Student Advice

Want a Public Interest Job This Summer? The Time to Make That Happen Is Now

There are many reasons to pursue a public interest internship, especially in your 1L summer. For students who are strongly considering careers in the field, it is essential to start building experiences and connections now. Beyond that, public interest jobs often involve experience with real clients, can present great research and writing opportunities, offer a chance to fulfill the public and pro bono service ideals of our profession, and act as a reminder that you came to law school to solve problems for real people, not to take tests and get grades. Many students find it meaningful and fulfilling to have the experience of assisting people who would otherwise find it challenging to navigate the legal system with crucial issues in their lives, or to contribute to making our government and laws work better for the people they affect. But in order to get one of these jobs, you have to act now.

PIPS Fair

Why? Most public interest employers hire their summer interns now, in late January and February. Many of those hires happen via the Public Interest / Public Service (PIPS) Career Fair, scheduled this year for Friday, February 5th. The PIPS Fair brings together regional and national employers with students from Philadelphia’s nine area law schools. Public sector employers use the PIPS Career Fair to meet students interested in pursuing summer or permanent employment with government agencies and public interest organizations. It begins with a reception the night before for both students and employers which, for many of our students, is their first networking / interviewing experience as a law student. If this is true for you, you should plan to attend the brown bag Public Interest Monday session on February 1 at noon in Klein 1B, during which I’ll talk about how to prepare and what to expect. This year’s reception is currently at capacity, but Career Services can provide information on how to sign up for the waiting list.

“… public interest jobs often involve experience with real clients, present great research and writing opportunities, offer a chance to fulfill the public and pro bono service ideals of our profession, and act as a reminder that you came to law school to solve problems for real people, not to take tests and get grades.”

While the first deadline for bidding on interviews at PIPS has passed, you can still register and bid on the remaining open slots through Sunday, January 31st. To do so, you should access the special Symplicity site for GPALS (The Consortium of Greater Philadelphia Area Law Schools, which organizes the fair). If this is your first visit, you’ll need to register and complete a profile before entering the session called PIPS Fair 2016. There, you’ll be able to see what employers still have openings and to submit your application materials.

Of course, if necessary, you can also attend the PIPS fair as a walk-in by arriving at 8:30 a.m. and signing up for any remaining or newly open slots. Everyone attending the fair should dress in a suit and bring copies of their resume and other application documents.

Beyond the PIPS Fair

While PIPS is the most significant event of the public interest hiring season, it’s not the only opportunity to get a good public interest/public service job. If you’re particularly interested in an employer but didn’t get an interview and can’t get one now, and it’s one of your top one or two choices for the summer, you should just apply directly. A strong direct application to their office could result in an interview even if you didn’t get an interview at the fair itself. You should also apply directly if any organization you’re interested in is not going to be at the fair. January is the time to do that, although some employers will continue hiring in February and even March, depending on how their PIPS hiring has gone.

Some, but not all, of the employers who are not part of the PIPS fair will have posted opportunities in Symplicity. Those who don’t typically have application instructions laid out on their website – if not, you should send a resume and cover letter to the managing attorney or legal director.

In addition, if you want a public interest internship for the summer but aren’t sure with whom or how to proceed, you should come in and talk to a career counselor soon. You can make an appointment by emailing lcareer@temple.edu. We can help you clarify your goals and steer you toward the best opportunities for you.

Additional Resources

The Office of Career Services also makes some public interest/public service –specific resources available to Temple Law students for help during the job search process. In addition to maintaining a fairly comprehensive list of local and regional public interest employers, OCS subscribes to the Government Honors and Internships Handbook, also known as the Arizona Handbook. The Handbook, which is available through Symplicity, is a well-organized, very comprehensive listing of federal, state, and local government internships – what we tend to think of as public service jobs. These jobs, like public interest jobs, usually have application deadlines in January and February for first year students, so now is the time to act if you want one of these, as well.

What’s the Difference Between Public Interest and Public Service, Anyway?

It’s worth noting that while public interest and public service jobs do have a lot in common, there are some distinctions to keep in mind when you evaluate your job options. Definitions vary, but generally speaking, public interest jobs are with non-profit organizations that provide direct legal aid to low-income clients, do issue advocacy, policy work, and/or impact litigation. Public service jobs are more governmental in nature, often with legislative bodies, within executive branches, or within the judiciary. District attorney’s offices are also public service employers. Both offer excellent opportunities to develop strong legal research and writing skills, hands-on experience, and the opportunity to work as an advocate on behalf of the public, and as such are worth considering for your 1L summer and beyond.

A Word About What Employers Want

Whether you’re considering public interest or public service employment, it is critically important that you understand what public sector employers are looking for in their summer interns. In a nutshell, public interest employers want people who are very committed to their mission. Grades often take a back seat to demonstrated knowledge of, and passion for, the organization’s central purpose. If you have prior experience working on that issue or with that community, even better. Direct legal services employers will also want to know whether you’ll be able to work effectively with clients who are often in very difficult, stressful situations. During an interview, you should be prepared to show a genuine interest in and engagement with the work that they do and ideally, previous experience with the issues with which they’re engaging. Your cover letter should also reflect both your knowledge of and commitment to their mission. Nothing turns an employer off more than a candidate who has clearly not done his or her research.

It’s important to note that employers will also often consider a strong candidate who does not have a track record of service on their issue but can demonstrate a willingness to learn and is able to bring other assets to the table. Be prepared to emphasize the skills and experience you do have and to explain why you believe they will be an asset to the employer.

We’re Here to Help

The Office of Career Services is here to help you. In addition to career counselors who would love to talk with you about public interest opportunities, we have resources both through the CPM that students should be sure to explore as well as the list of public interest organizations that I mentioned earlier. We also co-coordinate the PIPS Job Fair, and I’m available to answer any questions you may have about that. And, of course, we offer mock interviews, resume review, cover letter advice, and other information about the job search process. We’re proud of Temple’s reputation within the public interest community and excited to help you become part of it.

Lisa Hurlbutt is Director of Public Interest Programs at Temple University Beasley School of Law. She can be reached directly at lisa.hurlbutt@temple.edu.

Questions about this post? Drop us a line at lawcomm@temple.edu.