PILI will grant $312,000 to fund 60 law student interns at 30 public interest law organizations across Illinois during the 2020-21 academic year and the summer of 2021. 

PILI’s Law Student Internship Program connects law students from across the country with public interest law agencies in Illinois and pays them for their work. Typically, Interns receive $6,000 for working 400 hours during the summer and $3,000 for working 200 hours over a semester. Interns can also receive law school credit for their Internship if first approved by both the student’s law school and agency.

PILI ensures quality supervision by experienced attorneys while also providing supplemental programmatic, networking, and educational opportunities. During the summer of 2020, Interns worked remotely and attended remote Educational Seminars offered by PILI.

Among the PILI Interns, there will be several named and honorary interns, which are funded through special commitments made by individual and organizational champions for public interest law. Learn more about Named & Honorary Internships at www.pili.org/donate/named-internships.

PILI has operated its Law Student Internship Program since 1977, and it is the only program of its kind. Students apply from law schools across the country to compete for these funded public interest law internship opportunities. The Internships provide law students with invaluable legal experience, while also giving agencies much needed support to assist more clients in need.

Internships placements are currently offered in Alton, Bloomington, Chicago, East St. Louis, Champaign, Peoria and Rock Island, Illinois. See a full list of agencies at www.pili.org/internships/agencies-placements.