Root & Rebound seeks law student clerks to support our California Direct Services and Programs.

This is an unpaid internship position for current and/or recent law students with hybrid and/or remote options.

ABOUT ROOT & REBOUND: R&R is a national reentry advocacy organization that provides know-your-rights education, direct legal services, policy reform, and impact litigation to support formerly incarcerated people and people with convictions to navigate barriers to employment, housing, family reunification, obtaining ID, and more due to their record. Our mission is to restore power and resources to the families and communities most harmed by mass incarceration through legal advocacy, public education, policy reform, and litigation — a model rooted in the needs and expertise of people who are directly impacted.

LAW CLERK OPPORTUNITY: As a law clerk at R&R, students have the unique opportunity to work holistically on the issues of “reentry law”—directly supporting individuals who are navigating the 48,000 documented legal barriers related to their criminal record. Unlike most legal externships, law students clerking at R&R learn about many areas of law– employment, civil rights, parole and probation, family, and many other substantive areas of legal practice as they impact justice-involved people.

Those with lived experience are highly encouraged to apply.

COMMITMENT: Spring semester and/or Summer of 2025. Spring positions are 12+ hours a week, and Summer positions are 40 hours a week. Summer positions are 36-40 hours. The Oakland position is two mandatory days in office. The Los Angeles position is fully remote, but there may be in-person opportunities like court shadowings and “Know Your Rights” trainings.

QUALIFICATIONS:
● Current law student or recent law school graduate.
● Desire to work with people with arrest and conviction histories and on criminal justice issues in a dynamic legal environment.
● Demonstrated interest in racial justice and improving the lives of disenfranchised people and communities.
● Ability to comfortably and appropriately communicate with a diverse group of stakeholders, including currently and formerly incarcerated people and their loved ones, staff, community partners, board members, and others.

DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES:

1. Northern California Office (Oakland) R&R runs a weekly Reentry Legal Hotline every Friday for anyone with questions about reentry and the impact of a criminal record on their life and legal rights. Through our state-wide legal services, we support thousands of people each year. This position is hybrid only for the summer, and during the school year, there is an option for hybrid or remote work. NorCal law clerks will have the opportunity to:
○ Answer Reentry Legal Hotline calls and speak with currently and formerly incarcerated callers about their reentry-related questions and issues every Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.;
○ Attend legal clinics across northern California;
○ Complete holistic legal intakes with clients at legal clinics;
○ Provide ongoing legal services to hotline, clinic, and other clients;
○ Create and update Know-Your-Rights factsheets on recurring legal issues;
○ Perform case-specific legal research and writing;
○ Draft advocacy letters, court filings, and other materials.

2. Southern California Team (Los Angeles) is based at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), a community-based organization in Downtown LA. The SoCal team provides direct client services to ARC’s formerly incarcerated members, helping to remove legal barriers and reach clients’ unique reentry goals, and leads public education workshops across LA. This position can be done remotely, however, if you would like to shadow hearings, you must be in person. SoCal law clerks will have the opportunity to:
○ Work closely with system-impacted members of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, empowering them to overcome barriers to reentry in areas such as employment, housing, education, parole/probation, family reunification, and more.
○ Complete holistic legal intakes
○ Support clients petitioning for record cleaning relief by drafting narrative declarations and assisting with assembling evidence of rehabilitation.
○ Assist with Know-Your-Rights presentations, both virtual and in-person
○ Shadow R&R attorneys at hearings

Application Instructions: To apply for a position, please fill out an application using this link.

The application will ask for:
1. Resume;
2. Cover letter
– Your interest in the position. Please indicate which of the programs you are applying for.
– How many hours per week you would like to commit,
– Which semester you are applying for.
3. Short sample of legal writing (4 pages max.); and
4. At least 2 references with contact information and a description of how they know you.

Incomplete applications–including those without clarifying the semester, hours, and location of interest–will not be considered.
No phone calls, please.
Decisions will be made on a rolling basis.
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Root & Rebound is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including women, people of color, people with conviction histories, persons with disabilities, ethnic and religious minorities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming individuals.