Law Internships for High School Students: Your Complete Guide

Starting a career in law doesn’t have to wait until college. High school students interested in the legal profession have exceptional opportunities to gain real-world experience through law internships. These positions offer invaluable insights into how the legal system operates, help you develop professional skills, and can significantly strengthen your college applications. Whether you’re curious about litigation, corporate law, or public interest work, law internships for high school students provide the foundation for a successful legal career.

The legal field increasingly recognizes the value of early exposure to its practices and principles. By interning during high school, you’ll work alongside attorneys, paralegals, and legal professionals who can mentor you through complex cases and legal concepts. This hands-on experience helps you determine whether law is truly your passion before making significant educational commitments. Additionally, internships demonstrate to law schools and employers that you’ve taken initiative in exploring your career path seriously.

Why High School Students Should Pursue Law Internships

Law internships offer high school students a competitive advantage in multiple ways. First, they provide authentic legal experience that goes far beyond what classroom learning can offer. You’ll observe real cases, learn about legal procedures, and understand how attorneys approach problem-solving in actual situations. This exposure helps you make informed decisions about your educational path and future specialization within law.

Second, internships build your resume remarkably. Colleges and law schools view early legal experience as evidence of commitment and maturity. When you apply to universities, admissions officers see that you’ve gone beyond standard coursework to pursue your interests actively. This demonstrates initiative, responsibility, and genuine passion for the field—qualities every institution seeks in their students.

Third, internships create networking opportunities that prove invaluable throughout your legal career. You’ll meet attorneys, judges, paralegals, and other legal professionals who can serve as mentors, references, and future collaborators. Many successful lawyers attribute their career trajectories to relationships formed during early internships. Building these connections now establishes a professional network you’ll benefit from for decades.

Finally, internships clarify your career interests. Perhaps you thought you wanted to be a trial lawyer but discover you prefer research and writing. Or maybe you realize corporate law isn’t for you, but environmental law captivates you. These discoveries during high school save you time and money by directing your education toward areas that genuinely excite you.

Types of Law Internships Available

The legal profession encompasses diverse practice areas, and internship opportunities exist across virtually all of them. Understanding the different types helps you target positions aligned with your interests.

Criminal Law Internships place you with prosecutors’ offices or public defender agencies. You’ll observe criminal cases, learn about prosecution and defense strategies, and understand the criminal justice system’s mechanics. These internships often involve researching case law, assisting with trial preparation, and understanding how criminal offenses like battery are prosecuted and defended. Many students find criminal law internships particularly engaging because they involve direct client interaction and high-stakes cases.

Civil Law Internships focus on non-criminal cases involving disputes between parties, contract issues, or personal injury claims. You might work on discovery processes, help draft motions, or assist with settlement negotiations. Civil law offers exposure to how alternative dispute resolution works, including mediation and arbitration, which resolve many civil disputes efficiently.

Government and Public Interest Internships place you in government agencies or nonprofit organizations. These might include internships with the attorney general’s office, legal aid organizations, or environmental agencies. Public interest work often focuses on serving underrepresented populations and addressing systemic issues. You’ll understand how sovereign immunity affects government litigation and how public interest law differs from private practice.

Corporate Law Internships involve working with law firms representing businesses or in corporate legal departments. You’ll learn contract law, business transactions, compliance, and corporate governance. These internships show you how attorneys advise companies on legal matters and help them navigate regulatory requirements.

Specialized Practice Internships exist in family law, intellectual property, immigration, employment law, and countless other areas. Family law internships might involve divorce cases and custody matters, while intellectual property internships focus on patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

Finding and Securing a Law Internship

Locating law internship opportunities requires strategic searching and proactive outreach. Several proven methods help high school students find positions.

Contact Local Law Firms Directly: Research law firms in your area and contact them about internship opportunities. Many small and medium-sized firms welcome high school interns, even if they don’t advertise positions. A professional email or call expressing your interest and explaining why you want to intern can open doors. Include your resume, highlight your academic achievements, and explain your genuine interest in law.

Reach Out to Government Offices: Prosecutors’ offices, public defenders, and attorney general offices often have formal internship programs. These positions are highly competitive but worth pursuing. Check your state bar association’s website for information about official programs and application procedures.

Utilize Online Job Boards: Websites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and specialized legal job sites list internship positions. Filter by location and use keywords like “high school intern” or “summer legal intern.” Many firms specifically recruit high school students during summer months.

Work with Your School: High schools often have connections with local legal professionals. Ask your guidance counselor, teachers, or career services office if they know attorneys willing to take interns. Some schools have established internship programs with local law firms.

Join Legal Organizations: Student organizations like Future Lawyers Club or your school’s debate team might have connections to legal professionals. Networking through these groups can lead to internship opportunities and mentorship.

Leverage Your Network: If your family knows attorneys or legal professionals, ask if they’d consider taking you as an intern or if they can recommend someone who would. Personal referrals significantly increase your chances of securing a position.

Essential Skills and Qualifications

While law internships for high school students don’t typically require extensive experience, certain skills and qualifications make you a more attractive candidate.

Academic Excellence: Strong grades demonstrate your ability to handle intellectual challenges. Most law firms and legal organizations want interns with solid academic records, particularly in subjects like English, history, and social studies. A GPA of 3.5 or higher is competitive for most positions.

Writing Ability: Legal work involves extensive writing. Being able to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively is essential. Take advanced English classes, join your school’s debate or mock trial team, and practice writing regularly. Many internship applications require writing samples or essays.

Research Skills: Attorneys constantly research case law, statutes, and legal precedents. Developing strong research skills now—using both traditional library resources and online legal databases—prepares you for internship tasks. Familiarity with legal research tools gives you an advantage.

Attention to Detail: Legal work requires meticulous attention to detail. Errors in documents, citations, or case information can have serious consequences. Demonstrating your ability to proofread carefully and maintain accuracy is crucial.

Communication Skills: Clear verbal and written communication is fundamental in law. Your ability to explain complex ideas simply and listen carefully to clients and colleagues matters greatly. Debate, public speaking, or presentation experience strengthens these skills.

Professional Maturity: Internships require professional behavior, reliability, and responsibility. Arriving on time, following instructions, respecting confidentiality, and treating colleagues professionally are non-negotiable. Demonstrating these qualities in your application and interviews is essential.

Genuine Interest in Law: Perhaps most importantly, show authentic passion for the legal field. Discuss specific areas of law that interest you, explain why you want to be a lawyer, and demonstrate that you’ve given this career choice serious thought.

What to Expect During Your Internship

Understanding what your day-to-day experience might look like helps you prepare mentally and practically for the role.

Research and Writing Tasks: Much of your time will involve legal research and writing. You might research specific statutes, find relevant case law, or prepare research memos summarizing your findings. This work is foundational to legal practice and develops your analytical abilities significantly.

Document Preparation: You’ll likely help prepare legal documents like motions, briefs, or contracts. This involves formatting documents correctly, ensuring all required information is included, and proofreading for accuracy. Attention to detail becomes immediately apparent in this work.

Client Interaction: Depending on the setting and supervising attorney’s approach, you might interact with clients. This could involve greeting them, collecting information, or observing attorney-client meetings. These interactions teach you about professional communication and client service.

Court Observation: You may attend court hearings or trials. Observing actual legal proceedings provides invaluable insights into how arguments are presented, how judges rule, and how procedures work in practice. Court observation is often the most exciting part of criminal law internships.

Administrative Duties: Filing, organizing documents, managing calendars, and other administrative tasks are part of most internships. While less glamorous than courtroom work, these tasks teach you how law offices function and are necessary for legal practice.

Legal Education: Your supervising attorney may take time to teach you about specific legal concepts, explain cases you’re researching, or discuss the attorney’s approach to legal problems. Take advantage of these teaching moments.

Maximizing Your Internship Experience

Simply showing up for your internship isn’t enough to truly benefit from the opportunity. Strategic actions help you gain maximum value from this experience.

Ask Questions Thoughtfully: Don’t be afraid to ask questions, but do so thoughtfully. If you’re assigned a research task, ask clarifying questions before starting. If you observe something interesting, ask your supervising attorney to explain it. Attorneys appreciate interns who seek understanding.

Take Initiative: Look for additional tasks to complete. If you finish your assigned work, ask what else needs doing. Offer to help with projects. This demonstrates initiative and work ethic that supervisors notice and appreciate.

Maintain Detailed Notes: Keep a journal of what you learn and observe. Note interesting cases, legal concepts you encounter, and questions that arise. These notes help you retain learning and provide material for college essays or future discussions about your internship.

Request Feedback: Periodically ask your supervising attorney how you’re doing and where you can improve. Constructive feedback helps you develop professionally and shows that you’re committed to growth.

Build Relationships: Interact professionally with everyone in the office—attorneys, paralegals, receptionists, and other staff. These relationships often lead to mentorship, recommendations, and future opportunities. People remember interns who are respectful and pleasant to work with.

Understand the Bigger Picture: Don’t just focus on your individual tasks. Try to understand how your work fits into the larger case or matter. Ask about the strategy behind decisions and the overall approach to the client’s situation.

Explore Different Areas: If your internship offers exposure to multiple practice areas, try to experience them all. This breadth of experience helps you determine which areas truly interest you.

Legal Concepts You’ll Encounter

During your internship, you’ll encounter various legal concepts and terms. Familiarizing yourself with some of these beforehand helps you understand what’s happening around you.

You’ll likely encounter concepts related to different types of law. In criminal law settings, you might study charges like battery, which involves intentional harmful or offensive contact with another person. Understanding the elements of crimes helps you follow case discussions.

In civil disputes, you’ll learn about alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, which allow parties to resolve disputes outside court through mediation or arbitration. Many cases settle through these processes rather than going to trial.

If you work in government settings, you’ll encounter concepts like sovereign immunity, which limits the government’s liability in certain situations. Understanding this doctrine is crucial for government law internships.

You’ll also learn about procedural concepts like discovery (the process of exchanging information between parties), motions (formal requests to the court), and evidence rules. While law school requirements cover these topics in depth, you’ll gain practical understanding during your internship.

Even unusual laws might come up in casual office conversations, reminding you that the legal system sometimes addresses unexpected situations. These conversations help you appreciate the law’s complexity and breadth.

FAQ

Do I need prior legal experience to get a law internship as a high school student?

No. Most law firms and legal organizations don’t expect high school interns to have prior legal experience. They look for intelligence, work ethic, reliability, and genuine interest in law. Your academic record, writing ability, and enthusiasm matter more than previous experience.

Are law internships paid or unpaid?

This varies significantly. Some law firms and government offices pay interns, while others offer unpaid positions. Paid internships are more common in larger firms and government offices. When researching positions, ask about compensation during the application process. Some unpaid internships may offer academic credit through your school, making them worthwhile despite lack of payment.

How many hours per week do law internships typically require?

This depends on the position and season. Summer internships might involve 35-40 hours per week (full-time). During the school year, part-time internships might require 10-20 hours weekly. Discuss time commitments before accepting a position to ensure they fit your schedule.

What should I wear to a law internship?

Law is a conservative profession. Business professional attire is standard. This typically means dress pants or skirts with button-up shirts, blazers, and professional shoes. Avoid casual clothing, excessive jewelry, or loud patterns. Dressing professionally shows respect for the profession and helps you be taken seriously.

Can I get law internship experience during the school year?

Yes. Many law offices offer part-time internships during the school year, particularly after school or on weekends. Some schools allow students to earn credit for internships during school hours. Talk to your guidance counselor about part-time opportunities in your area.

Will a law internship guarantee admission to law school?

No, but it significantly strengthens your application. Law schools value demonstrated interest in the field and early professional experience. Combined with strong grades and test scores, internship experience makes you a more competitive applicant. More importantly, the experience helps you make an informed decision about pursuing law school.

What if I discover I don’t want to be a lawyer after interning?

That’s valuable knowledge! Many people discover through internships that law isn’t for them, and that’s perfectly fine. This discovery saves you years and thousands of dollars pursuing a career that wouldn’t fulfill you. An internship that clarifies your true interests—whether that’s law or something else—is successful regardless of the outcome.