Legal Fellow

Legal Services of the H•White Plains, NY

13d•$0 - $8,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) is offering paid summer legal fellowships for law students in its housing units and general or other practice-area units. Fellows will work alongside LSHV attorneys and staff serving low-income clients and will receive training, mentorship, support, and skill development, as well as opportunities to engage in advocacy. The fellowship is designed to provide practical litigation experience and insight into factors that disadvantage low-income individuals and families. Housing Unit Fellows will help clients maintain their right to habitable housing and support LSHV’s efforts to challenge landlord intimidation and harassment. General Practice Fellows will assist staff attorneys in practice areas that may include family law and domestic violence, housing, veterans’ benefits, public benefits, consumer debt, disability, and immigration law. Work may include client interviewing, issue spotting, legal research and writing, preparing court documents, accompanying attorneys and clients to court, and appearing in court under a student practice order. The fellowship lasts 10 weeks and requires 35 hours per week, Monday through Friday. Fellows receive an $8,000 stipend and five days of paid time off. Fellows are placed in LSHV offices across its service area and are loaned laptops for LSHV business. Housing, transportation, work-related, and other fellowship expenses are the fellow’s responsibility; office parking is provided where applicable. Fellows may be asked to provide feedback at the end of the summer, which may be reproduced in LSHV materials. Applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. law school and have completed two years of law school by May 2027 or be graduating in 2027. They must not have previously accepted an LSHV paid summer legal fellowship and must be able to work several days per week in person at their assigned office, subject to disability-related reasonable accommodations, and travel to the office and other locations such as courts as needed.

Requirements

Be enrolled in a U.S. law school and have completed two years of law school by May 2027 or be graduating in 2027.
Must not have previously accepted an LSHV Paid Summer Legal Fellowship, formerly titled LSHV Paid Summer Legal Internship.
Be able to work several days per week in person at the assigned office, subject to disability-related reasonable accommodations.
Be able to travel to the assigned office and other locations, such as courts, as needed.
Submit a complete online application, unofficial law school transcript, current resume, one legal writing sample of no more than five pages, and a typed, double-spaced statement of interest of no more than 750 words.

Responsibilities

Interview clients and identify legal issues.
Conduct legal research and writing.
Prepare court documents.
Accompany attorneys and clients to court.
Appear in court under a student practice order, as applicable.
Housing Unit Fellows help clients maintain habitable housing and support efforts to challenge landlord intimidation and harassment.
General Practice Fellows assist staff attorneys in areas that may include family law and domestic violence, housing, veterans’ benefits, public benefits, consumer debt, disability, and immigration law.
Provide feedback about the fellowship experience at its conclusion if required.