2026 Probate & Estate Planning Summer Law Clerk

DC Affordable Law • Washington, DC

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

DC Affordable Law Firm (DCALF) is seeking a Summer Law Clerk to join our heirs’ property, probate, and estate planning practice. This is an opportunity for a law student who is eager to gain hands-on experience helping families preserve intergenerational homes, protect assets, and build lasting legacies through thoughtful estate planning and effective probate representation. Working within a dynamic, mission-driven organization committed to advancing access to justice, the Summer Law Clerk will play a meaningful role in supporting client-centered legal services that strengthen financial stability and generational wealth in historically underserved communities. In this role, the Summer Law Clerk will support DCALF attorneys through a range of substantive activities, including coordinating with clients, conducting legal research on emerging probate and estate planning issues, drafting memoranda and documents, and assisting with case preparation. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and a strong researcher and writer who can manage a variety of assignments while engaging thoughtfully with clients and colleagues. Prior exposure to probate, trusts, or estate planning through coursework or clinical experience is . This position offers an excellent opportunity for a law student interested in pursuing a career in probate and estate planning while contributing to DCALF’s mission of making high-quality legal services accessible to those who need them most. This is a temporary position expected to last f or 10 weeks , from June 2, 2026 to August 4, 2026.

Requirements

• Must be a rising 2L, 3L, or 4L law school student
• Must have prior coursework or clinical experience in probate and/or trusts and estates.
• Proficien cy in IT; familiarity with Microsoft Office, document managemen t softwar e, etc
• Ability to prioritize and multi-task
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to work in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with administrative support
• Ability to manage highly sensitive , confidential information
• Ability to work with clients f rom an array of backgrounds from diverse backgrounds with empathy, cultural humility, and professionalism.
• A deep commitment to racial, social, and economic justice
• A growth mindset and commitment to learning and improvement
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Due to the responsibilities of this position, the ability to travel to the office and DC Superior Court with ease and regularity is , as well as a minimum of two days per week working in the DCALF office, consistent with DCALF policies and client or work demands.
• Despite the opportunity to work remotely, the selected candidate for this position must maintain residence in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia for the duration of DCALF employment.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with Clio is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with clients to gather demographic data for client intake, facts about clients’ case, or to schedule appointments
• Join attorneys in client meetings, and support through taking notes and assisting attorney with fact finding
• Draft legal memoranda on novel estate planning and probate issues
• Draft estate planning documents by incorporating notes from client calls into estate planning templates
• Prepare family trees for probate cases, and attempt to locate contact information for missing heirs
• Support attorneys work by assisting with tasks like scanning, mailing documents to clients, preparing mailing labels, downloading and saving information from electronic dockets, etc.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees