We are excited to introduce the ten talented first- and second-year law students who have been selected to participate in this year's Martin Luther King, Jr. Summer Internship Program. We're honored to have them join our Network for the summer, where they will provide legal services and support to underserved communities throughout Pennsylvania.

Meet the Class of 2023:

Neeraja Aravindan   
Rutgers Law School, Class of 2024  
Host Program: Community Legal Services of Philadelphia  

Mariama Barry   
Penn State Dickinson Law, Class of 2025  
Host Program: Community Justice Project  
  

Hosu Chang   
University of Iowa College of Law, Class of 2024  
Host Program: Pennsylvania Utility Law Project  
  

Winnie Chen  
Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, Class of 2024
Host Program: Philadelphia Legal Assistance  
  

Andrea Faulknor   
Penn State Dickinson Law, Class of 2024
Host Program: MidPenn Legal Services  
  

Celina Flores  
Penn State Dickinson Law, Class of 2024  
Host Program: Pennsylvania Health Law Project  
  

John “JP” Leskovich  
University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Class of 2025  
Host Program: Neighborhood Legal Services  
  

Davis Logan  
University of Wisconsin Law School, Class of 2024  
Host Program: Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania  
  

Kamia McDaniels  
Widener University Delaware Law School, Class of 2024   
Host Program: Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Aid  
  

Mylon Medley  
Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, Class of 2024 
Host Program: Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project  

The internship begins with a two-day poverty law orientation training that will be held on May 16-17, in Harrisburg. Following the poverty law training, interns will work at their respective legal services organizations over a ten-week period.

Under the guidance of mentors, they will have the opportunity to interact with clients, conduct initial client interviews, attend client meetings, hearings, trials, and administrative proceedings. The interns will also be responsible for legal research, drafting legal documents and memoranda, factual investigation, attending staff meetings, and handling some administrative duties.

Our internships provide law students with valuable legal work experience that allows them to learn about the unique challenges faced by low-income and marginalized communities in Pennsylvania. Through a curriculum that encourages self-reflection, personal growth, and building a professional network, our program prepares students to become thoughtful, compassionate advocates for justice.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Summer Internship Program was founded in 1991 with support from the Pennsylvania Legal Services Black Caucus and several individuals, including Edie Benson, Carolyn Johnson, Debi Johnson, Linda Renick, and Phyllis Stevens, who are fondly known as the "Founding Mothers." The program is an integral part of our commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within our Network. Over the last thirty years, it has successfully grown, under the care of several stewards, to support more than 400 law students.

Read more about our MLK, Jr. Summer Internship & Fellowship Program, or learn how you can support this work through a sponsorship or donation.