Law School Externships and Legal Volunteers

Background:

Founded in 1978, SeniorLAW Center is a dynamic nonprofit public interest legal services organization whose mission is to seek justice for older people by using the power of the law, educating the community and advocating on local, state and national levels. We are the only non-profit agency in Pennsylvania wholly dedicated to providing legal assistance to older persons and protecting their legal rights, and one of few in the nation. SeniorLAW Center prioritizes services to older people who are low-income, cultural and racial minorities, the disabled, victims of crime and family violence, and those facing other vulnerabilities and challenges. We fight senior poverty, fraud and homelessness, provide protection from elder abuse and financial exploitation, enable grandparents to raise grandchildren, and improve access to justice. Join our team that promotes justice, in a supportive and flexible hybrid work environment.

The Opportunity:

SeniorLAW Center regularly hosts law students in full-time summer internships as well as part-time internships and externships through the school semester. Students are encouraged to explore law school funding and work-study eligibility before applying.

Internships focus on advocating for and addressing the legal needs of older Pennsylvanians, including the low-income, veterans, minorities, immigrants and refugees, and those most in need. Interns handle a wide variety of substantive problems which may include elder abuse, housing, family law, consumer protection, and advance planning.

Intern responsibilities include some or all of the following:

Help intake and interview clients in person or via telephone intake

Handle a small individual caseload with supervision

Assist legal staff with more complex litigation and cases

Help develop community education materials

Help conduct outreach workshops and attend community events

Conduct legal research, writing, and drafting

Participate in systemic advocacy efforts

Handle other office tasks and special projects, as needed

Second-year law students are preferred, but first-year students with bilingual abilities and/or exemplary direct public interest experience or other legal or relevant work or volunteer experience will be considered. The ideal candidate will also have excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, the ability to work under pressure, and superior writing and communication skills. Relevant experience in a legal program or law office preferred. Interest in and ability to work with older people and sensitivity to older people of different backgrounds required. Demonstrated commitment to public interest preferred. Bilingual capabilities a plus. Students should explore work-study, law school, or other external funding and include information in their cover letter.

SeniorLAW Center has excellent internship and externship opportunities through Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, Temple University Beasley School of Law, Penn Law and Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, and we encourage students to apply through their law school faculty. We welcome inquiries from students of other law schools with externship programs.