Justin Lachnit knew what he was signing up for when he accepted an unpaid internship at the York County Judicial Center this summer.
He knew the hours, arriving by 8 a.m. and often not leaving until 5 p.m., and he knew the tradeoff: real legal experience in exchange for no paycheck from May through August.
What he did not expect was a financial safety net built by his own classmates.
Lachnit, a rising second-year student at Widener University Commonwealth Law School, is one of 10 students to receive a stipend from the school's newly established Public Interest Fund, money raised entirely through the inaugural public interest auction, a student-organized event held in March that brought in more than $10,000. The money has gone to support law students who are working unpaid or underpaid summer legal opportunities.
"It's incredibly comforting to know that Widener cares enough about these positions," Lachnit said. "Whether it covers gas for the summer or helps if, God forbid, I hit one of those potholes and need a new sway bar, I don't have to worry about that. That's what my savings are for if I break my leg, not for keeping the lights on."
Working nearly full time under President Judge Michael W. Flannelly of the York County Court of Common Pleas, Lachnit writes findings of fact, sits in on proceedings, and observes hearings across multiple courts. Midway through the summer, the judge's full-time law clerk left for a position with the district attorney's office, and Lachnit's responsibilities quickly expanded.
"I've been able to assist with one-judge dispositions, draft conclusions of law, and even conduct legal research for a sealed third-degree murder case the judge is currently presiding over," Lachnit said. "All that to say, the stipend means more now than ever."
It is the kind of substantive experience he deliberately sought, even over a paid internship opportunity.
Rising third-year student Hunter Zycband also understands the tradeoffs that come from a fantastic, yet unpaid, summer work opportunity.
Originally from Brick, New Jersey, Zycband came to Widener Law Commonwealth after graduating from the University of Delaware and spending a gap year working as a special law enforcement officer in his hometown.
"I've always known I wanted a career that would challenge me intellectually and personally," Zycband said. "I enjoy solving problems, thinking critically and working with my mind, and I felt the legal profession fit that mold."
This summer, he is interning at the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey, an unpaid position that is giving him the courtroom experience he hoped to gain before graduation.
"What attracted me to the opportunity was the chance to gain more courtroom experience and work in an area of law that has always interested me," he said.
One of his goals for the summer was becoming more comfortable speaking in court and improving his public speaking skills.
"This internship has provided exactly that type of hands-on experience and has allowed me to observe and participate in the legal process in a meaningful way while still in law school," Zycband said.
The stipends are helping students pursue public service opportunities across a variety of legal settings.
Rising second-year student Riley Kleinfelter is spending her summer with the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office, where she is gaining firsthand experience in criminal law while developing her legal research, writing and analytical skills.
Kleinfelter, who is from Lebanon, Pennsylvania and earned degrees in political science and criminal justice from Commonwealth University-Mansfield, said her interest in criminal law began years ago when she shadowed the Lebanon County district attorney as a high school student. After later interning with a criminal defense firm during college, she wanted the opportunity to experience the prosecution side of the justice system as well.
Like many public interest positions, the internship is unpaid. Receiving a stipend through the Public Interest Fund has allowed her to focus on the experience without worrying about how she would cover everyday expenses.
"The scholarship has allowed me to fully immerse myself in a valuable public service opportunity without the added financial stress of needing to take on additional employment," Kleinfelter said.
She said programs like the Public Interest Auction are critical, and she hopes to give back by supporting future students after she graduates.
"Many public interest internships are unpaid, which can create financial barriers for students who need summer income to help cover tuition, living expenses and other obligations," Kleinfelter said. "By providing financial support, the Public Interest Auction helps bridge that gap and allows students to gain meaningful hands-on experience while serving their communities."
For Zycband, financial barriers were not theoretical.
The previous summer, he completed an unpaid judicial internship at a time when programs like the Public Interest Auction did not yet exist.
"The mission of the auction is especially meaningful to me because I was in that position myself," he said.
He remembers conversations with fellow student Haley Nelson about how difficult it could be for students to pursue unpaid legal work while balancing rent, transportation costs and day-to-day expenses.
"Haley and I both worked unpaid judicial internships and often discussed ways to help future students facing similar financial challenges," Zycband said.
Those conversations eventually grew into something larger.
The fund exists because a group of law students refused to accept unpaid public service work as a financial privilege reserved only for those who could afford it.
Rising third-year students Haley Nelson and Kaylee Caprari led the auction committee, a team of nearly 20 students who built the event over eight weeks. The night featured 30 silent auction items and 16 live auction bids, with a Fender Telecaster donated by alumnus Doug Wolfberg '96 selling for $950 and a Hershey Spa gift card reaching $425. By the end of the evening, the committee had doubled its original fundraising goal.
Among those helping build the event from the ground up was Zycband.
Because he knew his summer internship would be unpaid, he planned to apply for funding regardless of how much money the auction raised.
"Every dollar makes a difference for students pursuing public interest and public service opportunities," Zycband said.
Watching the auction exceed expectations and create opportunities for classmates was rewarding in ways he had not anticipated.
"Seeing an idea develop into a successful student-run initiative was rewarding, and I am proud of what our committee accomplished," he said.
Then came the part organizers had not fully anticipated: reviewing applications and deciding who would receive a stipend.
"I had mixed feelings of sheer gratitude and imposter syndrome," Nelson said. "Multiple times I thought to myself, 'What makes me qualified to determine who should receive a stipend?' But as I read these students' statements of need, I realized that part of my qualifications are lived experiences. I know exactly how expensive it is to rely on public transportation to get to work every day, to pay rent on an empty apartment."
The committee distributed 10 awards, a number Nelson said still floors her.
"I said to the student team from the beginning that if we raised $20, that would seriously make a difference to someone," she said. "The fact that we could give out 10 awards after the first year is just insanely impressive to me."
For Zycband, the most meaningful part was seeing students receive support he wished had existed a year earlier.
"Through the leadership of Haley and Dean (andré douglas pond) cummings, the idea became a reality, and I couldn't be prouder of what the committee accomplished in its first year," he said. "Seeing the direct impact these funds can have on students makes me excited for the future of the program and its continued growth."
For Caprari, the stakes were also personal. During her own first year, she worked an unpaid summer position while also taking classes and picking up restaurant shifts on weekends just to stay afloat.
"It was a struggle to keep up day to day, and I was constantly exhausted," she said. "Our hope is that the student receiving the stipend can rest a bit more easily over the summer without burning the candle at both ends and return to the semester ready to take on their full course load."
cummings said the auction and the fund it created reflect something foundational to the school's identity.
"We were able to provide summer stipends to 10 students working public interest and public service jobs on a volunteer basis," cummings said." These funds will help defray costs of transportation and living expenses, which shows Widener Law Commonwealth's commitment to public interest and public service lawyering, as well as supporting our students who have a deep interest in serving the public and engaging in important work for those who are indigent or less fortunate than themselves. I am extremely proud of our student leaders who executed the auction, particularly the idea originator, Haley Nelson, who, together with her team, raised the funds and helped us distribute them to students doing this critical work."
The second annual Public Interest Auction is already in the works for Friday, April 2. Nelson and Caprari say they have already begun laying groundwork: bigger ticket items, earlier outreach to alumni and community partners, and a push to draw more of the Harrisburg legal community into the room.
Caprari wants to be in that room years from now, as a bidder.
"My dream would be to return in five or 10 years as an attendee and see that the auction has grown and improved tenfold from what it once was, with the room buzzing around us," she said.
Nelson is thinking about what this year proved.
"We didn't just raise money," she said. "We showed what this community is capable of."
