Summer La Student Intern Pueblo Office

Organization Overview:

Colorado Legal Services (CLS) is Colorados statewide nonprofit legal aid program with thirteen offices providing civil legalassistanceto low-income Coloradans throughout the state. CLS provides free legalassistancein a broad variety of legal areas including family law public benefits eviction defense consumer protection services to survivors of serious crime and human trafficking and many others.

CLS has strengthened livesassistedfamilies and supported communitiesone person at a time for over 100 years. We are committed to providing high-quality free legal advice and representation to eligible individuals throughout Colorado. We have a long history of successful impact and advocacy. CLS strives to bring about substantive transformational change in the lives of those we serve.

We value representation.

At CLS we value and respect our staffs wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We ensure representation of our client communities in our staff Board ofDirectorsand leadership teams. We also envision a fairjusttrusted and harm reductionist legal system which emphasizes access to and implementation of true justice for every Coloradan.

Position Summary:

CLS isseekinga motivatedcompassionateand public-interest-driven law studentfor the Summer Law Student Internship Positioninour Pueblo Office.Currently the Pueblo Office consists of six attorneys three paralegals and an office/intake specialist.While the Pueblo Office assists clientswitha variety of legal problems the mostprevalentlegal issues on attorney caseloadsare thefollowing: evictions and landlord/tenant issues divorce and custodycases permanent civil protection order proceedings and public benefits issuesinvolving social security Medicare Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

In this position the Law Student Intern willperform a variety of duties to support attorneys and staff in delivering essential civil legal services.The scope of duties willdependon the experience level of theLaw Student Internandthe needs of the PuebloOfficeattorneys and staff.Any specific areas of interest expressed by the Law Student Interncanbe considered when assigningresponsibilities and duties.

The Law Student Intern will gainhands-on legal experience across a range of civil legal practice issues including but not limited to conducting client interviews and case investigation performing legal research and drafting memorandums pleadings motions and briefs observing evidentiary hearings and various court proceedings participating in mediations negotiations and otherforms of informal advocacy and when authorized under the Law Student Practice Requirementsadvocate for clients in court proceedings

Essential Duties:

• Draftmotions briefs memorandumspleadings letters to clients and opposing parties and other types of legal documentsas neededbystaff and attorneys toassistwith client representation

• Perform legal researchandassistattorneys and staffpreparefor evidentiary hearings

• Assistattorneysand staffby reviewing collateral documentation involved in the case organizing evidenceidentifyingdiscovery issuescreating exhibits for trial andassistingwith the development of trial bindersfor important evidentiary proceedings

• Conduct client interviews with attorneys andassistwith case investigation through research and interviews withpotential witnesses

• Observe and whenpermittedunder the Law Student Practice Requirementsadvocatein court hearings administrative hearings mediations negotiations and other court proceedings

• Maintainaccurateand organized case files and client recordsin accordance withCLS policies. This may include experience withtime keepingpolicies and practices as well.

• Collaborate with attorneys and support staff as part of an interdisciplinary legal team to providehigh-quality legal representation to CLS clients this includes participation in weekly Team meetings to staff cases collaboratively.

Required Qualifications:

• Current enrollment in an ABA-accredited law school

• Stronginterest in public interest law andinlegal issues affecting low-income individuals

• Compassion and professionalism when working with clients who are facing legal and life challenges associated with their low-income status

• Sensitivity to and respect for individuals from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences

• Able to prioritize andmaintainclient confidentiality and adhere to ethical obligations

• Ability to manage timeto prioritizetasksto workindependently withappropriate supervision andto workas part of a team.

• Strong legal research writingand analytical skills

• Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with clients attorneys and staff
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Spanish-speaking ability

• Prior coursework or experience with civil legal issues such as family law housing law public benefits consumer law or protection orders

• Experience with client-facing work including interviews or intake

• Prior experience working with underserved low-income or otherwise vulnerable populations

• Experience and familiarity with trauma-informed or client-centered advocacy

TimeCommitmentand Compensation:

This is a Full-Timeposition approximately37.5 hoursper week with the understanding that more hours mayoccur during periodsthat involve trialsand trial preparation.The Law Student Intern willbe compensatedwitha $7000 stipendfor theirvalued contribution to the Pueblo Office.

How to Apply:

Pleasesubmityour resume and cover letter via theApply for This Job link for this job opening onourcareers page.We will not be reviewing applications sent via e-mail or physical you have questions about this internship or any others at Colorado Legal Services please contact KirstenHoaby Denver Volunteer and Pro Bono Manager at

Required Experience:

Intern