The Bet Tzedek Summer Clerkship Program

By on October 22nd, 2009

Summer Clerkship Program

Bet Tzedek’s nationally known summer clerkship program draws top law students from Southern California and around the country for an intensive 10-11 week internship experience in legal services. Several hundred applicants each year apply for the 25-30 placements available at our offices. Students are given the opportunity to work hands-on with clients, and many of them return to Bet Tzedek as volunteer attorneys after graduation. Students are responsible for their own funding.

Summer clerks may be assigned to special projects:

  • HOUSING CONDITIONS PROJECT targets and surveys multiple-unit residential buildings in which the conditions are egregious. The team litigates against notorious slum lords, participates in a Housing Code Enforcement group and also conducts educational presentations to tenants.
  • CONSUMER PROTECTION UNIT is a legal and educational team including Bet Tzedek staff, private law firms, local politicians, law enforcement and neighborhood churches. The team uses sophisticated litigation techniques to save clients’ homes and prevent further abuses by unscrupulous lenders.
  • HOLOCAUST RESTITUTION PROJECT files claims on behalf of clients who were interned in a concentration camp or ghetto or were in hiding under inhumane conditions. This project is also working with a major law firm on behalf of Jewish Holocaust families who never received payments from their life insurance policies.
  • KINSHIP CARE PROJECT provides legal services, advocacy, education and other support to grandparent caregivers in legal matters including guardianship, adoptions, public benefits housing and wills.
  • FAMILY CAREGIVER PROJECT provides legal education, counseling and representation on all aspects of health care decision making, SSI, Medi-Cal and quality of care in long term care facilities to care-givers, family members and service programs providing services to patients and care-givers.
  • EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS PROJECT represents clients in wage claim matters and unemployment hearings and wage claim matters. The project serves working individuals who are low income or poor by offering evening intake interviews

The deadline to apply for a clerkship is January 15th; first-year law students may apply after December 1st.

For more information, please contact volunteer@bettzedek.org.

Categorized under: *This Week at the CDO*, 1L Info, 2L Info, Public Interest Opportunities, Summer Opportunities.
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