THE ORGANIZATION

Ascend Justice is a mission-driven nonprofit legal aid organization. Our mission is to empower individuals and families impacted by gender-based violence or the child welfare system—we strive to help people achieve safety and stability through holistic legal advocacy and system reform. We provide free legal services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, trafficking, and stalking, as well as people facing child welfare investigations, in the following areas:

Economic Justice

We help clients with employment law under VESSA, housing law under the Safe Homes Act, consumer debt brief services, and Crime Victims Compensation.

Family Defense

We help parents and caregivers with ongoing DCFS investigations of child abuse or neglect, as well as expungement appeals and civil rights cases.

Family Law

We provide divorce services and handle parental responsibility and other child-related matters for both married and unmarried parents. Family law attorneys also assist our immigration clients with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases.   

Incarcerated Survivors

We provide services across all our practice areas to survivors who are or have been incarcerated in Illinois.

Immigration

We provide services that help immigrants who have been victims of crime and/or abuse stay in the US legally (U visas, T visas, VAWA Self-Petitions, Battered Spouse Waivers, SIJS cases, asylum, and non-detained removal).

Orders of Protection

At the Domestic Violence Courthouse, we help people get court orders mandating that an abuser stop the abuse, leave a home, or stay away from children.

Interns choose one of the above practice areas for their internship. Specific duties vary by program, however general intern duties include interviewing and communicating with clients; performing legal research on related issues; drafting pleadings, motions, subpoenas, and client communications; working directly with attorneys in preparing for contested hearings; and other duties as assigned.  Students licensed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 711 may act as counsel in court under the supervision of an attorney.

This agency is approved to host a Law Student Intern during the fall semester and two during summer. They are also approved to host Graduate Fellows. Interested applicants should specify their area(s) of interest in their cover letter.