Law School Students

This is how lifelong careers as Public Defenders usually begin. Our internship for law school students allow them to work directly with clients and the defense team, comprised of attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and social workers. Responsibilities include meeting with clients, reviewing documents, drafting motions, attending meetings with experts and other witnesses, and participating in advocacy team meetings and case conferences.

Students certified to practice law may also be given the opportunity to argue motions on behalf of clients in court. Academic credit is available if there is an agreement between our office and the intern’s university. Work-study is offered if the office’s portion is covered by the university.

Prerequisites

Applicants must possess strong written and oral communication skills. We expect student to have a demonstrated committed to indigent criminal defense. Those with a general interest in criminal law or who view being a prosecutor as a possible career choice should not apply.

School (Fall/Winter) session participation requires a 16-20 hours per week and Summer a full-time, forty (40) hours per week, commitment for the entire duration of the session. Students must be able to start by the session’s start date and must attend an orientation on or before their start date. Sessions cannot be split and students cannot participate for shorter periods of time.

Internship Sessions & Dates

The Office offers three sessions per year. The relevant dates are below.

Session | Application Start | Application Deadline* | Session Start | Session Ends | Orientation --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- 2026 Fall | | 07/11/2026 | 09/02/2026 | 12/02/2026 | TBD 2027 Spring | Now | Open until full | 01/05/2027 | 04/30/2027 | 01/05, 01/19 2027 Summer | Now | 12/31/2026 | 05/24/2027 | 08/13/2027 | 05/25-27 (All days required) 2027 Fall | Now | Open until full | 09/07/2027 | 11/24/2027 | 09/07/2027

• Application Deadline may be extended beyond the deadline date if there are openings still available.

Application Process

Please apply below, and include a cover letter and your resume.

Applications cannot be saved and must be completed in one session. Upon completion of the application, a confirmation email from PUBDEF.Internship@sfgov.org will be sent to the email address provided in the application. Please check your junk/spam email folder.

If you do not receive a confirmation email in 24 hours, please register again.

If you encounter issues, please confirm that you are using the latest version of your web browser. Clear the browser’s cache and/or reset the browser back to its factory default. If this does not work, please contact PUBDEF.Internship@sfgov.org to confirm the receipt of your application.

Apply Now

Acceptance & Registration Process

Upon acceptance, interns will receive a code to register for the internship program at the link below.

As part of the registration, interns must attend the Orientation (see chart above) and submit information for a background check for jail clearance. Jail clearance is required to conduct meetings with clients who are in-custody. Negative results of a background check will not necessarily prevent participation as an intern.

Register Here

Except for interns who join us through the City’s Opportunities for All Program – https://www.opps4allsf.org (see College and High School Students section below), we are unfortunately unable to pay interns. The cost of travel, living expenses, insurance and accommodations are the responsibility of the intern. We cannot accept responsibility for costs arising from accidents or illness incurred during the internship.

Interns are required to sign a confidentiality agreement and may never discuss individual cases or information obtained during the internship. This obligation continues even after the conclusion of the internship. Interns must comply with all rules and policies applicable to Public Defender Staff.

We believe in diversity, equity and inclusion. We are an equal employment opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis race, color, religion, sex, handicap, sexual orientation or national origin.