NALP supports a variety of public interest and government employment initiatives, and also provides a forum to exchange information, develop resources, and guide policy and programs related to public service careers. NALP’s commitment to promoting public service careers includes:
PSJD — www.psjd.org. NALP's PSJD website is the premiere online public service job database connecting public interest law job-seekers with job opportunities at all experience levels. Students and alumni of PSJD subscriber law schools have free access to our job and employer profile database. Public service employers can post jobs at no charge. PSJD also offers an extensive array of career-building resources for law school career professionals and job-seekers. Our resources include:
Our PSJD Blog and Twitter feed (@PSJDtweets) offer up-to-date content about public service law news, job-search strategies, and legal employment trends.
Public Sector & Public Interest Attorney Salary Report — this report, published every three years, is used by public interest and government organizations around the country. It provides information on attorney salaries - broken down by years of practice experience - at five types of organizations: civil legal services; public defenders; local prosecuting attorney offices, offices of attorneys general, and other, issue-oriented public interest organizations. Salaries are reported both nationwide and by geographic area. Information on benefits and on the availability and nature of Loan Repayment Assistance Programs is also included. The full report is available for purchase in the NALP Bookstore.
Federal Legal Employment Guide — this free online publication, updated annually, offers tips for seeking federal attorney positions, definitions of terms used in the employment application process, descriptions of dozens of federal offices that employ attorneys, and much more. Download the Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide for free on PSJD.
NALP/PSJD Public Service Mini-Conference — NALP’s very popular one-day conference focuses on the needs of law school public interest career advisors and pro bono program managers and public sector employers. The Mini-Conference — which features a town-hall style meeting, networking opportunities, and substantive programming — is the only national event planned solely to afford public interest legal career specialists the opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices. The Mini-Conference takes place every October, in conjunction with the Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair.
Partner in the Equal Justice Works Career Fair and Conference — NALP partners with Equal Justice Works during its annual career fair by sponsoring and hosting a networking reception for law school professionals and public service employers. NALP Public Service Section members also contribute their expertise in many of the substantive program sessions.
NALP’s Public Service Section — NALP Public Service Section, comprised of law school career advisors, pro bono managers, public service employers, and others, supports a number of ongoing projects designed to promote and facilitate public service careers.
PSJD Pro Bono Publico Award — The Pro Bono Publico Award recognizes the significant contributions that law students make to underserved populations, the public interest community, and legal education by performing pro bono work. The award is available to any second- or third-year law student at a PSJD U.S. or Canadian Subscriber School. The award recipient receives a commemorative plaque and a monetary award of $1,000. More information, including nomination requirements, is available on PSJD.
Free Listing for Public Sector Employers in the NALP Directory of Legal Employers — Public sector employers list for free in the NALP Directory of Legal Employers, the most trusted legal career resource, which is available online at www.nalpdirectory.com. For more information on participating in this resource, see Directories.
PSJD Public Interest News Digest — Each week, NALP’s Director of Public Service, Samuel Halpert, provides a summary of news items that affect the public service legal community, with an emphasis on funding, job market, law school initiatives, and access-to-justice developments. Click here to subscribe to the Public Interest News Bulletin.
For more information on any of NALP’s public service activities or publications, please contact Samuel Halpert, Director of Public Service Initiatives, at shalpert@nalp.org or at 202-296-0057.
