Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) fights poverty and seeks racial, social and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. For over 50 years, we have challenged systemic injustices that trap people in poverty and provided legal services that help our clients meet basic needs for housing, income and economic security, family and immigration stability, education, and health care. LSNYC is the largest civil legal services provider in the country; our staff of more than 600 people in neighborhood-based offices and outreach sites across all five boroughs helps hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers annually. We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations, elected officials, public agencies, pro bono lawyers, and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equity for all low-income New Yorkers.

LSNYC employees have numerous opportunities for growth and professional development, including access to our internal Justice Learning Center, which provides opportunities to earn free CLEs and gain experience as a trainer. 

BROOKLYN LEGAL SERVICES

Summer/Fall 2026 Legal Internships - LGBTQ/HIV Advocacy Project

The LGBTQ/HIV Advocacy Project at Brooklyn Legal Services is accepting applications from law students for summer and fall 2026 legal internships.  We are a general practice unit providing direct legal services to low-income members of the LGBTQ community and people living with HIV  and  AIDS. Practice  areas  include:  anti-discrimination;  eviction  defense;  government benefits; confidentiality; insurance appeals for denials of gender-affirming care; name and gender marker changes; identity document updates; and other legal issues.

Interns work directly with staff attorneys and clients, and assignments include interviewing clients, legal  research,  preparing  internal  memos,  drafting  pleadings,  advocating  with local  and  state agencies, and representing clients in administrative hearings and in city and state court.   Interns will attend intake clinics at community organizations and table at various outreach events during the summer, such as at Brooklyn Pride.

To  apply,  please  submit  a  cover  letter,  resume,  and  writing  sample. A good cover letter will describe the following:
•    Why you want to work with clients who are LGBTQ and living with HIV and AIDS;
•    Your interest in direct legal services;
•    Your preference for working in Brooklyn, New York;
•    What you seek to learn from this internship; and
•    How you will integrate your past experiences into your work this summer in our generalist and population-based unit.

Applicants  will  be  considered  on  a  rolling  basis.  Applications  for  Summer  2026  received by February 28, 2026 and for Fall 2026 received by May 1, 2026 may be prioritized.  Internships are unpaid, but Brooklyn Legal Services will work with individual applicants to satisfy grant/funding source requirements.

Due to the volume of applicants, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. 

Brooklyn Legal Services has a hybrid work policy that includes 50/50 remote and in-office work. 

All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.

Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are strongly encouraged to apply.