Juvenile Rights Practice Legal Intern, 1L - Summer 2026 - New York, NY

The Legal Aid Society's Juvenile Rights Practice (JRP) has non-paid internship openings in its trial offices and specialized units for the Summer 2026 term. We are seeking law students dedicated to children's issues and juvenile justice. Legal interns work directly with JRP attorneys in an inter-disciplinary team with social workers, paralegals, and investigators. JRP attorneys provide legal representation to children, ages 0 to 21, who are before New York City Family Courts on child welfare, PINS (Persons-in-Need-of-Supervision), juvenile delinquency, and termination of parental rights petitions.

For more information about the work of Juvenile Rights Practice and our specialized units please go to: https://www.legalaidnyc.org/programs-projects-units/

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
We are seeking dynamic, passionate, and creative legal interns committed to our mission. Interns work directly under the supervision of JRP attorneys. Duties may include: legal research, motion writing, home/school visits, interviewing of children and caretakers, motion practice and trial preparation, and other tasks as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Current 1L law school students in good standing
• Relevant clinical program or work experience preferred
• Commitment to children's issues and juvenile justice
• Ability to deal effectively with children, adolescents, and family members
• Ability to work collaboratively in a high volume practice
• Demonstrated commitment and interest in serving racially and socioeconomically oppressed communities

HOW TO APPLY
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 jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please submit a Cover Letter and Resume as a single PDF. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis so applicants are encouraged to apply early. Applicants will be notified whether or not they have been selected for an interview.

SALARY TRANSPARENCY
As an intern position, this role has no salary.

STIPENDS & BENEFITS

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 degree seeking undergraduate or graduate student at any accredited institution
• Complete the J. Howard Rossbach Internship Stipend Form at the time of submitting their internship application.
• Must ultimately be accepted to participate in an internship program at LAS
• Must demonstrate financial need
• Must lack funding for their internship
• Must submit a statement reflecting the student's strong interest in working at Legal Aid upon graduation

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. If more than 4 or 5 applicants are eligible, then recipients will be selected by lottery. 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 jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one's internal deeply-held sense of one's gender which may be the same or different from one's sex assigned at birth; one's gender identity may be male, female, neither or both, e.g., non-binary), gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one's name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not be distinctively male or female and may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.