1.) What will I be doing?

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As a JusticeCorps member—a full-time student serving 8 hours a week—you will assist SRLs (self-represented litigants) in navigating the justice system. You will be assigned to one of our partner self-help centers in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Solano, or San Mateo counties and provide direct assistance to SRLs, either in person or remotely, under the supervision of an attorney or legal professional.

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Your responsibilities may include:

• Assisting people with completing their legal forms.

• Providing procedural legal information.

• Offering language assistance to LEP (Limited English Proficiency) litigants.

• Facilitating workshops.

• Referring individuals to local legal aid organizations.                                                                                                                  

The types of family law and civil legal matters you will handle vary by placement site and may include divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, restraining orders, small claims, unlawful detainer answers (evictions), name and gender changes, and guardianships.

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2.) Do I need prior legal experience or education to apply?

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No legal experience is required! While prior experience in law is appreciated, it is not necessary for a JusticeCorps position. We welcome applicants from all majors—having a pre-law background is not a requirement to apply.

To prepare you for your year of service, we provide over 40 hours of intensive legal training, along with daily supervision and mentorship from attorneys and legal professionals.​​

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3.) Is this internship paid?

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​The part-time student member position is not paid. There is, however, a $1,565.08 AmeriCorps education award presented to you at the completion of your term of service. Full-time fellows receive awards totaling $10,000* as well as a living stipend of $34,500 for the year.

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4.) What is the educational award?

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​The educational award is a post-service benefit given to members after completing their required hours. Part-time members who complete 300 hours receive a $1,565.08 education award and full-time members (fellows) who complete 1700 hours receive awards totaling $10,000*. These awards can be applied to existing student loans, paid directly to your university for tuition, or saved for up to 7 years for future education.

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*Upon successful completion of their service, AmeriCorps members are eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award from the National Service Trust that they can use to pay for higher education expenses or apply to qualified student loans. In addition to receiving the federal Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, full-time members, who complete a minimum of 1700 service hours will receive a California For All Education Award for a combined total value of $10,000. Both educational awards are considered taxable income. CFA Award is contingent upon final budget appropriation by the state of California.

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5.) What does the application process look like?

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You can preview a more detailed timeline of our application process here.​​​

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6.) Can I earn class credits for participation in JusticeCorps?

 

Some of our partner universities allow students to earn credits toward graduation for their participation in JusticeCorps. Check with your department or academic advisor to see if there is an internship or field study class you can enroll in. We are happy to sign any necessary documents to help you receive credit.​

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7.) I've been accepted into the program as a student member. What are the next steps?

 

Members are required to complete a number of program requirements prior to Orientation, including 3 background checks. You can expect to receive communication from program staff detailing each step. Please review the "Onboarding" checklist for a list of deadlines.