The Internship Program at UVM Student Legal Services
• Do you want to learn more about the law and your rights?
• Are you interested in obtaining experience in the legal field?
• Frustrated with injustice?
• Do you want to learn more about the judicial process at UVM and in Burlington?
The internship program at UVM Student Legal Service is one of the oldest and most prestigious at the University. Founded in 1977, UVM SLS is one of the oldest Student Legal Services in the nation, and has operated continuously since its inception.
The office at SLS is staffed by 12-15 interns each year. Interns work closely with two attorneys from the prominent Burlington law firm of Blodgett, Watts, Volk and Sussman. Interns act as liaisons between the attorneys and SLS’s clients, and seek to frame legal issues in a way clients can easily understand. They relay legal advice, set up meetings, accompany clients to court and judicial hearings, and provide referral services. Interns work closely with the attorneys on each of their cases, and are obligated to be in the SLS office for a minimum of two hours each week, as well as attending a mandatory one-hour weekly meeting.
An internship such as the one offered at Student Legal Service is an extraordinary opportunity for an undergraduate. The chance to intern for two practicing attorneys can be an invaluable experience, certainly for those considering law school, but also for those who have not necessarily been exposed to the practice of law and are curious about it. It provides students with a worthwhile opportunity to learn more about their constitutional rights, civil liberties, and how our legal system works. Some of our interns do indeed go on to law school, however many also choose not to, and take with them the multifaceted skills they acquire in their time here.
Interns apply in the spring semester of each academic year.
Applications are reviewed and the best qualified candidates are invited back for an interview. The application process is quite selective. Interns need strong interpersonal skills, and high aptitudes in written and oral work are a plus. No prior knowledge of the law is necessary.
If you are interested in any of these subjects, or simply want to learn more about working in legal-related fields, then an internship at UVM Student Legal Service can be an invaluable experience. Interns receive experience in all aspects of legal work, ranging from client relations, to case-building, to legal research. Stop by to see us in the SGA offices on the 3rd Floor of Davis Center – Room 311D, or call us at (802) 656-4379 to learn more.
The Internship application is attached to this message.
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE MARCH 29TH BY 5:00 PM
Application Word Document: SLS%20application%202016-2017
Nicole Pidala
Intern
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Student Legal Services
311D, Davis Center