"Good morning, this is CARPLS. My name is Priya and I'm a law graduate supervised by an attorney. CARPLS is a nonprofit legal aid agency. We don't go to court with you or represent you, but my goal today is to understand your legal problem, answer questions that you have, and talk to you about your next steps in resolving this problem."
I recently spent eight months at CARPLS as an intern and fellow through the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI), sponsored by Mayer Brown LLP.
I talked to clients on our hotline and at our advice desks about everything from personal jurisdiction to child support. CARPLS trained me in three areas of law: consumer, family, and landlord-tenant. Adding trainings to my legal education meant I could explain to clients what to do with a summons and complaint, what to do on a court date, how to talk to a judge or even how to avoid the legal process and resolve an issue.
I felt I could really make a difference at CARPLS. One client in particular stands out - Janet called about eviction from her single-room occupancy in Chicago. She heard the building manager locked people out for failing to pay rent, and Janet was worried she would be on the street in a few days.
I explained that lockouts are illegal and landlords must go through the legal eviction and that she had a right of possession until she was properly evicted. I advised her to call the police if the building manager tried to skip the court process and lock her out. I told Janet to call back about remedies in the case of a lockout, or if she received court papers, or really if anything happened.
Janet really meant a lot to me. I called her back every few days to check in and to check the electronic docket for a case filing.
Janet was relieved and appreciative to say the least.
CARPLS changed how I see the law. As lawyers, we have an obligation to improve the quality of justice, and increase access to the legal system. CARPLS makes it easy to do these things, giving volunteers tools to answer client questions and provide counsel. Volunteers find answers to a variety of legal issues through readily available and experienced supervising attorneys, and specialized CARPLS software. I consider this experience the perfect start to my legal career, and I look forward to volunteering at CARPLS in the future.
An outstanding and dedicated CARPLS intern, Priya Desai recently joined Mayer Brown LLP as an associate in their intellectual property practice group.
CARPLS is seeking a full-time paralegal to join our team of dedicated professionals. For more information or to apply, click
