Introducing PennFuture's New Fall Term Legal Interns!
Since its inception in 1998, PennFuture has emphasized the importance of using the law to protect Pennsylvania's environment and "create a just future where nature, communities, and the economy thrive."
Over the past two decades, we have achieved significant legal and policy victories that reduce pollution and protect the environment and our communities. We have provided millions of dollars in pro bono legal services while setting critical precedents and enforcing environmental laws across the Commonwealth.
But as PennFuture looks forward to the next 20 years, we recognize that we need to be more involved with cultivating the people that will continue to support our mission. Our staff have a long history of mentoring interns, externs, and fellows, and we wanted to create a more formal program to inspire the next generation.
With the generous support of the George and Miriam Martin Foundation and the Otto Haas Charitable Trust, PennFuture created a paid legal internship program to inspire and mentor students interested in making a difference for our environment.
Ultimately, the goal of this program is to provide the organization a cadre of young legal and policy minds interested in taking on the myriad challenges impacting Pennsylvania as well as to further their potential environmental careers. We've seen success on this front as many of our legal interns have found work in the Pennsylvania environmental legal space. We also hope that providing for a funded internship will help to bring more diversity and inclusivity into the non-profit environmental advocacy sphere.
Over the past four years, our interns have made it possible for PennFuture's legal team to do more, faster, and better! They have supported our litigation efforts against water polluters and fracked-gas facilities, they have drafted comments in support of stronger regulatory protections across the Commonwealth, and they have helped our attorneys strategize and execute impactful legal actions. We ar