Advocates For Children (AFC) is a dynamic social justice organization that strives to ensure a high-quality education for New York students who face barriers to academic success, focusing on students from low-income backgrounds. AFC works on behalf of children and youth who are at greatest risk of academic failure due to poverty, race, ethnicity, disability, homelessness, immigration status/limited English proficiency, or involvement in the child welfare or juvenile/criminal legal systems. We use uniquely integrated strategies to advance systemic reform, empower families and communities, and advocate for the educational rights of individual students.

AFC grounds our work in our organization’s values:

• Family-Centered: We listen to what families want for their children and empower them with information and support.

• Expertise: We ground our advocacy in more than 50 years of experience with the NYC public schools and deep knowledge of the legal and education systems affecting the students and families we serve.

• Passion: We are united by our unrelenting drive to dismantle obstacles to education and our unwavering dedication to NYC’s students and families.

• Community: We foster collaboration and inclusive practices within our team and with outside partners so we can learn from different perspectives and unite in advancing our common goals.

• Justice: We view the law as a powerful tool to bridge gaps in access to education and help families from under-represented communities fight for their rights.

• Impact: We recognize that our value lies in the difference we make in the lives of students and their families and push ourselves to achieve concrete results.

INTERNSHIP SUMMARY

AFC’s Summer Law Student Intern Program operates as a clinical model, where interns meet weekly for training sessions to learn about relevant law, regulations, cases, and trial skills. Interns have the opportunity to work on tasks in the areas of direct service, litigation, legal research, policy, and the development of public-facing resources, depending on the organization’s current needs. Interns are also able to work with a variety of teams across the office to see the full scope of AFC’s work. Interns are matched with attorney mentors with whom they meet regularly to discuss cases and assignments. Mentors work one-on-one with interns throughout the summer to develop their legal reasoning and advocacy skills. Additionally, AFC arranges for interns to visit a variety of schools and other educational programs throughout the summer. AFC’s summer law student internship program is extremely competitive and highly regarded in the public interest community.

The internship program is 10 weeks long, with the option to extend the internship for another 2 weeks (for a total of 12 weeks) with supervisor approval. The internship will run from June 1, 2027 until August 5,2027.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work closely with clients (families of children ages 0-21 in NYC) throughout all stages of representation, from intake to investigation to settlement negotiations and from preparation to possible execution of administrative hearings regarding the provision of special education services. 

• Prepare documents and briefs related to impartial hearings, which are the administrative hearings for special education cases. This may include legal research, opening statements, direct and cross examination of witnesses, and closing arguments.

• Assist attorneys with impact litigation and policy reform initiatives. AFC’s policy reform efforts focus on the needs of students most at risk of academic failure, including students in the child welfare and juvenile/criminal legal systems; immigrant students and English Language Learners; students in temporary housing; and students with special education needs. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Current JD candidate at an ABA-accredited law school. 

• Understanding of and alignment with AFC’s mission. Please review AFC’s work at www.advocatesforchildren.org.

• Clear expression of interest in AFC and the communities we serve.

• Desire to learn, both as an individual and as part of an organization, and apply diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism principles.

• Demonstrated commitment to social justice. 

• Personal and/or professional experience with the communities AFC serves, including people with disabilities, low-income and marginalized communities, and the public school system.

• Ability to effectively engage across cultures, identities, and ethnicities, particularly Black and Latinx families.

• Ability to engage with a variety of audiences that include parents, community partners, and NYC DOE staff.

• Strong legal writing skills.

• Organized, detail-oriented, and able to work independently on tasks and deliverables. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office. 

• Applicants with fluency in a language other than English are highly encouraged to apply. 

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

All applications should be submitted through Greenhouse; applications submitted via email will not be considered. Your application should highlight any personal or professional experience you have that demonstrates your connection to the populations that AFC serves, as well as your interest in interning at AFC.

If you apply and then accept another internship offer prior to our interview days, we would appreciate it if you would e-mail us at [email protected] to let us know that you no longer wish to be considered.

AFC will review applications and make offers in stages. Law students who apply by October 12, 2026 at 11:59pm will be considered for interviews taking place on October 22, 2026 and October 23, 2026. Law students who apply by January 3, 2027 at 11:59 pm will be considered for interviews taking place on January 13, 2027 and January 14, 2027. We will notify students selected for interviews a few days before the interviews. Interviews will be conducted via Zoom.

COMPENSATION

This is an unpaid internship. We will try to work with law school programs that fund or provide credit to law students. Please note that if interns receive funding from their law school or another external program, it is preferable that funding be paid directly to interns, rather than processed by AFC.

This position is expected to work at least 2 days a week in the office and remotely on the remaining days. Interns are expected to work 40 hours per week during regular business hours (9 am to 5 pm).