Public Interest Job Fairs

Public Interest Legal Career Reception

This annual in-person event, typically held in September, is co-sponsored by various New York City metro area law schools, including Haub Law, and is hosted at Fordham Law School in Manhattan. The goal of the Public Interest Legal Career Reception is to introduce law students to and highlight the outstanding and rewarding public service work of nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and private public interest law firms, and provides an opportunity to meet attorneys and other students who share their interests. Participating employers in past years have included the American Civil Liberties Union, The Legal Aid Society, the New York City Law Department, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Typically, close to 100 employers participate, so students have the opportunity to meet with a broad range of public interest employers. We particularly encourage 1Ls to participate, as it serves as an excellent initial introduction to public interest jobs but is also a great networking and learning opportunity for upper-class students. Please keep an eye out for emails from the PILC with more details on the Career Reception early each fall semester. In most years, the PILC helps to arrange free shuttle transportation to help Haub Law students get to and from Fordham Law School to take advantage of the reception.

Equal Justice Works Career Fair

Each fall, Equal Justice Works hosts its annual Conference and Career Fair, the largest public interest legal career fair in the country, bringing together hundreds of law students, recent graduates, public interest employers, law school faculty and staff, and public interest practitioners from across the United States for panels and presentations, prescheduled interviews, and informal “table talk” discussions. In recent years, the Career Fair has been held remotely. To apply for jobs and potentially interview, students and recent graduates must register in advance, typically around August to mid-September. Jobseekers may also sign up for table talk approximately a week before the fair. The PILC will send out emails with more detailed information on the Career Fair each fall.

New York-Area Public Interest Legal Career Fair

The New York-Area Public Interest Legal Career Fair is sponsored by a conglomerate of New York and tri-state area law schools, including Haub Law, and coordinated by NYU Law. The fair is held in February and has been remote in recent years. This Career Fair provides students the opportunity to meet with representatives of public service organizations for formal interviewing and informational “table talk.” A variety of government, small firms, and legal services organizations conduct formal interviews, while others only participate in table talk. Each year, many Haub Law students obtain summer internships and post-grad positions through this Career Fair. In 2023, over 300 students participated in the fair and had over 400 interviews. In recent years, student have obtained positions with many organizations through the fair, including the US Department of Justice, New York Civil Liberties Union, Catholic Charities Community Services, and Legal Services of the Hudson Valley. Students must preregister and apply to be considered for interviews; this process typically takes place from November through mid-January. Students who miss the preregistration period may still register but are limited to table talk. The PILC will send many emails with more information on this Career Fair, including important dates and deadlines, each fall.