Civil Legal Services Unit

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo seeks to provide access to justice and due process to the most vulnerable individuals, children and families in the Western New York Community through quality legal representation and assistance. 

We are seeking a third-year law student enrolled for the Fall of 2025 or a law student that graduated in 2025, for the Joan L. Ellenbogen Memorial Fellowship, made possible by a grant from The New York Bar Foundation. 

This Fellow will focus on matrimonial law and will be directly supervised by the Managing Attorney of the Civil Legal Services family Law practice. They will have the opportunity to work side by side with our matrimonial attorneys and paralegals, handling contested and uncontested divorce matters in the Supreme Courts of Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Genesee, Wyoming and Orleans Counties; including the Integrated Domestic Violence Courts. 

We anticipate that the Fellow will work with at least 15 different matrimonial clients during the term of their Fellowship. The Fellow will obtain a Practice Order, and make appearances and prepare documents as appropriate with the Practice Order. The Fellow will have the opportunity to interview clients, prepare and serve pleadings and motions, attend preliminary conferences, pre-trial conferences, settlement conferences, hearings and trials. The Fellow will also have the opportunity to assist at matrimonial walk-in clinics at the Supreme Court buildings throughout the 8th Judicial District conducting intake interviews and assisting pro se litigants. 

The Fellow will have the opportunity to meet the matrimonial judges and other court personnel. To make the Fellow’s experience with LABB as complete as possible, the Fellow will have the opportunity to accompany LABB attorneys from other units to observe a variety of proceedings. These may include: criminal misdemeanor and felony proceedings in Buffalo City Court, County Court and Superior Court; oral arguments on criminal appeals at the 4th Department; as well as civil proceedings in Family Court, Housing Court, Bankruptcy Court and Landlord/Tenant Court. This will assist the Fellow to gain a greater understanding of how these ancillary proceedings impact custody, visitation, support, and other financial circumstances in a divorce action. 

This position is paid for 240 hours during the 2025 Summer Recess.  Office hours are Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Full-time, 35 hours per week for 6 weeks, is preferred.  Part-Time applicants will be considered, but must be able to complete 240 hours before the Fall 2025 semester resumes. 

The pay rate is $18.25 per hour.

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc. values diversity and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from minorities, females, disabled individuals, veterans, and individuals of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Please send cover letter and resume to  [email protected] or The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc., Attention: Human Resources, 290 Main Street, Suite 400, Buffalo, NY 14202.

Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.