When your goal is to be a professional lawyer one day, you already know how important the right internship is. Not only is it a great opportunity to learn the practical side of being a lawyer, but it’s a great way to network and make some important contacts. A good internship program benefits law school students in many ways, but first, you have to know where to find the programs. Fortunately, this article will fill in some of the best law firm internships for college students (and possibly some for ambitious high school teens as well).
What Is a Law Firm Internship?
A legal internship usually lasts for a certain amount of time – perhaps a summer or semester, and then it ends with the law student interns amassing valuable legal skills. Both the law firm and the intern benefit from the arrangement, and law internships can be either paid or unpaid positions. Both paid and unpaid internships are very beneficial because students learn a lot about the field of law in a short period of time, and the law firms get the extra help they always seem to need. Even better, you can choose a firm that specializes in the area of law you are most interested in, making it even more beneficial for you.
Most future lawyers decide to enroll in an internship when they are undergraduate students, usually in between semesters or over the summer. In fact, many law schools prohibit their students from seeking employment, at least in the first academic year. This means that your easiest option is to choose between summer internships or part-time internships that take place during the semester while you’re still an undergraduate.
Interns are trusted with a lot of different tasks during these internships. These include performing legal research, filing documents with the court, and even drafting documents. College students and pre-law students in an internship might also answer phones, sit in on meetings with clients, and even perform various types of clerical work. It’s not all typing and filing, in other words. You’ll be gaining valuable legal experience that, at the very least, can help you decide if this is the career for you.
Some Possible Legal Internships to Consider
If you’re not sure where to look to find an internship, here are a few suggestions to help get you started:
- Check with your pre-law advisor, who might be aware of certain opportunities
- Always consider smaller firms and maybe even a public defender
- Send a neat, professional résumé and cover letter to everyone you’re interested in
- Visit your school’s career center for more possibilities
- Think about contacting a non-profit organization in your area to see if they need help
When it comes to internships, you can go with a local internship or one across the country. Each has its pros and cons, and here are a few of them you might want to check out:
- The American Bar Association (ABA)
- ZipRecruiter.com
- Indeed.com
- Chegg Internships
- United States Department of Justice (DOJ) – volunteer opportunities
- Lawctopus.com
- Google Jobs
You might also want to check with your local legal aid society or even the Office of the Attorney General. Even the human resources division of your law school may have a list of possibilities. You should start looking early, perhaps in the fall semester, for a summer internship. Social media sites can also be a good resource, as can many of the government agencies found online. One thing’s for sure, though—start online, and you’ll soon be inundated with possible internships to apply to.
If you’re wondering if you should look for an opportunity that coincides with your area of interest, that’s up to you. Whether you’re interested in criminal law, human rights, public policy, or social justice, you can usually find an internship in that area. That being said, when you’re an undergraduate, you may not know what area you’ll be working in after you graduate, or you may want to be more well-rounded in the end. Because of these things, you may want to explore other areas of the law for your internship.
Internship opportunities are not that difficult to find if you know where to look. In fact, any business that provides legal services can be considered a potential employer. Whether you want to go into public service or become a corporate lawyer, an internship is a unique opportunity that can provide you with tons of valuable experience. In addition, remember that young people still in high school can also take advantage of certain internships, and again, starting online is the best way to find them.
Lots of Opportunities for Future Lawyers
While you usually can’t use an internship for academic credit, it will still prove to be invaluable because, in the legal profession, experience is important. You can choose an internship in a certain area or any of the related fields that are available. But you don’t have to make this important decision just yet. An internship is not only a time for you to learn but also for you to impress your co-workers. After all, when you graduate, you’ll need all the contacts you can find, and it’s never too soon to start networking.
Keep in mind that you do not need any legal experience to apply to law school; that is what law school does for you! But an internship is a great experience and teaches you a lot about your future legal career, while building your industry connections and cultivating a strong work ethic. You can even try something unique, such as posting yourself on sites like LinkedIn that you’re looking for an internship. Being proactive, in fact, is a good idea when looking for an internship, especially if you stick with professional websites such as LinkedIn.
Conclusion
Many law firm internships for college students take place in the summer, but you should start looking for one early in your spring semester, if not the fall, so you’re not too late in applying. When you apply for the position, treat it like a regular job by sending them a résumé, and if you get the job, make sure you dress professionally as well. The legal field is very competitive, so whether you’re in high school or college, an internship can give you an advantage over other applicants once you’re ready to apply to law school.
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