The Office of the Attorney General offers recent law school graduates and experienced practitioners the opportunity to work as public interest fellows or pro bono attorneys.

Public interest fellowships are available to recent law school graduates who have secured financial support – typically from a law firm – that allows them to work pro bono for a public interest organization. Public interest fellows commit to working full time, for five to eighteen months, in a division or section of the Office that specializes in civil or criminal enforcement, defensive litigation, legal counsel, or transactional work. They can expect to receive supervision and mentoring by an attorney-manager, formal training opportunities, and, as they develop new skills, progressively more challenging assignments.

There are many other opportunities for experienced practitioners and recent law school graduates to do pro bono work for the Office of the Attorney General, either in-house (on a full-time or part-time basis) or out of the volunteer’s own office (on a part-time basis). Whether serving as a Special Assistant Attorney General or as a legal intern, a volunteer will usually be assigned to one of the Office’s divisions or sections or to one or two specific matters, reflecting both the interests of the volunteer and the needs of the Office.

Attorneys interested in learning more about pro bono opportunities at the Office of the Attorney General should contact Bennett Rushkoff, Pro Bono Coordinator, at (202) 442-8404 or bennett.rushkoff@dc.gov.

• Draft legal opinions and advice memoranda for Mayor and other District officials
• Review and analyze proposed legislation and regulations

• Wide range of juvenile prosecutions, including serious violent crimes
• Bench trials in Superior Court

• Wide range of defensive civil litigation on behalf of District agencies
• Work includes taking and defending depositions and appearing in court

• Civil prosecutions, including emergency hearings
• Drug nuisance, prostitution nuisance, and lead paint abatement cases

• Transactional work involving real estate and major government procurements
• Regulatory work involving land use and urban economic development

• Family court litigation, including trials
• Government seeks termination of parental rights (TPR) to facilitate adoption
• Cases supported by testimony of Child and Family Services Agency social workers

• Legal advice to large urban school district undergoing major reform
• Background in education desirable