20 Law Internships for High Schoolers in 2024
What’s Covered:
If you’re hoping to enter a career in law, you can begin to pad your resume in high school. There are many summer activities you can do as a hopeful future lawyer, including a law internship. Law internships are a great way to get exposure to law careers and see if they are right for you. The experience is also helpful to add to your college applications to demonstrate your interest and prove your commitment to the legal profession.
20 Law Internships for High School Students
1. Senate Page Program
Application Deadline: Varies
Duration:
- Spring: January 28 – June 7
- Summer Session 1: June 9 – 21
- Summer Session 2: July 21 – August 2
- Fall: early September – late January
The Senate Page Program is one of the most prestigious internships available to high schoolers. Senate pages date back to the early 19th century and were first staffed by relatives as young as nine years old. Today, however, pages are appointed and sponsored by a Senator and must be at least a high school junior, 16 or 17 years old, and enrolled in school.
Pages are primarily responsible for the delivery of correspondence and legislative material within the Capitol complex—while doing so, they get an unrivaled view of the legislative branch of government. Page positions are filled through the offices of individual Senators.
2. Internship with Congressman Jim Himes
Application Deadline: April 5
Duration: N/A
Interning under government officials is a great way to get first-hand law experience from those who are currently involved in public policy. You should reach out to people in government positions that reflect areas that you’re interested in or politicians whose platforms and policies intrigue you.
For example, Congressman Jim Himes provides a summer internship program to high school and college students living in his district. Interns conduct research, assist with constituent casework, and draft correspondence while gaining real-world experience in a Congressional office and experiencing government operations up close and personal. Stipends are available to interns with demonstrated financial need.
3. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Pathways Program
Application Deadline: Varies
Duration: Varies
The U.S. Department of the Interior offers a paid internship for students from high school to the graduate level. Different hiring agencies within the DOI offer either part-time or full-time internships that are related to the intern’s academic field of study or desired career.
This program will grant interns an inside look into public and environmental policy and even offers the chance to eventually convert interns (if certain criteria are met) to a permanent job position or a temporary position for one to four years.
4. Passport to Work Youth Employment Services Program
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
The District of Columbia Courts invites D.C. high school students to partake in their Passport to Work Youth Employment Services Program. This paid internship is designed to expose students to the inner workings of a variety of careers, including law. The program consists of seminars to teach high schoolers the skills required of successful lawyers, like communication and time management. While students’ tasks may be more clerical, this opportunity allows them to observe the legal process firsthand.
5. State Bar Association of North Dakota (SBAND) High School Mock Trial Program
Application Deadline: February 16
Duration: N/A
Another great place to look for law internships is at your state’s bar association. Many regions or counties also have bar associations that offer internships to local high schoolers. Internships at bar associations can grant you an inside look at what lawyers and legal professionals do in their typical workday.
North Dakota’s State Bar Association has a Mock Trial Program for high schoolers. In this program, students are introduced to the American legal system and learn about the trial process while developing valuable critical thinking and reasoning skills. The program prepares students to compete in the National High School Mock Trial Championship, a competition that gathers students across the United States (and even some international teams) to conduct mock trials.
6. Atlanta Bar Association Summer Law Internship Program (SLIP)
Application Deadline: March 21
Duration: Six weeks (May 29 – July 19)
In addition to state bar associations, regional bar associations also commonly offer internship opportunities to high schoolers. For example, the Atlanta Bar Association has provided internships to Atlanta-area high school students interested in learning more about the legal profession for more than three decades. By the end of this six-week paid internship, participants will have gained valuable work experience, a better understanding of the law, and developed a mentor relationship.
Interns are paid $2,000 for their participation in the program.
7. Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program
Application Deadline: March 8
Duration: Five weeks (July 8 – August 9)
This rigorous program for Manhattan high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors provides firsthand criminal justice experience in one of the nation’s premier prosecutors’ offices: the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Students will engage in workshops, participate in a mock trial, and build the professionalism required to work in an office setting.
Interns are paid minimum wage for their participation in the program.
8. Brooklyn District Attorney High School Internship
Application Deadline: January 31
Duration:
- Winter Session: February 20 – 23
- Spring Session: April 22 – 26
This competitive internship program is open to high school juniors and seniors who live and attend school in Brooklyn. The duties of interns vary but may include everything from assisting in investigations to attending trials to conducting legal research.
9. San Francisco District Attorney’s Office Undergrad/High School Internship
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
This unpaid internship allows high schoolers and undergraduates with an interest in criminal justice to get a firsthand look at the diverse opportunities offered by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. Interns commonly assist with a variety of tasks, including organizing and preparing case files and contacting witnesses, along with managing subpoenas and records involving both pre-trial hearings and jury trials.
10. Dallas Bar Summer Law Intern Program
Application Deadline: March 29
Duration: Four to eight weeks
Dallas high school juniors with an interest in law will want to check out this summer intern program. Students are placed in Dallas-area law firms and corporate legal departments for internships lasting up to eight weeks to learn about working in a professional environment while gaining firsthand experience with the legal community.
11. Law Office of the Public Defender, Broward County, Summer Justice Internship Program
Application Deadline: May 1
Duration: Two weeks
This two-week internship for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who attend a high school located in Broward County introduces students to the inner workings of the criminal justice system, exposing them to things like criminal courts, law enforcement, the crime lab, and the medical examiner’s office. Interns shadow an attorney during the day, attend presentations, and meet a variety of personnel, including judges, bailiffs, and court reporters. The program concludes with a mock trial.
12. Denton County High School Intern Program
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
This Lone Star State legal internship for high school seniors exposes students to the criminal justice system—watching trials, reviewing reports, taking a tour of jail, and participating in a mock trial. Opportunities are available in a variety of divisions, including:
- Civil, Appellate, and Investigation
- Family Violence
- Felony Trial
- Intake/Grand Jury
- Misdemeanor Trial
13. Baltimore Law Links Internship
Application Deadline: April 5
Duration: Seven weeks
This program places Baltimore City public high school juniors and seniors in law firms and law-related agencies. Interns build the skills needed to work in a professional setting and participate in an educational seminar focused on law and leadership.
Students are paid $15 an hour and are outfitted with professional attire.
14. Judicial Youth Corps Program
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts, high school students learn about the role of the courts and build a knowledge of legal concepts and principles in this unique internship program. The program has two components—interns first attend orientation sessions in May and June, before participating in paid summer internships at local courthouses from July through August.
Interns are exposed to a wide variety of legal topics in the program, including juvenile law, criminal procedure, the jury system, and the appellate process. Interns also participate in numerous interactive activities, like mock trials, shadowing, and field trips.
15. Constitutional Rights Foundation’s Expanding Horizons Institute
Application Deadline: January 31
Duration: June 13 – July 9
This program is aimed at high school sophomores and juniors who attend a Title I school and whose parents have not attended college. Along with preparing students for college via SAT prep and college admissions advice, this program provides civic engagement and exposure to professional career paths.
Internships like this offer invaluable networking opportunities and can help guide you toward a career in law.
16. Summer Law Institute
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Five weeks (July – August)
This free summer program is open to rising high school freshmen from Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens. Participants are introduced to work in a professional environment, meet positive role models, and are exposed to potential career paths.
Students also will explore criminal justice topics, perform a mock trial, and take field trips while developing the discipline and skills needed to succeed in high school and beyond.
17. UPenn Provost’s Summer Mentorship Program (SMP)
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Four weeks (July 8 – August 2)
The University of Pennsylvania’s Provost’s Summer Mentorship Program is a free four-week program aimed at first-generation and underrepresented students. The program is open to current freshmen and sophomores from Philadelphia and its surrounding counties and intends to help interns prepare for both a college and a career. SMP is offered through five of UPenn’s professional schools—including the Law School. Students participate in enrichment activities focused on topics like standardized test preparation, personal growth, professional development, financial literacy, and wellness.
18. Communities in Schools (CIS) of Houston Summer Legal Internship Program
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Eight weeks
This eight-week internship places high school juniors and seniors in positions at Houston-area law firms, corporate legal departments, and public interest agencies. Participants learn about potential legal careers, gain experience in the field, build job readiness, and develop the life skills needed for a successful future.
Students are paid for their participation in this program.
19. National Student Leadership Conference’s Law & Advocacy Program
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Nine days
High school students in grades 9-12 can attend the NSLC’s nine-day program to get a taste of what it is like to be a lawyer (this is more of an introductory program than an internship). The program is offered various weeks from June to early August at Georgetown University, the University of Michigan, and Yale University. Throughout the nine days, students can simulate a criminal trial, visit a law school, and meet with trial, jury, forensic, and legal experts.
Though this program has a hefty tuition, if you’re passionate about a career in law, the hands-on experience in a mock courtroom with practicing attorneys can be an invaluable addition to your resume. Also, you can always apply for a scholarship to help cover the cost—the NSLC awards more than $500,000 in scholarships annually.
20. National Youth Leadership Forum: Law & CSI
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Eight days (June 16 – 23, June 26 – July 3, July 6 – 13, or July 16 – 23)
The National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) offers students a program with a focus on either legal or criminal science investigation careers. The Law program allows high schoolers to observe proceedings and participate in a mock trial at a local courthouse. Law school professionals will also help demystify the law school trajectory and introduce students to the various career paths in law. This is another opportunity that is more of an introductory program than an internship. There is also a cost to attend this program—tuition is $4,195.
How Much Do Internships Impact Your College Chances?
You probably know that all extracurriculars don’t carry the same weight in the admissions process. Despite being similar categorically, the internships listed above have varying levels of commitment and prestige and will be viewed differently by admissions officers based on several factors.
But even with that knowledge, choosing and prioritizing your extracurriculars can be a convoluted process. Admissions officers break these activities into a four-tier system. The more impressive and rare the extracurricular, the higher the tier; a law internship would likely fall under Tier 3 or potentially Tier 2 if it is extremely selective or prestigious. Some legal internships—like the Senate Page Program—will even qualify as a Tier 1 extracurricular.
By using CollegeVine’s free chancing engine, you can get a better sense of where your extracurriculars rank and how to boost your current involvement up a few tiers. You can also view your personalized chances of admission based on your profile and get tips for improving your chances.
