Participating Agencies
Below is the complete list of the 33 public interest law agencies in Illinois that have been approved to participate in PILI’s Law Student Internship Program. Please do not contact the agency directly to apply for a PILI Internship as all applications must be made through PILI’s online application system. Most positions are located in the Chicago area, and we also currently fund Internships in Alton, Bloomington, Carbondale, Champaign, East St. Louis, Peoria, Rock Island, Springfield, and West Chicago, Illinois.
Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago
Interested in disability rights and working with attorneys who specialize in disability rights? Want to learn about the disability rights movement? Access Living is a disability rights organization that uses advocacy and litigation to promote the full integration of people with disabilities into the fabric of society.
ACLU of Illinois
The ACLU is devoted to protecting and expanding the civil liberties and civil rights of all Americans. The Roger Baldwin Foundation is the litigation arm of the ACLU of Illinois.
Ascend Justice
Ascend Justice provides free legal assistance to survivors of gender-based violence and families impacted by the child welfare system. We strive to help people achieve safety and stability through holistic legal advocacy and system reform. We work with clients in the following practice areas: Economic Justice, Family Defense, Family Law, Immigration, Incarcerated Survivors, and Order of Protection.
Cabrini Green Legal Aid
Cabrini Green Legal Aid (CGLA) is powered by a mission to seek justice for individuals and communities who have been uprooted and disrupted by the criminal legal system. Founded in 1973 to address the urgent legal needs, the criminalization of poverty, and systemic racial inequity in the Cabrini Green community, CGLA has since expanded beyond its neighborhood roots. Today, CGLA serves as a city, county, and statewide leader in providing critical legal support to low-income individuals and communities disproportionately affected by the criminal legal system.
CARPLS
CARPLS is a legal aid hotline that provides advice, information, and referrals to low-income residents of Cook County. Our mission is to increase access to the legal system for low-income people through our hotline work, as well as through Self-Help Projects, which include written and web-based pro se and client education materials, and our court-based advice desks, which prepare clients to represent themselves on pro se matters.
Center for Conflict Resolution
The Center for Conflict Resolution (CCR) is a Chicago-based organization founded in 1979. In the past three decades, CCR has grown to become one of the nation’s premier not-for-profit providers of mediation services and training.
Center for Disability and Elder Law (CDEL)
The Center for Disability & Elder Law (CDEL) is a not-for-profit, pro bono Chicago law firm, serving low-income elderly and disabled persons since 1984. With 1,100 volunteer attorneys from throughout Chicago’s distinguished legal community, CDEL handles cases in many practice areas, including estate planning, housing, consumer claims and dissolution of marriage.
Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness
The Law Project of the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness is the only legal organization in Illinois solely dedicated to providing legal representation and advocacy to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Our team of eleven staff members provide assistance in the areas of education, civil rights, access to health care and public benefits, criminal records relief, housing, family law and other civil legal services. Our Youth Futures Mobile Legal Clinic provides representation to unaccompanied homeless youth in Chicago through targeted outreach at schools, shelters, drop-in centers and other community venues.
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
The Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights is a non-profit law and advocacy organization, whose mission is to promote and protect the civil rights of poor, minority, and disadvantaged people in order to facilitate their participation in the social, economic, and political systems of our community and nation.
Chicago Volunteer Legal Services
With more than 44 years of experience, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS) is the first and pre-eminent pro bono civil legal aid provider in Chicago. With its pool of nearly 2,500 volunteer attorneys, CVLS is unique in its ability to offer a wide range of totally free civil legal aid to the poor and working poor on an individual basis.
Citizen Advocacy Center
The Citizen Advocacy Center builds democracy for the 21st century by strengthening public participation in community affairs. The Center believes in developing self-government.
Environmental Law and Policy Center of the Midwest
The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC), the Midwest’s leading public interest environmental advocacy and eco-business innovation organization, seeks to hire PILI Fellows. Our Fellows support ELPC’s state and federal litigation and policy work throughout the Midwest.
Equip for Equality
Equip for Equality, Inc. is a private nonprofit, statewide organization whose mission is to advance the human and civil rights of people with disabilities by promoting the principles of equality, self-determination, and dignity. The five substantive priority areas of Equip for Equality are discrimination, community integration, safety from abuse and neglect, special education and self-determination.
Greater Chicago Legal Clinic
Founded in 1981, the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic, Inc. provides free or low-cost legal consultations and representation to disadvantaged individuals in the Chicago region from advice desks located at the Richard J. Daley Center: Foreclosure Advice Desk and Parentage and Child Support Pro Se Advice Desk.
Illinois Legal Aid Online
Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) is a nonprofit that embraces technology to make the law easier to understand and use. Founded in 2001, ILAO’s free legal information, self-help tools, and court forms have helped millions of people across Illinois solve everyday legal problems. ILAO’s websites, IllinoisLegalAid.org and DebtHelpIllinois.org, available in English and Spanish, and its community navigators and partners across the state connect people to the best available legal services.
Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice
The ATJ Commission focuses on improvements, resources, and programs within the judicial system that help litigants who are self-represented, limited English proficient access our courts, assist legal aid and pro bono attorneys in representing their clients, and support the judiciary and other court staff in ensuring justice for all.
Impact for Equity
Impact for Equity is an innovative law and policy center that works to advance nuanced solutions to pressing racial, economic, and social justice issues in the Chicago region and Illinois. Our team of lawyers and policy staff are committed to addressing the structural racism and systemic oppression that has led to inequities and injustices, particularly for people and communities of color, in two program areas: Criminal Legal System/Police Accountability and Housing.
James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy
The James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy provides integrated legal and social work services to low-income Evanston youth (21 and younger) and their families to improve their quality of life at home, at school and within the community. Our practice focuses on juvenile delinquency, adult misdemeanor and felony, expungement and sealing and school discipline matters.
Lambda Legal
Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil right of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV, through impact litigation, education, and public policy work.
Land of Lincoln Law Student Intern – Alton
In its Western Regional Office, located in Alton, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid’s lawyers provide a full range of civil legal assistance to low-income residents, including providing advice, counsel, litigation, and community education. The Western Regional Office provides legal services to individuals in 12 counties.
Land of Lincoln Law Student Intern – Champaign
In its Eastern Regional Office, located in Champaign, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid’s lawyers provide a full range of civil legal assistance to low-income residents of 14 counties in central Illinois, including providing advice and counsel, litigation, and community education.
Land of Lincoln Law Student Intern – Springfield
In its Northern Regional Office, located in Springfield, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid’s lawyers provide a full range of civil legal assistance to low-income residents, including providing advice, counsel, litigation, and community education. The Northern Regional Office provides legal services to individuals in 9 counties.
Land of Lincoln Law Student Intern – Carbondale
Located in Carbondale and Mt. Vernon, Illinois, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid’s lawyers provide a full range of civil legal assistance to low-income residents, including providing advice, counsel, litigation, and community education. The Southern Regional Office provides legal services to individuals in 23 counties in deep Southern Illinois.
Land of Lincoln Law Student Intern – East St. Louis
In its Central Regional Office, located in East St. Louis, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid’s lawyers provide a full range of civil legal assistance to low-income residents, including providing advice, counsel, litigation, and community education. The Central Regional Office provides legal services to individuals in 7 counties.
Law Center for Better Housing
The Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing (LCBH) believes that every individual and family is entitled to decent housing as a basic need and human right. LCBH promotes the rights of tenants to safe, accessible, and affordable housing on a non-discriminatory basis through education, outreach, supportive services, advocacy, and legal representation. LCBH has been providing legal services to low-income renters in Chicago for over 37 years.
Legal Action Chicago
Legal Action Chicago (“Legal Action”) is a non-profit organization with a mission to change laws and systems to help Illinois residents living in poverty. We further this mission by challenging unjust policies and supporting measures to improve quality of life and chances for upward mobility.
Legal Aid Chicago
Legal Aid Chicago handles a wide spectrum of civil cases on matters of core social and economic importance. Case handlers work in one of five practice groups: Consumer, Family, Housing, Immigrant and Workers’ Rights, and Public Benefits.
Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society was established in 1886 and works with its seven social service centers to bring a variety of legal services to Chicago’s most vulnerable citizens in the communities where they live. The Domestic Violence Team focuses on issues related to family law, including domestic violence, divorce, and child custody and support issues.
Legal Council for Health Justice
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.
Life Span
Life Spancombines a full range of legal services with a complement of social services to survivors of domestic violence. The agency’s services are free of charge to clients who are predominately poor or of low-income.
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) is a national Latino civil rights advocacy organization dedicated to preserving and expanding civil rights of Latinos in the areas of immigrant rights, education, political access, employment and public resource equity.
National Immigrant Justice Center
The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) is dedicated to ensuring human rights protections and access to justice for all immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. NIJC provides direct legal services to low-income immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers and advocates for these populations through policy reform, impact litigation, and public education.
North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic
North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic provides accessible, quality free civil legal services to low-income and at-risk families in Lake County and north suburban Cook County. We provide legal services to those in need in the areas of immigration, housing, and domestic violence.
Prairie State Legal Services Law Student Intern – Peoria Office
Prairie State Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm that provides civil legal services at no fee to all low-income, elderly, and vulnerable people in 36 counties in northern and central Illinois outside of Cook County. Our clients are of all ages and ethnicities. PSLS provides excellent opportunities for law students and graduates to perform meaningful work and gain valuable experience by assisting clients who need legal help to address their basic human needs. This summer Internship position is available in our Peoria office, which serves clients in Fulton, Marshall, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell.
Prairie State Legal Services Law Student Intern – Bloomington Office
Prairie State Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm that provides civil legal services at no fee to all low-income, elderly, and vulnerable people in 36 counties in northern and central Illinois outside of Cook County. Our clients are of all ages and ethnicities. PSLS provides excellent opportunities for law students and graduates to perform meaningful work and gain valuable experience by assisting clients who need legal help to address their basic human needs. This summer Internship position is available in our Bloomington office, which serves clients in Livingston, McLean, Woodford.
Prairie State Legal Services Law Student Intern – Moline Office
Prairie State Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm that provides civil legal services at no fee to all low-income, elderly, and vulnerable people in 36 counties in northern and central Illinois outside of Cook County. Our clients are of all ages and ethnicities. PSLS provides excellent opportunities for law students and graduates to perform meaningful work and gain valuable experience by assisting clients who need legal help to address their basic human needs. The summer internship position is available in our Moline office, which service clients in Henry, Lee, Mercer, Rock Island, and Whiteside Counties.
Prairie State Legal Services Law Student Intern – West Chicago Office
Prairie State Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm that provides civil legal services at no fee to all low-income, elderly, and vulnerable people in 36 counties in northern and central Illinois outside of Cook County. Our clients are of all ages and ethnicities. PSLS provides excellent opportunities for law students and graduates to perform meaningful work and gain valuable experience by assisting clients who need legal help to address their basic human needs. This summer Internship position is available in our West Suburban Office which serves clients in Dekalb, DuPage, Kane and Kendall County.
Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI)
PILI’s mission is to engage, inspire and empower those advancing equal access to justice. Through our programs, we connect law student, recent law school graduates, lawyers and legal professionals with public interest law and pro bono service opportunities. PILI is seeking a Law Student Intern to work as part of its Pro Bono Program.
The Immigration Project
The Immigration Project is a nonprofit organization that provides high quality immigration legal services in Central and Southern Illinois. We are the principal provider of non-profit immigration legal services in our service area which encompasses 86 counties.
TransLife Care, at Chicago House
The TransLegal program provides direct legal services to transgender and gender expansive individuals and is part of the TransLife Care Program, which provides comprehensive programming and support to people in those communities.