Legal Intern (Summer 2026) | City Bar Justice Center

Job Description

Job Description

Legal Intern (Summer 2026) | City Bar Justice Center

DURATION : The City Bar Justice Center’s 2026 Summer Internship Program will run from approximately May 26, 2026 – July 31, 2026.

HOURS : Approximately 35 hours / week | Hybrid schedule

COMPENSATION : The internship is unpaid. Consideration will be given to candidates who secure academic credit or funding for this internship through their school. We can verify hours and responsibilities and submit necessary reports for students who obtain outside funding.

About the City Bar Justice Center

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.

About the 2026 Summer Law Student Internship Program

The City Bar Justice Center seeks motivated law school students for its Summer 2026 Internship Program. Candidates should be self-starters with strong organizational and oral and written communication skills and a proven commitment to social justice and legal advocacy on behalf of communities facing systemic barriers.

Working under 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 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 “Pro Bono Hour” presentations and participate in other professional development as well as social / networking opportunities.

Read the following insights from one of our 2025 summer interns below, and click here to learn more.

“ At the City Bar Justice Center, I learned how to effectively engage with clients, perform research on complex legal questions, and apply my knowledge to real-world situations. I believe that my experience here has been instrumental to my personal and professional development. ”

– Patrice Charlemagne, Federal Pro Se Legal Assistance Project (EDNY) Intern

Projects with summer intern openings in 2026 are listed below :

Consumer Bankruptcy Project / Homeowner Stability Project

Federal Pro Se Legal Assistance Project (Eastern District of New York)

Immigrant Justice Project

Planning And Estates Law Project / Legal Hotline

Shelter Advocacy Project

Application Process

You'll be required to submit a resume, cover letter indicating which participating project(s) listed above you are most interested in, unofficial transcript, and brief writing sample (under 3 pages). Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting in December. Interviews will begin in early January.

The City Bar Justice Center is a proud equal opportunity 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 and unique experiences to apply. We welcome diversity of all kinds. 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.

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