The Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) will offer a limited School-Year Internship Program for the spring semester of the 2009-10 academic year. Agencies hosting selected interns will receive $2,500 to support 200 hours of intern work.

Application period:

The online application period opened on November 1, 2009. You will need to register on IllinoisProBono.org before you can apply.  There is an approval process that can take up to 24 hours (longer on weekends and holidays). After registering and receiving approval, you may apply online for spring semester 2010 PILI internships. While you may register before the opening of the application period on November 1st, you will not be able to upload any applications or cover letters until that date.  Applicants are advised to apply no later than December 31st, 2009.   

Who may apply:

To apply for a School-Year semester internship, you must attend a Chicago-area law school. These internships are limited to second and third year law students. 

Which agencies will host school-year PILI Interns:

For the spring semester of 2010, agencies eligible to host PILI-funded school-year Interns are: the Chicago Legal Clinic, Coordinated Advice Referral Program for Legal Services (CARPLS), Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, and the American Civil Liberties Union. More about each of these agencies can be found on our Participating Agencies page. 

Application Tips:

The cover letter:  Please individualize your cover letters.  Since PILI and the agencies seek a diverse group of interns, you may include information about minority status and foreign language fluency.

Getting the job: PILI does not hire Interns; the agencies do. PILI recruits applicants and hosts, funds stipends, and acts as a clearinghouse.  However, here are some tips.  Public interest agencies want students who are dedicated to public interest issues.  Therefore, mention experiences that demonstrate your commitment, including volunteer or community work, and note any special skills, e.g., language proficiency, computer experience, etc.

Agency responses: Don't be discouraged if you have applied for an Internship but have not yet had a response.  Each agency has its own hiring practices.  Agencies may not always acknowledge every application because many agencies have neither the staff nor the funds to do so.  Some agencies will directly contact selected applicants for interviews.  If you have not yet heard from you agency, you may follow up to check on the status of your application, but do so in a professional manner.

How the payment works:  PILI pays a $2,500 grant to the agency; the agency withholds taxes and pays the Intern for 200 hours of work.  Check the agency's pay arrangements so you will know what to expect.