Congratulations on receiving a PILI Law Student Internship! The below information is meant to help you make the most of your summer experience. Please don’t hesitate to contact PILI staff if you need help or have any questions.
Required Forms & Registrations:
Required Intern registration form:
Interns are required to complete this brief program registration form by Friday, April 28th.
[button href=”https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2017summerregistration”]Fill Out the Registration Form[/button]
PILI Advising Program:
A unique aspect of PILI’s Internship Program is our Advising Program, which pairs Interns with a member of PILI’s Board of Directors or Alumni Network for a personal introduction to the Illinois legal community. Many of our Board Members and Alumni are leaders in pro bono and public interest law, and participating in this program can help you start to build your professional network early in your career. This is an optional component of PILI’s Internship Program, which the majority of our Interns participate in every year. The deadline to register for the Advising Program is April 28th.
[button href=”https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2017adviseeregistration”]Sign Up for the Advising Program[/button]
Service Tracking Forms and Program Evaluation:
PILI requires all Interns to complete two service tracking forms, which will be sent out via email at the end of June and the beginning of August. We will also send an evaluation after the conclusion of your Internship. PILI relies heavily on this information to improve the Internship Program, and to provide information to many of the program’s funders. Click here for more information.
You can also download a Client Service Tracking Sheet. This is an optional tool to help you keep track of the work you do and clients you serve, so that you can provide accurate feedback to PILI about your Internship.
If you are having any problems or issues with your Internship that you would like PILI to address immediately, don’t wait for the evaluation period. Please contact us right away.
Events & Opportunities:
PILI Intern and Fellow Orientation, June 1st
PILI will host a full-day orientation on June 1st for PILI Interns & Fellows. This orientation will provide a solid foundation from which you can better serve your clients and the organizations where you work this summer. Trainings will cover a range of topics, including best practices for working with legal aid clients, legal writing for public interest law attorneys, conflict management and more. Learn more and register here »
Educational Seminar Series
PILI offers a weekly Educational Seminar Series that focuses on substantive legal topics, career development strategies and skill building relevant to public interest law. We provide lunch at each of these seminars, and require you to register ahead of time to make sure we have enough food for everyone. We will send out weekly reminder emails asking you to RSVP for these seminars. Attendance counts towards your 400 hour requirement. We hope you will be able to join us! Full schedule for Seminars Series coming soon! ».
PILI welcomes other area law student interns to our seminars as well, so please invite your fellow summer interns to join, whether or not they receive funding from PILI. They can sign up to receive notifications about the Educational Seminar Series here ».
Other PILI Events:
We hope that you will take advantage of several other social and networking opportunities available through PILI this summer. One particularly notable event is our Annual Pro Bono Reception on June 21st. This is a fundraising event for PILI that is usually attended by over 300 attorneys from law firms, corporations, legal service agencies, the judiciary, and law schools across the state. All PILI Interns are invited to attend this event for free, and you will receive more information in the coming weeks. It’s a great way to get to know the public interest and pro bono landscape in Illinois and to network with other like-minded law students and attorneys.
Additional Resources:
Tips on making the most of your PILI Internship:
The value of a PILI Internship can be both personal and professional as you experience the world of legal aid, expand your network and gain practical legal skills. Tips compiled by agency supervisors and former Interns and Fellows can help you make the most of this valuable experience. Click here to download (pdf).
About your funding as a PILI Intern:
PILI Interns receive a paycheck directly from their agency, not PILI. PILI issues a grant to the agency to cover the stipend. Then, the agency places each PILI Intern on its payroll, deducts taxes, and pays PILI Interns as a regular, temporary employee. This means you will receive a regular paycheck for the duration of your Internship. You will not receive your entire stipend as a lump sum at the beginning of your Internship.
If you experience any issues receiving your paycheck from your agency, or if you do not receive $5,500.00 before taxes, please contact Program Associate Brent Page immediately.
PILI Educational Seminars Archive:
An online archive of past PILI educational seminars, covering a variety of topics in public interest law and professional development, is available on our YouTube channel »
Resources for Current PILI Interns in Chicago:
Whether you are visiting Chicago for your Internship or you live here, we want to help you make the most of your time and money. We have collected information regarding Chicago summer housing, transportation, discounts to national and local vendors, and Chicago-area events. Find additional resources »
PILI Educational Seminars Archive:
An online archive of past PILI Educational Seminars, covering a variety of topics in public interest law and professional development, is available on our YouTube channel »
PILI Facebook Spotlight
Each Friday, PILI spotlights one Intern or Fellow and the work they are doing on our Facebook page. This is a great way to introduce yourself to the Illinois legal community. If you would like to be featured in a spotlight, please contact PILI Development & Communications Associate Lauren Harper.
Important Dates:
April 28: Deadline to complete the Intern registration and register forPILI’s Advising Program
June 1: Intern & Fellow Orientation
June 15: PILI’s Annual Pro Bono Reception
If you have any other questions about your Internship, or if you require special assistance, auxiliary aids, or other accommodations to fully participate in the PILI Law Student Internship Program, please contact PILI Program Associate Brent Page by email or by phone at 312-832-5128.