Summer Spotlight: PLAN MLK Intern discusses her work at LASP
(Sept. 11, 2026)
Tayana Bennett, LASP MLK Intern, in Magisterial District Court 38-1-08 in Oreland in summer 2026.
NORRISTOWN – The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN) initiated a Martin Luther King, Jr. internship program 35 years ago in 1991. This summer, 13 MLK interns served legal aid programs across the Commonwealth.
Tayana Bennett, LASP’s 2026 MLK Intern and student at Howard University School of Law, focused on housing and custody cases, working with Staff Attorney Reid Kemena and other attorneys and staff in the Norristown Office. She is a Certified Legal Intern, which enabled her to represent clients in court under LASP supervision.
Whether a landlord-tenant or mortgage foreclosure case, Tayana noted the potential impact on individuals and families: “It’s sensitive. If you lose your home, you could end up homeless.”
During the summer, she drafted complaints, filed a complaint modification of a custody order, represented a client in landlord-tenant court, and assisted in a Housing Authority case for a Section 8 benefit, among other advocacy. She gained insights into people’s first contact with legal aid during intake, in a moment when people are facing crisis situations.
Tayana remarked on the teamwork in the Norristown Office. “It’s an amazing group working together,” she said. “Everyone steps in to give advice.”
PLAN honored this summer’s MLK interns at a reception in Harrisburg in July. Interns reflected on their experiences with legal aid in a Drum Major Essay booklet shared at the event.
Tayana opened her essay by observing, “Over the course of my internship at Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (LASP), I witnessed the team in the Norristown office work tirelessly every day for the success of others. Early on, I observed this at a juvenile dependency hearing for a mother facing termination of her parental rights. While there, I saw how many attorneys balanced their roles as advocates and counselors. It became clear that advocating for clients while also preparing them for the realities of their cases required both compassion and honesty.”
PLAN honored the 2026 MLK interns at a reception July 23 at the Civic Club, Harrisburg. See LASP’s Flickr album from the reception, with 25+ photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCZLQi
There are multiple ways to intern at Legal Aid of Southeastern PA.
Learn more at our internships webpage: https://www.lasp.org/internships.