Domestic Violence Fellowship Proposals: 2025-2027

ABOUT DCVLP:

The DC Volunteer Lawyers Project (DCVLP) provides free legal services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence, and to vulnerable children living in dangerous situations. We believe that a life free of violence and abuse is a basic human right. In 2023 alone, we helped more than 3,065 individuals in the District of Columbia escape violence and move toward safety & stability. DCVLP offers a competitive salary, a full range of benefits, a generous vacation and holiday policy, and a collegial work environment. More information is available at https://www.dcvlp.org/.

DCVLP seeks to host law students or recent graduates for Equal Justice Works or Skadden Fellowships to begin in Fall 2025. Ideal candidates will be law students entering their third year of law school or recent law school graduates. DCVLP is specifically interested in candidates for the following potential projects:

• A project focused on providing culturally responsive, community-based legal services at the intersection of domestic violence and immigrant communities. The work of this project would entail advocating for immigrants who are also domestic violence survivors by ensuring a survivor can pursue the full range of legal relief available to them. This position would include providing brief legal consults to low-income survivors at DCVLP’s walk-in legal clinics and pop-up clinics as well as direct representation in domestic violence matters and immigration matters. The position would also include conducting internal and external trainings on identifying risk factors for domestic violence in immigrant communities. The ideal candidate would speak a language other than English, particularly Spanish, and have a background in trauma-focused representation and the ability to work alongside both clients and volunteers.
• A project focused on addressing the growing trends in technology that have made it easier for abusers to stalk their partners, cover up their crimes, and compromise a survivor’s privacy. Furthermore, this project will explore how recent DC Court of Appeal cases involving stalking abuse can impact survivor’s safety and their ability to seek protections from law enforcement and the court. This position would involve direct representation of low-income survivors of domestic violence in Civil Protection Order, Anti-Stalking Order and family law cases. The position may also include policy work centered on laws that impact survivors of domestic violence related stalking. The ideal candidate will have a background in domestic violence law or family law, and experience working directly with survivors of domestic violence or other forms of interpersonal violence.

BENEFITS:

DCVLP has a positive and supportive work environment with an intentional focus on recruiting, nurturing, and retaining a talented and diverse staff. We prioritize a healthy work-life balance. Employees receive 90% employer-paid health and dental insurance and vision insurance is also available. DCVLP sponsors a 403(b) retirement plan with a 4% employer contribution. DCVLP also provides a tax-free stipend of $75 each month for personal cell phone and Wi-Fi expenses. Employees receive generous paid time off every year, including three weeks of vacation, three weeks of wellness leave, and 13 holidays. We offer a generous family leave policy for parents following the birth or adoption of a child or placement of a foster child. DCVLP employees are also eligible to participate in the federal government’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. For more information, see https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service. And DCVLP attorneys are eligible to participate in the DC Bar Foundation’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program. For more information, see www.dcbarfoundation.org/lrap.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB:

In addition to the functional skills in this job posting, the following physical abilities are representative of physical demands and environment essential to this position:

• Regular attendance at DCVLP’s office, community clinics, DC Superior Court hearings, and client home and school visits are required.
• Ability to travel to court venues and community locations.
• The work environment has moderate noise (i.e., business office with computers, phone, printers, and light traffic).

TO APPLY:

Candidates should submit a resume, law school transcript, writing sample, and a one-page cover letter to Aida Vindell at avindell@dcvlp.org and Tara Branine at tbranine@dcvlp.org by June 15, 2024. Please include “2025 Fellowship Application” in the subject line. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis and early applications are appreciated. DCVLP will work closely with any chosen candidate to develop and finalize the project proposal.

DCVLP has a positive and supportive work environment with an intentional focus on recruiting, nurturing, and retaining a talented and diverse staff. We prioritize a healthy work-life balance. Employees receive 90% employer-paid health and dental insurance and vision insurance is also available. DCVLP sponsors a 403(b) retirement plan with a 4% employer contribution. DCVLP also provides a tax-free stipend of $75 each month for personal cell phone and Wi-Fi expenses. Employees receive generous paid time off every year, including three weeks of vacation, three weeks of wellness leave, and 13 holidays. We offer a generous family leave policy for parents following the birth or adoption of a child or placement of a foster child. DCVLP employees are also eligible to participate in the federal government’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. For more information, see https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service. And DCVLP attorneys are eligible to participate in the DC Bar Foundation’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program. For more information, see www.dcbarfoundation.org/lrap.

Candidates should submit a resume, law school transcript, writing sample, and a one-page cover letter to Aida Vindell at avindell@dcvlp.org and Tara Branine at tbranine@dcvlp.org by June 15, 2024. Please include “2025 Fellowship Application” in the subject line. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis and early applications are appreciated. DCVLP will work closely with any chosen candidate to develop and finalize the project proposal.