This summer, I had the privilege of working as a Development Intern for the Legal Aid Society of Louisville. As a development intern, I worked closely with the Director of Development and the Director of the Annual Fund. Because Legal Aid is a non-profit organization, the development office is paramount to employing the attorneys who represent underserved populations in Louisville.
My responsibilities included grant writing, potential donor identification, and providing support for the Justice for All campaign. My favorite part of my time at Legal Aid was the numerous shadowing opportunities I was afforded. I spent time with attorneys and was able to attend court, sit in on client meetings, and attend community events where I was introduced to community leaders, members of the Louisville government, and other members of the legal community.
When I wasn’t at Legal Aid, I spent my time with Jeff Been ’81 and Eric Graniger who generously provided me housing for the whole summer. My favorite moments during my time in Louisville were having dinner with Jeff and Eric (Jeff is a fantastic cook!) and the incredible conversations that followed. We spent hours telling stories, talking about the law, and everything else under the sun! I truly cherish the relationship I was able to develop with the two of them and am grateful for their generosity and mentorship.
Overall, my summer internship was incredibly valuable. Being able to see firsthand the impact that Legal Aid Society has on the community as well as the way that poverty seeps into every aspect of life for the individual and the family opened my eyes to the realities of the world we live in. At Legal Aid, every person from the legal level to the administrative level believes in the statement that every person, regardless of their socio-economic level, deserves a fair shot in the court of law. Their desire to help those around them and their commitment to going above and beyond were not only an inspiration to me, but an example of the good that a lawyer is able to accomplish.
