Overview:
Working under the supervision of an experienced attorney, certified law students are able to handle every aspect of a case, from client counseling to adversarial hearings and trials. MPD is not able to pay students but we’re happy to help students acquire academic credit or public interest stipends.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
– Provide effective timely legal services to clients of MPD as assigned by the supervising attorney.
– Involved in all facets of criminal case activity, including attending court and conducting client interviews.
Education and/or Experience:
Students who are in their second, third or fourth year of law school are eligible for State Bar certification upon completion of courses in Evidence and Civil Procedure, allowing them to make supervised appearances in court as a certified law student.
Students must be certified by their law school through the Oregon Supreme Court (see Oregon Supreme Court Rule of Admission 13). Certification forms are available through your law school and the State Bar Association. The certification procedure includes a fee payable to the State Bar for students who have never been certified; there is no fee for recertification. Fees are the responsibility of the student.
Students who apply for this program must be prepared to work full time during the summer. Some students may continue part time during the school year. It is important for certified law students hired into the Multnomah County Misdemeanor section to be available for pretrial conferences on Friday mornings.