St. John’s University School of Law, 2026
Civil Practice, Housing Unit

This past summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to work as a Legal Intern in the Civil Practice Housing Unit for the Legal Aid Society located in the Kew Gardens office. As a Legal Intern for the Legal Aid Society, I was able to learn a lot about the non-profit and meet new people. The Legal Aid Society provides a great sense of community, and everyone here is very supportive of each other. I would like to thank my supervisor, Julia McNally, for providing me and my
co-interns with many hands-on learning opportunities. From the beginning up until the end, Julia took us under her wing and taught us the ropes of what it takes to be a successful attorney. During our time with Julia, we were able to observe client calls, call clients, engage in shadow opportunities with multiple attorneys, attend court hearings at the Housing Court, assist in home visits, and take part in staff meetings. I was also given the opportunity to create a payment stipulation, a notice to admit, and enter data for a project that deals with Consumer Law! Moreover, I would also like to thank Kerri-Ann Wright, Kimberly Skaden, and Jillian Cuzzolino for the incredible training opportunities that they provided us during our internship. The training opportunities that they created served as a great educational opportunity for me and my co-interns.

St. John Law, 2025
Juvenile Rights Practice, Appeals

As a rising 3L at St. John’s Law with a passion for child advocacy, my time interning with the Juvenile Rights Practice (JRP) at The Legal Aid Society has been nothing short of a dream come true. This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work within the Juvenile Rights Practice Appeals Unit, where I expanded my skills and deepened my commitment to this vital area of law.

My internship experience allowed me to engage in a variety of meaningful tasks, from drafting my own appeal to conducting comprehensive legal research for seasoned attorneys. One of the highlights was drafting an appeal, which provided me with a firsthand understanding of the intricacies involved in formulating a persuasive argument. Throughout this process, I felt immensely supported by my supervisor, Riti Singh, whose guidance was invaluable. Riti not only encouraged me but also imparted crucial knowledge about crafting compelling appeals that effectively advocate for our clients. Her mentorship played a pivotal role in my professional development, and I am grateful for her unwavering support and encouragement.

Each task I undertook, from legal research to citation, was a step towards becoming a more proficient advocate for children and families. This summer has solidified my dedication to child advocacy, and I am eager to continue pursuing this path with the skills and insights I gained through this enriching experience.

The JRP Appeals team has been an incredible source of inspiration, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to Riti Singh for her exceptional mentorship and support throughout the summer.

CUNY School of Law, 2025
Juvenile Rights Practice

When I was accepted as an intern Legal Aid’s Juvenile Rights Practice (JRP), I was unsure of what to expect. Prior to this internship, I had accumulated experience advocating for student’s rights in NYC and advocating against policing in schools. Going into this internship, I wanted to continue to empower youth as a legal advocate in direct services.

During my internship, I experienced so much of what JRP has to offer. I contributed to legal strategies by drafting direct and cross examinations. In one motion I drafted, I asked the court to provide a client with hormone therapy to affirm their gender transition. In a delinquency case, I drafted a motion to dismiss a petition because it was financially insufficient to charge our client with the crimes he was accused of. I interviewed clients about their legal situations and what they wanted from their case. I also connected with clients by asking about their lives, their interests, explaining my role as an intern, and showing them the drawings I would make in my notebook. The clients really enjoyed the time I would take to draw with them and I felt that it helped me to establish trust and comfort with the client.

Even though I would work hard with the other attorneys to advocate for our clients, there were many times where the judge did not agree with my client’s position and did not grant the outcome my client wanted. For example, when a parent made a mistake which resulted in a child’s injury, the judge did not grant the children to be released to the parents. While it was frustrating to see these types of decisions, it would inspire me to continue to work even harder on other cases in order to achieve the results my client wanted.

The internship experience at JRP was comprehensive and constructive. As a student at CUNY Law, we talk frequently about client-centered lawyering in a judicial system that marginalizes and overlooks underserved communities. Rather than just talking about it, Interning at JRP put the concept of client-centered lawyering into perspective and taught me how to center the needs of our clients in order to provide them with the autonomy that everyone deserves. The type of advocacy that JRP engages in is the type of representation that everyone within the judicial system deserves. I can confidently say that the JRP internship experience is one of the best and most engaging internship experiences that a law school student can participate in.

Baruch College, 2024
Human Resources, Talent Acquisition

If I had to summarize my time at the Legal Aid Society in three words, I would choose impactful, educational, and supportive. From the moment I joined the Talent Acquisition team as a Talent Acquisition Intern to the day I presented my final project, I was engaged in a work environment that was ready to help me follow my passions and exercise my skills. Projects became more about people as I learned about how the Legal Aid Society is bringing people together to foster their message, and following the central message of social justice gave me a purpose that brought value to my work in a way I had not thought was possible. Together with my colleagues at Legal Aid, I was able to grow my skills and better prepare myself for my future career. If you are looking to make an impact and grow your skills in a supportive and hard-working environment, the Legal Aid Society is the right place!

Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University (2025)
Juvenile Rights Practice

After spending my Summer with the Juvenile Rights Practice (JRP), I am even more certain I chose the right profession. On day one of my placement, I had the opportunity to observe a permanency hearing with my supervising attorney, in which I also met the judge. I like to joke that I was “thrown in a thirty-foot pool.” It was exciting! My supervising attorney explained the procedural and substantive aspects of the case and answered any questions I had. As time progressed, I began observing fact-findings, emergency hearings, and client interviews. In one case, I was able to review discovery documents, formulate questions, and appear on the record for a preliminary conference. In addition to learning legal jargon and child protective law, I became familiar with the decorum associated with standing before a judge.

I have even attended child protective (CP) intake and delinquency (D) intake a few times. On CP intake, I read through the petition and subsequently observed how the attorneys took ACS family history and the “dispute” into account when litigating a placement for the child. I was even “given” a case by my supervising attorney, who allowed me to appear on the record. I stood up before the judge, gave our position on the Order of Protection (OOP), and asked a few questions. I thought I would be more nervous, but my supervising attorney primed me for it since day one! On D intake, I spent some time in the Supreme Court to observe a few removals, reviewed police complaints, and attended a client interview in the detention center.

Overall, the JRP gave me an unforgettable experience. The team was insightful beyond measure. A special thank you to Jaclyn Goodman who exceeded my expectations of what a supervising attorney is, and to Lori Masco who welcomed me with open arms.

Brooklyn Law School, 2024
Civil Practice, Immigration Unit

I had a really wonderful experience at Legal Aid this summer. My supervisor, Carina Patritti, made the experience enjoyable and challenging. I felt supported and learned a tremendous amount from her. I had the opportunity to work on several cases throughout the summer including Asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Employment Authorization, U Visa, and a 601A Waiver. While I balanced multiple clients and assisted my supervisor in many applications for clients throughout the summer, I specifically focused on the two cases described below.

One client, a young girl from Central America, came to the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor several years ago. She has a qualifying asylum case pending now, based on the severe abuse she was subjected to in her home country. While waiting to hear on her asylum status, she was unfortunately assaulted on her way home from the store near her house. She was robbed and held up with a knife, while the perpetrator threatened her. She assisted with the prosecution of the man, and he was convicted for felonious assault. Because she was the survivor of a crime committed against her in the U.S., she then qualified for a U Visa which allows unlawful immigrants to stay in the country. I took the lead on helping her with this application. We had several meetings together where I interviewed her about her experience in order to write an affidavit for the court. Throughout the summer, I was in contact with her and her mom to fill out the necessary forms and compile a packet of evidence to prove her case to the immigration officers. Finally, after several weeks of preparation, her application was submitted on August 1st. Now, she has two separate but equally compelling immigration applications moving through the system.

My second major client, a young man from Mexico, came to the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor a few years ago. He met his now wife, a U.S. citizen and they have two young children together. They have filled out an application to petition the immigration officers to allow him to stay in the country due to be married to a U.S. citizen. During the summer, I compiled an application for a 601A Waiver, a provisional waiver of unlawful presence, to eventually apply for his green card. As part of this application, I interviewed the client, his wife, and his motherin-law to show supporting evidence that his presence in the U.S. is beneficial for everyone. We drafted affidavits for all the major parties involved in their day to day lives and compiled evidence to show that his U.S. citizen wife would suffer extreme hardship if he were to be removed back to Mexico. Throughout this process, the couple discovered that they are pregnant with their third child! It was a rewarding experience to meet their whole family and work with them for the past two months. Finally, I was able submit the 200-page application packet which included evidence to show the immigration officers the strength of our case.

Dylan Marks is a rising 2L at UC Davis School of Law, who interned with the Juvenile Rights Practice.

The first week of my internship was eventful. After completing orientation and training, I was introduced in-person to the Juvenile Right Practice team to which I’ve been assigned as an intern: an interdisciplinary team of attorneys, paralegals, and social workers who tenaciously defend the rights, needs, and interests of children who appear in Family Courts in New York. They’ve been so welcoming and helpful. Many of the attorneys I’ve met have offered to have me shadow them in court and review the incredible work they are doing in the field. I can’t remember the last time I was so excited about work.

I’ve already had the privilege to attend court for intake, a hearing where children are first assigned an LAS attorney after an initial petition has been filed by the Administration for Children’s Services (“ACS”) for abuse and/or neglect allegation(s). Twenty minutes after arriving at the office on my first day, my LAS internship coordinator invited me to sit in on a permanency hearing, held to ensure that ACS is meeting its obligations under the law and to review a parent’s compliance with an individualized service plan recommended by the agency. Within the next couple of weeks, I’ll have an opportunity to participate in client interviews, attend a fact-finding hearing, and conduct legal research for my LAS direct supervisor. Working alongside and observing attorneys like Kimberly Wong, Esq. and Angela Hines, Esq. advocate for their clients has been such an incredible and inspiring experience.”

Joel Matta recently graduated with his BA in Psychology and is enrolled to study Industrial Organizational Psychology at Hofstra University. He interned with the Recruitment Department.

I’ve enjoyed working with kind and devoted people who create a welcoming workplace environment. Learning about the full-cycle recruitment process and how it works has been intriguing. Even so, the effect it has on a company. My internship helped me develop skills that I can utilize going forward. I’m curious to learn more about different workforce practices and how The Legal Aid Society serves its clients.

Salma Elsayed is an undergraduate who interned for the Juvenile Rights Practice Education Advocacy Project.

As an undergraduate intern for the Education Advocacy Project (EAP) this summer, I have really enjoyed working on a tight-knit and supportive team. I have been exposed to a variety of cases within  EAP and the JRP by working on suspension appeals, observing child protective intake, participating in client interviews and attending IEP meetings.

Although I was unsure of whether I wanted to apply to law school prior to the start of this internship, I have been in awe of the passion and advocacy of the Legal Aid attorneys I have worked with. I know now that I want to be a public defender, and I have found myself particularly interested in juvenile delinquency cases. I hope to return to the Legal Aid Society in several years!