Volunteer Opportunities

Legal Helpline
Provide information, guidance, and referrals to callers regarding myriad legal issues.
Commitment: several two-hour shifts each month.

Family Court Legal Program (FCLP)
Interview clients, review case histories, draft legal documents, prepare clients for oral testimony, and represent clients at court proceedings for orders of protection.
Commitment: several full-day shifts each month in New Rochelle, White Plains, or Yonkers Family Courts.

Walk-In Clinic
Interview clients, review documents, evaluate client's legal and other needs, and provide advice and referrals.
Commitment: several two-hour shifts each month.

Be Prepared Project
Interview clients, review case histories, and draft appropriate end of life legal documents.
Commitment: four to eight hours per case.

Uncontested Divorce
Interview clients, review case histories and documents, draft legal documents, file documents with the court, and arrange for service of papers on the defendant.
Commitment: six to ten hours per case.

Paralegals
May support PWJC attorneys across various departments in family law, matrimonial, or elder abuse cases.
Commitment: six to ten hours per case.

For more information about individual opportunities, contact Natalie Sobchak at nsobchak@law.pace.edu.

Moderate Means Panel
Attorneys interested in offering reduced-rate services to clients with moderate income who do not qualify for our services are invited to apply to our Moderate Means Panel. To learn more, contact Marian Genio at mgenio@law.pace.edu.

Moderate Means Program Brochure) (PDF)

Going to court can be an overwhelming experience for survivors of domestic violence and elder abuse. Through PWJC’s C.A.R.E. (Court Accompaniment, Respect and Empowerment) Program, trained volunteers accompany clients throughout the court process, providing consistent emotional support while allowing PWJC attorneys to focus on legal preparation and advocacy.

Court Accompaniment, Respect, and Empowerment
C.A.R.E. volunteers accompany survivors of domestic violence and elder abuse to court, providing emotional support before, during, and after hearings. Volunteers offer companionship in the waiting area, attend hearings when requested, and follow up afterward to help connect clients with additional resources.

Where Volunteers Serve
Court accompaniment takes place in White Plains, Yonkers, New Rochelle, and Carmel in Putnam County.

Commitment
PWJC works with volunteers to accommodate their schedules. Court accompaniment typically lasts one to three hours per appearance.

Training Provided
All volunteers receive training through four required sessions covering domestic violence, elder abuse, trauma, cultural sensitivity, confidentiality, legal basics, and courtroom etiquette. No prior legal experience is required.

If you are interested in becoming a C.A.R.E. volunteer, contact Natalie Sobchak: nsobchak@law.pace.edu.

Volunteers may support PWJC’s Development and Finance Departments with a range of administrative and project-based tasks, depending on organizational needs and individual skills.
Commitment: minimum of six hours per week.

To learn more about individual opportunities, contact Natalie Sobchak at nsobchak@law.pace.edu

The Family Court Externship offers Haub Law students an integrated learning experience that combines courtroom experience with a weekly two-hour seminar. Eligible students who have completed their first year of law school spend one full day per week at PWJC’s Family Court Legal Program offices in New Rochelle, White Plains, or Yonkers, working under the direct supervision of experienced PWJC attorneys.

The Family Court Externship provides Haub Law students with a solid foundation in family court practice and procedure and the dynamic of domestic violence. Law students receive instruction in relevant areas of the substantive law needed to effectively represent domestic violence victims and survivors in family court and participate in practical exercises related to developing client interviewing skills, drafting petitions, and presenting cases in court. In addition, law students learn how to prepare clients for oral testimony, instruct clients on service of orders, guide clients through the initial process of seeking child support and custody when necessary, and provide clients with referrals to community resources.

To apply: Complete the Family Court Externship application available through Haub Law's John Jay Legal Services.

The ten-week Summer Internship Program begins with an intensive day-long law student orientation/training conducted by PWJC attorneys and requires a full-time commitment to working in the White Plains and Yonkers Family Court Legal Program site offices. Enrollment in the summer internship is open to all law students who have completed their first full year at any accredited law school, not just Pace University. Under the direct supervision and guidance of PWJC attorneys, the summer internship students typically work full-time for ten weeks at the White Plains and Yonkers Family Court Legal Program sites. Like the Spring and Fall Family Court Externships, the Summer Internship Program provides law school students with a foundation in the dynamics of domestic violence, as well as family court practice and procedure. Law students are taught relevant areas of the substantive law needed to effectively represent domestic violence victims and survivors in family court and have the invaluable opportunity to develop effective client interviewing, petition drafting and case presentation skills on a daily basis. This opportunity is an unpaid internship.

To apply: Any student interested in participating in the Summer Internship Program should send a resume and a cover letter expressing their interest in the program to:

Pat Moran, Esq.
Associate Director, Family Court Legal Program
Pace Women’s Justice Center
78 North Broadway
White Plains, NY 10603
Email: pmoran@law.pace.edu