How to Get Internships for First Year Law Students

It is a fact of life, a great education without experience will frustrate your attempts to find a great job or develop your career. Internships are a required element of a law degree and they are necessary for gaining insight into what a future employer will expect and demand from you.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Decide on a accepting a paid or unpaid internship. It is unprofessional to accept a non-paying position and request payment later after a no salary agreement has been reached, so make sure you apply for just the internship programs that make sense for you.

2. Contact the student adviser's office. Each year law firms submit requests for legal interns. The qualifications may be general or specific. The internships may be for pay or just experience. The duties may entail reviewing uncomplicated standard legal documents, general office duties or interviewing clients.

3. Get involved with non-profit agencies. Non-profit agencies have staff shortages, because most depend on volunteers, grants or donations. These agencies offer numerous specialties for a legal internship, which will provide a wealth of knowledge and experience. Volunteering can be used as experience on a resume.

4. Join an alumni organization. There are many organizations that assist with job leads and networking sources for internships. Generally, an individual must become an active member in order to access the job boards, postings or blogs.

5. Review job posting for governmental agencies. Legal internship applicants for governmental entities are competitive. Generally, high GPA's (grade point average) and outstanding references are required. Governmental entities offer paid and unpaid internship.

Resources

• Apply for a summer internship with the US Department of Justice.
• Find an internship with the SEC.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• Earn your degree from industry experts at University of Phoenix. Take the next step in your career.