Jobs & Internships

WorkLife Law has multiple openings currently:

• Summer 2026 Legal Externship
• Legal Externship for Academic Credit (Fall 2026; Spring 2027)
• Legal Services Funders Network (LSFN) Public Interest Law Bar Fellowship

WorkLife Law is seeking law students to serve as legal externs for summer 2026. This role is a good fit for rising 2Ls and 3Ls interested in learning more about workers’ rights, racial equity, economic security, and reproductive freedom. WorkLife Law will only consider applications from students who are able to receive outside funding (e.g., from their law school) or academic credit from their law schools.

About WorkLife Law 

WorkLife Law is a national advocacy and research organization that advances gender and racial equity by strengthening legal rights for pregnant people and family caregivers. WorkLife Law seeks to ensure all people have the freedom to build and maintain economic security through employment and educational opportunities, without having to sacrifice their health or their loved ones’ care. As an affiliate of UC Law SF, WorkLife Law addresses structural inequality by changing public policy at the state and national levels and undertaking research and policy analysis to inform the field. WorkLife Law also engages in educational programming, builds the capacity of grassroots organizations, and provides direct assistance to workers and students in need. Current areas of focus include fighting for reproductive justice; preventing discrimination against family caregivers; promoting legal rights for pregnant and lactating workers; operating the nation’s only legal resource center for pregnant and parenting students; and ensuring equitable access to leave.  

The Role 

The Legal Extern will work closely with and learn from WorkLife Law attorneys who are advancing work and family justice by supporting policy advocacy, direct legal assistance, and public education. Legal Externs will have the opportunity to learn about and be involved in all aspects of our work by researching law and policy; participating in strategy sessions; and contributing to articles, reports, and amicus briefs.  

Qualifications 

• Completion of 1L year at an accredited law school by the start of the externship. 

• Strong legal research and analysis skills. 

• Excellent oral and written communication skills. 

• Interest in advancing civil rights, gender equity, and/or social justice. 

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote environment. 

• Knowledge of employment and anti-discrimination laws preferred, but not required. 

• Spanish language skills preferred, but not required. 

Compensation 

Because WorkLife Law operates with limited resources, we are unable to offer financial compensation for this role. We are accepting applications only from candidates who are able to receive outside funding or academic credit under programs offered by their law schools. WorkLife Law’s attorneys are able to offer the training, evaluation, and support that is typically a part of such academic programs.

Application Instructions 

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Please submit the following materials to externship@worklifelaw.org with the subject line “Summer 2026 Legal Externship Application – [Your Name]”: 

• Cover letter explaining your interest in an externship for academic credit with WorkLife Law and the semester you are applying for
• Resume
• Unofficial law school transcript

If your application advances, you will be asked for:

• A list of 2-3 professional references with contact information 
• A short legal writing sample (5–10 pages)
  • We prefer a writing sample that has not been edited by anyone else, but if that is not available, please explain the extent and nature of any editing of your sample.

WorkLife Law is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We encourage applications from members of underrepresented communities and are eager to provide disability accommodations, when needed.

WorkLife Law is seeking law students to serve as legal externs for quarter- or semester-long positions. This role is a good fit for 2Ls and 3Ls interested in learning more about workers’ rights, racial equity, economic security, and reproductive freedom. WorkLife Law will only consider applications from students who are able to receive academic credit from their law schools.  

About WorkLife Law 

WorkLife Law is a national advocacy and research organization that advances gender and racial equity by strengthening legal rights for pregnant people and family caregivers. WorkLife Law seeks to ensure all people have the freedom to build and maintain economic security through employment and educational opportunities, without having to sacrifice their health or their loved ones’ care. As an affiliate of UC Law SF, WorkLife Law addresses structural inequality by changing public policy at the state and national levels and undertaking research and policy analysis to inform the field. WorkLife Law also engages in educational programming, builds the capacity of grassroots organizations, and provides direct assistance to workers and students in need. Current areas of focus include fighting for reproductive justice; preventing discrimination against family caregivers; promoting legal rights for pregnant and lactating workers; operating the nation’s only legal resource center for pregnant and parenting students; and ensuring equitable access to leave.  

The Role 

The Legal Extern will work closely with and learn from WorkLife Law attorneys who are advancing work and family justice by supporting policy advocacy, direct legal assistance, and public education. Legal Externs will have the opportunity to learn about and be involved in all aspects of our work by researching law and policy; participating in strategy sessions; and contributing to articles, reports, and amicus briefs.  

Qualifications 

• Completion of 1L year at an accredited law school by the start of the externship. 

• Strong legal research and analysis skills. 

• Excellent oral and written communication skills. 

• Interest in advancing civil rights, gender equity, and/or social justice. 

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote environment. 

• Knowledge of employment and anti-discrimination laws preferred, but not required. 

• Spanish language skills preferred, but not required. 

Compensation 

Because WorkLife Law operates with limited resources, we are unable to offer financial compensation for this role. We are accepting applications only from candidates who are able to receive academic credit under programs offered by their law schools. WorkLife Law’s attorneys are able to offer the training, evaluation, and support that is typically a part of such academic programs.  

Application Instructions 

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Please submit the following materials to externship@worklifelaw.org with the subject line “Legal Externship Application – [Your Name]”: 

• Cover letter explaining your interest in an externship for academic credit with WorkLife Law and the semester you are applying for
• Resume
• Unofficial law school transcript

If your application advances, you will be asked for:

• A list of 2-3 professional references with contact information 
• A short legal writing sample (5–10 pages)
  • We prefer a writing sample that has not been edited by anyone else, but if that is not available, please explain the extent and nature of any editing of your sample.

WorkLife Law is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We encourage applications from members of underrepresented communities and are eager to provide disability accommodations, when needed.

WorkLife Law is seeking current 3Ls from Bay Area law schools to apply jointly for the Legal Services Funders Network (LSFN) Public Interest Law Bar Fellowship.

About WorkLife Law 

WorkLife Law is a national advocacy and research organization that advances gender and racial equity by strengthening legal rights for pregnant people and family caregivers. WorkLife Law seeks to ensure all people have the freedom to build and maintain economic security through employment and educational opportunities, without having to sacrifice their health or their loved ones’ care. As an affiliate of UC Law SF, WorkLife Law addresses structural inequality by changing public policy at the state and national levels and undertaking research and policy analysis. WorkLife Law also engages in educational programming and provides direct assistance to workers and students in need. Current projects include fighting for reproductive justice; preventing discrimination against family caregivers; promoting legal rights for pregnant and lactating workers; operating the nation’s only legal resource center for pregnant and parenting students; and ensuring equitable access to leave.

The Role 

The LSFN Fellow would work closely with staff attorneys to advance WorkLife Law’s advocacy and research in support of work and family justice through policy advocacy, direct legal assistance, and public education. They would have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of our work by researching law and policy, participating in strategy sessions, and contributing to articles, reports, and amicus briefs. This role is a good match for candidates interested in workers’ rights, racial equity, economic security, and reproductive freedom. We are particularly interested in working with candidates who are knowledgeable about employment and anti-discrimination laws.   

LSFN Fellowship Program

The LSFN Fellowship is a novel program that offers recent law school graduates the opportunity to get firsthand experience and training while receiving an income as they study for the bar and await exam results. To learn more, visit the LSFN website. 

Application Instructions 

Please send a brief cover letter/email stating your interest, your resume, and 2-3 references to fellowship@worklifelaw.org. At least one reference should be a current or former supervisor. Applications to apply jointly with WorkLife Law will be considered on a rolling basis. WorkLife Law will select one or two candidates to submit a joint application to LSFN. We encourage submitting materials to WorkLife Law as soon as possible. 

WorkLife Law is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We encourage applications from members of underrepresented communities and are eager to provide disability accommodations, when needed.

WorkLife Law is grateful to LSFN for its generous support over the years.

Juliana Franco (Senior Staff Attorney) with our 2024 LSFN Fellow Sasha Nasir.

“This fellowship has been everything I could have hoped for and more. As my first job out of law school, it has reminded me of why I wanted to pursue social justice and public interest work in the first place. Working alongside all of you has reaffirmed my commitment to fighting for gender and racial equity, and I’ll always carry that with me.”  – WorkLife Law 2024 LSFN Fellow, Sasha Nasir