City Bar Justice Center | Legal Intern (Summer 2024)

ABOUT US: The City Bar Justice Center – the largest division of the New York City Bar Association’s charitable affiliate, the City Bar Fund – furthers access to justice by addressing unmet civil legal needs of New Yorkers struggling with poverty and other systemic socioeconomic barriers. The Justice Center mobilizes law firms, corporate legal departments, and other legal institutions to provide pro bono legal services; educates the public on pertinent legal issues; fosters strategic community relationships; and impacts public policy. The Justice Center’s dozen civil justice projects, including the most comprehensive civil legal hotline in New York, are led by a staff of dedicated attorneys and professionals who provide high-quality civil legal services through brief advice and information, referrals, and both limited scope and extended representation that benefit more than 25,000 New Yorkers each year.

Internship Program

LENGTH OF INTERNSHIP: The Justice Center’s 2024 Legal Summer Internship Program will run from approximately May 28 – August 2, 2024.

HOURS: Approximately 35 hours/week | Hybrid schedule - 2 out of 5 days a week in person

DESCRIPTION: The City Bar Justice Center seeks motivated law school students for its Summer 2024 Internship Program. Candidates should be self-starters with strong organizational oral and written communication skills and a proven commitment to social justice and legal advocacy on behalf of communities facing systemic barriers.

Working with the supervision and mentorship of Justice Center attorneys and professionals with expertise in their respective fields, interns may conduct client intake, assist in drafting legal documents, help at legal clinics, draft research memos, and assist with the many other tasks necessary to run an efficient, client-centered legal services office. Summer interns also learn about the broad range of Justice Center projects through informal “brown bag lunch” presentations and participate in other professional development as well as social/networking opportunities.

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 “At the Justice Center, I learned substantive bankruptcy law, strengthened my issue-spotting abilities, and further developed my interpersonal and professional skills. I also developed pro bono management experience while liaising between CBJC and law firms or corporate legal departments. I also conducted research on developing volunteer programs for lawyers, which culminated in a proposal for CBJC to launch a volunteer interpreter program. I am extremely grateful for the cultural competency skills I developed this summer. I grew as a student, future attorney, and as a person.”

- Caraline, Consumer Bankruptcy Project and Pro Bono Initiatives Intern

For more reflections and insights from our 2023 summer intern class click here. 

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TO APPLY: Please submit your resume, cover letter, transcript, and a writing sample. In your cover letter, please indicate if you have a preference to intern with a specific Justice Center project(s). Projects with summer intern openings are listed below: 

Cancer Advocacy | Consumer Bankruptcy | Elderlaw | Federal Pro Se Legal Assistance | Immigrant Justice | Legal Clinic for the Homeless | Legal Hotline | Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law | Planning & Estates Law | Veterans Assistance 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting in January. All Justice Center internships are unfunded, however, we will verify internship hours and responsibilities and submit necessary reports for students who obtain outside funding. There should be no expectation or guarantee of employment with the City Bar at the end of the internship.

The City Bar Justice Center is a proud equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, and we particularly encourage applications from candidates belonging to communities historically under-represented in the legal profession. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. It is our policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, disability, arrest or conviction record, pregnancy, credit history, salary history, caregiver status, marital status, partnership status, or status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking and sex offenses, religion, sex, genetic information, military status, unemployment status or any other characteristic as protected by law. With regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other related laws, the organization will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations for persons due to their religious beliefs, disability, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition or because the individual was a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking.