Summer Law Clerk, Housing

Description

Who We Are 

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley (“Law Foundation”) is dedicated to advancing the rights of historically excluded individuals and families throughout Santa Clara County. Through our legal services, strategic advocacy, and educational outreach, we empower over 14,000 individuals and families each year. Our Housing, Children & Youth, Health and Pro Bono Programs use legal advocacy as a catalyst for social change, creating innovative solutions to the legal challenges facing low-income communities in our region. With a dedicated team of over 85 employees, we are the largest provider of free legal services in the South Bay region of the Bay Area. Learn more at https://www.lawfoundation.org/ . 

The Opportunity 

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley exposes students to our different programs with the intention to help them develop as public interest attorneys. Each law clerk is assigned to a supervising attorney who will provide constructive feedback in a positive learning environment. 

The Housing Program is dedicated to the prevention of displacement of low-income individuals and communities of color through both direct legal services, including unlawful detainer defense, and system change work, including impact litigation and policy advocacy.   

What You’ll Do 

The law clerk will work primarily in our direct services housing practice providing advice and brief legal services, to low-income tenants facing eviction or housing discrimination. The law clerk will also support the Law Foundation’s systemic advocacy by conducting legal and policy research, case investigation, legal drafting, and supporting tenant and unhoused community organizing.  

Requirements

Position Requirements 

• Strong commitment to civil rights 
• Ability to analyze, write and present ideas clearly and concisely 
• Familiarity with legal research methods 
• Ability to work independently and be self-motivated 
• Organizational skills and computer proficiency 
• Ability to treat all clients with dignity and respect 
• Strong interpersonal skills 
• Connections to and experience working with diverse populations, including communities of color and people living with disabilities 
• Passion for social justice and race equity as well as a desire to provide assistance to underserved populations 
• Bilingual language skills (particularly Spanish or Vietnamese) highly desirable. 
• 2Ls (i.e., rising 3Ls) preferred 
• Awareness of how race and other identities shape our work with communities; commitment to
  inclusion and belonging 
• Alignment with the mission and values of LFSV 
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 or similar, with openness to learning new tools 

What We Offer 

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley provides an $8,500 living allowance to each summer clerk who commits to and completes a 10-week internship and is not also receiving compensation from a private law firm. For students also receiving compensation from a private law firm, stipends will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. We encourage candidates who will receive course credit for the work/training completed over the summer with us. 

Workplace Expectations 

The Law Foundation is a hybrid workplace. Please note that the Law Clerk may be expected to work in our San Jose office a minimum of 2 days/week.   

Working At Law Foundation 

The Law Foundation is strongly committed to building a culturally diverse workplace centered on equity and providing an inclusive, welcoming, and culturally responsive environment for our staff, volunteers, clients, and partners. To achieve this goal, the Law Foundation actively works to improve communications, community engagement, systems and structures, and office culture to create an inclusive and respectful workplace where differences are acknowledged and valued. 

We strongly encourage individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. Law Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior contact with the criminal legal system, or any other basis prohibited by law. 

Application Process 

Application materials must include: 

• A cover letter that addresses the following: How has your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to contribute to social justice, race equity and diversity among our staff? 
• A resume 

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Please note that our interview process includes interviewing by phone, video, and/or in-person. 

If you are passionate about making a difference and want to be part of a team that values people, trust, accountability, creativity, joy, and fun, we would love to hear from you! 

Equal Opportunity Employment 

The Law Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer.  We encourage people of color, womxn, people living with disabilities, older people, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to apply.  It is the policy of the Law Foundation to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, medical condition or genetic information, veteran status, national origin, disability, marital or other protected status.  The Law Foundation will conform to the spirit, as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations. 

ADA Accessible Facility - Equal Opportunity Employer - Drug-Free Workplace