join our team

There are no positions at this time. We will update this page with information about job opportunities as they become available.

VOLUNTEERING at The Legal Rights Center

Volunteer attorneys have traditionally used their time with us to gain experience in criminal defense and juvenile delinquency cases. Volunteers work on every aspect of our caseload, and are mentored by an experienced staff attorney. In recent years, our volunteers have also helped with our Education and Community presentations. They have helped with the work we do in CHIPs court, and have also been able to work through us on different advocacy issues. 


Our most successful volunteer attorneys don’t just handle cases, but complement our defense work. For example, they may primarily practice in immigration law, but benefit by handling a small number of criminal matters through our office. Other past volunteers have been civil attorneys who honed their skills in court through our office. If you would like to volunteer please contact office@legalrightscenter.org. 

Student Internships

LRC Legal Interns work alongside Community Defense Program attorneys to provide high-quality representation, at no cost, to adults and youth charged with crimes in Hennepin County. They also collaborate with our Community Advocates to provide wraparound support to clients, identifying needs and connecting them with community resources.

 

LRC interns come from a range of backgrounds and experiences. Like our attorneys and community advocates, our interns understand that our client’s lives
extend beyond the courtroom and that criminal proceedings have deleterious effects on those lives. To provide community-oriented defense, our interns draw from their own experiences to advocate for and address client’s needs and priorities. That advocacy is further accomplished through case preparation,
research, interviewing, advocacy, negotiation, and trial preparation.

 

Responsibilities

  • Interview clients, family members, and/or witnesses
  • Develop investigation requests
  • Conduct case-related investigations
  • Participate in case brainstorming sessions
  • Develop case theories
  • Review police reports and other case materials
  • Research appropriate case law
  • Research and write evidentiary motions
  • Argue evidentiary hearings in court
  • Prepare trial binders
  • Participate in trials
  • Negotiate case resolutions with prosecuting attorneys and presiding judges
  • Identify and strategize how to remedy other legal and/or non-legal client needs 

 

Qualifications

Essential qualifications

  • Pursuing a J.D. at an ABA-accredited law school
  • Commitment to a multidisciplinary approach to criminal defense, including working as part of a legal team that incorporates non-attorney advocates
  • Desire to learn from our clients and their experiences
  • Strong oral and written advocacy skills
  • Ability to track and manage the demands of multiple cases/clients simultaneously
  • Demonstrated success as a team player, but able to work independently
  • Willingness to creatively problem-solve
  • Ability to work at an organization whose mission is not solely focused on criminal defense
  • Active listening skills
  • Computer proficiency
  • Able to pass a background check for working with youth and vulnerable adults

 

Preferred qualifications

  • Experience working with low-income people, immigrants, people of color, LGBTQ people, and people with other marginalized identities
  • Experience identifying both legal and non-legal needs and issues facing our diverse clientele
  • Ability to integrate their personal interests in other social justice or civil rights issues into their daily criminal defense work
  • Experience conducting client intake interviews (or some equivalent)
  • Secondary language skills (especially an ability to communicate in Spanish, Somali and/or Oromo)
  • Previous experience working in a public defender office or nonprofit legal office
  • Prior experience working within a holistic or client-centered framework
  • Past experience working with youth and/or vulnerable adults
  • Willingness to use own vehicle for travel to suburban courts (mileage and parking reimbursed)
 
LRC internships are competitive positions. We accept at most four legal interns during the summer (May–August) and at most two legal interns during the fall (September–December) and spring (February–May) semesters. Interns will receive $3,000 for 10 weeks at 30 hours per week.
 
In order to apply, candidates must submit the following application materials: 
  • Current resume
  • Most recent transcript
  • Writing sample (no longer than ten pages) with a cover page explaining the assignment and/or context in which the sample was created
  • Cover letter
 

We encourage candidates from communities of color and those with second language skills to apply. In addition, the LRC accepts LL.M. students and other types of international students as interns. If you have any questions about our program, or would like to submit an application, please contact Anna Hall at ahall@legalrightscenter.org.