The Office of Public Interest Programs (OPIP) provides a variety of career services to students exploring or pursuing public interest. Our services include individualized counseling and planning for students interested in fellowships and careers in public interest and government. We facilitate mock interviews, provide networking opportunities, and host a variety of job-search related information sessions and events. OPIP also publishes public interest career guides for students beginning or augmenting their public interest career research.
Taking into consideration an individual's immediate interests and long-term career goals, OPIP partners with students to plan, create, and implement educational opportunities and summer placements. Our goal is to assist students in creating effective portfolios of public interest experiences tailored to their own developing definitions of success in public interest and public service. In addition, we offer a private, nonjudgmental space for discussion and encouragement.
OPIP services are available to all UCLA Law students. OPIP resources are also available to alumni interested in discussing and creating strategies for their continuing path in public interest and public service.
Our counseling team includes Epstein Program Executive Director Grace Meng, Associate Director of the Office of Public Interest Programs Andrew Whitcup, and Schrader Pro Bono Director Erin Han.
OPIP can be reached at publicinterestoffice@law.ucla.edu.
Jamie Libonate is the Manager of Operations and Events. She provides generalized advice about program requirements and other areas important to students' progress at UCLA Law. She can be reached at libonate@law.ucla.edu.
If you represent a public interest employer and would like to have OPIP disseminate information about your summer, pro bono, fellowship and career opportunities, please send information to publicinterestoffice@law.ucla.edu.