EDMONTON -- In the midst of the pandemic and an economic downturn, a University of Alberta law professor has helped 100 law students from across the country find valuable internships and mentors.

Professor Peter Sankoff raised more than $120,000 for his 100 Interns Project through online seminars, direct employment donations and financial contributions.

"Especially for students starting out in criminal law, it's really hard to get experience and to get your foot in the door because these are very small firms that really don't hire that many people," Sankoff told CTV News Edmonton. "It's really hard for them, even in normal circumstances, to find something."

He decided he was in a position to help and started the project in March. On May 11, he announced the final intern.

The project's success was briefly interrupted in April; Sankoff had a brain hemorrhage and was rushed to hospital. But he continued with the project, determined to make it a success.

Interns were selected from law schools across Canada. Sankoff received more than 400 applications for the 100 spots.

The students will work 20 hours per week for three weeks. They can contribute to academic research, pro bono work and legal aid matters.

The internships are entirely funded by the project.

"I think we've made a real difference in these students' lives," Sankoff said. "We'll only see that as time goes on but I think it was important."