Summer 2025 Law Clerk

School Justice Project (SJP) is seeking candidates for a full-time, paid Law Clerk position for Summer 2025. The Law Clerk will be paid $18 per hour, and applicants must commit to 35 hours per week for eight-to-ten weeks. Applicants must be current 2Ls.

Organization Overview: SJP is a special education legal services organization in Washington, DC serving students with disabilities ages 17-22 who are involved in DC’s juvenile or criminal legal systems. SJP works to build racial justice by increasing educational equity and decreasing mass incarceration. SJP uses special education law to ensure that older, court-involved students with disabilities have access to a quality education. SJP uses three strategies to achieve its mission: 1) Direct Representation, 2) Systemic Advocacy & Policy, 3) Community Outreach & Legal Training. For more info, visit www.sjpdc.org.

Position Description: The Law Clerk will work alongside SJP staff to improve access to education and outcomes for older, court-involved students with disabilities. The Law Clerk will provide support to all of SJP’s core programs. Under the supervision of an SJP Staff Attorney, specific responsibilities include:

• Drafting and editing client documents, participating in client meetings, observing court proceedings, and providing general case management support (including assisting clients in school enrollment, securing vital documents, reviewing records, and researching programs)
• Attending coalition meetings
• Creating educational materials for distribution to young people and stakeholders
• Attending ongoing litigation meetings

Qualifications: Applicants must be 2nd year law students with a commitment to social justice, racial justice, education, and juvenile and criminal legal systems reform. SJP values building a diverse and inclusive team, and individuals with personal/lived experience with the legal systems and/or the communities SJP serves are strongly encouraged to apply. Other qualifications include:

• High degree of flexibility
• Keen problem-solving skills, ability to troubleshoot, and creative and analytical thinking
• Excellent research, writing, and oral communication skills
• Experience or demonstrated interest in the criminal and/or juvenile legal system
• Self-starter and ability to work independently
• Familiarity with DC’s legal system and/or special education law is a plus
• Law Review or Journal experience is a plus
• Clinical experience is a plus

How to Apply: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and list of three references (with name, address, contact information, and a statement of relationship to the Applicant) no later than January 17, 2025 to: Claire Blumenson, Executive Director & Co-Founder, at jobs@sjpdc.org AND info@sjpdc.org, with the subject “Summer 2025 Law Clerk.”