During the summer, HLAB selects approximately 15-20 law students to serve as Summer Fellows, who will interact directly with clients, opposing parties, witnesses, and government agencies; engage in extensive factual and legal investigation; hone their research and writing abilities; and develop their litigation skills. Most Summer Fellows working at HLAB do so full-time, although we are willing to discuss alternative arrangements with students facing extenuating circumstances. Due to funding restrictions, HLAB is unable to pay its Summer Fellows.
HLAB Summer Fellows serve as the primary case handlers on every matter assigned to them and manage client contact, drafting of pleadings and motions, communication with opposing counsel, and advocating in courtroom and administrative hearing settings. Their work is supervised by HLAB’s Clinical Instructors, practicing attorneys with years of trial and supervision experience, and students will be trained in all the relevant areas of the law.
HLAB Summer Fellows generally experience a broad range of litigation and legal experience in as many as four primary practice areas. In the Family Law practice, HLAB represents victims of domestic violence in restraining order hearings, divorces, paternity, visitation, child support, and custody disputes. In the Housing Law practice, HLAB represents individual clients who are being evicted from public, subsidized, and private housing, as well as works with tenant unions and other progressive organizations to ensure the availability of affordable housing in the Greater Boston area. In the Government Benefits practice, HLAB represents clients at hearings to obtain or retain their Social Security and Social Security Disability benefits, unemployment benefits, and welfare benefits. Finally, in the Wage and Hour practice, HLAB allows students to work on affirmative lawsuits addressing violations of state and federal labor laws. We ask student to choose a primary concentration in the area of housing or family law.
Application Instructions (accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled): Please send (1) a resume, (2) a cover letter, (3) a law school transcript, and (4) two references to: Jared Nicholson, Executive Director Harvard Legal Aid Bureau 23 Everett Street, First Floor Cambridge, MA 02138 HLABrecruitment@gmail.comTo visit the website, please click here.