Legal Council for Health Justice (Legal Council) uses the power of the law to secure dignity, opportunity, and well-being for people facing barriers due to illness or disability. Legal Council was founded in 1987 as the AIDS Legal Council, assisting people living with HIV facing legal problems. Over the years, LCHJ has expanded its reach and continues to fight for individuals and families facing barriers due to chronic health conditions, disabilities, or social stigmas. Each year, we directly assist over 1,600 clients and impact thousands more through system advocacy. Legal Council focuses on equity, especially for communities of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals, ensuring that people with limited resources have a fair shot at health and opportunity.

LCHJ offers a robust summer internship program. PILI interns will spend a substantial amount of time conducting client-facing work, including intake at partner sites, outreach, interviewing, and gathering evidence. Interns will also conduct legal research, gather and summarize medical records, draft legal memoranda supporting disability findings under Federal Law, and attend and/or participate in administrative hearings. Interns will support attorneys working in one or more of the following areas:

• Access to public benefits (e.g. Social Security Disability, Medicaid, SNAP, ADAP);
• Access to gender-affirming care (e.g. name and gender marker changes, insurance appeals, vital records issues);
• Outreach and interviews with people experiencing homelessness seeking Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) benefits;
• Children’s access to social, educational, and developmental supports (e.g. special education advocacy in schools);
• Advance directives and estate planning services;
• HIV confidentiality and privacy concerns;
• Conducting intake or research for Illinois Pride Connect, a new statewide legal hotline and resource hub to support the LGBTQIA+ community

PILI interns are well-integrated into day-to-day program operations and participate in agency staff, team, and committee meetings. Interns generally work on a hybrid schedule, including at least two days per week out of Legal Council’s downtown Chicago office.