Public Relations and Legal Support InternAt — Veterans Legal Institute

Helping with outreach, social media, event communications, and drafting content to promote VLI’s mission, as well as providing administrative and case support to legal staff.

Tasks:

The student intern will perform professional and pre-professional duties that support both public relations and legal service delivery. Tasks will include:

Assisting with the development of public relations and outreach materials, including social media posts, newsletters, flyers, press-ready content, and informational resources that promote VLI’s services.

Supporting community engagement and event communications, including preparing materials for legal clinics, outreach events, and veteran-focused partnerships.

Drafting and editing professional written communications, such as client-facing updates, stakeholder correspondence, and internal announcements.

Providing legal support assistance under supervision, including organizing case files, preparing intake materials, and assisting staff with administrative components of legal service delivery.

Observing and contributing to the operations of nonprofit legal aid through job shadowing and structured project work tied to client services and advocacy efforts.

Assisting with data tracking and program support, such as documenting outreach efforts, helping compile impact metrics, and supporting reporting needs for grants or public communications.

Participating in weekly mentor meetings, training activities, and reflective learning exercises to ensure internship goals and academic outcomes are met.

These duties are designed to ensure that the intern gains meaningful, credit-eligible experience in nonprofit communications, legal support, and veteran advocacy.

Training:

Students will receive structured training and supervision to support both learning and professional development. Training will include:

Initial orientation and onboarding, including an overview of Veterans Legal Institute’s mission, programs, client population, confidentiality requirements, and professional expectations in a legal services setting.

Job shadowing opportunities with legal and outreach staff to observe client services, legal clinic preparation, and public-facing communications work.

Hands-on skills training in nonprofit public relations, including guidance on drafting press materials, social media content, outreach messaging, and event communications using real work samples.

Legal support task training, including instruction on case file organization, intake support, document preparation, and the role of administrative systems such as Clio and Google Workspace.

Ongoing contextualization of assignments, with supervisors providing background on each project, explaining how the work supports veteran clients and broader organizational goals.

Learning Outcome:

Develop and implement basic public relations materials that effectively communicate VLI’s mission and services to the community.

Support legal staff with case-related and administrative tasks, gaining exposure to nonprofit legal aid operations.

Engage in outreach and community awareness efforts, including assisting with events, social media, and client-focused communications.

Strengthen professional writing and communication skills through drafting content, correspondence, and informational resources.

Demonstrate an understanding of the unique legal needs of veterans and how advocacy organizations provide support and services.