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Volunteer & Internship Opportunities
Investing in the Next Generation of Policymakers, Organizers, and Lawyers
We provide opportunities for impacted community leaders and allies, undergraduate students, and law students to contribute to our mission to release incarcerated people, restore human and civil rights, and reunify families and communities. Interns and volunteers join a dynamic team of experienced leaders, building skills across community organizing, policymaking, and legal advocacy.
At LSPC, we know that the people closest to the problem are closest to the solution. Individuals impacted by the carceral system have the first-hand knowledge and expertise necessary to tear down systems of oppression and build community-centered solutions that champion racial and gender justice. That’s why LSPC invests in those with lived experience, giving them the tools and knowledge they need to flourish both personally and professionally. System-impacted people are encouraged to apply to all of our opportunities, especially the Elder Freeman Policy Fellowship.
Take a look below at our programs. All openings will be posted on this page and our social media. If we are not currently hiring, please register your interest to receive information about future opportunities.
Prison Letter Project Internship
The Prison Letter Project (PLP) internship offers students hands-on experience coordinating support for incarcerated people. Each year, LSPC receives hundreds of letters from incarcerated individuals in prisons, jails, and ICE detention facilities throughout the United States. Interns play a vital role in helping LSPC respond to every letter, build our inside community, stay in touch with incarcerated All of Us or None members, track issues ripe for systemic change, and invite people to join our organizing and advocacy work. Interns are responsible for researching laws and policies that impact incarcerated people, drafting response letters that include requested legal services and information, and maintaining confidentiality and care throughout.
LSPC holds three internship cycles: Fall (September-December), Spring (January-May), and Summer (June-August).
LSPC is currently accepting applications for Summer 2026 PLP interns! Summer internships are part-time (20 hours/week) and hybrid. Please email a resume and cover letter to getinvolved@prisonerswithchildren.org to be considered. See the full posting here for more details.
Law Clerkships & Legal Externships
LSPC hosts full-time summer law clerkships and part-time semester-length legal externships, where currently enrolled law students have the unique opportunity to support lawyers in legal research and education, impact litigation, and policy advocacy. All clerkships and externships take place in-person at the Oakland office (please contact us if you would ike to request an accommodation).
Unlike many legal externships, LSPC immerses law clerks in the ways the law disproportionately impacts and constrains people from marginalized communities. LSPC’s current policy priorities focus on: fair chance employment and occupational licensing, sentencing reform, abolishing fines and fees, family unity and upending the family policing system, ending involuntary servitude, fair chance housing, disability justice, and climate justice for incarcerated people. Students who are committed to using the law as a tool to promote accountability, equity, and justice will thrive at LSPC.
Law clerks and externs typically support the following work:
– Legal research and writing on a large range of issues, including reentry legal issues, prison conditions, family & dependency law, constitutional rights, disability, racial, and gender discrimination, civil rights, and more.
– Policy and litigation advocacy support by drafting advocacy letters, legal research and writing, joining legislative coalitions, and shadowing LSPC attorneys at policy and litigation convenings.
– Responses to legal questions from incarcerated people, including by working with undergraduate interns in LSPC’s Prison Letter Project.
– Development of legal educational materials, including know-your-rights fact sheets, legal resources, and legal trainings and toolkits for widespread dissemination.
Hours, Stipends, and School Credit:
Summer Law Clerk positions: 40 hours/week for 10 weeks (preferred) during the summer months. LSPC may be able to provide a stipend to students who do not have access to funding through their school or an external source.
Semester Externship positions: We prefer semester-long commitments with a minimum of 4 hours/week. This opportunity is available to students who receive external funding or academic credit.