Pontifical Catholic University, COSSEC establish internship program
The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico’s Legal Assistance Clinic and the Public Corporation for the Supervision and Insurance of Puerto Rico Cooperatives (COSSEC, in Spanish) have reached a first-time agreement to establish an internship program for law students.
Through the agreement, participating students will gain experience in administrative and civil law evaluating complaints presented by citizens at the government agency and “contributing to the strengthening of cooperativism,” officials said.
The alliance, which started Dec. 3, establishes three years of supervised practice for the students of the Clinic, Pro Bono and Legal Internship of the college’s law school, where they will receive training and mentoring on the issues worked by COSSEC.
COSSEC currently provides services to 108 cooperatives, and supervises approximately $8.5 billion in assets in credit unions on the island.
“Students will be developing legal skills necessary to advise cooperatives and individuals, conducting research and drafting legal documents, evaluating complaints filed in COSSEC by citizens, observing procedures and educating credit union employees on legal issues and for financial strengthening,” said Pontifical Catholic University President Jorge Iván Vélez-Arocho.
“Having COSSEC as a practice center allows students to learn about controversies and legal cases first-hand related to the fair, equitable and effective supervision and control of the cooperatives,” said Legal Assistance Clinic Director Rosalba Fourquet-López.
