Public Service Careers:

Beyond the Obvious

Legal Services Organization

Legal services organizations provide direct legal services to indigent individuals and families in civil matters, including transactional work and litigation.

These organizations are sometimes analogized to public defender offices, which are distinguished by the fact that public defenders provide legal representation in criminal matters.

Legal services attorneys represent clients with regard to a broad range of issues, including housing discrimination, consumer bankruptcy, predatory lending, immigration issues, and many others.

Alyssa Williamson, Northwest Justice Project

International Legal Work International law is one of the fastest growing legal

fields. The types of public service work and practice settings vary widely.

The U.S. Government hires attorneys to work on international issues in many of its agencies, including the Department of State, the Department of Commerce and the Environmental Protection Agency, to name just a few. Hundreds of lawyers also work at the United Nations, the World Bank, the Organization of American States, international tribunals, the International Criminal Court and other intergovernmental organizations.

Finally, there are thousands of non-governmental organizations throughout the world that focus on international issues, including but not limited to, development, human rights, the environment law, energy, trade, arms control, and transitional justice.  

Laurel Yecny

Public Defender Offices

Public defenders provide legal representation in criminal cases for clients who cannot afford to pay for counsel.

Like legal services attorneys, public defenders have a high degree of client contact. Generally, a public defender’s office is a state agency, but can also be funded through non-profit organizations, government subsidies, and grants.

Public defenders represent clients at all phases of the legal process, from bond and probation hearings to complete jury trials.

Laurah Bernard, Associated Counsel for the Accused

Prosecutor’s Offices/ State Attorney General/ DOJ

Work at a prosecutor/solicitor’s office, the state Attorney General’s office, or the Department of Justice is also sometimes considered to fall under the umbrella term “public interest law.”

Note that the Department of Justice also includes divisions that prosecute civil rights violations and work to protect battered women, among other things.

Legal Staff at Government Entities/Organizations

Government entities at both the state and federal levels often have in-house legal staffs that enforce laws and regulations and further the goals of these organizations in other ways.

For example, attorneys at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development investigate and fight housing discrimination and work with developers to encourage affordable housing development. Attorneys at the Environmental Protection Agency work to enforce federal environmental regulations.

Federal agencies also employ attorneys who work to ensure that the agencies themselves are in compliance with the law; for example, attorneys might work to ensure that a federal agency is distributing grants or awarding contracts in a non- discriminatory matter.

Courts The nature of a judicial clerkship depends on the court's level and the individual

judges.

At the highest levels, such as the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals and the highest state courts, the appellate clerk conducts intensive research and writes on the complicated questions of law that remain on appeal.

In federal district courts and in the lower state courts, the clerk has more direct exposure to many aspects of the litigation process and becomes more involved in judicial decision-making and opinion writing, depending on the judge.

Clerks get insider-views of the judicial process, help to shape case opinions, sometimes formulate new laws and forge professional relationships that may benefit them for the rest of their careers.

Many appellate courts also employ attorneys in permanent staff positions. Often, these attorneys screen pending cases and make recommendations to the court on how the case should be treated – such as whether there should be full briefing and oral argument, whether the case should be decided summarily and whether the case presents novel issues of law. These attorneys also draft opinions, research legal issues for judges, make recommendations on how to proceed with complex procedural matters and help oversee the court's workflow.

Policy Advocacy OrganizationsPolicy advocacy organizations work for changes in

legislation, regulations, and other types of policy

Policy advocacy groups are involved in many different issues, including environmental justice, education, immigration, consumer rights, community development, affordable housing, capital punishment, domestic violence, and child welfare.

The attorneys in this area work for systemic change in many different ways; examples include lobbying members of Congress or a state legislature for legislation favorable to disenfranchised groups (or against legislation that would harm these groups), raising public awareness of injustices or environmental abuses, educating community members about their rights, and working with community groups and local governments to find solutions to local problems.

Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin

Tribal Law

Sam Page, Kalispel Tribe

Pro Bono Work at Law Firms

Some firms, especially larger ones, offer opportunities for their attorneys to become involved in public interest law through pro-bono work.

Some firms may also encourage attorney’s to volunteer their time to non-legal pro bono causes; for example, attorneys at private firms often serve on the boards of non-profits

Labor Unions Labor unions, representing both public and private sector

employees, offer a significant number of public service lawyering opportunities.

Almost all national and international unions have central legal departments that provide overall legal direction and advice for both the leadership and for local constituents.

Work in a union legal department can include advising officers in contract negotiations, strategizing on organizing campaigns, representing the union before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and working with lobbyists and legislators to develop federal and state legislation.

Lawyers representing unions have extended their practice areas beyond traditional labor law. For instance, these lawyers now practice in such fields as bankruptcy law, as many employers are forced into reorganization or liquidation and corporate law, as more employees become partial or full owners of their corporate employers through employee stock ownership plans, cooperatives or various other kinds of profit-sharing arrangements.

Foundations

Foundation philanthropy appeals to many law students and lawyers interested in building and maintaining public interest programs. The prospect of learning about, selecting, and supporting creative projects attracts those looking for an alternative to traditional legal work. Lawyers can play various roles at foundations.

http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/careers/opia/planning/career-resources/docs/guide-foundations.pdf

Academic Administration

An increasing number of lawyers are hired by academic institutions, especially in law schools, in positions such as academic affairs, student services, career services officers for both public interest law and private sector employment, counselors and law librarians.

Other academic administrative jobs include undergraduate pre-law advisors and positions on the university-wide level, such as such as affirmative action officer, director of community affairs and assistant to the president.

Non-Profit Management

Management, administrative and lobbying positions with nonprofit organizations provide another major source of law-related public service jobs.

Individuals with legal training can become directors and administrators of a diverse array of nonprofit organizations including museums, social service organizations, youth job corps programs and international human rights organizations.

Many nonprofits that aim to influence government policy, legislation and funding often have in-house lobbyists or hire lobbying agencies that specialize in public sector clients.

Bar Association

Bar associations employ lawyers in management and program administration positions, such as continuing education for lawyers, lawyer assistance programs, referral and pro bono programs.

Non-traditional Careers/Jobs --

Government Sector

Environmental Protection Specialist

Research Director

Policy Advisor

Policy Director

Investigator

Government Relations/Public Affairs Director

Chief of Staff

Ethics Program Specialist

Civil Rights Investigator

Criminal Investigator

Analyst of Social Legislation

Foreign Service Officer

Financial Enforcement Specialist

Foreign Affairs Specialist

Customs Inspector

Non-traditional Careers/Jobs --

Non-Profit Sector

Law Librarian

Advocate/Advocacy Director

Community Relations Specialist

Grants Administrator

Development Director

Consumer Advocate

Non-profit Executive Director

Career Counselor

Admissions Officer

Program Analyst

Director of Planning

Chief Development Officer

Director of Alumni Affairs

Mediator/Ombudsman