Earthrise

October 03, 2018

Earthrise Law Center is now accepting applications from current 2Ls—or anyone who has already completed more than 32 credits of course work—for its summer 2019 clerkship program. (Current 1Ls will be eligible to apply during a second application process that will begin in January 2019.)

There are a few different ways to enroll or be hired as a summer clerk with Earthrise, but the work and responsibilities will be the same.

First, you can be hired by Earthrise as a paid intern. A student can also combine a paid internship with a paid 2-4 week internship funded by a PILP stipend. Because Earthrise has limited funding for summer intern salaries, Earthrise will encourage all successful internship applicants to also seek PILP funding or funding from other sources, such as the Wyss Fellowship. If students obtain such funding it will take the place of the student’s salary from Earthrise for some or all of the summer (and may allow Earthrise to hire an additional intern).

Second, students can also apply to be a paid extern while additionally receiving academic credit. Earthrise will pay all of its summer clerks $15 per hour. Students should indicate in their application whether they prefer an internship, or an externship that also includes academic credit.

All applying students should indicate whether they are work-study eligible.

Earthrise’s summer clerks’ responsibilities include assisting Earthrise clinical professors and staff attorneys in all aspects of public interest environmental litigation—from legal research, to drafting pleadings and motions, to potentially appearing in court. Earthrise is looking for applicants with strong research and writing skills and a demonstrated interest in public interest environmental law. Summer clerks will be expected to work a minimum of ten weeks, forty hours per week. Work schedules will be flexible, allowing for vacations and long weekends. Earthrise has one staff attorney who is not based in Portland, but instead is based Massachusetts. It may be possible for one extern or intern also to be based in the Northeast.

Each application should include a cover letter indicating your preference for an externship or internship and explaining your interest in working at Earthrise. For purposes of evaluating conflicts, please also complete the Earthrise conflicts form. Along with your cover letter and completed conflicts form your application must also include your current resume, a transcript (unofficial is fine), and maximum 10-page writing sample.

If possible please combine these documents into one PDF file. Do not send hard copies to Earthrise. Please e-mail Tom with any questions. Interested 2Ls should submit their applications electronically to Tom Buchele, Earthrise Co-Director at tbuchele@lclark.edu. All applications must be received on or before Friday October 19, 2018 at 5pm. Tom will acknowledge his receipt of all applications via e-mail. Current 1Ls will be able to apply during an upcoming application process in January.

Becoming an Earthrise summer extern requires an additional step in the application process. Students first must apply directly to Earthrise. After Earthrise accepts their applications, students seeking an externship will then apply for their externships through the Career Services Office. Earthrise will assist those accepted students with the Career Services externship application process, but before applying to Earthrise students interested in externships should review Lewis & Clark’s general externship requirements to be sure they qualify. See http://law.lclark.edu/offices/career_services/externships/.