Law Student Internship Program
Funding Amount
$2,500 per semester
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grant Type
Foundation
Deadline history & next window
- Cycle
- Rolling — applications accepted year-round
- Tracked since
- April 2026
From the program guidelines: “Rolling basis for summer positions”
Can we apply?
Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.
Eligible organizations
- Law students (1Ls and 2Ls)
- Chicago-area law schools
Other requirements
- Focus Areas: Public interest law across various practice areas including family law, disability law, immigration, elder law, and more
Overview
Geographic Scope: Illinois (Chicago area)
Program Description: PILI's Law Student Internship Program places law students in paid internship positions at public interest law agencies throughout Illinois.
Award Details:
- Fall 2014: $17,500 in grants distributed to seven Participating Agencies
- Summer 2014: Polk Bros. Foundation renewal grant of $50,000 covering stipends for 9 summer interns
- Individual Stipend: $2,500 per semester for 200 hours of work
- Funding Covers: Intern stipends, summer educational seminars, networking and mentoring components
Participating Agencies (examples):
- Coordinated Advice Referral Program for Legal Services (CARPLS)
- Center for Disability & Elder Law
- Chicago Legal Clinic, Inc.
- Chicago Volunteer Legal Services
- Equip for Equality
- LAF Chicago
- National Immigrant Justice Center
- AIDS Legal Council of Chicago
- Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
- Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago
Eligibility:
- Law students (1Ls and 2Ls)
- Chicago-area law schools
Focus Areas: Public interest law across various practice areas including family law, disability law, immigration, elder law, and more
Contact Information:
- Phone: 312-832-5127
- Email: info@pili.org
- Address: 105 West Madison Street, Suite 610, Chicago, IL 60602
How to Apply
Application Process
- Access the Online Application System
- Applications submitted through PILI's online application portal
- Available as of August 1st for fall semester positions
- Rolling basis for summer positions
- Timeline
- For 2Ls (Summer): Applications open October 15th, accepted on rolling basis until agencies complete hiring (usually by March)
- For 1Ls (Summer): Applications open December 1st
- For Fall Semester: Applications open August 1st
- Application Strategy
- Early application encouraged as hiring decisions vary by agency
- Some agencies make decisions early; others wait until later in application period
- Apply early to ensure fullest consideration
- Work Requirement
- Fall Semester: 200 hours of work
- Summer positions: Standard internship duration
- Contact for More Information
- Katie Pieper, Education & Outreach Manager (for Alumni Network inquiries)
- General inquiries: info@pili.org or 312-832-5127
What Public Interest Law Initiative actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2025
- Grants in 2025
- 30
- Total given
- $423K
- Median grant
- $11K
- Range
- $6,500–$39K
- By dollars: Illinois 100%. Top recipient cities: Chicago, IL; East St Louis, IL; Rockford, IL.
- 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
- 17% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.
Example grants
Legal Aid Chicago · Chicago, IL
Law Student Internships
$39K
Land of Lincoln Legal Aid Inc · East St Louis, IL
Law Student Internships
$33K
National Immigrant Justice Center · Chicago, IL
Law Student Internships
$26K
Prairie State Legal Services · Rockford, IL
Law Student Internships
$26K
Equip for Equality · Chicago, IL
Law Student Internships
$23K
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Workforce development
Categories
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