Compassion & Choices is the nation’s oldest, largest and most active nonprofit organization committed to improving care and expanding options for the end of life. Across the nation, we help ensure healthcare providers honor and enable patients’ decisions about their care. To make this vision a reality, Compassion & Choices works nationwide in state legislatures, Congress, courts, medical settings and communities to:
• Empower people with information and tools, including our free consultation program, to receive healthcare that is consistent with their values and priorities as they approach the end of life.
• Advance policies that allow people to make fully informed decisions about their healthcare, such as improving hospice and palliative care, and ending unwanted medical treatment.
• Authorize and implement medical aid in dying to allow mentally capable adults in their final weeks or months of a terminal disease to advance the time of death and end unbearable suffering.
Compassion & Choices is pleased to offer a law student or recent law graduate a 10- to 12-week full-time legal internship. Under the supervision of highly experienced staff, legal interns will serve as part of a nationwide advocacy effort to improve care and expand options for the end of life. Work will primarily consist of research and writing on issues related to end-of-life healthcare and is likely to involve civil, criminal, and federal and state constitutional law. Other duties may be assigned as needed.
Compassion & Choices will pay each legal fellow $1,000 per week in compensation but is unable to offer benefits.
Compassion & Choices is committed to nondiscrimination in employment.
Fellows should have:
1. Interest in advocacy related to end-of-life healthcare issues including but not limited to medical aid in dying, medical malpractice, advance directives, free speech and religious exemptions.
2. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
3. The ability to work independently and cooperatively with different types of people.
4. Advanced computer and legal research skills.
Please email a letter of interest and current resume in a single combined .pdf file to Jonathan Patterson, Staff Attorney, [email protected]. Please use the following format for the subject line of your email, “Last Name, First Name – 2017 Legal Fellowship.”
In your letter of interest please specify from which office you would prefer to work. (Portland, Oregon, or Washington, D.C.)
Applications must be received by January 27, 2017, to ensure consideration.