International Law Lyon Internship
The Philadelphia Bar Association International Law Committee and the Philadelphia Bar Foundation established the International Law Lyon Internship Fund (the "ILLI Fund") to provide stipends to Philadelphia area law students who participate in the Philadelphia Bar Association – Lyon, France Bar Association exchange program.
Every year, the Philadelphia Bar Association sends rising 2L interns to perform internships in Lyon during the summer. Also, several French law students come to Philadelphia to undertake six-month internships with law firms, as well as with companies and judges. In addition, the French interns typically engage in pro bono and/or public interest activities during the period of their internships in the Philadelphia area.
Until now, the Philadelphia Bar Association provided no stipends to the American law students performing internships in France. To make the Lyon Internship more attractive to a broader, more diverse pool of applicants, the ILLI Fund was chartered. Over the years, a total of approximately 75 lawyers and law students have participated in this program as interns.
The internship program also exemplifies the Philadelphia Bar Foundation’s and Association’s shared goals of promoting diversity in the legal profession in the Philadelphia metropolitan area and encouraging attorneys to engage in activities that promote access to justice, such as pro bono and/or public interest lawyering work. The creation of the ILLI Fund will directly assist in promoting these goals.
International Law Committee shall arrange for the individuals who have completed internships in Lyon to participate in one or more panel conversations following their return to Philadelphia. The panels will discuss topics that include their observations about how the Lyon Bar addresses issues related to access to justice, and the ways in which the Lyon Bar supports legal aid for people struggling with poverty, abuse, and discrimination, or other approved topics.
Meet our 2025 Recipients!
Jeremy Rodriguez
Jeremy Rodriguez is a rising 2L at Penn Carey Law. He received his B.A. in Economics and Cinema and Media at the University of Chicago in 2016. After completing his undergraduate studies, Jeremy worked in independent film production for Chicago political organizations and in data analytics for Dentsu Global Consulting. Jeremy hopes to pursue international law after graduation, focusing on international arbitration or international regulatory issues. He is eager to participate in the ILLY program and to gain experience working in the French civil law system.
