Internships at CLC
Gain hands-on experience
Are you interested in family law, social justice, child advocacy, and/or nonprofit management?
The Children’s Law Center offers seasonal internships and fellowships that provide practical experience in Family Court legal proceedings, client advocacy, and case management.
Our interns and fellows work alongside experienced attorneys, paralegals, social workers, and client services staff, contributing to real cases and projects that impact the lives of NYC children.
Our internship tracks
Legal
for current law students
Social work
for graduate students
Paralegal
for undergraduate students considering law school
Client Services & Admin
for college and high school students
Why public interest?
It is both generous and life-changing to commit to a life of public interest. If you are in graduate school, and thinking of devoting your time to causes like Children’s Law Center’s mission, an internship might help you make that decision.
Legal Internships
Our legal internship is well-suited to law students at all years interested in family law, juvenile justice, and public interest. Legal interns gain experience in child advocacy law through research, writing, and trial preparation.
A legal intern would:
- Conduct legal research & draft memoranda on family law issues
- Assist attorneys in case record review (medical, school, forensic reports)
- Draft legal documents such as motions, trial summations, & appellate briefs
- Conduct legal and factual cite-checking
- Observe court proceedings, client interviews, and attorney conferences
Social Work Internships
Our social work internship involves working directly with children and families toward CLC’s mission of providing holistic support beyond the courtroom. Graduate social work students looking for experience and hours in family services, case management, and trauma-informed care will thrive in this program!
A social work intern would:
- Conduct client assessments & referral research
- Observe & assist with client interviews
- Gather & organize mental health, education, and therapeutic resources
- Conduct collateral interviews with teachers, counselors, and social workers
- Participate in case planning and documentation alongside CLC attorneys
Other Internships
We offer administrative internships for undergraduate and high school students interested in futures in legal administration, nonprofit administration, and case management. We also offer paralegal internships to college students who are strongly considering law school and want to dip their feet in.
Some of our interns go on to law school and social work school. Working at the Children’s Law Center is a great way to feel out these careers!
This internship might include supporting case management, data analysis, and documentation. An administrative or paralegal intern might:
- Perform data entry & case file management
- Collaborate with colleagues to resolve data and file organization issues
- Archive and retrieve case files in accordance with CLC practices
- Assist with copying, collating, batching, and administrative tasks
- Participate in supervision and team meetings to learn about legal advocacy
How can I apply?
If you fit the eligibility criteria for these internships, please consider applying for our summer internships that run from June to August or the more flexible school-year internships.
Our applications open seasonally, with deadlines varying per department. You will need to submit a resume and cover letter detailing your interest in CLC. Internships will be posted on our Current Job Openings [Internal Link].
If no internships are currently posted, please sign up for our newsletter for updates or check the website frequently!