Volunteer Opportunties

CLARO: Civil Legal Advice and Resource Office
Interns are needed for the Staten Island CLARO Pro Bono Project for pro se debtor defendants. Interns are needed for an innovative, advice-only, volunteer outreach program for pro se defendants with Civil Court cases in Richmond County. Interns will assist the unprecedented numbers of individuals who must defend themselves in consumer debt collection cases. CLARO provides limited legal assistance to unrepresented debtor defendants with consumer debt cases in Civil Court.

  • Who may apply: 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, 4Ls.
  • When do I apply: At the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.
  • Whom do I contact with questions: Courtney Patterson (courtney.patterson@nyls.edu)

Legal Outreach
Legal Outreach is an organization that uses the law as a tool to foster skills and inspire vision among students from underserved areas around New York. Students participate in four debates per year on topics that range from Search & Seizure and Freedom of Speech to Equal Protection and Miranda Rights.

LIFT: Legal Information for Families Today
This internship allows students the opportunity to conduct direct legal outreach and to provide assistance to individuals and families as they navigate the Family Court system. LIFT provides communities with legal information, community education, and guidance, while promoting system-wide reform of the courts and public agencies.

  • Who may apply? 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, and 4Ls. Both day- and evening-division students are encouraged to apply.
  • When do I apply? At the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.
  • Whom do I contact with questions? Courtney Patterson (jac@nyls.edu)

Safe Passage
Students are needed to assist volunteer attorneys to provide representation of unaccompanied minors in the immigration process. Safe Passage provides free naturalization and SIJ status trainings for volunteer attorneys and students.

  • Who may apply? 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, and 4Ls.
  • When do I apply? Student volunteers are accepted on a rolling basis.
  • Whom do I contact with questions? Viviana Salcedo (viviana.salcedo@law.nyls.edu)
  • More information is also available at the Safe Passage homepage: www.nyls.edu/immigration

StreetLaw
Introduce middle and high school students to their constitutional rights. Instruct on topics such as search and seizure laws, police interaction inside and outside of school, the 14th Amendment and the equal protection of the law, reproductive rights, and terrorism. Students also prepare a moot court exercise, and the program culminates when students present their arguments before a panel comprised of associates and partners at the respective offices of Fried Frank; Harris, Shriver, and Jacobson LLP; and Mayer Brown.

  • Who may apply? 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, and 4Ls.
  • When do I apply? At the beginning of the fall semester of each academic year.
  • Whom do I contact with questions? Alesha Brown (Alesha.Brown@law.nyls.edu)