Public Health Law Clerk, Health Equity & Social Justice

The Network for Public Health Law (networkforphl.org), with the support of its fiscal sponsor, TSNE, is a national organization providing leadership, legal technical assistance, and educational resources to help public health practitioners, attorneys, policymakers, researchers, advocates, and communities develop, implement, and enforce laws to solve public health challenges.

The Network is seeking Public Health Law Clerks to work with its Health and Racial Equity program. All work will be performed remotely. Clerks will assist attorneys with providing legal technical assistance and developing tools and educational materials on public health law topics. The Network is a fiscally sponsored organization of TSNE (tsne.org).

The Law Clerk will focus on legal issues regarding public health authority, social determinants of health, health equity, and collecting, sharing, and protecting data for public health purposes. The Clerk will conduct in-depth research, assist with responding to legal technical assistance requests, and collaborate with Network attorneys to prepare written products and training materials. The Clerk may contribute to large-scale projects focused on data collection and sharing.

The Network will provide a wide range of projects and opportunities that will build Law Clerks' knowledge of public health law and foster connections in the field. 

Rising 2L and 3L students with a strong interest in public health law are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will have excellent legal research and writing skills as well as excellent organizational skills. Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to health equity and social justice. The start date is flexible, but we hope to have Law Clerks begin in late May. We expect Clerks to commit to 8-10 weeks of full-time work. All work will be completed remotely.

The Law Clerk will support Network attorneys in providing legal technical assistance and educational materials on a range of public health legal topics, with primary focus areas varying by region/project as specified above. Law Clerks will have opportunities to hone their legal research and writing skills and will gain experience with communicating legal concepts to non-legal audiences. The Network will also provide projects and opportunities that will build Law Clerks’ general knowledge of public health law and foster connections in the field.

By the end of the summer, all Law Clerks will have prepared at least one Law and Policy Insights article for publication on the Network’s website. Law Clerks will have an opportunity to present their article (or other work product of their choice) to Network staff at the end of the summer.

Additional specific responsibilities and opportunities include:

Legal Technical Assistance

• Participate in preparing timely, high-quality, practical, and relevant technical assistance in multiple areas of public health law.

Resource Development

• Assist with the development of practical or scholarly Network resources for public health practitioners, attorneys, policy advocates, and other interested persons.

Public Health Law Professional Development and Training

• Engage in student-focused public health law training and education opportunities, including training sessions provided by Network experts.
• Participate in professional development programming including regular meetings with the Clerk’s assigned supervisor/mentor; one-on-one informational interviews with other Network attorneys; and networking opportunities with fellow Law Clerks.

Outreach and Relationship-Building

• Engage with public health and legal experts associated with the Network for Public Health Law and its partners.

Other duties as assigned.

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.

• Rising 2L and 3L students with a strong interest in public health law are encouraged to apply.
• The successful candidate will have excellent legal research and writing skills as well as excellent organizational skills.
• Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to health equity and social justice.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those for this position. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Work is performed in an office environment and in close proximity to other workers.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to:

• Handle, or feel objects, tools or controls;
• Reach; traverse; sit (usually for longer periods of time); occasionally ascend/descend; and position self (to) move;
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds;
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate;
• Job is not subject to significant occupational or environmental hazards;
• Likelihood of personal injury would be relatively slight;
• Environmental and work hazards are not present to a measurable degree.

Regarding COVID-19: TSNE considers the health and safety of our employees of the utmost importance, and due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and subject to your state and local laws, our policy requires that all employees performing in-person work at a TSNE designated office are fully vaccinated. For the purpose of this policy, fully vaccinated indicates that you have received a single dose of the Janssen vaccine, or both doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. Certain exemptions may be requested and will be considered by Human Resources.

Compensation and Benefits

Location: Work will be primarily performed remotely.

Compensation: The starting hourly rate for this position is $20.00/hr and is commensurate with experience.

Benefits: This position is eligible for a full benefits package including:

• Generous Paid-Time-Off (PTO): 12 paid holidays, 3 weeks vacation, 1 week personal holiday, and sick time for full-time staff;
• 80% Employer-paid, $0 deductible Health Insurance through Harvard Pilgrim;
• Low-cost MetLife Dental and Vision;
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Health and Dependent Care;
• Employer-paid Life, Long- and Short-Term Disability Insurance;
• Employer-paid Pension through TIAA;
• ...and more!

TSNE/NPHL strives to achieve excellence through a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that embraces all of our individual and collective differences. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Middle Eastern and North African, Bilingual and/or Bicultural candidates, and LGBTQ2SIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We value and honor the unique talents, learning styles, and lived experiences of each individual that enrich and strengthen our workplace culture, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

All employment conditions are based on an individual’s performance and job qualifications. TSNE/NPHL prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, creed, color, religion, native language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, race-based hairstyles, or any other protected characteristic stated by federal and state law. Regardless of any class’ protection under the law or lack thereof, TSNE/NPHL celebrates diversity and values the strengths that come with having a diverse team of employees. It is represented in our workplace culture, and it is who we are.

TSNE/NPHL's EEO statement extends to volunteers, interns, contractors, vendors, and clients.