A public interest attorney normally works for nonprofit organizations that help particular groups address their specific issues. The types of public interest jobs out there are numerous and can vary quite substantially. Most public interest organizations have relatively small staffs and their offices are located in areas close to the client groups that they serve. They may be funded through grants or public funding.
Public interest organizations are generally oriented towards (1) clients or (2) policy objectives. An example of a client-oriented public interest organization would be one that is dedicated to advancing the rights of homeless people in Chicago. An example of a policy-oriented organization is one dedicated to significant systematic reform such as the American Civil Liberties Union or Greenpeace. Labor unions representing both public and private sector employees also represent a significant portion of public interest opportunities.
We have an inexhaustive list of public interest organizations that need attorneys but have no idea how to properly recruit. These organizations have been an untapped market . . . until now.
