Law Clerk - Summer 2026

Job Type Full-time Description  Law Clerk – Summer 2026

Make a difference! We fight for the rights of people that have disabilities....JOIN US!

We encourage those who are d/Deaf or Disabled to apply.

Location:

Remote and hybrid (must live in California for the duration of the paid clerkship). Even if working remotely, law clerks are assigned to the geographically closest DRC office to their place of residence. DRC regional offices include the following: Berkeley, Fresno, Los Angeles, Ontario, Sacramento, and San Diego.

Salary Range (Depends on Law School Year):

1L: $22.00

2L: $23.00

3L: $24.00

Paid, volunteer, and for-credit positions are available for current law students.

DRC has limited funding for clerks who cannot secure funding from their law schools. If possible, we ask all clerks to apply for funding through their law schools and outside sources before requesting DRC funding. Please note, DRC reimburses law clerks for work-related travel expenses and provides a stipend to offset monthly commute costs such as parking and public transportation.

How to Apply:

Interested applicants should upload a resume, a brief writing sample (10 pages maximum) and a cover letter that includes your time commitment, and geographic location. Interested applicants should also review the DRC Practice Areas below and indicate which practice group, or groups, they would be interested in working with.

Application Deadline:

Open until filled. Application should be received by April 3, 2026

Who We Are:

Disability Rights California (“DRC”) is a nonprofit, public-interest law firm, established in 1978 to protect the legal, civil, and service rights of people with all types of disabilities. We are the designated Protection and Advocacy agency for California and the largest disability rights organization in the country.

Our Culture:

Disability Rights California is recognized as a Gold Level Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Leader by the State Bar of California! We work to promote and create a culture where people feel empowered to be their true authentic selves to do their best work for our clients and the communities we serve.

Requirements

Law Clerk Position Summary

Law students will find working with DRC a challenging and rewarding experience. Law clerks are typically assigned to one practice group within the Legal Advocacy Unit (LAU), the Investigations Unit, or the Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy (OCRA). Each law clerk will collaborate with their team to serve clients across the state. While we do our best to assign supervision in the same office, at times, remote supervision is necessary to provide law clerks with opportunities on a particular team. Currently, all DRC employees and law clerks are working remotely within California. Depending on their assigned team, law clerks may gain experience with:

· Interviewing clients and consumers.

· Providing counsel and advice on self-advocacy.

· Legal research and writing.

· Legislative analysis and writing.

· Representation at mediation and administrative hearings at school districts, universities, regional centers, Social Security offices, and others.

· Assisting people with psychiatric disabilities in locked facilities to ensure the enforcement of their federal, state, constitutional, and statutory rights.

· Assisting clients file charges of discrimination with the U.S. Office for Civil Rights under the Department of Education, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

· Assisting in the investigation of systemic and potentially life-threatening abuse and neglect in state and private facilities, serving people with psychiatric and developmental disabilities.

· Conduct training on the law and multicultural outreach.

The Summer law clerk program is shaped by both student interest and DRC’s program needs, for a 10-week commitment and generally begins in June until mid-August, for a 37.5-hour week.

Summer law clerk positions, and their time commitments, are driven by student interest and DRC's needs. Students typically work 37.5 hours a week for 10 weeks. Please follow the application instructions below and include your requested time commitment and practice area in your cover letter.

DRC’s Practice Areas

-Advocacy and Community Engagement (ACE) Practice Group – Fully Remote: The ACE Practice Group houses many of DRC’s legal advocates who, under the supervi