Pisgah Legal Services invites rising second and third year law students to apply for our 10-week public interest clerkship for Summer 2023.

Summer law clerks will work closely with our staff attorneys to provide legal services to clients in a variety of areas of poverty law. Clerks engage in a wide variety of activities including, conducting intake and client interviews, developing case strategies, conducting legal research and targeting areas for potential policy advocacy, and preparing legal documents.

The clerkship runs from May 22 – July 28, 2023 and includes a calendar of weekly area events with other area law clerks. Clerks will travel to Federal, District, and Tribal Courts to meet judges, engage with local law enforcement, and attend “lunch and learns” throughout the summer.

This position is unpaid; Pisgah Legal Services is happy to assist in completing any documentation necessary to obtain public interest funding.

Below are descriptions of specific internship opportunities for law students at Pisgah Legal Services during the Summer of 2023. To apply for any of these positions, please follow application instructions on this page and submit an application by March 31. We will conduct rolling interviews and offers until all positions are filled.

Please be aware that there may not be internships available in each practice area. Applicants will be asked to rank their areas of interest on the application in order to best accommodate their desired practice area.

Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP)
PLS collaborates with multiple health systems in order to provide holistic services to individuals with behavioral health needs who are also high utilizers of emergency department services. PLS has attorneys embedded in various health systems to address these needs. Law clerks in this department will engage with healthcare partners and clients facing housing, domestic violence, consumer, public benefits, and other legal needs in order to provide comprehensive services.

Public Benefits
PLS assists individuals who may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI), as well as Medicare, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or “food stamps”), and other benefits such as healthcare and tax benefits. Law clerks in this department will perform research, collect medical records and other documents, and communicate with clients and public agencies in order to support those in need of public benefits.

Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP)
The PLS HPP team works to prevent evictions and foreclosures, improve substandard housing conditions, obtain or preserve eligibility for housing subsidies, and help with disability accommodations. Law clerks in this practice area will assist with hearing preparation, landlord negotiation, appeals to district court, client communication, research, and obtaining documents.

Community Economic Development (CED)
The CED team assists with community-led efforts to alleviate poverty through creating affordable housing and removing barriers to economic opportunity. The CED law clerk will assist with community projects, public policy research, attend community meetings, and work with the attorney to support economic inclusivity and equitable development.

Immigration Law Program
The PLS immigration team assists individuals who may qualify for visas granted to victims of crime, individuals applying for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), as well as custody, domestic violence, and other issues. Law clerks in this practice area must speak fluent Spanish and they will assist immigration attorneys with applications, research, and client communication.

Consumer Law Program
The PLS Consumer team assists individuals who are facing legal issues related to debt, foreclosure, contracts, lemon law, and other related issues. Law clerks in the consumer program will assist with research, communicating with financial institutions, collecting documents, hearing preparation, and client interviews.

Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Program
The Domestic Violence team at PLS works with law enforcement and local agencies to provide assistance for victims of domestic violence who are in need of restraining orders, custody and child support assistance, and legal action. PLS attorneys will accompany clients to court and help them connect with other non-legal resources. Law clerks in this department must have past experience working with victims of domestic or sexual violence due to the sensitive nature of this work. Clerks will conduct client interviews, perform legal research, prepare legal documents, attend court, and work with local partner agencies and organizations.