Atlanta Legal Aid works to remove barriers to justice so that everyone can receive quality legal care, regardless of income. Through our 85 attorneys on staff, our self-help tools, and our pro bono program, we help our clients deal with some of life’s most basic needs. For nearly 100 years, we have been helping our clients to secure safe homes, have enough food to eat, get a decent education, be protected against fraud, and get legal protection against domestic violence. Last year alone, our attorneys handled more than 20,000 cases that affected over 45,000 people in metro Atlanta. At Atlanta Legal Aid, we believe in a future where everyone has equal access to justice, regardless of income, and we are working towards that future every day.
Legal Aid invites first and second-year law students to apply for law student summer internships for Summer 2023. Law students are partnered with Legal Aid staff attorneys for a hands-on experience of civil legal aid law practice. Interns perform legal research and writing, assist with trial preparation and client communication, and have the opportunity to attend court proceedings. Many interns have their own caseload, participate in making decisions about cases at our weekly case acceptance meetings, and handle cases from beginning to end under the supervision of a staff attorney. There is even the potential for legal interns to represent clients in court if certified under the Georgia Student Practice Act.
Each intern receives program orientation, a primary supervisor (with ongoing responsibility for mentoring and on the job training), and opportunities to work with other attorneys in the work unit to which they are assigned. Interns are able to use their summer/semester to build long-term mentor-mentee relationships. Many of our current attorneys interned with the program when they were law students. Additionally, our mentoring program includes advice and assistance in preparing for possible fellowships, clerkships, and public interest positions.
While the program provides a limited number of stipends for the summer program, we encourage applicants to seek outside funding or a stipend if available from your law school or other entities. For the summer program, students with funding or school credit are expected to work full time for 10 weeks. Volunteers (work with no funding or school credit) are asked to commit at least 6 weeks of full-time work or 10 weeks of at least 20 hours per week.
A complete application packet must include a letter of application, resume, a legal writing sample that demonstrates your ability to research and analyze a legal issue, your most current law school transcript, and the names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least two legal references. Please submit your application packet as one (1) PDF using our online application system at the following link:
Atlantalegalaid.org/jobs
EOE: ALAS considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard
to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, veteran status,
or sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected status.