2021 Intake Summer Internship

ABOUT THE INNOCENCE PROJECT

The Innocence Project was founded in 1992 by Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University to assist the wrongly convicted who could be proven innocent through DNA testing. The Innocence Project’s groundbreaking use of DNA technology to free innocent people has provided irrefutable proof that wrongful convictions are not isolated or rare events but instead arise from systemic defects. Now an independent nonprofit organization closely affiliated with Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, the Innocence Project’s mission is to free the staggering number of innocent people who remain incarcerated and to bring substantive reform to the system responsible for their unjust imprisonment. To learn more, please visit www.innocenceproject.org.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Innocence Project is seeking an intern in its Intake Department for the Summer of 2021. The Innocence Project’s Intake Department is tasked with weeding through the enormous number of requests for assistance that the Innocence Project receives (approximately 2,000 new requests per year) and identifying the cases in which DNA testing has the capacity to prove an applicant’s (we refer to individuals who write to us as applicants) innocence.    

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated student to gain hands-on experience in case analysis and general office duties at an organization with a great mission. The internship will involve in-depth reviews of criminal documents in an effort to identify cases in which DNA testing could potentially prove a defendant’s innocence. Additional responsibilities include; data entry, address searches, mailing documents and related correspondence, organizing and scanning legal documents, and other office support as appropriate. The Intake intern will report to a Case Analyst.

The internship will be fully remote - the time frame and schedule for this internship are flexible. 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• The Intake intern will gain valuable experience though the following responsibilities:

  • Reviewing legal documents 

  • Writing memoranda 

  • Case presentation

  • Data entry

  • Address searches

  • Mailing documents and related correspondence

  • Organizing and scanning legal documents

  • Other administrative support tasks as appropriate

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Knowledge of computers and relevant operating systems and software

• Ability to use the internet and other resources to research necessary information

• Familiarity with legal documents is a plus

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Must be able to work with groups of diverse individuals in respectful, equitable, and inclusive ways

• Enthusiasm for the work of the Innocence Project and for social justice, including a demonstrated commitment to public interest

• Shares values of equity, excellence, reliability, collaboration, humanity, integrity, respect, and accountability

• Great attention to detail and the ability to balance many sources of information

• Persistence and patience

WORKFORCE DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

The Innocence Project considers the diversity of its workforce, including interns, to be vital to our organization’s success in meeting its mission.  We strongly encourage applicants from all cultures, races, educational backgrounds, life experiences, socio-economic classes, sexual orientations, age, gender, and physical abilities to apply. Individuals with personal connections to the criminal legal system are strongly encouraged to apply.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, it is our policy not to discriminate against any intern or applicant for internship because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, familial status, marital status, predisposing genetic characteristics, actual or perceived domestic violence victim status, unemployment status, caregiver status, or any other category protected by law.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS