Spring 2026 Legal Intern, Consumer Protection Unit

About NYLAG :

Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combatting economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. During COVID-19, most of our services were virtual to keep our community safe. NYLAG's staff of 380 impacted the lives of nearly 129,000 people last year.

Job description

The Consumer Protection Unit supports unrepresented litigants in consumer debt cases in New York City's Civil Courts. Interns will have the opportunity to represent clients in court, negotiate with opposing counsel, and argue before a judge under close supervision and support. The legal intern will appear in court in defense of debt collection actions (under attorney supervision), perform legal research, draft motion papers, create legal self-help and reference materials, work directly with clients, conduct client intakes, and more. Students will gain extensive and invaluable hands-on experience with handling cases and clients, and help staff a legal intake phone line fielding a variety of dynamic and emerging consumer law issues. Administrative work is expected, such as entering client data into our client database, tracking retainers, logging data into spreadsheets, managing court files, and other necessary tasks. We are looking for Spring and / or Summer Interns to join our passionate team for this unique experience practicing consumer law! This is an unpaid internship.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Client intake and interviewing
• Legal research and writing
• Drafting demand letters and pleadings
• other duties that arise related to ongoing litigation

Qualifications

Application Instructions : Please save resume, cover letter, and a writing sample on one pdf.

NYLAG's Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

NYLAG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.

Covid Vaccination Policy : Please note, to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and clients, NYLAG requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption is approved.

NYLAG is committed to a hybrid work policy for staff whose work does not require their full-time presence in the office. NYLAG's current policy is that most staff are required to work in NYLAG's offices or do other in-person work at least two days each week. This policy is subject to change.