The Center for Public Interest Law is committed to helping students meet their full career potential, from their first summer internships to their first postgraduate job searches, and throughout their careers. The Center's philosophy is that there is no one true path for students who wish to practice law in the public interest. Many learning and work experiences can be combined to create the career that is just right for each individual. The experience and contacts of the Dean and Center staff, together with those of faculty members and the many alumni who lead public interest organizations in New York and beyond, ensure that expert support is available to students, whether they wish to go directly into public interest or government careers or to combine public service with traditional law firm jobs.
Back to top
For 3Ls with Deferred Offers from Law Firms
Please click here if you are a current 3L seeking opportunities during your deferral period. CPIL and the Office of Career Services are working together on this list of opportunities. The page is password protected; passwords were distributed by OCS during the fall semester.
CPIL has developed a series of Handbooks for the 1L, 2L and 3L student which provide a comprehensive overview of how to pursue a career in the public sector. The Handbooks include everything the student needs to know about the programs and resources available through Columbia Law School. Handbooks are available at the CPIL office, 9th floor of Little Warren.
Columbia Public Interest Database/Intern Evaluations
The Public Interest Database contains contact information, descriptions, and extensive student evaluations for internship opportunities and pro bono projects throughout the world. The database contains contact information, descriptions, and extensive student evaluations for internship opportunities and pro bono projects throughout the world.
Throughout the fall, CPIL and OCS will hold public interest resume and job application workshops. Dates for these workshops will be announced by email and are posted on CPIL’s on-line calendar of events. Click on the pdf below for workshop materials.
Early Interview Program (EIP) happens in August at the Doubletree Hotel in midtown. This interview program is primarily for 2Ls and 3Ls to obtain summer and permanent jobs in the private sector and students can interview with law firms from all over the country. There are several public sector employers who usually interview students at EIP, including the Department of State and the House of Representatives Office of Legislative Counsel. EIP is administered by the Office of Career Services .
OCI happens at Columbia Law School in the Fall for 2Ls and 3Ls, and in the Spring for 1Ls. Through this program, government regulatory agencies, public defenders, prosecutors, and other government agency employers come to campus to interview students for summer and permanent jobs. OCI is administered by the Office of Career Services.
Throughout the year, CPIL hosts nonprofit employers who will interview students on-campus. Watch your email for information.
If you are thinking about working as a law firm summer associate but intend to work in the public interest at some point after you graduate, we suggest choosing a firm with a strong pro bono program, or policies which will allow you to do substantial pro bono during the summer or as an associate. This will help you continue to build relevant skills and demonstrate your ongoing commitment to public interest law in general. No one piece of information is necessarily dispositive of a firm's pro bono commitment or culture. You must make this determination for yourself in an interview and by talking to people who work or have worked there.
Click below to view CPIL's Guide to Assessing a Law Firm’s Commitment to Pro Bono.
Splitting the summer between a law firm and a public sector employer is a good option for students who need to work at a firm their second summer to finance their education, although some public interest organizations, do not allow them because they require their interns to work a full summer. There are two ways to structure a split summer.
“Sponsored Split” - the firm funds the student for the whole summer, and s/he spends at least half the summer at the firm and some weeks at a public interest organization. Each firm’s program is slightly different. Some first hire a class of summer associates then allow those students to apply for the opportunity to participate in a sponsored split.
Columbia has an exclusive split summer fellowship with the firm Sidley Austin in New York City.
“Student Split” – the student secures a summer associate position with a firm and then negotiates with that firm to split the summer with a public interest employer. The firm pays the salary while the student is there and the student funds the second half of the summer. Employers are open to this type of arrangement on a case-by-case basis; market forces may affect law firms’ willingness to allow summer associates to split their summers. Usually, this kind of split necessitates a summer of working longer than 10 weeks.
Click here to view a selection of the some of the most useful websites which list job opportunities. More resources are available in the Appendix to the Public Interest Handbooks.
Department of Justice: Attorney General's Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program
There have been significant changes in the application timeline for both DOJ programs. Please review the following powerpoint for the most updated information.
