2027 SUMMER LAW CLERK

Children's Law Center of California; Monterey Park (CA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Three paid sick days

Job summary

Children’s Law Center of California invites a Summer Law Clerk for a 10-week program to learn from licensed attorneys while handling child and family welfare matters in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Placer counties.

You will observe, interview, and assist in court proceedings, with supervision, and gain experience toward PTLS certification to enable court appearances for young clients.

Qualifications

• California address at onboarding.
• In-person in-office or field work for full-time 10-week term.
• Current enrollment in an accredited law school/university.
• Highly adaptable with strong teamwork.
• Professional and patient when interacting with clients and caregivers.

Responsibilities

• Engage directly with clients throughout the 10-week program, observing, interviewing and supporting in the legal processes under attorney supervision.
• Attend daily juvenile court hearings, depositions, and other legal proceedings as needed.
• Regularly communicate with attorneys, verbally and in writing, about caseloads and assignments and client information.
• Collaborate with Social Work Investigators, Attorneys and multidisciplinary team members.
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to ethical obligations in handling client information.
• Continuously learn and adapt to evolving social dynamics to better engage and support clients from all backgrounds.

Skills

Adaptability

Teamwork

Professionalism

Education

Enrollment in an accredited law school

Job description

Description

POSITION TITLE: SUMMER LAW CLERK 2027

Compensation: $22/hr.

Job Snapshot

Law Clerk Program

Children's Law Center of California (CLC) selects the top 20-25 candidates from law schools around the nation to participate in our full-time 10-week program. Summer clerks learn about the Los Angeles or Sacramento County dependency court systems while developing crucial legal skills and learning to think critically about a wide range of child and family welfare issues.

Law clerks are assigned to work one-on-one with licensed attorneys on matters involving children and families within the Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Placer County child welfare systems. This is a unique, hands‑on learning opportunity for law clerks to assist attorneys with both client engagement and trial preparation, including witness interviews, legal research, and the preparation of motions and other court documents. Law clerks will attend juvenile court proceedings on a daily basis and witness how this system addresses the needs of families in crisis.

Qualified law clerks are also encouraged to become certified through the California State Bar’s Practical Training of Law Students (PTLS) program to make court appearances on behalf of young clients. The CLC Summer for Strengthening Families Law Clerk Program features a comprehensive orientation and training schedule, including weekly internal and external opportunities and field trips to engage with our work beyond the courtroom.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Engaging directly with clients throughout the 10-week program, including observing, interviewing and supporting in the legal processes under attorney supervision.
• Attend daily juvenile court hearings, depositions, and other legal proceedings as needed.
• Communicate regularly with the attorneys, both verbally and in writing, regarding the status of caseloads and assignments and with all relevant information regarding the client.
• Collaborate with Social Work Investigators, Attorneys and multidisciplinary team members.
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to all ethical obligations in handling client information.
• Continuous learning: staying informed and adapting evolving social dynamics to better engage and support clients from all backgrounds.

Requirements

The Assets You Possess/Essential Qualifications

• Have a California address at the time of onboarding
• Be able to come into their assigned office or physically in the field for in-person work full-time throughout the 10-week term.
• Current enrollment in an accredited law school/university.
• Highly adaptable, demonstrating a strong willingness to assist with various tasks and possessing excellent teamwork skills.
• Exhibits professionalism, patience and understanding when interacting with clients and caregivers.

The Summer Law Clerk position offers $22/hour and three paid sick days

About CLC

CLC is the largest children's legal services organization in the nation, advocating for tens of thousands of children and youth in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Placer County foster care systems. We are a powerful voice for our clients, fighting in and out of the courtroom for family reunification, permanence, educational opportunity, health and mental health services, self-sufficiency, and overall well-being. We want all of California’s children to have the support they need to succeed. We work to accomplish this goal through direct legal representation for children, multidisciplinary advocacy and support, and public policy.

CLC recognizes the importance of bringing together a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and talents across all roles, and we encourage candidates with varied backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. CLC is committed to fair and welcoming practices in recruitment, hiring, promotion, and retention.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commitment : All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, individual with disability, medical condition, marital status, ancestry, military status, veteran status, protected veteran status, genetics or any other legally protected group status or non-job related characteristic of an individual as directed by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity—Reasonable Accommodation Assistance: Children’s Law Center of California is committed to maintaining an environment of equal opportunity. If you need a reasonable accommodation to access the information provided by this organization, please contact [e-mail] further assistance regarding job postings.