CELEBRATING 30 YEARS of the Law Links Internship This year marks the
30th anniversary of the Law Links internship,
which places high school juniors and seniors in law firms and law-related agencies.
The Law Links Internship, a seven-week paid summer program, is a cornerstone of Maryland Youth & the Law's (MYLaw) efforts to empower Baltimore City public high school students. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Law Links internship, which places high school juniors and seniors in law firms and law-related agencies. The internship is more than just a summer job, though; it’s a powerful vehicle for change that demonstrates the transformative power of exposure.
History of Law Links The Law Links internship began in 1994, at the "behest of the MSBA president." According to Shelley Brown, MYLaw's executive director, two MSBA leaders, Denny Belman and Paul Beckman, were inspired after seeing a similar program in St. Louis and said, "This program is amazing. We need to replicate it here in Baltimore." The program's primary goal from the beginning has been to "create professional and meaningful work opportunities for Baltimore City Public High School students who might not otherwise have that kind of opportunity." Brown says the program was designed to bridge the gap for students who "might be in and out of the city every single day, maybe walking by these law firms, but have no real idea of what's going on inside." The Law Links internship program had incredible support in its first year, and was able to place 55 interns with firms and legal services providers throughout the city. There was one year in the mid-1990s when funding was unavailable, but the program started back up in 1996 and has been running ever since. Its success in Baltimore City even led to its expansion into Prince George's and Howard counties, and it collaborated with a similar program on the lower Eastern Shore.