Legal Admin Intern at Cabrini Green Legal Aid – Chicago, Illinois

About Cabrini Green Legal Aid

Cabrini Green Legal Aid (CGLA) was established in 1973 to serve the legal needs arising from the lack of opportunity, criminalization of poverty, and racial inequity experienced within Chicago's Cabrini Green public housing community. Since then, CGLA has grown beyond a single neighborhood to become a citywide, countywide, and statewide leader in proactively filling the void of legal representation, wraparound services, legal information and resources, and advocacy exclusively for low-income individuals negatively impacted by the criminal legal system. Any engagement with the criminal legal system can greatly disrupt an individual, family, and community's quality of life.

CGLA is distinguished among legal aid service providers locally, throughout Illinois, and nationally as having expertise in legal matters related to the direct and collateral consequences of the criminal legal system. Since 2014, we have been the sole legal aid services provider serving Cook County with the distinction of focusing exclusively on individuals and families who have been adversely impacted by the criminal legal system in all legal program areas: criminal records, emerging adults, criminal defense, housing law, and family law. We provide direct legal services, advocate for policy reforms, and provide legal information and resources to other legal aid organizations, pro bono attorneys, and the general public. We also support our clients holistically with wraparound social services from our social workers. Our policy and advocacy work is not performed as a separate entity; rather it is informed by our legal services and the lived experiences of our Leadership Council, an Advisory Group made up of former CGLA clients and community members directly impacted by the criminal legal system.

CGLA’s Mission, Purpose and Vision

• Mission: We provide holistic legal services that include social support services and advocacy for individuals and communities negatively impacted by the criminal legal system.
• Purpose: CGLA exists to remove barriers to equity in the criminal legal system.
• Vision: A more just and equitable criminal legal system.

Position Overview:

CGLA’s Legal Admin Intern assists with administrative tasks related to legal service provision. The position requires a highly organized and detail-oriented individual who will ensure the smooth and effective operation of the organization’s legal teams. This role provides administrative, organizational, and client-facing support functions that allow attorneys, paralegals, and advocates to focus on high-quality legal representation and community-based advocacy.

This position is unpaid, but CGLA is open to applicants that have their own external funding sources. Timeline is flexible, but would want a commitment to start as soon as possible and work through mid to late August.

Key Responsibilities:

Administrative & Operational Support

· Maintain case files, databases, and document management systems, including court hearing tracking spreadsheets.

· Sort, review, and organize incoming legal mail and distribute appropriately.

· Process applications and create client profiles in CGLA’s client database.

· Perform eligibility screening for intakes that come through CGLA’s online intake portal.

· Collaborate with legal programs paralegals to facilitate CGLA’s intake process.

· Other operations tasks as assigned (i.e. front desk coverage, mail sorting, etc.)

Client & Community Support

· Assist the Legal Admin with monitoring and appropriately responding to all incoming intake and legal voicemails.

· Assist with client intake by screening online intake applications for legal issues, answering basic questions, preparing and scheduling intakes, and providing referrals as needed.

· Ensure client communications regarding intakes and applications are timely, respectful, and accessible.

· Maintain confidentiality and trauma-informed practices in all interactions.

Experience and Education Requirements:

· High School Diploma or GED

· Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize tasks.

· Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and case management software.

· Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.

· Ability to take initiative by setting and being accountable to their own work plan.

· Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

· Ability to learn and retain new information and skills.

· Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism.

· Commitment to a client-centered legal practice and demonstrated interest in working with CGLA’s client population.

Preferred:

· Current or past educational experience related to legal or paralegal studies

· Fluency in Spanish or other languages spoken by our clients

Internship Start Date: June 1, 2026

Internship End Date: August 7, 2026

To apply please send your resume and cover letter to Mackensey Carter at internships@cgla.net and put Legal Admin Intern in the subject line.