Interns

Founded in 1924 by prominent members of the Atlanta bar, Atlanta Legal Aid is recognized as one of the cutting edge legal services providers in the country. Our 60 plus staff attorneys work on a variety issues, ranging from public benefits to complex mortgage litigation. Significant casework includes Olmstead vs. L.C. & E.W., a 1999 US Supreme Court decision that expanded the Americans with Disabilities Act to institutionalized individuals with disabilities. Home to nationally recognized experts in a number of practice areas, attorneys appear in local print and television media and in national media such as The Nation, the New York Times, NPR, all major network nightly news broadcasts and CNN. Attorneys have testified before Congress and consulted on legislation on both a local and state level. Our program partners with major law firms and is expanding to corporate counsel offices such as UPS for our highly successful Associate Fellowship Program as well as uniquely tailored pro bono projects.

Atlanta Legal Aid Society welcomes applications for summer legal intern positions from students who have completed either their first or second year. Interns have the opportunity to develop skills in a variety of civil law matters and may include legal research and writing, drafting of pleadings, investigation, document collection and organization, client interviewing, and client representation in administrative hearings.

We have a limited number of stipends of $586/week for second-year interns. These require 10-12 weeks of full time work. In addition, we have 10-15 openings for first or second year law students, who have their own school funding or course credit, who obtain foundation funding, or who can volunteer.

Each summer intern receives program orientation at the beginning of the summer, a primary supervisor (with ongoing responsibility for mentoring and on the job training), and opportunities to work with other staff in the work unit to which she/he is assigned. Interns meet with each other and a summer intern coordinator several times during the summer to compare work notes at social gatherings.

Students with funding or school credit are expected to work full time for at least 10 weeks. Volunteers (work with no funding or school credit) are asked to commit at least 6 weeks of full time work, or 10 weeks of at least 20 hours per week. The more time a volunteer can commit to the internship, the more likely a successful placement with one of our work units. Funding sources include:

A complete application packet must include a letter of application, resume, a legal writing sample that demonstrates your ability to research and analyze a legal issue, your most current law school transcript, and the names and telephone numbers (and e-mails addresses if available) of two legal references. Please mail your application to Cheri Tipton, Deputy Director, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, 151 Spring Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-2097. No telephone calls please. Your application will be acknowledged.

ALAS considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to
race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, or sexual orientation.