2025 Summer Intern (Fully Funded Positions Available)

POSITION SUMMARY

Youth Law Center invites current 1L – 3L students to explore their interest in creating systemic change in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems by applying to join us as a summer 2025 legal intern.

Since 1978, YLC has advocated on behalf of systems-involved young people to end traumatic practices and unsafe conditions in California and nationally and to ensure that young people receive the supports, opportunities, and quality care they need in order to become successful, thriving adults. YLC has led the field to transform the child welfare and juvenile justice systems to be truly child-focused and research-informed, through the use of a variety of advocacy tools: impact litigation, policy reform, media advocacy, collaborative system-change projects, training and technical assistance, and public education. YLC is especially committed to centering the perspectives and voices of the young people and families most impacted by the systems we advocate to change, and we partner with other organizations that share this priority.

Our summer interns will contribute to a variety of YLC’s ongoing and emerging advocacy projects, based on their particular interests and strengths, with a specific goal of developing at least one strong writing sample for use in future job and funding applications for those who need such a sample. Interns will enjoy the benefits of working with multiple attorneys in our highly collaborative, welcoming, and dedicated team, and can look forward to a rich summer program including:

  • Receiving training through our annual summer seminar series, providing overviews of the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, different strategic approaches to youth and child advocacy, opportunities in public interest law, and key systemic issues informing YLC’s advocacy work today
  • Participation in YLC team meetings, strategic advocacy meetings, and other workgroups on areas of interest
  • Close one-on-one supervisory support and feedback from multiple attorneys
  • Opportunities to meet with YLC staff to discuss career interests and opportunities in the field in greater depth
  • Completion of one or more substantial research and writing projects
  • Opportunities to observe legislative hearings and court proceedings and to visit juvenile facilities (as available and depending on your location)
  • Invitations to YLC events and other summer intern events
  • Some in-person opportunities depending on your location

Examples of recent intern projects include:

  • A fact sheet on civil legal supports for dually-involved youth (those involved in both the juvenile justice and child welfare systems)
  • A youth-facing written resource on the rights of pregnant and parenting foster youth
  • A handbook on prudent parent standards for foster youth participation in social justice and activism
  • A research memo on civil claims available for mistreatment in juvenile facilities
  • Comments to promulgated regulations in multiple states regarding licensing of child welfare and juvenile justice facilities

Qualified candidates will have excellent research and writing skills, experience and/or interest in child and youth advocacy, and a desire to explore nonprofit legal aid and systemic advocacy environments as a possible career path. We are particularly interested in hearing from students with personal, lived experience in child welfare and juvenile justice systems and people from historically marginalized identities that are disproportionately represented in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. YLC believes that those who have experienced these systems are best positioned to understand the impacts of systems change, and we’re committed to developing youth advocates with lived experience through our hiring practices.

POSITION DETAILS

The summer intern position is a full-time, 10-week position. The position may begin as early as the final week of May 2025, with some flexibility for a later start date if needed.

This position will be completed on a fully remote, virtual basis, and applicants are not required to live in or relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area to apply for and fulfill the summer intern position. The option to attend meetings in YLC’s physical office in San Francisco and to reserve individual or group workspace may be available to summer interns living locally in the Bay Area.

This position will be an unpaid, volunteer position; most summer interns pursue funding through their institution’s public interest funding program or other funding program in order to participate. However, we have a limited number of need-based, fully YLC-funded positions available for students unable to obtain other summer funding. Please indicate in your cover letter if you might be interested in one of our fully funded positions.

TO APPLY

Students with personal lived experience in the child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems are strongly encouraged to apply and to explain their personal motivations for pursuing a legal advocacy career in their cover letter!

Please submit the following documents as attachments via email to careers@ylc.org:

  • A cover letter, explaining your interest in working with the Youth Law Center and in our advocacy for systems-involved young people, including any relevant personal, educational, or professional background that motivates you to pursue this opportunity; please let us know in your cover letter if you may be interested in a funded position.
  • Resume, with a list of three professional/academic references
  • A legal writing sample

(Law school transcripts are not required for this application and will not be factored into our hiring decisions.)

Applications must be complete, including all required attachments, at the time of submission or they may be disqualified from consideration. Please contact careers@ylc.org with any questions regarding the position or application process.

The final deadline for applications is March 4th, 2025, though we recommend applying by mid-January as positions may be filled sooner.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

YLC values a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, body size, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Read our DEI statement here.