Student Opportunities

Interns in the Appeals unit will gain exposure to civil appeals at various stages in the appellate process. Interns’ daily responsibilities will include conducting intakes, reviewing case dockets, and following up with clients for information. Interns will also assist the Supervising Attorney in tracking statewide appeals and coordinating moots. Interns may also have the opportunity to draft single justice petitions and, if 3:03-certified, to argue before a single justice in the Appeals Court.

The Appeals unit can support 1 second or third-year law student intern per semester. Interns are required to be available on Monday mornings and Wednesdays.

Interns in the Appeals Unit may also have the opportunity to intern with the Housing Unit.

Interns in the Bankruptcy Unit will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with clients to assess the clients’ income, property, assets, and debts. And to advise clients on the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy process, managing debts, discharging debts, collection-proof income, and protecting certain property using appropriate exemptions. Interns will assist clients in obtaining documentation and preparing bankruptcy cases for VLP’s panel of pro bono attorneys. Interns will also have the opportunity to support pro bono attorneys on active cases. 

Interns in the Bankruptcy unit may also have the opportunity to intern in the Consumer unit.

Interns in the Consumer unit will have the opportunity to interact with debt collection cases in various Massachusetts courts. Intern responsibilities will include attending Consumer Lawyer for the Day Clinics, conducting intakes after clinic, and interviewing clients to prepare for hearings. Interns can also be expected to draft legal memos and conduct research, draft 93A demand letters, and draft documents on behalf of clients. 3:03 Certified interns may also argue cases before the clerk magistrate.

The consumer unit can support up to 3 interns per semester. Interns must be available on Tuesday mornings, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Interns in the Consumer Unit may also have the opportunity to intern with the Bankruptcy and Employment Units.

Interns in the Medical Legal Partnership/ Wills unit will have the opportunity to interact with a wide range of legal areas including Housing, Family Law and Guardianship, Consumer Debt Collection, Benefits, Special Education, CORI, Immigration, and Wills.  Interns will gain legal analysis and reasoning skills as well as interviewing skills.  Interns will work directly with clients in diverse, underserved communities and learn how medical and legal professionals partner to identify and address health- harming legal needs. Duties include calling clients to conduct intakes and interviews, preparing and presenting case summaries to our MLP partner firm, and assisting with the drafting of documents, client follow-up, legal research, advice, and referrals to pro bono attorneys. 

Interns should be fluent in English and either Spanish or Vietnamese. Interns need to be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Interns can be fully remote. 

Interns in the Family Law and Guardianship unit will have the opportunity to work directly with clients. Intern responsibilities may include calling clients to conduct intakes and interviews, drafting court documents on behalf of clients, researching issues related to a client’s case, and drafting referral materials to pro bono attorneys. Interns who are 3:03 certified may also have the opportunity to represent clients in a virtual, telephonic, or in-person court hearing under the supervision of a VLP staff attorney.

The Family Law and Guardianship unit can support up to four (4) interns a semester. Interns are expected to be available on Monday afternoons, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for required unit events. 

Interns in the Housing Unit will have the opportunity to work on  eviction cases, eviction sealing cases, and affirmative cases (when a tenant sues a landlord) for damages due to sanitary code violations. Interns’ daily responsibilities include conducting intakes and triaging cases, interviewing clients, conducting legal research, and drafting court documents. If you are 3:03 certified, you can also participate in court mediation and hearings under attorney supervision.

Interns are expected to be available on Monday mornings, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. 

Interns in the Housing Unit may also have the opportunity to intern with the Appeals unit.

Interns in the Employment unit will have the unique opportunity to work on unemployment and wage and hour cases. Interns will participate in multiple stages of the unemployment process, including initial client meetings to assess the merits of the case, conducting research to support the client’s claim, and drafting memoranda on cases. Interns will have the opportunity to prepare and represent clients at administrative appeal hearings. Interns will conduct client intakes and interviews and use the information they gather to draft referral materials for pro bono attorneys.

Typically, the Employment Unit can support 1 law school intern per semester. Interns are expected to be available on Tuesdays and some Monday evenings.

Interns in the Employment Unit may have the opportunity to intern in the Consumer Unit.