Volunteering is open to all Cornell students and alumni.
Most teams meet remotely, but in-person and hybrid options are available.
All positions below are unpaid.
Intake | 1-2 hours/week
As the first point of contact for tenants in crisis, Intake volunteers answer and return hotline calls, assist with intake forms, uploading supporting documents, and guide callers toward resources or legal support.
🔒Legal | 4–6 hours/week
Restricted to current Cornell Law students and alumni, Legal volunteers provide free legal advice, and occasional representation, under attorney supervision. For more details, click here.
🔒Legal Assistants | 3-5 hours/week
Restricted to current Intake volunteers with one semester of experience, the Legal Assistants review intakes, interview and communicate regularly with clients, conduct legal research, draft memoranda, and maintain our litigation calendar under attorney supervision.
Technology | 2-3 hours/week
Mixed with law students and non-law volunteers, the Tech team works together under attorney supervision to moderate our AI-powered Q&A tool, “Teny,” regularly update the Tenants’ Rights Guide, and assist in automating administrative workflows.
Court Monitoring | 2-3 hours/week
The Court Monitoring team attends housing court proceedings in Ithaca and surrounding towns, documenting key case information and legal trends. They work closely with the Data team to help track eviction patterns, judicial behavior, and barriers to justice in real time.
Data | 2-3 hours/week
The Data team collects, cleans, and analyzes information about TAP’s clients, services, and case outcomes, as well as local court monitoring data. Volunteers identify trends, create reports, and prepare policy recommendations.
Communications | 2-3 hours/week
The Communications team manages TAP’s external image. Volunteers create social media content, flyers, and outreach materials, while maintaining branding and publicizing TAP’s work across platforms.
Clerical | 2-3 hours/week
The Clerical team keeps TAP’s internal operations running smoothly. Volunteers organize files, take meeting notes, create and update training guides, and support compliance with university policies.
Undergraduate leaders posing during the end-of-year picture day at the Law School courtyard. Spring 2026. (from left) Jonathan Lam, Erick Palanker, Amanda Nudelman, Victoria Gonzalez Esquivel, Kamila Muraharisetti, Giselle Makani, and Anna Hammond.
Undergraduate court monitoring volunteers pose with law students and Professors Niebel and Wozer after successful advocacy in Ithaca City Court. Spring 2026. (from left) Lubina Neupane, Morgan Thomas (3L), Professor Bill Niebel, Professor Kathryn Wozer, Harvey Gao (3L), Joanne Lee, and Joshua Cohen.
Assistant Coordinator Amanda Nudelman greeting volunteers at a TAP undergraduate volunteer social in Myron Taylor Hall. Spring 2026.
(from left) Professor Bill Niebel, Program Coordinator Frankie Reed, and undergraduate volunteers Tess O’Donoghue, Courtney Huang, Amanda Nudelman, Anna Hammond, and Erick Palanker at a TAP volunteer social event in the Law School café. Spring 2025.
Current undergraduate leaders present volunteering opportunities at the TAP undergraduate information session in Myron Taylor Hall. Fall 2025.
Tech Lead Erick Palanker tabling for TAP at Clubfest on the Arts Quad. Fall 2025.
Undergraduate leaders receive special opportunities to interact more closely with faculty, staff, and law students. One such opportunity is the selection of 1–2 outstanding undergraduate leaders for credit enrollment in the Tenants Advocacy Practicum alongside advanced law students (2Ls, 3Ls, and LLMs).
Enrolling in the Practicum allows undergraduate leaders to engage in structured, hands-on learning about how housing law is applied to real-world situations affecting local tenants alongside law students, attorneys, and faculty. Undergraduate students may choose to participate in supervised casework either solo or paired with a law student, though this is not required, as the Practicum also serves as recognition of leadership and sustained commitment to TAP.
🔒Team Lead | 4-5 hours/week
Requires one semester of TAP volunteer experience.
The Team Lead oversees and supports volunteer work, ensuring tasks are completed effectively while improving team operations and resources. They also recruit and onboard volunteers, facilitate regular check-ins, and collaborate in weekly leadership meetings with other team leads to guide the volunteer program collectively. There is one Lead per team, except legal volunteers and legal assistants, who are supervised directly by TAP faculty and staff.
🔒Assistant Coordinator | 4-5 hours/week
Requires two semesters of TAP Lead experience.
The Assistant Coordinator assists in overseeing all volunteer teams and supports Team Leads, ensuring smooth operations while improving efficiency, retention, and team development. They also lead weekly leadership meetings, coordinate recruitment and volunteer transitions, maintain training resources, and assist with casework as needed. They work closely with the Program Coordinator to support the overall functioning of the clinic and receive priority consideration for Practicum enrollment.
TAP is more than a program—it’s a community of dedicated students, volunteers, and advocates working toward the shared goal of safe, secure housing for all. Every role, whether on the front lines with tenants or behind the scenes supporting operations, plays a critical part in advancing housing justice.
Get to know the passionate leaders behind TAP and see how they’re making housing justice possible.
To apply, you must complete a Volunteer Profile, which serves as your application. The link is provided at the end of this page.
The Volunteer Profile will ask for:
General information
Statement of Interest
Resume
Availability
Three references
Your resume must include an education section, along with any relevant experience, training, and skills. Your references do not need to provide any letters of recommendation; the application only asks for their contact information. Prior legal experience is not required. You will also be required to sign a confidentiality agreement within the Volunteer Profile.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling first-come first-serve basis until all positions are filled; there is no formal deadline to apply. Incomplete or illegible application materials will not be considered. Due to high demand and limited opportunities, applications that were not yet reviewed for previous openings will be stored in our waitlist and considered in future semesters as new positions become available. There is no need to re-apply. If you would like an update on your application status or waitlist position, please contact tenantsadvocacy@cornell.edu.
If your application is selected for an opening, you will receive a volunteer agreement to confirm your participation. After signing, you will complete required trainings and begin attending weekly check-ins. From that point forward, volunteers are expected to complete assigned tasks and communicate regularly with their team. Volunteer agreements must be renewed if you wish to continue beyond the stated end date.
For additional questions, please contact tenantsadvocacy@cornell.edu or attend an upcoming information session.
