Pro Bono and Volunteer Opportunities
We welcome a diverse range of individuals of all educational and professional backgrounds, including high school and college students, graduates, paralegal students and active paralegals, law school graduates, and any civic-minded individuals dedicated to helping.
How to Get Involved Background and application information for pro bono and volunteer opportunities
As the largest provider of free civil legal services in the San Francisco Bay Area, we rely on the support of hundreds of volunteers every year who are dedicated to helping us achieve our mission. For all volunteer opportunities, please complete the Volunteer Application below, and return with your cover letter and résumé, and (Law Clerks Only) writing sample to Andrea Del-Pan, Pro Bono Director, at probono@baylegal.org. Please email probono@baylegal.org with any questions.
Details on Volunteering at BayLegal
More Information - Law Clerks
Bay Area Legal Aid (BayLegal) ensures fairness in the civil justice system for the most vulnerable members of our community. From Silicon Valley to Napa Valley, we help clients protect their livelihoods, their health, and their families. Our clients include the working poor, families with children, foster youth, seniors, immigrants, veterans, and persons with disabilities. Through our regional county offices, our mobile advocacy clinics, and our nationally-recognized Legal Advice Line, BayLegal prevents domestic violence and sexual assault, increases economic stability, protects consumers, expands access to healthcare, and prevents homelessness. For our clients, BayLegal makes the difference between staying in poverty and thriving toward a brighter future.
We are now accepting applications for 2024 fall semester clerkships ! Please apply through the link to the volunteer application form at the top of this page.
BayLegal will likely have a hybrid remote/in-person work environment for Fall, 2024. Under the supervision of staff attorneys, clerks have the opportunity to engage in our work by conducting client interviews and initial case statements, preparing clients for trials, obtaining discovery and other evidence, writing briefs and other legal memoranda, participating in community outreach and education, assisting self-represented litigants, representing clients at administrative hearings and state court hearings/trials, participating in broader impact litigation, and drafting writs of mandamus to Superior Court and California appellate court.
- Consumer Protection – Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara – Assist with advocacy and litigation to address economic and financial problems affecting low-income consumers, who are particularly vulnerable to high-cost credit, predatory loans, credit reporting errors, problems with employment and housing background reports, predatory for-profit schools, and unfair business models such as credit repair organizations and foreclosure rescue scams. Assist with client interviews and learn to issue-spot legal problems, draft legal pleadings, and conduct legal research and writing. Certified law students are encouraged to appear in court.
- Consumer Rights Clinics – Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara – These clinics consist of know-your-rights workshops and one-on-one meetings with attendees to provide information about consumer law problems and assist with necessary forms. Law clerks focus on assisting people with forms related to debt collection lawsuits and to protect clients’ exempt income and wages from collection activity.
- Economic Justice (EJ) – Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara – Assist clients in obtaining desperately needed health coverage, as well as public and disability benefits. Participate in direct individual representation and ongoing impact litigation. Clerks learn about Medi-Cal, Medicare, Healthy Families, CalWORKs, General Assistance, CalFresh, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and general health access issues. Cases often intersect with civil rights, language access, and domestic violence. For EJ clients, clerks have the opportunity to identify their eligibility, gather and build evidence, prepare briefs, assist with negotiations, and possibly represent the client at an administrative hearing.
- Family Law for Domestic Violence Survivors – Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara –Participate in our comprehensive legal representation of low-income survivors of domestic violence. Provide litigation assistance in a full range of family law matters, including divorce, child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, and restraining orders.
- Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinic – Contra Costa, San Mateo – Assist self-represented litigants seeking civil domestic violence restraining order protection—including child custody, visitation and support orders—through all stages of the process. A great opportunity to work directly with litigants by conducting interviews and drafting pleadings. Applications accepted year-round, substantive training provided on a rolling basis.
- Health Access – Oakland, San Jose – Opportunity to assist in providing counsel; to negotiate with agencies and organizations which provide health services; and to represent clients in state administrative hearings (no certification necessary) on a variety of legal issues related to obtaining health care services and coverage, including the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”); and to engage in policy advocacy to address systemic barriers to health care.
- Housing Preservation – Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara – Work on homelessness prevention, file administrative complaints (HUD & CRD) using Fair Housing laws to address housing discrimination issues, preserve affordable housing, and fight illegal evictions. Interview clients, prepare legal pleadings and assist with a full civil litigation case over a short amount of time (include jury trial).
- Housing Rights Clinic – Contra Costa – Meet with clinic attendees one-on-one to provide information about tenant rights and the unlawful detainer (eviction) process. Law clerks may provide legal information and assist with necessary forms, including Answers to Unlawful Detainers, rent board petitions and demand letters to landlords to make repairs. Applications accepted year-round, substantive training provided on a rolling basis.
- Immigration Advocacy for Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Survivors – Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara – Assist in our provision of comprehensive legal services to low-income immigrant survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Assist with VAWA Self-Petitions and U Visa Non-Immigrant Petitions—immigration remedies that provide relief for survivors who are either immediate family members of abusive U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents, or who cooperate with the investigation and/or prosecution of the crimes perpetrated against them. Learn how to assess eligibility, prepare immigration pleadings and work directly with immigrant survivors.
- Individualized Legal Support Services (ILSS) – San Francisco –– Help eliminate legal barriers to employment and self-sufficiency, such as suspended driver’s licenses, employment rights regarding criminal background checks, housing habitability, and consumer credit issues.
- Reentry – Alameda, Contra Costa – Low-income individuals seeking to overcome a criminal conviction or arrest history and reestablish themselves within our communities face multiple civil barriers, including in housing, occupational licensing, access to public benefits, and consumer debt. We provide wrap-around legal services for these clients by assisting with criminal record remedies, driver’s license restoration, direct representation in a wide array of civil legal practice areas, and by participating in ongoing impact litigation.
- Medical Legal Partnership (MLP) – Contra Costa, Alameda– Assist in providing wrap-around support for clients whose legal issues are affecting their health, while learning about the MLP model of addressing social determinants of health. These partnerships are growing across the United States, allowing attorneys to work with clients across multiple areas of law. We participate in case reviews with Contra Costa Health Services and the Community Health Center Network in Alameda County, and their public health nurses and social workers refer their patients to BayLegal. The majority of these referrals are related to Housing and Social Security, although there are opportunities to represent clients in other areas of law as well.
- Youth Justice Team (YJT) – Alameda, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, San Francisco – Legal advocacy for youth, including foster care entry and benefits, guardianships, education advocacy to break school-to-prison pipeline, immigration, restraining orders, family law, public benefits, and SSI.
Requirements –
- Completion of the first year of law school.
- A passion for social justice and poverty-related issues.
- A sensitivity to working with people from diverse backgrounds.
Desired Skills and Abilities – We encourage students who have completed the required Evidence Course to become certified by the California State Bar to represent clients in court. Students who speak Spanish, Cantonese, Russian, Vietnamese, or other Southeast Asian languages, are encouraged to apply. Special consideration will be given to students who have a demonstrated commitment to serving low-income or disadvantaged communities.
Funding – Students are encouraged to apply for funding through their law school and other grant opportunities (please contact us if we can be of assistance). See https://www.psjd.org/ for more information.
Timeline – Law clerkships are available throughout the school year and applications are accepted on an ongoing basis for semester clerkships. For 2025 summer clerkships, BayLegal will begin reviewing applications in mid-October. We recommend applying before February 2025. Our summer program is nine weeks – beginning in early June through early August. If you are interested in a 2024 fall semester clerkship, please submit a completed law clerk application by clicking on the application button, above.
Questions? Email Andrea Del-Pan, Esq., Director of Pro Bono – probono@baylegal.org
More Information - Pro Bono Attorneys and Other Volunteers
For all volunteer opportunities, please complete the Volunteer Application (see link at the top of this page) and return with your cover letter and résumé, and (Law Clerks Only) writing sample to Andrea Del-Pan, Pro Bono Director, at probono@baylegal.org. Please email probono@baylegal.org with any questions.
Work directly with highly experienced BayLegal staff attorneys and advocates assisting in one or more of our priority areas:
- Domestic Violence Prevention: Assisting domestic violence survivors escape the violence and create a safe and stable environment for themselves and their families through Family Law, Restraining Order, and Immigration assistance
- Housing Preservation: Assist clients to access and preserve safe affordable housing free of discrimination, with specific focus on Eviction defense and Fair Housing
- Economic Security: Assisting clients secure public benefits and eliminate the barriers to employment and self-sufficiency
- Health Access: Assisting clients secure public benefits and eliminate the barriers to employment and self-sufficiency
- Consumer Protection: Assist low-income consumers with debt collection, credit reporting, student loan and foreclosure matters through consumer education, pro per clinics, workshops and full representation.
Locations:
Alameda County (Oakland); Contra Costa (Richmond, Pittsburg); Marin (San Rafael); Napa (Napa); Santa Clara (San Jose); San Francisco; San Mateo (Redwood City)
Commitment:
Minimum of 8 hours/week for 3 months
BayLegal staff and volunteers assist self-represented domestic violence survivors complete the paperwork and understand the process to request a restraining order and important custody, visitation and support orders.
Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinics: BayLegal staff and volunteers assist self-represented domestic violence survivors complete the paperwork and understand the process to request a restraining order and important custody, visitation and support orders.
Consumer Rights Legal Clinics – BayLegal staff and volunteers assist self-represented litigants in limited civil debt collection matters. Clinics are offered weekly in Bay Point, Fremont, Redwood City, Richmond, Napa, and San José.
BayLegal screens all pro bono clients for eligibility and determines whether a case is appropriate for pro bono representation. BayLegal provides training, manuals and samples, and ongoing mentorship throughout the pro bono project.
Limited Scope Representation in Domestic Violence Restraining Order Hearings – Volunteer attorneys provide limited scope representation (appx. 1 or 2 hearings) for domestic violence survivors seeking permanent restraining orders and important related child custody, visitation and support orders. Volunteers receive training, a practice manual and sample pleadings and ongoing mentorship. Opportunities are available throughout the year and the project runs a summer associate program. Estimated time commitment: 25 hours.
San Mateo Domestic Violence Prevention Collaborative Partnership with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County (LASSM) and Communities Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA) (hearings are: Wednesday afternoons and Friday mornings)
Protecting Domestic Violence Survivors and their Children 2009 PART I Oct 2009: Overview of Domestic Violence Restraining Order law and procedure Overview of Domestic Violence (definition, cycles of violence and working with survivors); Domestic Violence Prevention Act Restraining Orders (law and process/procedure); mock attorney-client interview.
Click to View Webcast
Protecting Domestic Violence Survivors and their Children Part II 2010 June 2010: Obtaining Safe Custody/Visitation orders: Overview of CA child custody and visitation law in domestic violence cases (overview of substantive law and procedure); Role of Family Court Services and preparing clients for mediation; Creating safe and enforceable child custody and visitation orders (child development, specific tips on creating safe orders)
Click to View Webcast
Certified paralegals and paralegal students are encouraged to apply. Paralegal interns will work directly with BayLegal staff. Therefore, this offers an opportunity to learn legal procedure and draft legal pleadings. BayLegal commonly hosts paralegal students seeking to fulfill school required internship hours. Volunteers/Interns have an opportunity to learn a wide range of legal pleadings and practice.
Volunteers fluent in a language other than English can assist BayLegal in our mission to provide high-quality legal services to low-income people regardless of their location, language or disability. Volunteers generally work alongside our staff or volunteer attorneys assisting clients with a range of civil legal needs. This volunteer position is flexible and generally contacted on an as-needed basis to assist with particular cases or projects. BayLegal Interpreter/Translator Application (return with resume).
Work together with BayLegal attorneys and volunteers assisting with expert assessments needed within a case. For example: business or property evaluation; computer forensics; etc. Please complete the Volunteer Application and submit with a copy of your resume.
Immigration Relief for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Violent Crime: (VAWA Self-Petitions and U Visa Non-Immigrant Petitions) are means to immigration relief for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and other Violent Crimes who are either immediate family members of abusive US Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents OR who cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation and/or prosecution of the crimes perpetrated against them.
With BayLegal’s training and ongoing mentorship, Volunteer Attorneys have the opportunity to work with clients to: Elicit facts related to the abuse suffered and help prepare client’s declaration; Prepare immigration petitions and related forms; Collect supporting evidence and documents; Understand the broader immigration petition process; and Obtain work authorization and benefits vital to fleeing and recovering from abuse.
TRAINING: Webinar and live trainings available.
Youth Justice Pro Bono Project: Representation of Poor Foster Care Youth to obtain needed health and financial benefits. Pro Bono Attorney/Volunteer (license is not required) meets with the client at BayLegal’s Oakland office or receives direct referral of a case. Volunteer attempts to negotiate for appropriate benefits, if initial attempts to negotiate a settlement are unsuccessful, the volunteer submits a Request for administrative hearing, prepares a Position Statement (due day of hearing), and provides representation (hearing is approximately 3-4 weeks from Request). Estimated time: 25 hours.
Hypothetical Case: Child is removed from parent(s) by Child Protective Services (CPS) and dropped off with grandmother or other relative. The grandmother receives help with applying for and obtaining Child-Only CalWORKs (appx. $370/month), but is not informed or is denied AFDC-FC ($450-$700+ funds to help address additional needs). The denial of these additional benefits may result in the child returning to the CPS system because the family member lacks the means to provide for the child (causing further instability, etc).
TRAINING: DVD and live trainings can be arranged.
Family Law Pro Bono Advocacy Program: BayLegal provides training and mentorship to attorneys interested in assisting low-income family law litigants with limited and full scope representation in family law matters, including Dissolution, Domestic Violence, Custody, and Support.
QUESTIONS: Please contact the BayLegal Pro Bono Counsel with any questions: probono@baylegal.org
Support That Changes Lives
We count on the support of friends like you to help us provide meaningful access to the civil justice system through quality legal assistance regardless of a client’s location, language or disability.