The Civil Field Placements give students the opportunity to put their education into practice by working either part-time or full-time at Bay Area non-profit organizations and government agencies under the supervision of an attorney. Students learn the fundamentals of lawyering and practical judgment by watching skilled lawyers and by practicing these skills under supervision. Students are required to do a minimum of 4 units of credit (16 hours per week over 14 weeks) and may choose to do up to 12 units for a full-time placement and are also required to enroll in a course component.
Start by reviewing the list of past approved placements below but we encourage you to bring new ideas for placements as well.
Explore the many exciting areas- including Environmental– offered below:
This is where Berkeley Law students have gone in the last 3 years (Fall 2020- Spring 2024) but this list is not an exclusive list. Some of the placements belong in multiple categories, but are only listed once. Students are welcomed to propose other placements. Contact the Field Placement Office if you are interested in an externship not listed here.
This list is separated by nonprofits and organizations followed by government agencies. Most of these placements are in the Bay Area and some that are not allowing a remote option. For placements outside of California, see the Away placements.
San Francisco
California Attorney General’s Office- Antitrust Division
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (opens to a new tab)
San Francisco City Attorney (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Justice- Antitrust Division (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Western Region (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Security and Exchange Commissions (SEC) (opens to a new tab)
East Bay
Bay Area Legal Aid (opens to a new tab)
Family Violence Appellate Project- Domestic Violence Program (opens to a new tab) * students interested should connect with Domestic Violence Program
East Bay
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (opens to a new tab)
San Francisco
California Attorney General’s Offfice- Worker’s Rights, Civil Rights Division (opens to a new tab)
Legal Aid at Work (opens to a new tab)
National Labor Relations Board, Regional Office (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Labor- Employee Benefits Security Administration (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Labor- Office of the Solicitor (opens to a new tab)
East Bay
Center for Biological Diversity (opens to a new tab)
Earth Island Institute (opens to a new tab)
Greenlining Institute (opens to a new tab)
Sierra Club Environmental Law Program (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Coast Guard, Alameda (opens to a new tab)
Marin
West Marin Environmental Action Committee (opens to a new tab)
Sacramento
California Energy Commission (opens to a new tab)
Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (opens to new tab)
State Water Resources Control, Office of the Enforcement (opens to a new tab)
San Francisco
Earthjustice- Headquarters and International (opens to a new tab)
Natural Resources Defense Council (opens to a new tab)
Redwood Justice Fund (opens to a new tab)
The Utility Reform Network (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Agriculture- Office of the General Counsel (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Interior- Office of the Regional Solicitor (opens to a new tab)
US. Department of Justice- Environment & Natural Resources Division (opens to a new tab)
East Bay
U.S. Coast Guard, Alameda (opens to a new tab)
San Francisco
Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (opens to a new tab)
San Francisco City Attorney (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the General Counsel (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration- Office of the General Counsel (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Federal Trade Commission
East Central Region (opens to a new tab)
Western Region San Francisco (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office of the General Counsel (opens to a new tab)
U.S Department of Interior
U.S. Department of Interior, Office of the Regional Solicitor (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Justice
Antitrust Division (opens to a new tab)
Civil Division (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Labor
Employee Benefits Security Administration (opens to a new tab)
Office of the Solicitor (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement
Office of the Chief Counsel (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) (opens to a new tab)
South Bay/ Peninsula
San Mateo County Counsel (opens to a new tab)
Santa Clara County Counsel’s Office
Impact Litigation/ Social Justice Section (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California
Civil Division- Environment (opens to a new tab)
Civil Division- Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose Office (opens to a new tab)
For more placement opportunities: https://oag.ca.gov/careers/students
East Bay
Changelab Solutions (opens to a new tab)
Kaiser Permanente- Legal Department (opens to a new tab)
Sacramento
UC Office of the President- Health Sciences and Services (opens to a new tab)
San Francisco
California Health and Human Services Agency: Office of Integration (opens to a new tab)
National Advocates for Pregnant Women (opens to a new tab)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Office of the General Counsel (opens to a new tab)
East Bay
East Bay Sanctuary Covenant (opens to a new tab)
Root and Rebound (opens to a new tab)
San Francisco
Accountability Counsel (opens to a new tab)
Center for Human Rights and Accountability (opens to a new tab)
Human Rights Watch (opens to a new tab)
Law for Black Lives (opens to a new tab)
National Immigration Law Center (opens to a new tab)
East Bay
Author’s Alliance (opens to a new tab)
Equal Justice Society (open to a new tab)
Sacramento
Wine Institute (opens to a new tab)
San Francisco
Asian Law Caucus (opens to a new tab)
National Women’s Law Center (opens to a new tab)
Open Door Legal (opens to a new tab)
Public Advocates, Inc. (opens to a new tab)
The Field Placement Program is governed by ABA Standard 304: Study Outside the Classroom and Berkeley Law Academic Rule 3 – the 295 Series – (c) Limitations.