Closing Date: 28th December, 2026

Description:

Deadline is 3:00 PM EST for Date Listed
Dec 28, 2026

Job Description:
The Legal Aid Society's Civil Practice has non-paid internships in its various NYC Borough offices and specialized units for Spring 2027. Legal interns assist the Civil Practice attorneys, who work to improve the lives of low-income New Yorkers by helping vulnerable families and individuals obtain and maintain the basic necessities of life – housing, health care, food, and subsistence income or self-sufficiency. The attorneys enhance family and community stability and security by resolving a full range of legal problems, including but not limited to anti-eviction, domestic violence, family law, immigration, employment, tax, health, elder law, HIV/AIDS, and consumer law issues.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:
We are seeking dynamic, passionate, and creative legal interns committed to our mission. Interns will work directly under the supervision of Civil Practice attorneys. 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; other duties as assigned.

Current law school student in good standing – only 2Ls and 3Ls
Relevant clinical program or work experience is preferred, but not required
Demonstrated commitment to and interest in serving racially and socioeconomically oppressed communities
Ability to work collegially and collaboratively with all members of the staff
Ability to manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and think critically
Fluency in languages besides English, in particular Spanish, is helpful but not required

Salary Transparency
As an intern position, this role has no salary.

Stipends:
Interns who meet the eligibility criteria have an opportunity to receive a $1,000 stipend from the Howard Rossbach fund. The Stipend was established in memory of Judge J. Howard Rossbach, Attorney-in-Chief of The Legal Aid Society (1950-1952, 1953-1955), whose mentorship encouraged young lawyers' dedication to civic engagement through legal aid. The J. Howard Rossbach Internship Stipend, awarded through a lottery system, aims to support 4-5 interns annually who demonstrate financial need and lack funding for their internship at The Legal Aid Society. To be considered for this stipend, interns must:

Applicants must be enrolled as a law student at any accredited institution
Ultimately be accepted to participate in an internship program at LAS
Demonstrate financial need
Lack funding for their internship

Application deadline (s):
Please refer to the deadline listed on the internship description you wish to apply to.

Stipend application:
To be considered for the J. Howard Rossbach Internship Stipend, simultaneously fill out the J. Howard Rossbach Internship Stipend Form during the submission of your internship application. Only one application per applicant per year is permitted. Please do not submit multiple forms even if you are applying for multiple internships. Selected interns will be notified prior to the start of their internships. The stipend will be treated as taxable income.

For additional information or inquiries about the internship stipend, please reach out to TalentAcquisition@Legal-aid.org.

Salary and benefits:
As an intern position, this role is not benefits eligible.

How to Apply:
Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply.

Cover Letter
Resume

In the cover letter demonstrate your commitment to public interest law and include a ranked list of no more than three units, in order of preference. See the unit listing below. (NOTE: We may not be able to place you in one of your preferred units.) Please do not apply to any unit listed as (CLOSED). They have filled their internships for Spring 2027

Community Development Project
Consumer Law Project
Education Law Project
Employment Law Unit
Family Law/Domestic Violence Practice
Foreclosure Prevention Project
Government Benefits
Disability Advocacy Practice
Health Law Unit (HLU)
HIV/AIDS Representation Project (H/ARP)
Housing Justice Unit - Group Advocacy Housing Practice
Housing Justice Unit - Tenant Defense
Housing Justice Unit - Housing Helpline
Immigration Law Unit
Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Project
Training and Professional Development Team

Applicants will be notified whether they have been selected for an interview. Our hiring process is extremely competitive, and we encourage students to apply early.

All applications must be completed online. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process.

For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email TalentAcquisition@Legal-aid.org.