About Public Law Center

The Public Law Center is committed to providing access to justice for low-income residents of Orange County, California. Through volunteers and staff, the Public Law Center provides free civil legal services, including counseling, individual representation, community education, and strategic litigation and advocacy to challenge societal injustices. 

We will accept at least one law clerk per project.

General Job Duties

Client Interaction:  Perform new case intake interviews; contact clients for follow-up through interviews and telephone calls; perform fact gathering; present new cases at weekly Case Acceptance meetings.

Legal research & writing:  Prepare opening case memos; draft correspondence, pleadings, and motions.

Pro Bono Support:  Assist in drafting manuals, samples, and educational presentations to support pro bono attorneys working on PLC cases.  Prepare cases for placement.

Community Education and Outreach:  Research legal issues; prepare client education materials; assist in conducting presentations to clients.

All positions will be on a hybrid schedule in Santa Ana, California.

Specific Project Duties

In addition to the general duties described above, each law student will be assigned to one of the following available projects.

Affordable Housing and Land Use Advocacy

Assist in monitoring city actions to ensure compliance with approved, adopted housing elements and other state land use laws. Research and investigate potential violations. Assist with advocacy efforts to improve local and state-wide affordable housing production and land use policies including potentially working with community groups advocating for affordable housing and emergency shelters. Research and investigate fair housing issues and policies and programs that foster patterns of segregation. Assist with ongoing litigation related to Housing Element and land use compliance and preparation for additional litigation. 1 UNPAID POSITION AVAILABLE. 

Consumer 

Assist with consumer matters, including debt collection (harassment and defense), bankruptcy, various types of frauds and scams, and identity theft. Assist with courthouse-based clinics where individuals are provided brief counsel and advice. Will also include work focused on older adults, particularly applications for elder abuse restraining orders and assistance with financial scams that target the elderly. 1 PAID POSITION AVAILABLE.

Family Law

Assist with providing trauma-informed legal services to litigants with domestic violence, custody, divorce, child & spousal support, guardianship, and dependency adoption matters.  Work includes interviewing clients, attending legal clinics, preparing pleadings and legal briefs, writing letters, and providing advice and counsel to clients.  Students who have completed Evidence and Civil Procedure may be eligible to make court appearances.  PAID POSITION AVAILABLE.  SPANISH SPEAKER REQUIRED. [2]

Health Law

Assist indigent persons with issues involving health insurance eligibility and coverage. Work includes assisting individuals with health coverage denials, resolving medical billing problems, and navigating health care coverage eligibility, including for Medi-Cal, Covered California, Medicare, and employer-sponsored plans. PLC also supports clients with Independent Medical Review requests, access to health records, advance health care directives, and Medi-Cal Estate Recovery questions, ensuring continuity of coverage and enforcement of patient rights for underserved Orange County residents. 1 PAID POSITION AVAILABLE. 1 UNPAID POSITION AVAILABLE.

Housing & Homelessness Prevention

Assist individuals and families with housing-related issues, such as evictions, landlord-tenant disputes, reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities, and housing voucher/subsidy terminations. Work includes interviewing clients, attending legal clinics, drafting pleadings and motions, writing demand letters, providing advice and counsel to clients under attorney supervision, and assisting attorneys in preparing for court hearings.  1 PAID POSITION AVAILALBLE.

Immigration

Assist victims of human trafficking, asylum seekers, victims of domestic and other forms of violence, unaccompanied minors, individuals facing deportation proceedings, and others who need assistance completing and following up on pending immigration applications. Complete intakes and assist individuals in completing applications at DACA, naturalization, and consultation clinics. Attend community and collaborative meetings. Shadow attorneys representing clients in immigration and state court proceedings. SPANISH SPEAKER PREFERRED. 1 PAID POSITION AVAILBLE.

Impact Litigation and Policy Advocacy

Students will focus on impact litigation cases and policy issues affecting low-income communities. Students will assist in the preparation of pleadings, motions, and discovery requests. Students will also gain experience in policy advocacy, including drafting regulatory comments and letters, and researching legal issues and proposed legislation. 1 PAID POSITION AVAILABLE.

Mobilehome Advocacy

Assist mobilehome owners, who are also tenants in the parks where their mobilehome is located, with solving legal issues arising out of their homeownership and/or tenancy. Work includes legal research and investigation, demand letters, counsel and advice, and litigation. Potentially work on advocacy efforts for local and state-wide improvements to protections for mobilehome owners and help mobilehome resident associations advocate for themselves. 1 UNPAID POSITION AVAILABLE. 

Small Business and Nonprofit Project

Assist community-based nonprofit organizations and small businesses. Projects vary and may include the following: corporate formation and compliance; obtaining tax exemption status; drafting policy documents, reviewing contracts; and employment issues. 1 PAID POSITION AVAILABLE.

Veterans Project

Assist low-income veterans by providing legal services on a variety of issues including housing matters and eviction defense, government benefits applications and appeals, discharge upgrades, and post-conviction relief. Attend and assist with legal clinics. PAID POSITION AVAILALBLE.

Qualifications

• First, second, or third year (part-time) law student;

• Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income or disadvantaged individuals, families, and communities;

• Excellent research and writing skills;

• Sensitivity and ability to work with victims of domestic violence and other sensitive populations.

Time Commitment

Full-time for 10 weeks, exact dates to be released in February 2027

Compensation

PLC requires all students to seek outside funding through their law schools and other available funding opportunities. PLC offers $6000 stipends for law clerks who are unable to secure PILF grants via their school for the positions indicated above. Alternatively, applicants may seek academic credit through their school’s externship program or volunteer.

Public Law Center is dedicated to building a diverse team and fostering a fair and welcoming work environment. To view our complete DEI statement, please click here.

Public Law Center is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, please contact Public Law Center.

PLC will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all legal requirements.

PLC regrets that it is unable to sponsor employment Visas or consider individuals on time-limited Visa status for this position.