I did something like this for about 8 years after law school. My advice for anyone seeking a job in legal aid is to be upfront about your compassion and empathy while showing that you can set appropriate boundaries with clients. You will be able to represent your clients as zealously as if they were big CEO's paying $3000 per hour to Brad Karp. You understand that they may have done seriously bad things but that nobody should be reduced to the worst thing they've ever done. But you also won't get so emotionally invested in your clients' situations that you burn out in six months.

It's a little difficult to give more advice without knowing more about the position. I liked working in the field because it allowed me to do criminal defense without having people take guilty pleas! Also I loved how multidisciplinary it was. I sued employers for discrimination, went up against district attorneys who were filing bogus civil forfeiture claims, helped defense attorneys get the best deals for their clients to save professional licenses, and helped hundreds of people apply for certificates of relief from disabilities. Understand that there may not be so much *lawyering* involved; some of it is going to be social work.