Public Interest Agencies
Enroll in a USC clinical internship with a nonprofit agency and you'll earn credit while representing real clients or working on policy initiatives, legislation, or "impact" litigation. Here is a sample of the program's 50 pre-approved placements:
- Disability Rights Legal Center
The Mission of the Disability Rights Legal Center, formerly the Western Law Center for Disability Rights, is to promote the rights of people with disabilities and the public interest in and awareness of those rights by providing legal and related services. We accomplish this mission through our several programs, which you can browse by clicking here. We are located on the campus of Loyola Law School in downtown Los Angeles and work with Loyola Law students in all our programs.
The Disability Rights Legal Center is made up of a team of 30 people, plus a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors. We also have a Young Professionals Board, which is an advisory board of law students and lawyers who are new to the practice of law. The DRLC has been working to protect the possiblities for the disability community for over 30 years.
The Disability Rights Legal Center programs:
Cancer Legal Resource Center
Civil Rights Litigation Project
Disability Mediation Center
Community Outreach Program
Education Advocacy Project
Inland Empire Program
Options Counseling
Lawyer Referral Service
Pro Bono Attorney Project
919 S. Albany Street
Los Angeles, California 90015 - California Women's Law Center
You will contribute to policy initiatives and legislative work in the areas of civil rights, sex discrimination in employment and education, family law, women's health and reproductive rights, violence against women, women and emerging issues of technology, and women and poverty. Expect to interact with community based organizations and policymakers, and perform legislative advocacy, and legal research and writing.
3460 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1102
Los Angeles, CA 90010 - Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law
The Center provides legal services in the areas of family law, domestic violence, women's and children's rights, and civil procedure. You will stay busy conducting factual investigations and case analysis; client interviews and the preparation of court documentation will also be among your responsibilities.
4262 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 201
Los Angeles, CA 90010 - Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
The internship provides an excellent opportunity to represent clients at administrative hearings, in addition to providing litigation support and working on client education and outreach projects. Legal Aid provides services in the area of poverty law (as it relates to eviction defense/housing), government benefits, family law, employment, and community economic development.
1102 S. Crenshaw Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019 - Public Counsel
Public Counsel is the public interest agency of the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills Bar Associations. Based on your interests, you may choose to intern in one of the agency's special projects: Adoptions Project; Child Care Law Project; Consumer Law Project; Community Development Project; Homelessness Prevention Law Project; and the Immigrant's Project. Dean Lisa Mead served as a directing attorney for Public Counsel prior to her appointment as associate dean at USC.
601 South Ardmore Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90005 - Western Center for Law and Poverty
The Western Center specializes in high-impact litigation affecting the poor. The agency has successfully litigated numerous landmark cases with statewide or regional emphasis. As an intern, you will work closely with attorneys in all aspects of litigation such as factual development, discovery, and brief writing and research. You may also receive significant appellate experience. Much of your work will be to support cases in the areas of poverty law, housing, public benefits, and constitutional law.
3701 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 208
Los Angeles, CA 90010 - ACLU Foundation of Southern California
Based on your interests, you will be matched with a specific ACLU attorney who may specialize in civil liberties, civil rights, voting rights, international law as applied to domestic civil liberties, lesbian and gay rights, employment discrimination, children's rights, or poverty law. Expect to accompany your attorney to court, prepare motions, interview witnesses, organize testimony, and research memos.
1616 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026-9938 - Alliance for Children's Rights
Work on critical issues pertaining to children such as adoptions, guardianships, special education, health care, government benefits, emancipation, and children's rights. You will participate in research, client intake and interviews, case strategy and planning, and legal writing.
3333 Wilshire Blvd., Suite #420
Los Angeles, CA 90010 - Bet Tzedek Legal Services
Bet Tzedek provides a wide range of legal services in the community including consumer protection, conservatorship and guardianship, Holocaust reparation/German restitution, nursing home patient advocacy, elder law, wills, and public benefits. As an intern, you will conduct client intake consultations and administrative hearings, as well as draft pleadings, court forms and correspondence under the supervision of litigation attorneys. If you have a specific interest, you may be assigned to special projects such as the Housing Conditions Unit or the Home Equity Fraud Unit.
145 S. Fairfax Ave., Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90036 - Natural Resources Defense Council
If environmental law is your interest, this internship will provide the opportunity to support important impact litigation and watch for statutory and regulatory compliance. USC Law students investigate possible federal law violations, draft documents related to civil prosecution, and assist at hearings.
6310 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 250
Los Angeles, CA 90048 - HIV & AIDS Legal Services Alliance
HALSA (the HIV & Legal Services Alliance) will provide you with an excellent opportunity for extensive client contact in diverse legal areas such as wills, living wills and powers of attorney, and legal issues related to HIV disease. Interns receive extensive training (with client contact) for the first three to four weeks. Upon completion of training, interns will be responsible for their own clients.
1030 S. Arroyo Parkway
Pasadena, CA 91105 - HIV & AIDS Legal Services Alliance
HALSA (the HIV & Legal Services Alliance) will provide you with an excellent opportunity for extensive client contact in diverse legal areas such as wills, living wills and powers of attorney, and legal issues related to HIV disease. Interns receive extensive training (with client contact) for the first three to four weeks. Upon completion of training, interns will be responsible for their own clients.
3550 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 750
Los Angeles CA 90010
