Legal Internship Opportunities
The Victim Rights Center of Connecticut (VRCCT) offers a legal internship program to acquaint law students with victims’ rights in the state of Connecticut and how they are practically enforced in our judicial, school, and administrative systems. VRCCT provides legal representation and support to victims of crime through criminal, limited civil, employment, immigration, and Title IX proceedings. A legal internship with VRCCT will provide a meaningful experience working with professional staff and attorneys at the state’s only law firm solely dedicated to working with victims of crime.
Legal interns will work with attorneys and staff on cases related to sex assault, stalking, and domestic violence (inclusive of adolescent and elder abuse). The legal internship program is an important component of VRCCT to provide support to our staff and clients, as well as providing the student an opportunity to interact with clients. Legal interns can attend virtual initial consults and case management meetings, and can voluntarily choose to attend court in-person (an intern will unilaterally decide which locations are most feasible based on their accessibility, distance, and schedule.) Legal interns help attorneys by conducting legal research and organizing client file information. With training, legal interns help complete intake/referral screenings of potential clients via phone/virtually and can provide legal information and referrals. Legal interns can help clients file victim compensation applications and help prepare complaints (e.g. Department of Public Health, Department of Consumer Protection, etc.) Legal interns can also help complete outreach to expand knowledge of our services in newly served communities.
Legal interns must maintain strict confidentiality of the contents of the organization’s and attorneys’ files, and about client cases they hear discussed, in any office or setting. VRCCT follows strict guidelines on the release of client information and must always have explicit written permission from our clients in order to communicate their information to any third party.
If a legal intern has a successful first semester/session with us, we may offer them a second semester/session internship where they can assume a lead role in a client case if they choose, including leading an initial consult, hearing prep session, and/or representing a victim at their court hearing for a temporary restraining order or civil protective order. (Please note that while law students do not have to be certified legal interns with the state of Connecticut to complete an internship with us, they must be certified in order to prep clients for legal proceedings or represent clients in court hearings.)
A potential legal intern should have a willingness to take initiative and be an active participant on our team. Skills that will make for a strong candidate are excellent communication skills, a meticulous eye for detail, being coachable, highly responsible, and reliable. Law students must have completed one full year at an American Bar Association-accredited law school. Law students who are seeking a for-credit externship during the academic year must comply with their law schools’ requirements and contact the school office governing externships.
Legal interns do not have to live in the state of Connecticut to complete an internship with us, as most of our meetings and work are done virtually, but should note they may not be able to voluntarily attend in-person court proceedings if they cannot travel to Connecticut. Legal interns within driving distance can choose to work remotely or choose a hybrid model where they come into the office a certain amount of days during the internship of their choosing. At no time will legal interns be required to come into the East Hartford office or to appear for any court proceedings. If a legal intern chooses to come into the office and/or attend a court proceeding, they will be doing so voluntarily and at their own risk. Choosing not to come into the office or attend any court proceedings will not have any negative effect on the legal intern’s evaluation or future recommendations.
Diverse Candidates are Encouraged to Apply
Commitment of Time for the Semester/Session:
Summer internship hours- 5 days a week Mon to Fri ~28-32 hours for ~12 weeks
Fall internship hours- 3-5 days a week Mon-Fri ~16-22 hours for ~14 weeks
Spring Internship hours- 3-5 days a week Mon-Fri ~16-22 hours for ~15 weeks
Please note legal interns have all company holidays off.
Compensation Details
While we do not compensate for internships, interns are always welcome to apply for compensation through their school programs and federal work study and inform us of any paperwork that we must complete on their behalf.
Interested Candidates
If you are interested in a legal internship with VRCCT, please send us your resume with a cover letter discussing your interests, goals, and related experience (if applicable,) as well as an unofficial transcript and writing sample. Your cover letter, resume, unofficial transcript, and writing sample should be sent via email to nadya@endsexualviolencect.org.
