2026 Probate & Estate Planning Summer Law Clerk

DC Affordable Law Firm (DCALF) is rooted in the conviction that income should never be a barrier to justice. Founded in 2015 to help close access to justice gaps in the District of Columbia, DCALF serves an expansive range of hardworking DC residents unable to afford market-based legal services, including modest-income residents whose household incomes put them just beyond the limits of traditional legal aid and low-income residents navigating unmet legal needs. Through innovative programming and a commitment to equity, DCALF delivers no cost and low-cost legal services in family law, probate, estate planning, and immigration, bridging the gaps in DC’s civil justice system and delivering transformative legal services that empower DC residents to thrive. 

Across the past decade, DCALF has solidified its role as a mainstay DC legal services organization with a staff of 30-plus and a strong network of institutional partners and pro bono volunteers. DCALF serves more than 500 clients annually, reaching hundreds more through community education and outreach across DC. DCALF’s award-winning annual fellowship programs play an essential role in expanding access to justice, empowering recent law graduates to become skilled public interest attorneys and lifelong champions for justice. 

Overview 

DCALF is one of two nonprofit legal services organizations leading the District of Columbia’s inaugural Heirs’ Property Assistance Program, providing vital probate advice and representation to individuals navigating the complex, multi-phase process of clearing title to property after the death of a loved one. Through this initiative—and DCALF’s expanded probate practice—we help families preserve intergenerational homes, secure rightful homeownership, and access the assets and belongings left behind by loved ones. 

In addition to probate support, DCALF offers free, proactive estate planning services designed to empower individuals and families to protect their health, wealth, and legacy. Our estate planning practice challenges the notion that these tools are only for the wealthy—ensuring that all DC residents can memorialize their wishes and prevent future heirs’ property complications.

DCALF is the proud host of the Open Horizon DCALF Heirs’ Property & Estate Planning Fellowship, a unique, two-year post-graduate opportunity for an alumnus of Howard University School of Law’s Estate Planning and Heirs’ Property Clinical Program.  This Fellowship program began in Fall 2025 and is committed through the 2027-2029 Open Horizon DCALF Heirs’ Property & Estate Planning Fellowship open to members of the Class of 2027. Learn more about the Open Horizon DCALF’s Heirs’ Property & Estate Planning Fellowship by visiting our website at: https://www.dcaffordablelaw.org/ourmission.  

Summer Law Clerk Opportunity 

DCALF seeks a passionate and motivated Summer Law Clerk to join our heirs’ property, probate, and estate planning practice. This is an exciting opportunity for a law student who is eager to gain hands-on experience helping families preserve intergenerational homes, protect assets, and build lasting legacies through thoughtful estate planning and effective probate representation. Working within a dynamic, mission-driven organization committed to advancing access to justice, the Summer Law Clerk will play a meaningful role in supporting client-centered legal services that strengthen financial stability and generational wealth in historically underserved communities. 

In this role, the Summer Law Clerk will support DCALF attorneys through a range of substantive activities, including coordinating with clients, conducting legal research on emerging probate and estate planning issues, drafting memoranda and documents, and assisting with case preparation. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and a strong researcher and writer who can manage a variety of assignments while engaging thoughtfully with clients and colleagues. Prior exposure to probate, trusts, or estate planning through coursework or clinical experience is . This position offers an excellent opportunity for a law student interested in pursuing a career in probate and estate planning while contributing to DCALF’s mission of making high-quality legal services accessible to those who need them most. 

This is a temporary position expected to last for 10 weeks, from June 2, 2026 to August 4, 2026. 

Work Portfolio 

The law clerk will be assigned to work with a team of DCALF attorneys and will be supervised by a senior member of DCALF’s Probate and Estate Planning Practice. The work completed by a law clerk may include but is not limited to the following: 

• Coordinate with clients to gather demographic data for client intake, facts about clients’ case, or to schedule appointments; 

• Join attorneys in client meetings, and support through taking notes and assisting attorney with fact finding; 

• Draft legal memoranda on novel estate planning and probate issues; 

• Draft estate planning documents by incorporating notes from client calls into estate planning templates; 

• Prepare family trees for probate cases, and attempt to locate contact information for missing heirs; 

• Support attorneys work by assisting with tasks like scanning, mailing documents to clients, preparing mailing labels, downloading and saving information from electronic dockets, etc.  

Funding 

This position will be paid $800/week during the employment period. DCALF will assist in all requisite processes to assist with a chosen summer law clerk’s receipt of funding from their law school or scholarship funders, as appropriate.   

Summer Law Clerks are not eligible to participate in DCALF’s healthcare, 401(K) program, or other employment benefits.  DCALF is an at-will employer and this is an at-will employment opportunity.   

Qualifications 

• Must be a rising 2L, 3L, or 4L law school student. 

• Must have prior coursework or clinical experience in probate and/or trusts and estates. 

• Proficiency in IT; familiarity with Microsoft Office, document management software, etc. Familiarity with Clio is a plus. 

• Ability to prioritize and multi-task. 

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to work in a fast-paced environment. 

• Experience with administrative support. 

• Ability to manage highly sensitive, confidential information. 

• Ability to work with clients from an array of backgrounds from diverse backgrounds with empathy, cultural humility, and professionalism.  

• A deep commitment to racial, social, and economic justice. 

• A growth mindset and commitment to learning and improvement. 

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.   

Work Environment  

DCALF is currently working in a hybrid remote/in-person model. Due to the responsibilities of this position, the ability to travel to the office and DC Superior Court with ease and regularity is , as well as a minimum of two days per week working in the DCALF office, consistent with DCALF policies and client or work demands. Despite the opportunity to work remotely, the selected candidate for this position must maintain residence in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia for the duration of DCALF employment. 

Application Process 

Interested applicants should apply to the post on BambooHR (linked), including their cover letter, resume, writing sample, and a list of three professional/academic references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. For best consideration, candidates should apply by March 30, 2026. Early applications are encouraged. No calls will be accepted regarding this posting. 

Equal Employment Opportunity 

DC Affordable Law Firm is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. DCALF strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship, sex (specifically including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, unhoused status, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation political affiliation, tobacco use, credit information, status as unemployed, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.