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By popular demand
Now in its 16th year, inMotion’s summer associate program has become so popular among law firms that we can offer this opportunity only to our Corporate Partner firms.
Give your summer associates an opportunity to advocate on behalf of the City’s most vulnerable families
Every year, summer associates who participate in inMotion's Summer Associate Program report how rewarding it is to represent individual clients who need, and deeply appreciate, their assistance.
“It was a really great feeling. I got to help someone who needed it and to see the difference it could make in her life.” 2009 Summer Associate
Our program gives summer associates and supervising attorneys an opportunity to develop valuable legal skills transferable to their law firm practice:
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- Building attorney-client relationships
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- Drafting and filing papers
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- Negotiating with opposing counsel
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- Interacting with court personnel
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- General litigation skills
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In addition, because inMotion has an Appellate Division practice order covering Family Court matters and divorce matters in Supreme Court, at the discretion of the presiding judge or magistrate, a law student may appear and speak on the record for a client referred by inMotion so long as a supervising attorney from the firm who is admitted in New York State is present in court.
"This was a fantastic experience." 2009 Summer Associate
Earn free CLE credit while mentoring summer associates at your firm
Partners and associates who attend trainings and supervise matters will receive CLE credit for both the trainings they attend and the actual pro bono work they do for clients referred by inMotion. Our program provides an excellent opportunity for lawyers to work together with summer associates on matters that are challenging and compelling.
“I was surprised to find how comfortable I can be appearing in court. I feel much more confident in my abilities. The client was very appreciative of all of our efforts.” 2009 Summer Associate
How does it work?
Teams
One or more summer associates accept a legal matter for representation in late May/early June. Each summer associate team must be supervised by an associate and/or partner at the firm who will be the attorney of record, supervise all work done by the summer associates and attend all court hearings with the summer associates. If applicable, supervising attorneys must be responsible for bringing the matter to conclusion once the summer associates have left the firm. We cannot guarantee that these matters will conclude during the summer.
Please note that many of our clients are Spanish-speaking. Many firms staff these matters with paralegals or other firm employees who can serve as interpreters. Please let us know if you have any special language concerns or can offer interpretation and/or translation skills in connection with these matters.
Scheduling
Multi-firm trainings are scheduled in late May/early June. All summer associates must attend the trainings or watch our video trainings. The live CLE trainings are strongly suggested since they will allow the summer associates to ask questions about their cases and the substantive areas of the law. Supervising attorneys must attend the live trainings or watch our video trainings if they have not practiced in, or been trained in, the relevant practice area.
We forward matter files—which include matter descriptions and copies of the clients' documents—to your firm one week prior to the training sessions, in time for the firm to complete conflicts checks.
Manuals and mentoring
We supply our detailed substantive and procedural practice manuals to your firm prior to the first training, so that the firm can copy and distribute the manuals in advance to the participating summer associates and supervising attorneys. We provide intensive mentoring during the course of the representation until the matter is concluded.
What are the options?
Family Court—orders of protection, custody/visitation, and child and spousal support
Summer associates are introduced to an area of basic family law and practice and will see how litigants who are indigent or working poor fare in our city's Family Courts. We select matters in which at least one Family Court appearance is scheduled during the summer.
- 3.5-hour trainings in each of the practice areas are held in late May/early June.
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- Each firm may request up to 3 Family Court matters, designating a preference for one or more practice areas.
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Supreme Court—uncontested and contested divorces
Summer associates are introduced to Supreme Court practice and to the basics of matrimonial law in New York State.
- Teams handling uncontested cases will prepare both the initial and the final pleadings before the end of the summer.
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- Contested divorces have issues that need to be litigated, such as equitable distribution of a house or pension, custody, child support or maintenance. Summer associates handling contested matters will prepare and file the initial pleadings. They may also see responsive pleadings, prepare an emergency motion for support, participate in the commencement of negotiations with opposing counsel, and attend a court appearance before the end of the summer.
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- 2.5-hour uncontested divorce trainings are held for teams working on uncontested and contested divorce matters in late May/early June, covering drafting of both initial and final papers and service of process issues, and including an interactive question and answer session to address issues that may arise in individual matters.
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- An additional 3-hour training on litigating contested divorces will be held for summer associates and their supervisors handling contested divorce matters.
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- Firms handling divorces must use the latest version of Drafting Libraries software, which is available for purchase at www.draftinglib.com. Please contact us for additional information.
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- Each firm may request up to 3 uncontested divorce matters and up to 2 contested divorce matters.
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Federal immigration assistance—petitions for legal residency
Under the Violence Against Women Act, women who suffer abuse at the hands of husbands who are U.S. citizens or legal residents can seek legal residency in the United States for themselves and their children without the permission or assistance of their abusive husbands.
- This option is available only to firms with prior experience handling VAWA matters by special invitation. Summer associates are introduced to basic immigration law concepts and practices and assist clients in preparing affidavits and supporting documents for filing with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
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- After the summer, the firm will be responsible for continuing to represent the client through her adjustment of status hearing before an immigration court officer.
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- One 3-hour training is held in late May/early June.
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- Each firm may request one immigration matter.
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