Life Span Legal Internships/Clerkships

Life Span is seeking enthusiastic law student interns to clerk and/or extern at either our Chicago or Des Plaines offices – 1L, 2L & 3L law students all eligible to apply.

ABOUT LIFE SPAN

Life Span empowers survivors of domestic and sexual violence to demand safety as a human right through client-centered services and leads social change through accountability, community engagement, and systemic advocacy.

Life Span is a nationally known leader in the provision of services to victims of violence and their children. Our comprehensive services include criminal court advocacy, representation in civil protective order cases, expert representation in family law cases, immigration services and counseling for survivors and their children.  Our work encompasses such issues as police domestic violence, immigration, employment issues, sexual assault civil no contact orders, the effects of trauma on clients and their children, teen dating violence, and the criminalization of survivors. Our agency has two sites, and services are available in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Polish and Arabic.  All services are free of charge.

Life Span values diversity—in strengths, backgrounds and lived experiences.  It is essential that our staff and leadership reflect the communities that we serve.  We are committed to creating an anti-oppression framework and seek candidates who share this commitment.

CLERKS/INTERNS

Life Span accepts law students for clerkships in the Summer and as externs/interns during the academic year. Clerks work closely with our attorneys and legal advocates.  Commensurate with their current year in law school, clerks will carry their own case assignments, appear in Court, and gain valuable experience providing legal assistance and working with survivors.

JOB DUTIES

Clerks will gain invaluable hands-on legal experience by working on complex and diverse cases and projects with our Family Law attorneys. Clerks will participate in client intake, negotiations and client advising meetings, draft pleadings, and appear in Court with their 711 law student license. Clerks will also have the opportunity to conduct legal research and analysis on changes in the law and novel legal questions related to client representation.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Current law school student at ABA accredited law school – 1L, 2L & 3L applicants all eligible to apply.
• Demonstrated interest in public interest law, nonprofit focus and/or legal aid work.
• Experience working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or other forms of trauma is preferred.
• Spanish or other language skill at the bilingual level is a plus for this position.

APPLICATIONS

Legal clerk/intern applications are accepted on a rolling basis 2-3 months prior to the preferred clerkship semester (ie February-April for Summer clerks, July-August for Fall semester interns/externs, & November-January Winter/Spring semester interns/externs). Interested applicants, please send your cover letter and resume to: Internship Manager at hiring@life-span.org.