Client Services Intern

Orleans Indigent Defender • New Orleans, LA

16h • Onsite

About The Position

The Orleans Public Defenders Office (OPD) is seeking individuals interested in public defense and criminal justice advocacy to join its semester-long Client Advocate Internship program. OPD provides holistic, community-based representation in New Orleans, utilizing a client-centered team model that prioritizes the client and takes a 360-degree approach to advocacy and representation. The diverse staff includes adult and juvenile attorneys, social workers, client, youth and parent advocates, investigators, and administrators, all working together for equal justice for clients, their families, and the community.

Client Advocate Interns will join the Client Services Division and be partnered with a Client Advocate during the internship. This program offers unique insight into the criminal legal system and criminal defense representation in New Orleans. Interns will support and improve advocacy for clients throughout the case process, aiming to increase success upon release. In this role, interns will assist Client Advocates in identifying alternatives to incarceration and utilizing individual mitigation plans to reduce detention for clients and divert them to more appropriate social services and treatment. This involves direct client contact, engagement with community members, and coordination with various social service and professional entities.

Interns will gain unique insight into the criminal legal system and criminal defense representation, particularly in New Orleans. This includes direct client contact, engagement with community members, and coordinating with various social service and professional entities. Interns will be in a position to have a profound impact on clients’ lives, an opportunity that many do not experience. These experiences can provide a solid foundation for a diverse number of academic disciplines and future careers, from law to the social sciences. The experience in this internship program will also demonstrate responsibility and commitment to public service to both graduate and law schools. This is an unpaid position, but applicants are encouraged to obtain funding through their schools or other available outside sources. Academic credit may also be awarded by schools, and OPD is happy to work with interns and schools throughout the process.

Requirements

• Demonstrated interest in serving underserved and marginalized communities.
• Ability to work well with people of various socio-economic, racial, cultural and educational backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with clients, staff, and members of the community.
• Ability to be organized.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team-driven environment.
• Ability to attend the full training program at the beginning of the term.

Responsibilities

• Support and improve advocacy for clients through the case process, increasing success upon release.
• Assist the Client Advocate in identifying alternatives to incarceration.
• Utilize individual mitigation plans to reduce detention for clients.
• Divert clients to more appropriate social services and treatment.
• Visit clients in jail and conduct intake assessments for services.
• Reach out to client family members to provide updates and gather information.
• Assist in connecting clients with services, writing release plans, and ensuring clients have information for services post-release.
• Contact and coordinate with various social service entities around New Orleans.

Benefits

• Unique insight into the criminal legal system and criminal defense representation, particularly in New Orleans.
• Direct client contact.
• Engagement with community members.
• Coordination with various social service and professional entities.
• Opportunity to have a profound impact on clients’ lives.
• Solid foundation for a diverse number of academic disciplines and future careers (from law to the social sciences).
• Demonstrates responsibility and commitment to public service to both graduate and law schools.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees