Legal Aid Chicago is seeking current law students (who are 711 license eligible) to apply for a Summer 2027 internship within our Housing Practice Group. Law students must have completed at least 50% of the total credit hours required for graduation and remain in good academic standing to be eligible for their 711 license. If you are applying to this vacancy, you should expect to be eligible for your 711 license by the time the internship has begun.
About Legal Aid Chicago: Legal Aid Chicago believes that access to justice should not depend on the ability to afford an attorney. For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago with free civil legal services. Through our expertise, innovation, and strategic relationships, Legal Aid Chicago provides free civil legal services to people experiencing poverty and other barriers to stability. Our legal advocacy advances safety, stability, and opportunity for individuals and families across Cook County and the State of Illinois. With more than 115 full-time attorneys on staff, Legal Aid Chicago is uniquely positioned to address both individual client needs and systemic challenges within the areas where we practice.
The Housing Practice Group defends tenants against unwarranted evictions, challenges unfair terminations of rental assistance, forces landlords to make necessary repairs, and fights unlawful discrimination.
Internship Details: Summer internships run for ten weeks. Law student interns must be available full-time during the summer internship program.
Our summer interns will adhere to a hybrid schedule – working part-time from home and part-time form our office at 200 N. LaSalle, Chicago, Illinois. We will equip you with the tools needed to work remotely and will provide opportunities for in-person collaboration.
In accepting this vacancy, applicants agree to secure their temporary license under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 711, which allows eligible law students and recent law school graduates to provide supervised legal services, court representation and counsel clients under the supervision of an actively licensed Illinois attorney. 711 licenses should be secured before or within the first month of internship. To apply see https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/documents-and-forms/representation-by-law-students-graduates-711-forms/
Duties May Include:
· Client interviews and case investigation
· Memoranda and brief writing
· Drafting of pleadings and judgements
· Court representation under Illinois Supreme Court rule 711
· Direct representation at administrative hearings
· Legal research
Compensation: Applicants who have their own funding are welcome to apply. Legal Aid Chicago does not provide funding, but funding may be available through external funding sources such as The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) or Equal Justice America (EJA).
To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, brief writing sample (2-5 pages), and the contact information of two professional references.
Legal Aid Chicago is firmly committed to creating a diverse workplace and is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of creed, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital or parental status, alienage, disability, political affiliation or belief, military or military discharge status, ex-offender status, family responsibilities, reproductive health decisions or any other protected status.
If an accommodation is needed to complete this application, contact internship@legalaidchicago.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, the position will remain open until filled. Due to the high volume of applications, we will only contact candidates who are selected for the next stage of the hiring process.