Summer Law Internship in Child Welfare jobs in United States
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Defender Association of Philadelphia · 4 months ago

Summer Law Internship in Child Welfare

positionMain Office, Philadelphia, PA, US
timeInternship
remoteOnsite
seniorityIntern
workcardStart in 2026 Spring

The Defender Association of Philadelphia offers a summer internship program for law students in their Child Advocacy Unit. Interns will gain practical experience in child welfare law, working alongside attorneys and social workers on cases involving dependent children and participating in legal advocacy activities.

ConsultingLaw EnforcementLegal

Responsibilities

Work collaboratively with supervising attorneys and social workers on specific cases
Participate in comprehensive training and receive individualized supervision and mentoring
Get direct, hands-on experience with advocacy, legal research, court observation, client interviewing, home/placement visits, crisis intervention, negotiation, and case management

Qualification

Child welfare lawLegal researchClient interviewingCrisis interventionPolicy analysisIndependenceCollaborationCommunication skills

Required

Be a current law student in good standing – only 2Ls and rising 3L can apply
Interest and commitment to children's issues and juvenile justice
Experience or interest in serving racially and socioeconomically – oppressed clients and communities
Ability to deal effectively with children, adolescents, and family members
Ability to work collaboratively in a high-volume practice

Preferred

Relevant clinical program or work experience, preferred
A strong interest in policy
Some knowledge of the child welfare system
Ability to research and analyze federal, state, and local policy regarding children and youth
Ability to write legislative impact reports and policy updates clearly and concisely
Willingness to attend policy and system provider meetings in person and/or via the Web
Ability to work independently and/or collaboratively

Company

Defender Association of Philadelphia

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Defender Association of Philadelphia is a law firm that provides legal services for indigent criminal defendants.
dateFounded in 1934
location
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
people-size501-1000 employees
web-link
https://phillydefenders.org

Funding

Current Stage
Late Stage

Leadership Team

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Carolyn Jester
Chief Financial Officer
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