LT-Legal Intern - 20-30 Hours/Week - Prophet Center

Position Details

LEGAL INTERN

BASIC FUNCTION

Portland Public Schools (PPS) seeks a motivated and detail-oriented Legal Intern to support the District’s Legal and Human Resources departments during the summer on a temporary, part-time basis. Under the supervision of the District’s in-house legal counsel, the Legal Intern will assist with employment law compliance, policy review, process improvement, and internal legal resource development.

This is an excellent opportunity for a law student interested in public sector employment law, policy development, or education law.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

This description does not describe all duties performed. This summary provides examples of typical tasks performed.

Under attorney supervision and oversight, the intern will:

• Conduct a comprehensive review and update of existing personnel policies to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and collective bargaining agreements.
• Develop standardized templates and visual process flows for recurring legal and contractual procedures (e.g., discipline, leave, accommodations).
• Compile and organize key legal resources into an internal “desk book” for the HR team, including checklists, summaries, and legal references.
• Support the development of a secure intranet site for HR and Legal staff by organizing and drafting internal-facing legal content and tools.
• Review existing mandatory trainings with legal implications (e.g., harassment prevention, mandated reporting), and provide recommendations for legal accuracy and compliance.
• Draft legal memoranda or summaries as assigned.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the Portland Public Schools Racial Equity and Social Justice Commitment by developing a thorough knowledge and application of the district Racial Educational Equity Policy, the PPS RESJ Framework and Plan, and the PPS RESJ Partnerships Investment Strategy and other board policies; participate in staff development, in-services and trainings related to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and in K – 12 education; model appropriate behaviors; develop, recommend and implement improvements to educational practices with awareness and understanding of their impact in a racially and culturally diverse community.

Note: See the Classification Specification which identifies essential duties required. This is strictly for use in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

The following knowledge and abilities are in addition to those outlined in the classification.

Knowledge of:

• Basic principles of constitutional, administrative, employment, and education law.
• Legal research methods, resources, and citation formats (e.g., Bluebook).
• Principles and practices of policy development and legal compliance in public sector or education environments.
• Human resources functions and common legal issues related to labor relations, employee discipline, accommodations, and leave laws (e.g., FMLA, ADA).
• Best practices for organizing legal and policy documents, including document retention and confidentiality.

Ability to:

• Conduct thorough legal research using LexisNexis, Westlaw, or similar tools.
• Analyze legal texts and synthesize complex information into clear, concise written summaries.
• Draft well-organized memoranda, checklists, and process documentation under legal supervision.
• Manage and prioritize multiple projects with attention to detail and adherence to deadlines.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment in handling sensitive or privileged information.
• Communicate effectively with legal, HR, and other internal stakeholders in both written and verbal formats.
• Work independently while maintaining alignment with assigned objectives and supervisory feedback.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Education: Completion of at least one (1) year of coursework at an accredited law school by the start date of the internship.

Experience: Completion of or enrollment in coursework related to employment law, administrative law, or public sector law. Previous experience in a legal, compliance, or public sector setting is preferred.

Any other combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities may be considered.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The working conditions are outlined in the job classification for the position and are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Persons with certain disabilities may be capable of performing the essential duties of this class with or without reasonable accommodation, depending on the nature of the disability.

Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment with frequent interruptions.

Compensation: LT Non Rep - Grade 1, Step 1: $21.88