The CLASP Two-Year Summer Internship Program for 1Ls and 2L part-time students

Application Deadline:  Friday, January 5, 2024

Virtual Preliminary Interviews to take place: Tuesday, January 16, 2024 and January 17, 2024.

Application portal will be available in mid-December

The Corporate/Law Firm Alliance Summer Program, CLASP, is a summer internship intended to provide qualified law students (at selected law schools) with career building opportunities for two consecutive summers at a partnering corporate legal department and law firm. If selected, the student will work for the corporate legal department the first summer, and for the partnering law firm the second summer. This 2-tier structure will:

• Provide paid summer positions for two consecutive summers.
• Match students with mentors within the corporate legal department and the law firm, who can provide ongoing guidance on professional development.
• Allow students to spend two consecutive summers working directly with corporate and law firm attorneys.
   

Current Participating Corporations and Law Firm Partners:

• MetLife, Inc. and Sidley Austin LLP
• T-Mobile and Alston & Bird LLP
• DotDash Meredith and BakerHostetler LLP
• Morgan Stanley and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
• Signature Bank and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
• Equitable Holdings & Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
• American Express and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP  
• 400 Capital Management and Dechert LLP

Eligibility Requirements:
The CLASP summer internship is open to all eligible applicants. Applicants need not be affiliated with LatinoJustice PRLDEF to apply.* To be eligible for consideration, you must be:

• A first-year law student (1Ls) or a second year part-time student in good academic standing and has at least a 3.0 GPA.
• A student at one of the law schools listed below.
• Available for the first round of interviews with LatinoJustice education committee members, if selected. 
• Available to be interviewed by a participating corporation and law firm, if selected as a finalist.

Selected Law Schools:
1L applicants must be enrolled at one of the following law schools to be eligible to participate in CLASP.

American University—Washington College of Law • Boston College Law School  • Boston University School of Law  • Brooklyn Law School    • Cardozo Law School (Yeshiva U.)  • Catholic University—Columbus School of Law  •  Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law   • University of Connecticut Law   • Hofstra University—MA Deane School of Law     • University of Maryland School of Law     • New York Law School • Penn State—Dickinson Law •  PennState Law - University Park • Rutgers University Law School     • Seton Hall Law     • St. John's University School of Law     • SUNY at Buffalo Law School     • Syracuse University School of Law     

How to apply for CLASP:
First-year law students or a second year part-time students interested in being considered for this unique opportunity should forward:

• A cover letter that addresses your interest in the CLASP fellowship and demonstrates your qualification(s) for success in the corporate legal environment, including, for example, relevant academic, professional, and personal strengths.
  Cover letter should be addressed to:
  Hiring Manager
  LatinoJustice PRLDEF
  Corporate/Law Firm Alliance Summer Program
  475 Riverside Drive Suite 1901 
  New York, NY 10115
• A diversity statement that highlights your exceptional contributions to diversity and inclusion; and/or how you have overcome adversity, such as a personal or family history of educational or socioeconomic disadvantage; and/or how you have exhibited the tenacity and talent to excel.
• A current resume (including at least one professional/academic reference; please include complete contact info for references including name, title, phone, email)
• A legal writing sample between 5 to 10 pages (should not be an excerpt) 
• A law school transcript - Initial law school transcripts can be unofficial, but applicants selected for an interview will need to provide an official transcript by January 16th, 2024.
   

* LatinoJustice PRLDEF will consider all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.