Manhattan Legal Services is a part of Legal Services-NYC, the largest civil legal services provider in the nation. We fight poverty and seek economic, social and racial justice for low- income borough residents through the provision of free legal representation, systemic advocacy and community education.
Each summer we recruit law students from around the country to expand the services available in Manhattan and to help train the next generation of public interest lawyers. Interns will learn new areas of the law, gain hands-on experience, and provide an important public service.
Manhattan Legal Services handles cases in the full range of civil legal matters that affect the lives of low-income people in New York City. Interns should indicate in their application materials their preference for placement in the following units: Housing Rights, Disability Advocacy, Family Law, Immigration, Government Benefits, LGBTQ/HIV Advocacy. MLS shall try to place applicants in their unit of preference, but placement is not guaranteed. For a description of each unit’s work, please visit our website.
The law student’s responsibilities may include:
- Client intake, interviewing and outreach
- Legal research and writing
- Observation of court proceedings and/or administrative hearings; and
- Advocacy and representation with administrative agencies
Interns will receive close supervision and will also have opportunities to attend court proceedings and interact with clients. Fluency in Spanish or a Chinese language is desirable, but not required. A commitment of 35 hours per week is required during the summer. This is a volunteer, unpaid position. Summer interns are strongly encouraged to seek out and apply for grants from their school and/or funding from other sources. Due to the nature of hybrid work, interns should have a computer they can use for the duration of the internship.
If you are interested in working with us, please send a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and transcript to
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. We will only contact applicants who have been chosen for an interview.