Please read descriptions thoroughly as each division offers varying legal work and exposure.

Office of Dispute Settlement (Trenton)

The Office of Dispute Settlement (ODS) is a nationally recognized office which provides neutral mediation services to resolve a wide variety of disputes, including those brought by individuals seeking access to government records under the Open Public Records Act and claims under the New Home Warranty Act. ODS also serves as a court-appointed mediator in over 75 cases each year in both the federal and state courts.  These cases involve a wide range of subjects including: public disputes, environmental clean-up, employment, construction, personal injury and insurance coverage. Their mediation services have saved millions of dollars in litigation costs, hundreds of hours of judicial time and helped the courts relieve their civil case backlog.

Potential Projects will be assigned:

• Mortgage foreclosure mediation

• Medical malpractice mediation programs

• Supreme Court education Subcommittee mediation training research and analyses - including participation at Supreme Court CDR Rules Committee meetings

• Underground Facilities Protection Act mediations

• OPRA mediations

• Training video production

The Office of Dispute Settlement is looking for an intern who can learn quickly and work independently. In the past, interns have worked on Assisted in Development of Mortgage Foreclosure mediation program which will be instituted statewide (national model), assisted in holding statewide  training conference(s) for mortgage foreclosure mediators, mediated several cases involving damage to underground facilities i.e., gas lines and electrical transmission wires, researched mediation malpractice programs and responsible for launching ODS medical malpractice presentations. They have even attended Supreme Court Rules Committee meetings and contributed valuable research.

This internship affords students an opportunity to look at law from a unique perspective, particularly in light of New Jersey's efforts in utilizing ADR initiatives not only in the courts, but as a functional tool to be utilized by state government.

Division of Public Interest Advocacy (Trenton)
The Division of Public Interest Advocacy (PIA) fights for the rights of the citizens of New Jersey and defends the public interest by:

• Investigating or reporting on policies that may require amendment or alterations to better serve the public interest.
• Intervening in, or instituting proceedings before, any rulemaking, adjudication or permitting process conducted by a State department, commission, agency or board.
• Instituting litigation on behalf of a broad public interest when authorized to do so by the Public Advocate. This may include litigation to protect consumers, the indigent, the elderly, senior citizens, or people with disabilities, mental illness, or developmental disabilities.
  

This Division serves as the legal arm of the Department, examining public policy and using research and legal intervention to advance reforms that will benefit the people of New Jersey. An internship with PIA will entail legal research, memorandum writing, case analysis, report drafting and cite checking, in addition to meeting with representatives from state and municipal government, citizens, and other advocacy groups.  The Division of Public Interest Advocacy is currently working on the following issues:

• Voting Rights, which includes voting machines, disability access to polling places, voter registration through the Motor Vehicle Commission, and election day representation of voters denied the right to vote;
• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention, which includes review and drafting of statutes and regulations, drafting model ordinances, working with municipal governments, and working with other state agencies to draft interagency agreements;
• Eminent Domain, which includes working with residents facing redevelopment, review and drafting of statutes and reports, and drafting amicus briefs. 
• Beach Access, which includes contacting municipalities, reviewing beach access laws, and drafting reports.
• Affordable Housing, which includes reviewing and commenting on rules and legislation relating to affordable housing.  
• Appellate Advocacy, which includes reviewing cases before the state supreme court and appellate division and drafting memoranda concerning whether the department should pursue amicus status.

Office of Mental Health and Guardianship (Newark, Gibbsboro, Asbury Park)
The Office of Mental Health & Guardianship Advocacy represents individuals facing civil commitment. Individuals may be committed to federal, state, county or private psychiatric hospitals, or to general hospitals with short-term care psychiatric facilities or to children's crisis intervention services. The unit also represents individual clients at guardianship hearings, mental health commitments and sex offender commitments. About 16,000 civil commitment and guardianship hearings are assigned to the office staff each year.

Students have the choice of working with regular civil commitments and commitments under the NJ Sexually Violent Predators Act.

In the past, interns have had the opportunity to visit the commitment facilities, observe client interviews, document a treatment team meeting, and attend court hearings for continuing commitments. Research has included tracking documents of a client’s prior offense, interpreting medical records, and developing arguments. Students with strong interest in constitutional rights and the state’s criminal justice system should consider interning for this Division.

Division of Mental Health Advocacy
The Division of Mental Health Advocacy assists people who have a mental illness or who are receiving mental health services. The staff in this division ensure that people within the mental health system receive the care and assistance they need to live the fullest lives possible. The intern would perform legal and policy research under the direct supervision of the division’s attorney. Projects are likely to involve such substantive issue areas as: mental health and children, mental health and the criminal justice system, the commitment of individuals to state psychiatric hospitals, and public benefits available to mental health consumers. 
 

Rate Counsel (Newark)
Rate Counsel represents the interests of consumers of electric, natural gas, water/sewer, telecommunications, cable TV service, and insurance. The mission is to make sure that all classes of utility consumers receive safe, adequate and proper utility service at affordable rates that are just and nondiscriminatory. A utility cannot increase its rates -- the charge to consumers for use of utility services -- until the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities ("BPU") approves the change. To obtain BPU approval, the utility must "prove" that such a change is merited. Rate Counsel is party to every proceeding before the BPU in which utilities seek to alter their rates or services. In each case, Rate Counsel attorneys thoroughly investigate all aspects of the company's request by consulting economists, accountants, engineers and financial experts, and analyzing that information and developing independent conclusions regarding the reasonableness of the utility's request. As a party to evidentiary hearings, Rate Counsel cross-examines the utility's witnesses and submits evidence to support the Division's position. Subsequently, if necessary, Rate Counsel will seek a better outcome for ratepayers, by an appeal in the appropriate state or federal court.

Law students interested in utility/ public interest law should consider an internship with Rate Counsel. Interns will gain exposure to the complexity of legal procedures involved in utility litigation and administrative law. Interns also contribute to the creation and development of legal documents. Research includes preparing summaries on various procedural issues, organizing discovery responses and identifying points of concern within legal documents, as well as assisting attorneys by providing the statutory authority and case law to substantiate their claims.

Division of Developmental Disability Advocacy (Trenton)
The mission of the Division of Developmental Disability Advocacy is to promote policies and practices that ensure that people with developmental disabilities in New Jersey have safe and effective supports and services and the same opportunities as other citizens to participate fully in all aspects of their communities.

The intern will have the opportunity to practice legal research skills and learn about policy making. The student will gain exposure to the range of issues concerning people with developmental disabilities. Examples of issues explored by past interns include personal injury liability of developmentally disabled residents, national statutes on the use of restraint, aversive and seclusion techniques and New Jersey statutes and regulations regarding the same, as well as the legal implications of instituting a non-admissions policy in state institutions for the developmentally disabled. 


Division of Elder Advocacy (Trenton)
The Division of Elder Advocacy works to secure, preserve and promote the health, safety and welfare of New Jersey’s elderly population, through investigations of abuse and neglect, legislative and regulatory advocacy, policy work, education and outreach. 

The intern will assist interpreting data and contributing to legal documents. The intern will be working closely with the EA team, assisting with special projects and independent assignments.


Office of Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly (Trenton)

The Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly investigates allegations of abuse and neglect of people, and financial exploitation, age 60 and older, living in nursing homes and other long-term healthcare facilities.

The intern will assist with interpreting data and contributing to legal documents. In particular, the intern will review state/federal statutes and regulations regarding Ombudsman Offices for the Institutionalized Elderly across the country. The intern will also look at their jurisdiction as they relate to other state agencies. The intern will gain great insight on the mission of the office and its investigative work.

Students with a strong interest in criminal justice and civil rights should consider interning at this office. This internship provides great insight on NJ’s correctional system.

Citizen Relations (Trenton)
Our Department serves as a “voice for the people” and the Office of Citizen Relations is the Public Advocate's front line. The division investigators respond to complaints about state agencies and local governments. They educate citizens on the most effective government service for a particular problem. If a state agency fails to respond, Citizen Relations staff advocate on behalf of citizens to resolve disputes.

Interns will gain valuable insight of the mission of our Department, as well as a greater sense of how government works from the state to the local level. They will provide assistance to Field Reps, as well as assist in the intake of complaints from residents. They will have a great opportunity to interact with core constituents and assist them with finding the appropriate resources.
 

Commissioner’s Office (Trenton)

Outreach/ Legislative
The Outreach and Legislative Office is focused on reaching out to advocacy organizations and constituency groups.  Outreach efforts concentrate on making sure that the Public Advocate and the entire Department is in touch with the needs and concerns of the people of New Jersey.

 
Communications

The Communication’s Office keeps the public informed by promoting the Department’s advocacy initiatives and activities through the media. The Office is responsible for releasing press releases, publications and reports, as well as maintaining the Department’s web page. Very recently, the Office has begun video projects to complement the Departments advocacy efforts.

Applications are accepted on an on-going basis.