25 Law Internships for High School Students
A high school student interested in pursuing a career in law, or a law-adjacent field like politics or journalism, would be wise to consider becoming an intern. Short of getting a job in your field, which is something most high schoolers can’t do, internships are one of the best ways to gain practical field experience, develop valuable skills, and broaden your professional network. Fortunately, law internships for high school students are more numerous than you might assume.
While many opportunities are reserved for undergraduate pre-law students and graduate law school scholars, there are still plenty of ways for students as young as rising 9th graders to explore the field of law. They can spend their summer months or time after school at government agencies, law firms, legal aid nonprofits, and other similar organizations. In these roles, young students can shadow lawyers, learn debate techniques, and conduct legal research, among other benefits. Here are 25 internships and similar extracurricular opportunities for high school students interested in the law.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) National Advocacy Institute’s High School Program
This Washington, D.C., based program is dedicated to teaching young people how to resist systemic oppression legally and advocate for the rights of women, immigrants, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and other marginalized groups. High school students aged 15 to 18 will learn how to wield the law to pursue social justice.
Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office High School Internships
The District Attorney’s Office of Brooklyn, New York, invites high school, college, and law school students to apply for this competitive internship, which offers unique benefits and opportunities. Interns can participate in community outreach programs, analyze legal research, attend trials, and assist with investigations.
Atlanta Bar Association Summer Law Internship Program (SLIP)
SLIP is a rigorous internship that invites high school juniors and seniors based in and around Atlanta to work directly with mentors and gain hands-on experience in the legal field through challenging real-world experiences. Each intern will be placed in a law firm, corporation, or public office. SLIP offers students a $2,000 stipend and is designed to increase diversity in the legal and judicial fields.
Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program
This program, offered by the New York City Bar Association, pairs ambitious high school students with legal employers throughout the city to increase and encourage diversity in the legal field. Students learn the ins and outs of a career in law by assisting paralegals, managing document and exhibition organization, assisting lawyers, and more.
Baltimore Law Links Internship
The Law Links Internship program places high school juniors and seniors in Baltimore in law firms and law-related agencies to prepare them for working in professional settings. All interns receive $15 per hour during the 7-week duration of the program and are outfitted with professional attire from either Ann Taylor or Joseph A. Banks. Interns also attend the Law & Leadership Institute, a 50-hour weekly seminar held at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
Judicial Youth Corps Program
This paid, intensive summer internship teaches Massachusetts high school students about the nuances of the judicial and legal systems. Students participate in mock trials, group discussions, field trips, and more as they’re taught and mentored by lawyers, judges, probation officers, clerks, and other legal and judicial professionals.
California Innocence Advocates (Cal-IA) High School Internships
As a branch of the California Innocence Project, which also occasionally accepts interns, Cal-IA invites interns to assist with special projects, casework, and policy work that make freeing unjustly incarcerated individuals possible. Students may review documents and draft pleadings, assist in investigations, or perform legal research.
Legal Outreach Summer Law Institute
Students who have just completed their 8th-grade school year, or those entering 9th grade, can attend this summer law program hosted by seven law schools throughout New York City. Students learn about criminal justice from law students, go on field trips to legal institutions, interact daily with lawyers, and develop the tools and skills needed to excel in high school. They also participate in a mock trial competition judged by real judges.
Broward County Law Office of the Public Defender Summer Justice Internship Program
While Broward County, Florida’s internship program was initially designed for college and law school students, they’ve introduced an abbreviated version of the internship for high school students due to heightened interest. The program, which focuses on criminal justice and law enforcement, invites students to shadow attorneys, observe trials and hearings, engage in active Q&A sessions with judges, bailiffs, and court reporters, and much more. Students must have completed 9th grade by the start of the program.
Dallas Bar Association Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP)
Similar to Atlanta’s SLIP program, Dallas Bar interns are placed with law firms and corporate legal departments to learn how to thrive in professional environments and be introduced to the legal profession. Interns are paid and can choose either full-time or part-time positions.
Law Internship & Shadowing Program–London
London-based high school students aged 17 and above can choose to specialize in criminal law, corporate and commercial law, banking law, international law, or contract law as they shadow and assist lawyers to gain a deeper understanding of the legal profession.
Envision Law Program
Students from around the country can come together in the San Francisco Bay Area to gain valuable legal experience by immersing themselves in this intensive trial and law program. Interns will prepare for court cases just like attorneys and learn from Stanford Law School professionals as they each develop a personal roadmap to becoming a lawyer. In mock trials, they’ll practice oral arguments, learn how to understand and use evidence, cross-examine witnesses, and learn how to manage a courtroom.
Louisiana State Bar Association “Suit Up for the Future” High School Summer Legal Institute and Intern Program
In partnership with the Louisiana Supreme Court, several law schools throughout the state, and many other entities, the state’s bar association invites high school juniors, seniors, and recent graduates to participate in this legal institute. Students explore their interest in the legal profession as they attend law school sessions, tour courts and law schools, and shadow legal professionals.
Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program
Interns with the Manhattan DA gain a firsthand, insider's look at the criminal justice system as they participate in mock trials, develop the professionalism expected of a lawyer, engage in workshops and discussions, and more. Participants are paid minimum wage and must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors who reside in Manhattan.
Oxford Scholastica Academy Online Summer Law Internships
This UK-based online law internship program invites students aged 15 to 18 years old to learn from mentors, co-author a research paper, publish their academic work, and earn letters of recommendation and certificates of achievement. While exploring legal topics at the forefront of modern conversations, students learn how to conduct advanced research as they analyze legislation, landmark cases, and legal reform efforts related to their cohort’s legal topic.
National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) Law & Advocacy Program
NSLC interns can develop essential knowledge and skills in experiential simulations, gain insider knowledge from working legal professionals, and attend immersive field trips and tours. They’ll engage in mock trials and jury selections, learn how to craft opening and closing statements, admit and examine evidence, and more. The program is held at multiple locations, including Georgetown University, Yale University, and the University of Michigan.
Georgetown University – “How to Think Like an Attorney”
Students ages 13 and up can join this pre-college program to get a sneak peek into the daily life of an attorney. They’ll examine case studies and explore college majors and future careers. Interns will also learn the distinction between intellectual and emotional decisions, distinguish between circumstantial, forensic, and physical evidence, and complete a Capstone Project to demonstrate their learning.
NYU High School Law Institute (HSLI)
HSLI is a student-run organization that offers free courses in constitutional law, criminal law, and speech and debate to ambitious high school students in New York City. Students participate in assignments tailored to their interests, learn from a team of NYU undergrads and law students, and develop the skills necessary to begin their journey to becoming a lawyer.
The National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) Law & CSI Program
Interns from around the country spend 8 days in Washington, D.C., discovering the world of crime scene investigation and law. They’ll receive hands-on experience of the entire judicial process—from evidence collection to mock trials—and attend an interactive panel to learn more about potential career paths.
Communities in Schools (CIS) of Houston Summer Legal Internship Program
CIS Summer Internships place at-risk, Houston-based high school juniors and seniors at public interest agencies, law firms, and corporate legal departments, allowing them to develop job readiness skills, gain exposure to professional work environments, and explore potential career paths in the legal field.
Miami-Dade State Attorney High School Volunteer Internship Program
This program offers high school interns a comprehensive experience of the criminal justice system. Aspiring lawyers, paralegals, social workers, legal assistants, and others can gain hands-on experience with taking sworn testimony, counseling victims, conducting criminal history checks, researching case law, and more.
Teach Democracy Expanding Horizons Institute (EHI)
First-generation high school sophomores and juniors can participate in the paid EHI program to learn how to become civically engaged, prepare for college, explore career paths, and network with successful legal professionals.
US Environmental Protection Agency Internship Programs in Pollution Prevention
Students interested in pursuing environmental law to protect human health and the environment can explore the many internship opportunities available through the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP)
JIOP offers world-class opportunities to students from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in the legal field. Interns work full-time and receive a $2,000 reward at the end of the program, after spending 6 weeks conducting legal research for a state or federal judge. Students may specialize in various areas of law, including child and family law, intellectual property law, antitrust law, criminal law, appellate law, civil law, or bankruptcy law.
The Wake Forest University Summer Immersion Program
The immersive Debate and Public Advocacy Institute at Wake Forest helps high school students develop the confidence to speak, argue, and advocate for themselves and others. Participants learn valuable communication skills, including persuasion, debate, and legal reasoning, which they can effectively apply throughout their legal careers.
Consider this list as a jumping-off point. 25 may seem like plenty to choose from, but we assure you, there are many more opportunities like these. To make sure you’re choosing from a selection of only the best choices for your needs and interests, be sure to do your research. Attend legal events, such as conferences, to network with professionals already in the field. If you have adults in your life who have connections in the legal or judicial worlds, consider exploring those avenues. You can also cold-call law firms or other organizations, attend career fairs, and use online resources like Indeed to explore your options. If you intend to be a lawyer, now is a great time to practice being bold, advocating for yourself, and pursuing your goals. A career in law is worth the effort.