School Discipline Advocate Program Law Clerk - MHAP for Kids

About Health Law Advocates (HLA)

Health Law Advocates (HLA) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) public interest law firm committed to ensuring universal access to quality health care in Massachusetts. HLA provides pro bono legal services to Massachusetts residents with low incomes who face barriers to accessing health care coverage and services. HLA is committed to ensuring universal access to quality health care in Massachusetts, particularly for those who are most at risk due to such factors as race, gender, disability, age, or geographic location. HLA also engages in public policy advocacy, systemic litigation, and educational programming to promote access to care for all.

HLA furthers its mission of universal access to quality healthcare via three main areas of work:

• Representing Health Care Consumers. HLA provides high quality, free legal assistance to income eligible Massachusetts residents experiencing difficulties with accessing or paying for health care.
• Community Education and Outreach. HLA builds knowledge in communities about how to access physical and mental health services through well-regarded trainings and presentations throughout Massachusetts and by authoring publications that promote access to health care.
• Policy Advocacy. HLA advocates for public policy reforms that help consumers access physical and mental health care. We offer our legal expertise and experience working with consumers to policymakers on the state and federal levels, as well as advocate for policy changes by health care institutions to enhance access to care and coverage.

The Opportunity

Health Law Advocates (HLA) provides free legal services to Massachusetts residents with low income who face barriers to accessing health care. Learn more about us at www.healthlawadvocates.org.

The School Discipline Advocacy Program (SDAP) the Mental Health Advocacy Program (MHAP) for Kids deals specifically with school discipline issues and furthers the organization's goal of curbing the “school-to-prison pipeline” that disproportionately imposes inappropriate punishment instead of providing needed mental health services for students with mental health disabilities and students of color. This internship advances this goal by increasing MHAP for Kids’ capacity to represent parents/guardians at school discipline proceedings and increases HLA’s/MHAP for Kids’ capacity to foster a new generation of attorneys committed to practicing public interest and health equity law. Learn more about us at www.mhapforkids.org.

You’ll get great training and supervision, direct client contact, mentoring from a highly collaborative team of experienced attorneys, and excellent benefits.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Availability to work full-time for a 15-week period during the fall of 2025. Internship dates are September 2, 2025 – December 19,
• Conduct interviews, obtain records from clients and collaterals, and research relevant laws and regulations in preparation for representation at discipline hearings.
• Following review of a limited representation agreement, provide limited representation to clients in school discipline matters, including principals’ hearings, manifestation determination reviews, and superintendent’s appeals.
• Assist the SDAP Fellow with case development, record review, legal research and written assignments.
• Support the SDAP through completion of intakes.
• Conduct legal research on issues that pervade MHAP for Kids client matters to strengthen our practice program-wide. Specifically, school discipline-related issues that impact our clients, such as the “school-to-prison pipeline.”

Qualifications

All HLA employees/interns are expected to have the skills to:

• Work both independently and as an effective team member
• Collaborate with and support staff at all levels of our organization
• Communicate clearly and professionally
• Demonstrate empathy and sensitivity while working directly with clients encountering crises
• Maintain confidentiality and, for attorneys, strict adherence to all professional responsibility requirements for the practice of law
• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and openness, with the desire and ability to listen and learn
• Understand and believe in the mission of the organization
• Embody the values of the organization, including a commitment to decreasing inequity in our health care system and society as a whole

Additional qualifications specific to this position are:

• Enrolled in law school as a 1L, 2L or 3L and will be a student during the course of the internship OR recently graduated from law school and hold a JD with 0-2 years of experience.
• Demonstrated interest in public interest law
• Excellent legal research and writing skills
• Interest in the health care/insurance systems and passion for alleviating barriers to care.
• Multilingual ability is strongly preferred.

Compensation

This position pays $9,000 (pre-tax) for a full-time 15-week Clerkship.

HLA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all identities with regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, veteran status, and many other factors. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive work environment where all team members are encouraged to be their authentic and whole selves.