WSP Legal Intern
PLEASE DO NOT APPLY VIA HANDSHAKE. Read the instructions carefully.
The Illinois Prison Project (IPP) is a nonprofit organization in Chicago that seeks to reduce mass incarceration by providing legal services to individuals incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections. IPP focuses on novel and creative approaches to prison reduction and engages in public education, advocacy, and direct legal representation..
The Illinois Prison Project seeks a dynamic, energetic Women and Survivors Program (WSP) Legal Intern to join us for the summer. The Legal Intern will provide programmatic and administrative support to the IPP team in an effort to reduce mass incarceration.
Although the team has a hybrid in person/remote work environment, IPP requires interns to visit the office at least one day each week during their internship to help with in-office tasks. Successful applicants will be asked to pursue school funding if available. If no school funding is available, IPP commits to funding all intern positions with a $1,500 monthly stipend with the expectation of working 20 hours per week from September 2, 2025 – May 29, 2026. IPP requires all team members to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Proof of vaccination will be required.
Responsibilities include:
- Document organizing and review: scan, organize, and synthesize case files for hundreds of incarcerated clients and non-clients
- Data management: input and track client and non-client data
- Client communication: assist with scheduling client legal calls, review client letters, and communicate with client’s family members to support commutation petitions
- Programmatic support: assist staff with miscellaneous programmatic and administrative support including intake management, systems development, and client support
- Local office support: Visit the IPP office (located downtown) to sort, scan, organize, and send client and non-client mail
- Administrative support: Regularly monitor, track, and complete staff assigned tasks
Desired Qualifications:
- Able to work 20 hours per week from September 2 – May 29, 2026 during normal business hours (which are Monday through Thursday 9am-5pm and Friday 9am – 12:30pm) with some flexibility for potential evening/weekend events
- Able to visit the IPP office in the Loop at least one day each week throughout the internship
- Exceptionally detail-oriented
- Excellent written communication skills in English; ability to compose, edit, and proofread materials
- Has a reliable laptop computer
- Has previous experience working with printers and scanners
- Exhibit independence and self-initiative
- Prior professional and/or lived experience related to experiencing incarceration; working to end incarceration; community violence, and/or gender based violence; and/or doing trauma-informed or anti-violence work
- Motivated to learn more about Illinois’ criminal legal system
- A deep commitment to criminal legal change in Illinois and social, economic, and racial justice
Location: Candidates must live in the Chicago area for the entire duration of the internship. This position provides a hybrid work environment, including working remotely and out of IPP’s office at 53 West Jackson Blvd in Chicago, IL, at least one day each week.
Reports To: Women & Survivors Program (WSP) Paralegal
Compensation: Successful applicants will be asked to pursue school funding if available. If no funding is available, IPP provides all academic year interns a monthly stipend of $1,500 with the expectation of working 20 hours per week from September 2, 2025, through May 29, 2026.
Illinois Prison Project is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, pregnancy, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Illinois Prison Project believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success as an organization, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.
How to Apply:
- Please DO NOT apply via Handshake.
- Please submit a resume and cover letter as PDFs via email to hiring@illinoisprisonproject.org with “WSP Legal Intern” in the subject line. Please note: applications that do not include a cover letter will not be considered. Within your cover letter, please include a rough schedule that you are able to commit to for the duration of the internship.
- Applications will be accepted until July 1, 2025 and reviewed on a rolling basis.
- Due to the large volume of applicants, we will not be able to reply to individual emails about an applicant’s status. No phone calls, please.
