aid by: 

• Explaining the processes to apply for various fellowship programs 
• Describe alternatives to fellowship programs 
• Identify organizations that hire new graduates before they pass the bar exam 
• Match applicants with potential employers - we envision this as an AI-supported tool that requires a log-in, not a general purpose AI tool, that matches students’ experience, skills, and interests with the needs of legal aid employers throughout California.
• Provide resources for organizations eager to hire recent graduates 
• Serve as a tool for law school career services staff to support their students in starting a career in legal aid