GBLS receives generous financial support from a broad spectrum of the Greater Boston community. The ongoing support of local law firms, coupled with the individual support of lawyers has been constant since 1900. We also rely on generous annual support from the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, which distributes legislative appropriations in addition to revenue from Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA).

We have also received long-term support from numerous foundations and charitable organizations. We currently receive grants from the United Way, the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, the Boston Bar Foundation, and private and family foundations. GBLS also receives numerous grants from municipal, state and federal government agencies.

Despite this generous support from so many sources, the need for legal services far outstrips our ability to provide it. GBLS is forced to turn away three out of every five people who ask us for help because we don’t have the staff to serve them. Each of these people are in a legal crisis when they call for help, and GBLS staff must decide who to serve based on such criteria as: Which battered woman is in the MOST immediate danger without legal help? Which family will become homeless FIRST without representation in Housing Court?

If you are interested in making a donation to help GBLS represent more individuals and families who need help with basic human needs, please contact Anna Marie Ventura at 617-603-1565, or click here to donate online.

Family Law Unit

The Family Law Unit represents victims of domestic violence who have contested custody and visitation matters in Probate and Family Court in an effort to secure safety for families and economic stability for custodial parents seeking to leave their abusers.  Students in the Family Law unit will, depending on experience, handle a case load under the supervision of an attorney which includes: conducting intake interviews, gathering evidence, preparing pleadings and discovery, legal research, preparing hearing memoranda and representing clients in Motion hearings (if SJC Rule 3:03 certified).  Students without certification will be able to participate in cases up to the hearing stage and will assist attorneys with trial preparation and other related tasks on attorney cases.  In addition to individual casework, opportunities exist to work in one of our other specialized projects.  Students may staff one of our two court-based Domestic Violence Advocacy Projects working on-site at the Suffolk and Middlesex Probate and Family Courts providing a range of legal services to individuals seeking abuse prevention orders.  The full panoply of legal skills are well utilized and in-court, on your feet oral advocacy is possible. The unit’s Relocation Counseling Project offers students the opportunity to enjoy a varied experience working with victims of crime who are seeking to relocate away from the perpetrator.  Issues include internet stalking,  privacy protection, identity change and other issues of import to these clients.  Our hospital and health center collaborations provide a community-based experience where legal advocates and social services workers team to provide holistic services to victims of domestic violence who come through the community agencies. Finally, our unique Latina Know Your Rights project, housed in Waltham, offers an opportunity to provide not only family law advocacy but immigration, public benefits and housing advocacy.

Health and Disability Unit/Medicare Advocacy Project

H&D : Areas of work include: representing individuals who have disability claims pending at the Office of Hearings & Appeals, Social Security Administration, as well as representing clients facing denial or termination of health care coverage by Office of Medicaid; interviewing clients, developing record for administrative hearing and appearing at the hearing; representing individuals and some community groups on access to health care issues; identifying uninsured individuals facing tax penalties under Health Care Reform and helping them access public health care programs; dealing with administrative agencies such as the Office of Medicaid and the Connector, as well as legal research and writing.  Fluency in a foreign language (especially Spanish) is a plus. 

Children's Disability Project (CDP) has been created to expand on the present legal advocacy that the Health & Disability unit now provides to children wrongfully denied Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits by the Social Security Administration (SSA).  In addition to representing children on SSI cases, CDP will advise parents on their rights to Special Education for their children.   CDP will also create and maintain a Website with case models and practice tips to legal representatives on how to represent children in SSI cases.  Legal interns needed for all phases of this work.

MMAP: Work on behalf of elders and people with disabilities to help them  navigate most significant changes in Medicare since 1965; develop consumer education materials; factual  and legal research and writing; client interviews, some advice and representation; address coverage and enrollment issues. 

Housing Unit

The mission of the Housing Unit is to preserve tenancies and increase affordable housing for low income clients. We represent individuals who are being involuntarily displaced from their units and those who seek access to affordable units, as well as community groups who promote the expansion of resources for affordable housing and try to minimize the loss of currently affordable units. We also represent homeless families who seek temporary shelter. Students are needed for individual case representation and legal research on litigation and legislative matters, as well as our community group work.

Immigration Law Unit

Law students handle political asylum cases, cases involving undocumented battered women and occasional other matters, and help staff the walk-in intake clinic.  Limited opportunity for courtroom experience and legal research but great opportunity to work one on one with clients.  Language ability (especially Spanish, French and Haitian Creole) and immigration experience or course work preferred but not required. 

Welfare Unit

Welfare/Child Care/Education and Training - Intern openings for self-starting law students to work on projects and/or handle cases. Direct client representation, along with related policy advocacy, is needed for families that have lost benefits or are scheduled to lose benefits under the harsh Mass. welfare time limit or other rules.  Special protections for victims of domestic violence, mentally disabled recipients, and families with disabled children are available under the law but poorly implemented.  Representation by legal advocates is critical in enforcing these protections.  We also deal with problems arising from civil rights violations including regarding clients with mental or physical disabilities, lack of bilingual services, workfare requirements, the welfare agency’s discouragement or denial of access to education and training programs needed by recipients to qualify for employment, and the agency’s denial of child care benefits to recipients for education, training, or other job development activities, or in order to take a job. Fluency in Spanish is a big plus.  Students wishing to directly handle cases must be able to commit about 20 hours per week, but some client contact may be available with fewer hours.

One work study position may be available for school year internships, otherwise this must be on a volunteer basis.  Public interest or fellowship funding should be pursued for the summer.

Please feel free to contact Sonia Marquez, Personnel Director at (617) 603-1805 or via email at jobs@gbls.org for any questions you may have on these internships.  Also, feel free to visit our website at www.GBLS.org

GBLS is an AA/EO employer, committed to promoting diversity in its workforce and regards differences as assets.

Back to the top