Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

Orleans Public Defenders' 2025 Summer Law Clerkship is an intensive 10-week, hands-on program. Law Clerks play an intricate part in OPD's client-centered, community-oriented legal defense team for clients in New Orleans. OPD's 2025 Summer Law Clerkship runs from June 2, 2025 to August 8, 2025 .

Each year, thousands of men, women, and children come into the criminal justice system. Unable to afford an attorney, nearly 85% of the people who enter the criminal justice system in New Orleans are appointed a public defender.

Law Clerks are required to abide by OPD's confidentiality policy, and to act at all times in the best interest of OPD's clients. Law Clerk at OPD may be asked to do everything a staff lawyer does for a client on a case short of speaking on the record in court. This may include, but not limited to:

• Legal research on a wide range of issues arising out of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th Amendments;
• Writing memos, motions, and writ applications to Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal and the Louisiana Supreme Court;
• Visiting clients in jail; meeting with clients’ family and/or defense witnesses both in and outside of the office;
• Investigating with the attorney, i.e. going to the scene of the crime, canvassing neighborhoods, interviewing complaints;
• Assisting the attorney at trial and substantive motions hearings;
• Digesting discovery and pretrial hearing transcripts; and
• Observing the attorney during client counseling sessions and plea negotiations.

While this is an unpaid position, we encourage you to obtain funding through your school or an outside source; we are happy to work with you to complete any necessary paperwork. Many schools also award academic credit for clerkship. If you are approved for academic credit, we will work with you and your school throughout the process.

HOW TO APPLY?

Those interested in the program must submit the following by 5:00 pm CST, Friday, April 11 , 2025 :

1. Online application
2. Cover Letter (Statement of Interest)
3. Writing Sample
4. Resume/CV
5. Transcript (unofficial)

Incomplete applications will not be considered. All documentation should be submitted in PDF format. If we are unable to open your documents due to formatting issues, that will be considered an incomplete application. Applicants selected for an interview will be contacted for further information. No phone calls please .

Orleans Public Defenders is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of our hiring process. If a reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact Sharee Garnett, Director, Human Resources, 504-827-8179 / 504-821-8101, [email protected].

OPD is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, national origin, disability, veteran status or sexual orientation.

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