Current Internship and Volunteer Opportunities

Work for a legal service provider in your area over the semester or during your breaks! From client intake to research and preparing documents, these opportunities are the perfect introduction to the legal field and working in the area of public interest law.

Make a Difference over Spring Break
We are looking for law student volunteers for the following projects:

Catholic Charities of Baton Rouge Migration and
Refugee Services
Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services provides immigration legal services to low income immigrants and refugees, and engages in public education, training and community outreach in order to promote justice for all newcomers and conditions for their full participation in American society. Catholic Charities is looking for a few volunteer law students to help provide direct assistance to their low income immigration clients.

St. Landry Brief Legal Advice Clinic
The first Tuesday of each month the St. Landry Bar Association, in conjunction with Acadiana Legal Services, holds brief legal advice clinics for the poor at the city court houses in Opelousas and Eunice. We are looking for a few law students to help with intakes and assist the volunteer attorneys at these clinics. The next clinic in Eunice will be on April 5th and next clinic in Opelousas will be on May 4th.

Brief Legal Advice Clinic for the Homeless
Every Monday and Wednesday from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. the St. Joseph Rebuild center in New Orleans, in conjunction with and the Pro Bono Project and the Homeless Experience Legal Protection program, hosts a brief legal advice clinic for the homeless. We are looking for a few law students to help with intakes and assist the volunteer attorneys at these clinics.

Special Education
Research how school systems in other states handle a variety of special education issues.

Disability Law
Research recent policies and court decisions to identify their impact on people with disabilities.

Domestic Violence
Research legal issues surrounding domestic violence in Louisiana.

Legal Access for Non-English Speakers
Preparation of guides and translation of forms to help non-English speakers access the court system. Looking primarily for Spanish and Vietnamese speakers, although all bilingual volunteers are welcome.

"Know Your Rights" Programs
Help create know your rights programs on a number of different legal issues to aid low income and rural populations.

Direct Assistance
Work for Capital Area Legal Services Corp. on intakes, preparation of motions, and other services for low-income clients.

You can participate in a majority of these projects either in person or remotely with internet supervision. If you have questions or would like to sign up for one of these opportunities please contact us at ejwa@raisingthebar.org or 504-561-7304.


Law Office of the Public Defender
19th Judicial District of Louisiana
Externship opportunity for LSU Law Students
The role of the Public Defender's Office is to provide quality representation to indigent clients. People who cannot afford to hire a lawyer have the right to a court-appointed lawyer. The right to counsel program with the Law Office of the Public Defender, 19th Judicial District of Louisiana, will allow the Law Clerk to assist attorneys in all aspects of criminal litigation including legal research, factual investigation, and drafting of memoranda, complaints, discovery materials and briefs. Areas of law include the defense of serious or violent felonies, misdemeanors, or juvenile dependency. Duties include preparing, photocopying, organizing, assembling, researching and digesting trial notebooks for exciting criminal defense cases. Duties also include assisting trial counsel in court presenting criminal jury trials by providing logistical support with evidence, witnesses and demonstrative aids. This opportunity is available to law students who have completed their first year of law school.

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
Hammond, Louisiana
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services provides free legal aid for low-income people with civil legal issues -- including problems with income taxes & predatory home loans. The primary duties of the law clerk involve interviewing clients and assisting the attorneys with files. When available, law clerks will accompany the attorneys for hearings in open court. Law clerks will be supervised in their duties by the two managing attorneys in the Hammond office. Practice areas include domestic violence, child custody, consumer law, housing, public benefits, wills and estates and hurricane related work.

Capital Area Legal Services Corporation
Interns are needed for Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Donaldsonville, and Houma locations. Volunteers perform intake, interview clients, and assist staff attorneys with their cases.

The Advocacy Center
Locations throughout Louisiana
The Advocacy Center believes in the dignity of every life, and in the freedom of all people to experience the highest degree of self-determination. Embracing this philosophy, the Advocacy Center protects and advocates for the human and legal rights of persons living in Louisiana who are elderly or disabled. They provide a wide range of advocacy services on legal issues related to disability or age. Areas of practice include: special education, financial entitlements (Medicare, Medicaid), self determination (adult and elderly protection, interdiction defense or revocation, powers of attorney), access (ADA physical and programmatic, fair housing, voting), institutional rights, employment/rehabilitation.

Baton Rouge Bar Foundation

Thirst for Justice (T4J)
T4J is a legal clinic that takes place at Saint Vincent DePaul of Baton Rouge where the underprivileged in the Baton Rouge community have the opportunity to consult with an attorney. T4J provides legal referral services to needy men and women who often don't know where to turn for assistance in legal matters. The program brings free legal advice to the community, helping them overcome transportation, communication, and financial barriers. Once an attorney has assessed the client's situation, the client may be referred to an agency that will possibly place the case with a volunteer attorney. Volunteer law students help with the initial intake at the clinic and shadow the attorney through the interview process. The project is run by the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation in conjunction with Saint Vincent DePaul of Baton Rouge. To volunteer for T4J, please contact the Public Interest Law Society at LSU Law Center or Mary Shortess, BRBA Pro Bono Coordinator (mary@brba.org).


Teen Court
Teen Court is a alternative, voluntary program, which offers young offenders an opportunity to make restitution for an offense through community service, specialized classes and jury service, thus avoiding fines and keeping the juvenile's record clear. By bringing the teens before a jury of their peers, which sentences them to constructive service in a community service organization and jury duty, this program seeks to deter teens from future unlawful behavior, while providing direct experience in the judiciary system and an understanding of their future role as a productive citizen.


Internship
Interns are needed at the Baton Rouge Bar Association to interview clients and manage files under the supervision of Baton Rouge Bar Association staff. This opportunity involves a great deal of client contact and exposure to the legal needs of the Baton Rouge community.