Law Student - Public Interest in Brooklyn, NY

Public Interest

Brooklyn, NY

Law Student - Public Interest in Brooklyn, NY

Law Student

No

Job Title: Civil Practice Legal Intern - Fall 2025

Job Responsibilities:
As a Civil Practice Legal Intern for Fall 2025, the primary responsibilities include assisting Civil Practice attorneys at the organization. The interns will play a vital role in supporting the attorneys who work to enhance the lives of low-income individuals and families in New York City by securing essential life necessities such as housing, healthcare, food, and income or self-sufficiency. The attorneys aim to promote family and community stability by addressing a wide range of legal issues, including anti-eviction, domestic violence, family law, immigration, employment, tax, health, elder law, HIV/AIDS, and consumer law issues.

Interns will be directly supervised by Civil Practice attorneys and participate in mandatory supervision sessions. The internship provides a chance to attend intern trainings, webinars, and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) sessions relevant to their role. Specific duties may include drafting motions, pleadings, memoranda of law, and affidavits; conducting legal research; attending court and administrative hearings with attorneys; assisting with client interviews; and performing other assigned tasks.

Education and Experience Information:
Candidates for the Civil Practice Legal Intern position must be current 2L or 3L law school students in good standing. While relevant clinical program experience or work experience is preferred, it is not a mandatory requirement. The ideal candidate should demonstrate a commitment to and interest in serving racially and socioeconomically oppressed communities. Applicants must possess the ability to work collegially and collaboratively with all members of the staff, manage multiple tasks and deadlines, and think critically. Fluency in languages other than English, particularly Spanish, is helpful but not required.

Salary Information:
The internship is non-paid; however, interns who meet the eligibility criteria may have an opportunity to receive a $1,000 stipend from the Howard Rossbach fund. This fund was established in memory of Judge J. Howard Rossbach, a former Attorney-in-Chief of the organization, to encourage young lawyers' dedication to civic engagement through legal aid. The stipend is awarded through a lottery system to 4-5 interns annually who demonstrate financial need and lack funding for their internship at the organization. To be eligible for this stipend, interns must be enrolled as degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate students at an accredited institution, complete the Howard Rossbach Internship Stipend Form during their internship application, be accepted to participate in the internship program, demonstrate financial need, lack funding for their internship, and submit a statement expressing a strong interest in working at the organization upon graduation.

Applicants will be notified if they are selected for an interview, and the hiring process is highly competitive. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply early. The stipend will be treated as taxable income.

The organization is committed to fostering a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity, inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice, and excellent representation. They aim to build strong professional relationships with clients, understand their diverse circumstances, and meet their needs. The organization prohibits discriminatory employment actions based on various protected characteristics, in alignment with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) standards.

To apply, candidates must complete the application process online through the organization's Careers Page, as paper submissions are not accepted. Required documents include a cover letter and a resume, which should be submitted as a single combined PDF via the organization's Recruitment Portal.