Author: Frankie Stella, junior
This summer, I was a legal intern for the Community Law Project at Sanctuary for Families. Sanctuary for Families is a non-profit organization that helps survivors of gender-based violence, which includes domestic violence, sex trafficking, and other forms of abuse. Sanctuary for Families is a large organization that provides legal services, clinical services, economic empowerment, housing, and more. The mission of providing help at no cost to survivors is essential to every aspect of work at Sanctuary.
As a part of the Legal Department, I got to work one-on-one with our clients and gain hands-on experience with legal writing and trial preparation. The Community Law Project focused on every single aspect of family law, rather than one specific focus. This internship threw me into the deep end immediately, having me sit in on calls and draft petitions. Family Offense Petitions and Custody Petitions had become second-nature to me by week two, as I had drafted many that were eventually filed in court. Throughout the summer, I was able to work on affidavits of many kinds, as well as uncontested divorce proceedings and motions for different types of service. These writing assignments allowed me to have a greater understanding of family law, legal terminology, precedent cases, and legal proceedings.
Due to each attorney having one intern, I was able to work on the same group of clients over the whole course of the internship. That meant meeting them many times, attending court with them, and reaching out to work on petitions and gathering evidence. Working one-on-one with clients was the best part, as I got to know them and see their cases progress throughout the whole summer. Being able to provide some small amount of relief for them was extremely uplifting, especially during the moments when the content of our work would feel extremely heavy.
I am so grateful that, as only an undergrad, I have now already had extensive experience with legal writing, which affirms my desire to go to law school and work in Public Interest law. Being able to work on cases that deal with immigration law, family law, LGBTQ+ law, housing law, and more has given me the inspiration to do this in the future. I am extremely grateful to Sanctuary for Families, specifically the Community Law Project, as well as the Fordham Honors Program, for making this experience possible.