Since 2008, Project HEAL (Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law) at Kennedy Krieger Institute has partnered with law schools to provide meaningful internship and externship opportunities for their highest achieving students. A legal internship with Project HEAL is a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative public interest legal project through real world experiences helping underserved populations.
Project HEAL trainees have the opportunity to conduct legal research and draft memoranda on special education law; conduct client intakes and interviews; copy educational and medical records and organize client files; draft complaints for the Maryland State Department of Education for alleged violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004); draft presentations and trainings for Kennedy Krieger healthcare professionals and educators, patients and families, and community groups; attend advocacy group meetings on a monthly basis and attend bi-monthly Maryland Special Education Lawyers meetings.
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to Mallory Legg (Legg@KennedyKrieger.org). The application windows are as follows:
- Spring Semester: September 1st - November 1st
- Summer Semester: December 15th - February 15th
- Fall Semester: May 15th - July 15th
If accepted, trainees must provide immunization records, including covid-19 and flu vaccines, and may be required to receive titers as part of a health screening.
Current Trainees
Jessica Cahn
Trainee, Fall 2026
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Jessica Cahn is a 2L at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, where she serves as a staff editor on the Journal of Health Care Law & Policy, an executive board member for the Maryland Public Interest Law Project and Baltimore Outreach for Student Success, and a peer advisor. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in government from William & Mary in 2022 and her Master of Education from Boston University in 2025. Jessica’s commitment to advancing educational equity for students with disabilities began when she served as a special education teacher with Teach for America Massachusetts. After returning home to Baltimore in 2024, Jessica continued to advocate for students as a high school academic tutor with Baltimore City Public Schools. After law school, Jessica plans to pursue a public interest legal career to remove systemic barriers preventing community access to essential health and educational resources.
Amelia Culbertson
Trainee, Fall 2026
Towson High School
Amelia Culbertson is a senior at Towson High School in Baltimore County, with a strong passion for justice and advocacy. She is deeply interested in the legal system and the many layers involved in protecting the rights of individuals involved in a case. Outside of school, Culbertson is a dedicated soccer player who especially enjoys coaching and training children in adaptive soccer programs each fall. This work has fueled her commitment to inclusion and service. Following high school, she plans to study political science or pre-law in college, with the goal of becoming a lawyer and a lifelong advocate for others.
Sydney White
Trainee, Fall 2026
University of Baltimore School of Law
Sydney White is a 3L at the University of Baltimore School of Law. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina in 2023. Sydney’s commitment to disability rights and educational equity law is rooted in her own experience growing up with learning disabilities. She is passionate about advocating for individuals with disabilities and improving access to educational resources. Her interests include special education law and the intersection of disability and the justice system. Through her work with Project HEAL, she hopes to learn more about advocacy in schools, and advance more inclusive systems.