Winter 2026)

PURPOSE DIGNITY ACTION• US,

About The Position

PURPOSE. DIGNITY. ACTION. (PDA) strives to build robust support for non-punitive, community-based solutions to many public safety issues. With neighborhood and public partners and in partnership with community members actively seeking to move past experiences of harm and injury, we design and deliver widely supported initiatives that promote safety, restoration, and racial equity. PDA was formed in 1969 as The Defender Association to provide high-quality legal defense for civil rights activists in Seattle. In 2013, PDA began to concentrate exclusively on alternative public safety models. PDA is the project manager for the flagship LEAD program in Seattle-King County, and provides technical support for jurisdictions nationally and internationally that want to replicate LEAD through our LEAD Support Bureau. The legal intern/extern would work with the LEAD Legal Services team, which provides widely varied legal representation to participants in the LEAD program. Common practice areas include family law, reentry issues, immigration representation, and warrant quash assistance. The legal team is committed to providing LEAD participants with high-quality representation in any legal matter that poses a roadblock to their success. Legal services are provided through the principles of harm-reduction—meeting clients where they are, in a way that is responsive to their specific needs. The intern/extern with the Legal Team will work under the supervision of a LEAD Legal attorney to research and write legal memoranda, engage in individual representation of clients, and assist in the preparation of filings for ongoing litigation. Past intern projects include but are not limited to–writing on amicus briefs supporting legal aid coalitions; interviewing, strategizing, briefing, and representing clients in court hearings; writing full motions with the supervision of a staff attorney; and preparing for discovery, filing, and other aspects of litigation.

Requirements

Completion of at least one year of law school by the start of the internship.
Excellent legal research and writing skills.
Strong ability to work collaboratively.
Strong interest in community-based public safety strategies, and appreciation for all of the diverse partners who support the solutions we are building.
Demonstrated cultural competence and sensitivity in working with diverse clients, communities, and colleagues.
Desire to engage in individual client representation.
Desire to work with individuals with mental illness, substance use disorder, and other disabilities.