Law Student - Government in Easton, MD

Government

Easton, MD

Law Student - Government in Easton, MD

Law Student

No

Job Title: Fall 2025 Law Clerk

Job Responsibilities:
Law clerks at the organization have the opportunity to support the Legislative Affairs team and engage in activities that promote justice, accountability, and the reduction of mass incarceration. Key responsibilities include:
- Supporting bills in the Maryland Legislature aimed at reforming the justice system, including early release for older or ill incarcerated persons, treating youthful offenders within the juvenile system, and decriminalizing marijuana.
- Advocating for improvements in mental health care, parental rights protection, police reform, forensic analysis, and immigration system reform.
- Conducting research on relevant issues and drafting memoranda and testimony to support legislative bills.
- Participating in supervised legislative advocacy, developing public support for bills, identifying potential witnesses, and assisting with the preparation of their written statements and oral advocacy.
- Opportunities to attend hearings in Annapolis during the Maryland General Assembly sessions.

Law clerks are also involved in the client-centered and team-based representation of the organization's clients. They are integrated into trial teams and collaborate with attorneys, investigators, paralegals, social workers, and other support staff to ensure comprehensive advocacy for clients. Specific duties include:
- Conducting significant research and writing.
- Preparing witnesses and engaging in investigations.
- Assisting in trial preparation.

Education and Experience Information:
Candidates for the Fall 2025 Law Clerk position must be current law school students or recent law school graduates. The organization offers hands-on experience, allowing law clerks to apply their academic knowledge in real-world scenarios, thereby enhancing their legal skills and understanding of the legislative process and criminal justice reform.

Application Process:
- Applications for the law clerk position are accepted on a rolling basis, with final selections made by individual Parental Defense offices.
- Candidates are encouraged to specify their preferred office placements, as the organization has offices throughout the State of Maryland. Notably, only the Montgomery County and Baltimore City offices are accessible via public transportation.
- Law clerks volunteer during the spring semester (January-May), fall semester (September-December), and summer (May-August).

Application Requirements:
Interested candidates must submit the following materials via email:
- Resume
- Cover letter
- List of four professional references
- Writing sample no longer than 15 pages
- Undergraduate transcript
Applications must be emailed no later than August 1, 2025, and incomplete applications will not be considered.

The position requires an in-person commitment, with all students starting the clerkship by September 2, 2025, and working for a minimum of 10 weeks. Candidates must indicate their availability for consistent workdays and hours throughout the clerkship duration.

Salary Information:
The law clerk positions are unpaid volunteer opportunities. However, the organization supports externs seeking academic credits for their work and is willing to sponsor grant or other outside funding applications where applicable.