Family Law Law Clerk

Children’s Law Center is a mission-driven organization focused on providing high-quality legal services to children and families in DC. As an organization, we envision a world in which all children have a strong foundation of family, health and education and are free from poverty, trauma, racism and other forms of oppression. Our mission is to do this work together with DC children and families, Children’s Law Center uses the law to solve children’s urgent problems today, improve the systems that will affect their lives tomorrow and strengthen our community so that change endures. A key part of our mission is to challenge and reduce ways in which racism and other biases – structural and interpersonal – prevent each of us, our organization and the systems in which we work from providing children a strong foundation from which to thrive.  

Our greatest assets are our people. We recognize that people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives fuel our ability to provide the best outcomes for our clients and our community. Staff members at Children’s Law Center advance the organization’s mission through their leadership, result-orientated mindset and commitment to cultural humility. We are looking for individuals who like to be challenged to grow both personally and professionally and value the opportunity to make a difference in their community. Children's Law Center's continued success depends on recruiting and retaining individuals who possess and exemplify these attributes. 

Children's Law Center (CLC) host a comprehensive, hands-on internship program. Law clerk and intern positions are available during spring, summer and fall semesters. Law clerk applicants must be current law students or recent law school graduates. All positions are unpaid and can be taken for credit. Hours are flexible. Generally, spring positions are posted in October, summer positions are posted in November and fall positions are posted in May.  

Children's Law Center family law attorneys provide direct representation in DC family law matters, representing children in custody cases and third-party caregivers in custody, adoption, and guardianship cases.

The Family Law Law Clerk will support CLC case-handling attorneys by researching and writing about legal issues, drafting motions and other pretrial or trial materials, interviewing clients and witnesses, assisting in investigative tasks, attending court proceedings, and providing other support as needed on family law matters. Applicants must be a current law student or recent law school graduate. 

Requirements and qualifications for the position include strong interpersonal skills, excellent analytical ability, strong writing skills, solid academic background, commitment to working with low-income populations, and willingness and enthusiasm to complete all tasks. The position is unpaid and requires a minimum of 12 hours per week. 

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample and 3 professional references as one PDF file via CLC's careers page (https://childrenslawcenter.org/get-involved/careers/).  

Children’s Law Center is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. If you believe that you need accommodation to search for, or apply for, one of our positions please send an email to Jobs@ChildrensLawCenter.org. In your email, please include the accommodation you are requesting and the job title you are applying for. It may take up to three business days to receive a response to your request.

Children's Law Center is currently operating on a hybrid work schedule. All interns are expected spend time both working remotely and working in-person from Children's Law Center's office. Hybrid working expectations vary depending upon role and program responsibilities.

Candidates who receive a conditional offer for an internship will be subject to a background check.

Children’s Law Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and existing employees. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation. We invite you to visit us here to learn more about our company and our career opportunities (https://childrenslawcenter.org/get-involved/careers/).

Children’s Law Center is dedicated to building a world that is inclusive in approach and has equal opportunities and equitable outcomes for all. Our organization is committed to developing and supporting a robustly diverse, equitable, inclusive and anti-racist community, where all members can create and feel a sense of belonging. Through our collective deliberate efforts, we work toward racial and social justice for children and families in DC.