Legal Externship (Winter 2026)

Washington, DC

Full Time

Summer Internship Program

Experienced

Job Summary

The Legal Externship, in partnership with Howard University School of Law, is an integral part of the Legal team by contributing to day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney, simultaneously gaining practical legal experience and course credit. This is an externship, hybrid flexibility role based at our Headquarters with an anticipated start date of January 2026.

About KIPP DC

For 25 years, KIPP DC has partnered with students, families, and the community to create joyful, academically excellent schools across the nation’s capital. Today, our network of 22 schools educate more than 7,500 students in grades PreK3-12, supported by 1,500 dedicated teachers, leaders, and staff.

Our work is grounded in five pillars–Academic Excellence, Joy & Sense of Belonging, Highly Effective Teachers and Leaders, Safe, Structured, and Nurturing Learning Environments, and Commitment to College Readiness–which ensure every student is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue success in college, careers, and beyond. Our schools combine high expectations with joyful, affirming environments that nurture academic success and personal growth for students and staff alike.

As part of the national KIPP network, we share best practices and innovations while maintaining deep roots in Washington, D.C. Together, we strive toward a future without limits for our students, alumni, and community.

About the team

The Legal Team works proactively to advance KIPP DC’s legal interests and mission by offering clear, timely, and actionable legal advice on all aspects of KIPP DC’s organization. As such, this team has a unique lens and influence on all elements of KIPP DC’s work. The team advises on areas of legal compliance, stays abreast of changes in the law, drafts policies and training to advance compliance, and ensures KIPP DC receives strong representation in legal proceedings. Our areas of work are as vast as the education industry itself, including compliance, contracts, corporate governance, employment law, risk mitigation, special education, and real estate. We uphold the principles of equity, inclusion, transparency and fairness in all aspects of our work and engagement as a team.

About the Role

The KIPP DC Legal Externship will offer Howard University School of Law students a valuable opportunity to earn course credit while gaining practical legal experience in a dynamic, in-house environment. Under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney, the extern will contribute to KIPP DC's legal team's day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives. This is a hybrid role requiring 1-2 days per week, based upon credits earned, in our Union Market office or one of our 20 schools, with the flexibility to work remotely the rest of the week.

Responsibilities

Legal Research and Analysis

Externs will summarize recent developments in the law and draft legal memoranda on a variety of legal questions affecting the organization. This includes analyzing the ramifications of new Supreme Court decisions, and past projects have included exploring the legal impact of marijuana convictions on volunteer eligibility and examining employee religious exemptions to vaccine policies.

Policy Review and Drafting
Externs will play a hands-on role in reviewing and editing existing organizational policies, as well as contributing to the drafting of new ones. Past projects have included contributing to a transgender and gender non-conforming student policy and helping to establish record retention and document destruction policies.

Team Collaboration and Support
The extern will collaborate with the team to identify training needs and draft materials, providing essential support with day-to-day tasks such as records management, data collection, reviewing vendor Certificates of Insurance, and participating in investigations.

Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree
Current enrollment as a 2L or 3L in the Howard University School of Law
Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail
Flexibility, tenacity, ability to produce high-quality work, resourcefulness, and willingness to work well with a team
Strong writing, communication, and legal research skills
Willingness and desire to learn
Familiarity with Microsoft Office (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel)

Physical Requirements:

Ability to travel to KIPP DC schools and headquarters

Demonstrated Excellence in the Following Areas:

Commitment to Students and Schools: Demonstrates commitment to education reform, believing in every child's potential for success and prioritizing students, schools, and the essential role of families.
Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving: Finds creative solutions to challenges that achieve broader goals of team and organization.
Project Management: Sets a high bar for own work and supports others to achieve desired team outcomes.
Communications and Influence: Demonstrates adept communication skills and influence to advance work by adjusting content and style.
Teamwork: Contributes to a supportive team culture, fostering diverse work styles and maintaining a high performance standard.
Trust and Collaboration: Establishes and nurtures effective relationships with a diverse set of stakeholders to support the best outcomes for our work.
Cultural Humility: Advances KIPP DC’s commitment to anti-racism by creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all stakeholders.
Continuous Learning: Commits to continuous learning through feedback, self reflection, humility, and action.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

KIPP DC Public Schools does not discriminate against, or tolerate discrimination against, employees or applicants for employment on any legally-recognized basis or protected class including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race, color, national origin, immigration status (except as necessary to comply with federal, DC, state, or local law), religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression), marital status (including domestic partnership status), genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy, family responsibilities, personal appearance, veteran status, uniform service member status, status of being unemployed, status of victim a survivor of domestic violence, sexual offense or stalking, matriculation or any other protected class under federal, state, DC, or local law.

Click here or here to review KIPP DC’s non-discrimination policy and KIPP DC’s Title IX Coordinator’s contact information.

Please Note: If you encounter difficulties submitting your application or fail to receive a confirmation email after applying, kindly reach out to Danica Cunningham at danica.cunningham@kippdc.org. Please include your name, resume, and specify the role you are applying for in your email. We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience caused.

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Writing Sample Requirement:

Please submit (via 'file upload' option) a legal writing sample of your own work that demonstrates your ability to analyze legal issues clearly and persuasively.

Your submission should:
-Be at least five (5) but no more than ten (10) pages in length.
-Reflect your own independent work (you may remove or redact confidential or identifying information as needed).
-Highlight your analytical reasoning, clarity of writing, and legal research skills.
-Preferably involve issues relevant to education law, student rights, civil rights, or administrative procedure, though other subject areas are also welcome if they showcase your strongest legal writing.

Examples of acceptable submissions include:
-A memorandum of law or legal analysis written for a class, clinic, or prior employment;
-A section of a brief, motion, or administrative decision analysis;
-A legal research paper with strong argumentation and citation to authority.*

The following questions are entirely optional.

To comply with government Equal Employment Opportunity and/or Affirmative Action reporting regulations, we are requesting (but NOT requiring) that you enter this personal data. This information will not be used in connection with any employment decisions, and will be used solely as permitted by state and federal law. Your voluntary cooperation would be appreciated. Learn more.

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Join our team and help provide joyful, identify-affirming learning experiences that produce extraordinary outcomes for all students and alumni.

Questions or Tech Issues? Email the recruitment team at [email protected] with questions.

Legal Externship (Winter 2026)

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