Veteran Benefits & Expungement Law Clerk, Fall 2018
Unpaid position
The Homeless Persons Representation Project (HPRP) is seeking to hire alaw clerk for the 2018-2019 school year to assist in its veterans and expungement work in the Baltimore City office. Hours are flexible and HPRP will work around the applicant’s schedule. HPRP would prefer that the applicant work both the fall and spring semester, but HPRP can accommodate applicants who can only work one semester.
Our Story
HPRP's mission is to end homelessness in Maryland by providing free legal services, including advice, counsel, education, representation and advocacy, for low and no-income persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
HPRP is a non-profit organization that provides free legal services and advocacy to maximize our clients’ ability to gain and maintain stable income, healthcare, housing, education and employment. HPRP primarily works with clients located in Baltimore City when providing direct services, however we also conduct intakes at sites in Montgomery County, and other rural areas. The direct representation provided by HPRP informs the organization’s policy work which deals with complex legal and systemic issues facing people struggling with homelessness in Baltimore City and around Maryland. Therefore, HPRP provides both direct legal representation and corresponding client and community education in order to foster and promote the public interest.
HPRP’s Baltimore office is located at 201 North Charles Street, Suite 1104, Baltimore MD 21201.
Law clerks have the opportunity to:
- Experience significant client interaction at every stage of representation
- Travel around the state to serve a diverse array of clients
- Gain experience in policy, outreach, and lobbying
- Benefit from excellent networking opportunities with both public and private sector attorneys and providers in Baltimore City
- Obtain excellent legal training through extensive work with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Maryland District and Circuit Courts.
- Work for an organization committed to holistically ending homelessness—outside of our Veterans’ Benefits and Expungement program, in-house attorneys work on housing, public benefits, and youth cases
Responsibilities include
- Legal research and writing, including—
- Assisting with filing veterans’ benefits claims and drafting correspondence and documents relating to veterans’ benefits claims, at the initial and appellate levels
- Assisting with filing criminal record expungement petitions and drafting correspondence relating to expungement
- Client interviews
- Maintain client files
- Communication with clients, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Maryland District and Circuit Courts, partner agencies, and pro bono attorneys
- Conduct outreach sessions at shelters, soup kitchens and government agency offices
- Assist attorney with veterans’ rights and expungement law presentations
- Other projects
Qualifications
- Excellent research, writing, and communication skills required.
- Ability and/or interest in working with individuals with little or no income, experiencing homelessness, and those with mental and/or physical disabilities.
To Apply
Applicants should submit cover letter, resume, writing sample and list of three (3) law-related or law school references to Swapna Yeluri, Esq., Director of Pro Bono Programs, via email at hprpprobono@hprplaw.org.
Position is open until filled.
HPRP is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons encouraged to apply regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, HIV status or religious affiliation.