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By: Jessica Conrad ’25
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern with the Volunteer Lawyer’s Project in their Family Law Unit, helping to provide free legal services to low-income individuals in Western New York. This opportunity was made possible by a generous fellowship awarded to me through the University at Buffalo School of Law Summer Public Interest Funding & Fellowship Program. I want to especially thank my donor Garry Graber ’78 for providing me with the opportunity to spend my summer interning in the public interest field and being able to make a difference in our community.
My primary task as an intern this summer in the Family Unit at VLP was to conduct intakes at the Family Court Help Desk, a program sponsored by VLP at the Erie County Family Court. The Help Desk is a program meant to provide limited-scope legal advice to individuals who have matters concerning the Erie County Family Court, including child support, custody/visitation, orders of protection, and more. For three days a week during my internship, I would head out to the Family Court Building. Myself and occasionally another intern would conduct client intakes, and when I had free time, I would sit in on sessions with clients and the attorneys. The Help Desk is meant to act as a one-time legal advice session and not full representation. Sessions could either be emotion-heavy, with the attorney agreeing to represent the client free of charge, or as simple as a client needing help filling out a petition as they don’t understand the legal language contained within.
I also had the chance to attend court several times with VLP’s staff attorneys. I had never been to any courthouse before my internship, so this was an exciting experience for me. The building is intimidating, especially when so often people are visiting Family Court at some of the lowest parts of their lives. I have a background in Human Services, which I believe served me well in this internship, as I utilized plenty of my interpersonal communication skills. Two of the staff attorneys I worked closely with also had backgrounds in Social Work, which I believe worked to serve the clients more effectively and helped clients feel more comfortable with the legal process.
Something that I knew going into this internship from my time in the Human Services field is how much “soft skills” are necessary for serving individuals effectively. A lot of clients that are served by VLP, but also in all public interest work, are not used to the legal field. It can be a strange and isolating experience for many to go through, and so having attorneys and other professionals in the field who can help bridge the gap is extremely beneficial for all involved. The clients we serve don’t need someone spouting legal jargon at them and not taking the time to explain things in a way they can understand. Having an attorney that takes their time explaining the law in a way that a layperson can understand means more to clients than some attorneys might think. A lot of our clients have some form of trauma, and this is usually the reason why we are seeing them. Having trauma informed attorneys and professionals can help avoid re-traumatization and lead to a better experience for everyone. Some clients can be standoffish, or frustrated, and it is important to recognize that they are frustrated at the process and the situation they are going through, and not with you as an individual. VLP recognizes the importance of both client and employee well-being.
I really enjoyed my summer at VLP and at my first legal internship. I learned a lot about interacting with clients and how a non-profit firm operates, and I look forward to returning to VLP next summer.
Name: Jessica Conrad ’25
Fellowship: 2023 Garry Graber ’78 Fellowship
Placement: Volunteer Lawyer’s Project
Location: Buffalo, NY
One important lesson I have learned from this fellowship: “I have learned how to effectively communicate with clients and how to use the law to problem-solve.”
UB School of Law Responds 