Summer Intern - Audrey Irmas Education Equity Project

Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.

The Audrey Irmas Education Equity Project

The Audrey Irmas Education Equity Project (EEP), was launched in May 2017 with a generous grant from the Audrey Irmas Foundation for Social Justice. EEP's vision is to ensure that every student has access to a quality education, regardless of their background and identity. We believe in an education system that honors the dignity of all students - where education is valued as a human right and students are free from discrimination and criminalization in schools.

The team works to confront and address inequities embedded in the education system, prioritizing education access issues related to disability, gender and gender identity, race, sexual orientation, national origin, and intersecting identities.

EEP uses a range of strategies to advance education equity, including direct services, policy advocacy, community education, coalition building, and strategic impact litigation.

Our practice areas include students' protections against gender discrimination, advocacy in Title IX proceedings, the right to special education services and advocacy in due process proceedings, protections for Newcomer students, the right to reasonable accommodations for pregnant and parenting students, advocacy in school discipline proceedings, and school discipline reform strategies.

What do student interns do in EEP?

Students will assist EEP staff with legal research and writing, conducting intakes, and other assignments to support our representation of clients in litigation and administrative proceedings such as school discipline hearings, special education due process hearings, and Title IX hearings. Because EEP also provides a limited amount of services related to workplace rights, students also may work on projects related to enforcing workplace protections against discrimination and harassment. Students may also assist EEP staff with developing and presenting Know Your Rights materials to support our community education efforts.

To apply for a summer internship with EEP, please submit two PDFs, one containing your cover letter and the other containing your resume (and a writing sample, if available)

In your cover letter, discuss why you are interested in interning with Public Counsel generally and with EEP specifically.

If you also would like to be considered for a summer internship with another project at Public Counsel (Child, Youth, and Family Advocacy; Community Development; Consumer Rights and Economic Justice; Homelessness Prevention; Immigrants' Rights; or Opportunity Under Law), please submit a separate application to that project. Note, however, that we can hire you to work with only one project during summer 2026.

We strongly encourage you to submit your application no later than February 1, 2026.