Law Student Intern

Introduction

This is an excellent opportunity for current law students to intern/extern in a mid-sized-city municipal environment. Interns are given broad exposure to a variety of issues, including but not limited to:
Municipal Law;
Housing;
Zoning;
Municipal Finance;
Employment Law;
Labor Law;
Environmental Law;
Government Contracts; and Litigation.

The Office of The Corporation Counsel (OCC) is the chief legal advisor to, and the attorney for, the City and all City officers, boards, commissions, and departments in matters relating to their official duties. The Corporation Counsel is responsible for the following activities: renders advice and legal opinions to City officials; and advises and represents departments, boards, commissions, officers, and officials on legal matters within their respective jurisdictions, including court cases, transactions, and administrative hearings before state agencies.

The OCC is organized into four (4) sections:
Transactional and Policy Practice Group, Litigation Group, Real Estate & Commercial Practice Group, and Employment Practice Group. It is also responsible for the Labor Relations Division of the City of New Haven. All sections are located at 165 Church Street, 4th Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, and a remote work option is available.

The OCC maintains a Transactional & Policy Practice Group that is responsible for the following activities: negotiates, drafts, and reviews all City contracts as to form and correctness, including memoranda of agreement with third parties and memoranda of understanding among governmental entities; works on all matters relating to land use, acquisition, contract, and zoning law; advises the City with respect to policy development and drafting procedures;

advises and trains City officials, departments, boards, and commissions with respect to compliance with applicable law and regulations; represents City officials, departments, boards, and commissions at administrative hearings before the Freedom of Information Commission.

The OCC maintains a Trial Practice Litigation Group that is responsible for the following activities: civil litigation before federal and state courts; administrative litigation before the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities; and the Freedom of Information Commission. Areas of practice include personal injury, wrongful death, civil rights (including excessive force and false arrest), education law, constitutional law, tax appeals, foreclosures, real property, zoning, landlord/tenant, commercial law, employment law, civil service disputes, worker’s compensation, and environmental law.

The OCC maintains a real estate and commercial practice group that is generally responsible for the following activities: work on projects overseen by the Economic Development Administration and the Livable City Initiative, including real estate acquisition and disposition, commercial loans, small business loans, home loans, façade grants, real estate closings, releases, liens, tax collections and related matters; negotiate and draft documentation for complex City development projects.

The OCC maintains an employment practice group that is generally responsible for the following activities: collaborate with the Department of Labor Relations and Department of Human Resources on employee-related matters such as workers’ compensation claims and complaints before the Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities.

This is an internship/externship position for a student enrolled in an accredited law school, under the direction and supervision of attorneys in the Office of the Corporation Counsel. This position involves assisting attorneys in working with city officials, departments, boards, and commissions, in all areas of municipal law. The law student intern is encouraged to exercise independent, professional judgement in the performance of work, and will be expected to learn basic principles of file management and will have opportunities to practice in all areas of municipal law as outlined above under the supervision of an attorney.

Typical assignments may include but are not limited to: appears with attorneys at administrative hearings, court proceedings, witness depositions, pretrials, and trials; performs legal research and drafts legal memoranda as…