Unpaid Internships, Philadelphia VIP

Posted by Philadelphia VIP on August 13, 2018

INTERNING AT PHILADELPHIA VIP IN THE SPRING SEMESTER

Philadelphia VIP, the hub of pro bono in Philadelphia, recruits, trains, and supports volunteer attorneys who provide free legal services to low-income clients.

VIP seeks highly motivated first, second, or third year law students to serve as legal interns supporting VIP’s work in the many areas where our clients face critical legal needs, including: consumer, family law, guardianship, landlord-tenant, tax, tort defense, homeownership, mortgage foreclosure, nonprofit, and small business.

Our legal interns function as valued members of the VIP team. With attentive attorney supervision and training, interns gain valuable skills that will help them launch careers in any sector of the legal profession or in non-profit leadership. These skills include:

· Working with clients and legal services to manage a full caseload:

· Assessing the legal merits of cases and analyzing potential conflicts of interest by interviewing clients and gathering documents

· Counseling and preparing clients for the civil legal process and the professional responsibilities surrounding the attorney-client relationship

· Working with private attorney volunteers to assist with case management:

· Guiding volunteer attorneys with substantive, ethical, or procedural legal questions

· Helping volunteers to manage VIP cases by asking for status updates and identifying potential problems and challenges with the representation

· Observing court proceedings, and meeting judges and court staff

· Attending pro bono practice group meetings at firms and the Bar Association

· Cultivating volunteer attorney relationships to grow our pro bono practice capacity:

· Assisting with and attending attorney CLEs, trainings, clinics, and other outreach events

· Offering pro bono opportunities to attorneys who have signed up to volunteer with VIP

· Participating in programs to engage and honor VIP stakeholders in firms, corporations, associations, legal services agencies, and courts

· Developing practical skills in writing, research, and case management technology:

· Researching legal issues to support volunteers and staff

· Updating volunteer guides and writing client letters that involve legal analysis

· Using leading technology in all aspects of work with cases, clients, and volunteers

Candidates who can demonstrate the following will be strongly considered:

· Interest or experience working with volunteer attorneys and low-income clients

· Prior volunteer work and/or volunteer management experience

· Strong oral and written communication skills, Spanish fluency a plus (not required)

Application process: Interested applicants should email a resume and cover letter to careers@phillyvip.org by December 7th, 2018 and address communication to: Lizette Ortiz-Torres, Director of Operations. Please indicate “Spring Legal Internship – Philadelphia VIP” in the subject line.

Read more here, including an FAQ about the program:

https://www.phillyvip.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Legal-Internship-Announcement_Spring2019.c.pdf