The PIA Summer Internship affords law students enrolled at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law an opportunity to gain exposure to both private legal practice and public interest work during the summer following their second year of law school. Students spend part of the summer (usually the first half) working at the sponsoring firm, and another portion (4-8 weeks) working in a public interest organization. By gaining a combined exposure to private and public interest practice during the summer, students acquire an understanding of the interface between these practice settings and develop an appreciation of the scope for contributions to the public interest in a private law setting.
How does it work?
Under the Program, students spend part of the summer working at a law firm (typically the first part) and part of the summer as an intern at a host organization (from 4-8 weeks depending on the firm). While students are working at the sponsoring law firm, they are integrated as fully as possible into the law firm's summer program and are included in social and other events held by the law firm during the summer. Each sponsoring law firm remunerates its Summer Internship students for the duration of the entire summer. A list of sponsoring firms is available in UTLawcareers.ca (password-protected).
For the internship portion of the summer, students identify a suitable public interest organization that has a need for a student to do law-related work on a short-term basis. To be considered as a suitable host organization, there should be a defined need and a lack of funds to support a particular legal project, research or casework. Organizations should also have the capacity to provide adequate supervision for the student intern. In the past, participating public interest organizations have represented a wide range of local community interests and concerns, including the protection of the environment, the eradication of discrimination against various minority groups, the improvement of the economic and social position of impoverished and disabled citizens, and the promotion of civil rights and liberties. Each of the participating public interest organizations has previously drawn on the resources and expertise of lawyers or law students and many have full-time lawyers on their staff.
To be eligible for the Program, students first obtain a summer job with a sponsoring law firm during the regular fall recruitment period and speak to the Recruitment Coordinator about their interest in the Program. Students then submit an application form by November 30th to the Director, Career Services. The application form is available in UTLawcareers.ca. Once a suitable host organization has agreed to supervise the internship, students submit a one page proposal outlining their internship plan. This proposal is due in the CDO by March 1st. For more details on how to apply, see the Summer Internship Program: How to Apply page and the application form.
What public interest organizations will host student interns?
The following is a partial list of organizations which have expressed an interest in the Program or which have hosted a student intern in the past. It is open to students to identify other organizations but they should seek the approval of the Director, Career Development Programs. Note that the Program is meant to assist local Toronto, preferably non-governmental, organizations:
- Advocacy Centre for the Elderly
- Advocacy Resource Centre for the Disabled (ARCH)
- African Canadian Legal Clinic
- Amnesty International
- Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted
- BOOST: Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention
- Canada Without Poverty
- Canadian Civil Liberties Association
- Canadian Environmental Law Association
- Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation
- Charter Committee on Poverty Issues
- Downtown Legal Services
- Écojustice (Sierra Legal Defence Fund)
- Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies
- Justice for Children and Youth
- Metro Action Committee on Public Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC)
- Ontario Human Rights Commission
- Oxfam Canada
- Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape
- Urban Alliance on Race Relations
- Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)
The above list is not exhaustive. Students seeking information about these organizations or other possibilities should review the Career Guide to Legal Clinics and Advocacy Organizations available in UTLawcareers.ca. Students may also contact the Director, Career Services, 416-946-3033 (l.shafir@utoronto.ca) or Pro Bono Students Canada to discuss specific organizations.
What kind of experience will I gain as an intern?
As an intern, students are expected to be involved in a wide array of legal issues and problems being confronted by the host organization. The work of an intern may include: preparation of legal memoranda on issues of importance to the organization; preparation of facta for use in specific legal proceedings; participation and assisting general counsel in trials, hearings, and appeals; the development of legislative reform proposals and public policy statements; the provision of legal information to clients of the participating organization; and the development of community outreach and education programs. Students will be closely supervised by the host organization, and will have the opportunity to meet with and interact with legal and non-legal staff. Except in unusual circumstances, participating students will work out of the organization's office during the internship portion.
