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Legal internships offer real-world experience in various legal environments, including summer internships, court internships, clinics, and pro bono programs. Consider what you hope to gain, such as school credit or working with practicing attorneys and judges. Judicial internships require exceptional academic records and strong writing and research skills. Legal secretaries and paralegals can find internships arranged by their college or technical school.
The best legal internship will allow you to gain real-world experience in a legal environment, and ideally will include exposure to the type of legal environment in which you want to work. In some cases, an internship is required for students graduating from secretarial or paralegal colleges and law schools. Among the legal internships available are summer interns, court internships, clinics, and legal programs that allow you to work pro bono or for free.
In addition to gaining experience, consider what else you hope to gain from an internship. Some internships will allow you to earn school credit. Some internships pay, and some do not. The best legal internship will allow you to work directly with faculty members or with practicing attorneys and judges. Your college will likely be the best source to help you find an internship.
A clinical legal internship will allow you to gain legal experience at a law school. These clinics allow students to use their classroom knowledge in everyday legal situations. Like other internships, this is done under the supervision of a lawyer or a duly qualified faculty member. Common cases include child abuse, real estate, and working with the elderly or disadvantaged.
A summer internship is often the best legal internship for those looking to get an opportunity with a large law firm. Internships are also offered at mid-sized companies to small businesses. These internships are usually very competitive and students with excellent academic performance have the upper hand. Many internships are offered during the summer, but some are offered during the school year.
If your summer internship is at a law firm, you’ll likely be doing a lot of writing and research. Part of the reason for this is the short-term nature of the job. A law firm is often reluctant to offer a summer intern long-term, highly complicated work.
Another type of legal internship is a judicial internship. This opportunity allows you to work with a judge, giving you an up-close look at how trials and the court system work. If you plan to practice litigation or appellate law, this setup will be ideal for you. A court clerk position often requires a lot of research and writing. It can also be a strong addition to your resume.
Expect competition to be stiff if you are vying for a legal internship as a judicial internship. You generally need an exceptional academic record and strong writing and research skills. Duties include reviewing written records, briefing the judge, and making recommendations on appeals.
For legal secretaries and paralegals, an internship placement is usually arranged by the college or technical school. Similar to other legal internships, it can be a paid or unpaid position. If you are looking for a legal secretary or paralegal internship, it is ideal to find an internship in the field of law that interests you most. Some of these internships can also lead to job offers.
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