Legal Extern, Housing

District of Columbia Bar•Washington, DC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, an independent nonprofit organization, seeks a law student interested in eviction defense and tenant advocacy for a legal externship position for Fall 2026. The Pro Bono Center transforms lives by providing free legal assistance to individuals, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses through volunteer lawyers. Established in 1978, the Pro Bono Center has become the largest provider of pro bono legal help in the District of Columbia. The Center serves more than 20,000 individuals, nonprofits, and small businesses each year. With the support of our donors and more than 1,500 dedicated attorney volunteers, we operate award-winning legal clinics, projects, and resource centers where and when the community most needs our help. This position will support our housing programs by conducting legal research and analysis and updating materials that are distributed to the public. Among other responsibilities, the Housing Law Extern will support staff attorneys representing tenants in evictions proceedings and other matters related to tenants’ rights. The Housing Law Extern will support the Pro Bono Center’s Courthouse Landlord Tenant Resource Center at the Landlord Tenant Courthouse. Likewise, the Housing Law Extern will support Pro Bono Center staff with completing presentations, informational documents, legal templates, and other media. The Housing Law Extern will staff the Courthouse Landlord Tenant Resource Center in-person on Tuesdays. The Housing Law Extern may also meet with Pro Bono Center clients in-person to support their cases and meet with tenants as part of community outreach events. The student must be enrolled in a for-credit externship program. There is a minimum requirement of 15 hours of work per week over at least 11 weeks. This position will be supervised by an attorney in the housing unit. This is an unpaid position. The Pro Bono Center will review and sign contracts necessary for course credit. This position is currently a hybrid position, with days worked in the office and days worked remotely.   The hybrid status of this position may change at any time subject to the Pro Bono Center’s discretion. This is not an attempt to list all essential functions of this position. Job duties may change over time based on Pro Bono Center needs. The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law. The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center is committed to providing qualified individuals with reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of their jobs, pursuant to applicable law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact Human Resources. As part of the accommodation process, we will conduct an individualized interactive process and may ask you for additional information. Any final hiring decisions or start dates may be delayed while the accommodation review process is ongoing if the individual cannot begin work without the requested accommodation.

Requirements

Successful completion of at least two semesters of law school.
Successful completion of a course in legal research and writing.
Demonstrated commitment to public interest law.
Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Must be detail oriented and deadline driven. Able to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. Must work well in a team environment and be able to interact, including in-person, with Bar members, volunteers, vendors, the public and Pro Bono Center and Bar employees.
Must work well under pressure, possess excellent organizational abilities, and able to manage several priorities in a day.
Must be adaptable, creative, and self-motivated.
Ability to handle and maintain the confidentiality of highly sensitive information.

Nice To Haves

Additional language proficiencies.
Previous experience at a non-profit or legal services organization.

Responsibilities

Conducts in-depth research on various legal issues, case law, statutes, and regulations. Externs often summarize their findings in memoranda or briefs.
Assists in the preparation of legal documents, such as motions, pleadings, contracts, and briefs. Externs may also draft correspondence and other legal writing.
Participates in client and customer interviews, gathering facts, and helping to prepare clients for court appearances. Externs may also assist in drafting client letters or providing legal information.
Observes court proceedings, hearings, and trials. Externs often take notes and may discuss the cases with their supervising attorney or judge.
Assists with the organization and management of case files, including reviewing discovery documents, organizing exhibits, and summarizing depositions.
Participates in meetings with clients, opposing counsel, and other stakeholders.
Performs administrative duties related to case management, such as filing, photocopying, and organizing documents.
Assists Pro Bono Center staff in preparing for and reporting on various remote and in-person legal clinics.
Attends in-person and virtual clinics and resource center, and provides support to Pro Bono Center staff, volunteer attorneys, and clients.
Responds to phone calls and emails from members of the client community, and provides appropriate information and referrals, as needed.
Performs other duties as assigned.