2025-2026 Clerkships - Statewide Tax Program

The Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) Statewide Tax Program seeks clerks and/or externs for summer 2025 and the 2025-2026 academic year.

Background
LASO is a non-profit organization that represents low-income clients in civil cases. LASO’s eight regional offices serve the general low-income population throughout the state and two specialized statewide programs provide services to farmworkers and representation on Native American issues. LASO is an effective, high-quality legal services program that is committed to advocacy strategies having the broadest possible impact on client community problems. LASO is actively working to build an inclusive organizational culture that centers on racial equity. LASO is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a welcoming and culturally responsive environment for our staff and clients.

Positions
LASO is seeking law clerks for summer 2025 and the 2025-2026 academic year. Statewide Tax Program clerkships are based in Portland, but are open to applicants across the state. LASO also offers clerkship opportunities in other programs and offices. For an up-to-date list of positions, please visit LASO’s employment page: https://lasoregon.org/employment/.

The typical work schedule is based on a 35-hour work week, Monday through Friday 9:00-5:00 with a one-hour lunch break. Work location can be in-office or partially remote. Extended remote and flexible work schedules may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Type of Legal Work
Our Tax Program seeks to alleviate poverty through the use of the tax code; working to assist taxpayers with Limited English proficiency and other taxpayers who face disproportionate outcomes despite the “neutral” administration of the tax code. The Tax Program assists Oregonians across the state to resolve disputes with the IRS and related Department of Revenue matters, including settling tax debt through the Offer in Compromise process; installment agreements or hardship requests; representation in tax audits and in U.S. Tax Court; help with worker classification issues; and assistance in applying for innocent or injured spouse relief.

Qualifications
Class standing of 1L or above at time of application. Previous experience in tax or familiarity of the tax code is not necessary. Proven interest in and commitment to advocacy for the legal rights of low-income and other vulnerable populations. Enthusiasm, creativity, good judgment, initiative, and willingness to work collaboratively. Demonstrated understanding and commitment to anti-bias principles, cultural competency and addressing systemic racism and other forms of oppression. LASO has a hiring preference for bilingual candidates who speak English and Spanish or another language. LASO’s Tax Program has a hiring preference for candidates located in communities that struggle with geographic, technological, or other access-related barriers.

Funding
LASO will pay law clerks a salary of $7000 for 10 weeks of work, 35 hours per week, with an additional $50 per week for bilingual ability in language(s) that serve our client communities. Clerks working less than full time will be paid a pro rata equivalent. Clerks will be paid semimonthly.

Closing Date
Positions open until filled. Review of resumes for Summer 2025 to begin the last week of January 2025. The Tax Program accepts resumes and makes law student placements throughout the year and post-graduation. Please indicate if you would like to be considered for placements during the 2025-2026 academic year.

To Apply
To apply, submit a resume and cover letter, which includes your response to the supplemental question below. Please also note if you are bilingual in Spanish and/or another language and describe your level of competency.

Please submit your application materials to: Shannon Garcia, Program Director, at [email protected].

The Tax Program will schedule in-person and/or virtual interviews, depending on the preference of the applicant. Those interviews will begin in February 2025 and will be conducted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.
If you require reasonable accommodation for a disability during the application/hiring process, please contact Meghan Collins, Director of Administration, at [email protected].

Supplemental question
Please provide a written response to the following question and submit it as part of your application materials. Limit response to 500 words.

LASO is committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon. Our client communities include people of color, farmworkers, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, seniors, people with lived experiences of homelessness, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from other underrepresented groups. It is essential to our mission that we also work to create an inclusive and respectful workplace environment in which differences are acknowledged and valued. How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to: (1) serve our diverse client communities effectively, (2) work effectively with colleagues from backgrounds different than your own, (3) acknowledge the systemic barriers that our clients face, and (4) contribute to our efforts to achieve racial justice? Feel free to provide examples and apply various aspects of your life and personal experiences in your response.

We celebrate diversity
LASO is committed to being an organization that reflects the communities we serve and is diverse in race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental and physical abilities, work background, experience and education. We believe that the outcome of such diversity is our greatest strength and a matter of basic human fairness. It is to this end that we strongly encourage applications from people of color and people from any other underrepresented and historically marginalized group to apply for this position.