Navigating Boston Legal Internships: A Comprehensive Guide to Requirements and Opportunities

Securing a legal internship in Boston can be a pivotal step for law students seeking practical experience and career direction. Boston's legal landscape offers numerous opportunities across various sectors, from public interest organizations to government agencies. This guide provides a detailed overview of internship options, requirements, and essential information to help aspiring legal professionals navigate the process effectively.

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) Internships

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) provides a range of legal internships, focusing on aiding low-income individuals and communities. These internships are generally unfunded, requiring students to secure external funding through work-study programs or public interest fellowships.

Asian Outreach Center

The Asian Outreach Center at GBLS employs a movement lawyering model to address the legal needs of Asian Americans in Massachusetts. Interns at the Asian Outreach Center engage in community-based outreach, client interviews, and legal representation in areas such as immigration, housing, workers’ rights, and anti-Asian violence. They also develop community resources and educational materials. Interns gain exposure to legal issues faced by Asian immigrant communities and receive training in poverty law and civil legal aid.

Cambridge & Somerville Legal Services (CASLS)

Law students working with the Cambridge & Somerville Legal Services office of GBLS have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of case handling, including client interviews, legal research, negotiations, and oral advocacy. Students may also work on systemic reform projects.

Consumer Rights Unit

The Consumer Rights Unit focuses on foreclosure prevention, debt collection, coerced debt, and bankruptcy issues. Interns may represent clients in debt collection cases under Rule 3:03 certification, engage in individual representation of homeowners facing foreclosure, and participate in impact litigation and community advocacy.

CORI Initiative

This initiative assists individuals from communities of color in overcoming barriers to housing, employment, and licensing due to their criminal record histories. Interns conduct client intakes, draft legal documents, perform legal research, and represent clients in court on sealing cases if 3:03 certified. They also support legislative campaigns and community outreach events.

Elder Law

Interns in the Elder Law program assist clients with issues such as evictions, nursing home discharges, and denial or termination of health and income benefits. They interview clients, conduct legal research, and work with community groups on elder abuse and quality of life issues.

Health & Disability Law

This area focuses on representing individuals with disability claims pending at the Social Security Administration and those facing denial or termination of health care coverage. Interns interview clients, develop records for administrative hearings, and represent individuals and community groups on access to health care issues.

Children's Disability Project (CDP)

The CDP represents children under 18 with disabilities in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits disputes. Interns interview clients, conduct factual investigations, gather evidence, and prepare cases for administrative hearings.

School to Prison Pipeline Project

This project aims to keep children in school by ensuring they receive trauma-informed treatment and non-exclusionary school discipline. Interns assist in client casework, review records, conduct legal research, attend school discipline hearings, and participate in systemic impact work.

Workers' Rights Unit

The Workers' Rights Unit advances the workplace rights and economic well-being of low-wage workers through direct client representation, community-based lawyering, litigation, and systemic advocacy. The LITC represents low-income clients in tax controversies.

Family Law Unit

The Family Law Unit provides legal services to survivors of domestic abuse with contested custody matters and those seeking abuse prevention orders. Interns work directly with clients, conduct legal research, draft pleadings, and participate in systemic advocacy.

Housing Unit

The Housing Unit focuses on preserving tenancies and increasing affordable housing for low-income individuals and communities.

Immigration Unit

The Immigration Unit represents individuals seeking asylum or protection from domestic abuse and unaccompanied minors. Interns prepare applications for asylum, self-petitions under the Violence Against Women Act, and U visa applications for victims of domestic violence.

Welfare Law Unit (WLU)

The WLU represents individuals and families in cases involving cash assistance, SNAP (food stamps), and childcare benefits. Interns work directly with clients and support systemic advocacy.

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Attorney General's Office

Interns at the Attorney General’s Office have the opportunity to work on significant and complex cases. Assignments include researching legal issues, drafting pleadings, providing trial support, interviewing witnesses, and assembling exhibits for trial.

General Requirements for GBLS Internships

First-year (second semester), second-, and third-year law students are eligible. Law graduates are not eligible for Student Volunteer positions.
Application materials include a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, legal writing sample, dates of availability, and contact information.

Boston Bar Association (BBA) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Summer Fellowship Program

The BBA DEIB Summer Fellowship Program offers paid summer internship opportunities in public interest settings. The program supports law students from diverse backgrounds in gaining experience in public interest law.

Program Components

Fellowship Placement: Substantive work in a public interest law office with supervision and skills development.
Professional Development: Programming created by the BBA.
Mentorship: Access to a mentor through the BBA’s DEIB Section.

Eligibility

Students at partner law schools (Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University, New England School of Law, Suffolk University, and UMass).
Completion of 1L or 2L year by the summer of participation.
Demonstrated commitment to advancing DEIB in the legal profession.

Application Process

Personal Statement: Reflect on the interest in public interest law and its connection to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Selections: Made by individual host sites, not the BBA.

Host Site Partners

City of Boston’s Law Department: Legal services to the Mayor, City Council, and City departments. The Fellow will work with the government services and litigation divisions.
Massachusetts Appeals Court: The Fellow will work in the chambers of one of the Associate Justices and the Clerk’s Office, preparing for oral arguments, writing legal memoranda, and assisting in researching and drafting judicial decisions.
Attorney General’s Office (AGO): The selected law student will participate in the AGO’s Summer Legal Internship Program, receiving substantive work, supervision, and mentorship.
Civil Service Commission: The selected intern will assist the Commission’s general counsel and four full-time commissioners in the adjudicatory process.
Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) - Youth Advocacy Division (YAD) in Roxbury: The Fellow will work alongside a team of CPCS attorneys and a social service advocate.
Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) Office of the General Counsel: The Fellow will work in the Office of the General Counsel of DCF.
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Office of General Counsel: The selected law student will participate in the MassDEP’s Office of General Counsel Summer Legal Internship Program.
Executive Office of Veterans’ Services (EOVS) General Counsel’s Office: The intern will work closely with EOVS General Counsel and gain experience in legal research and writing, document review, and administrative law.
Office of the Inspector General (OIG): Legal Interns will have the opportunity to draft legal research memoranda in various areas of law related to fraud, waste and abuse in the expenditure of public funds.
United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts: The Fellow will intern in the chambers of one of the United States Bankruptcy Judges for the District of Massachusetts.

Law School Externship Programs

Several law schools in Boston offer externship programs that allow students to gain practical legal experience while earning academic credit.

Boston University (BU) Law Externships

BU Law offers a variety of externship opportunities in diverse practice areas. Students work in the field at a legal office under the supervision of an attorney mentor.

General Requirements

All placements require prior approval from the Externship Director.
Work must be performed under the direct supervision of an attorney.
Each student’s field experience is supported by a required seminar.
The fieldwork begins the first week of classes and students commit to working until the last week of classes (14 weeks).
Students may not count hours spent at the placement before the semester begins.

Types of Externships

Criminal Justice Externship: Focuses on critical analysis of issues in American criminal justice. Placements may include the Suffolk County DA's Office, CPCS, Prisoners Legal Services, and Boston Police Department.
Corporate Counsel Externship: Exposes students to the role of in-house counsel for for-profit and nonprofit corporations.
Health Law Externship: Examines various health law issues and the challenges of working in a health care environment.
Independent Study Externship: Students work at a legal office and complete an independent study project under the guidance of a faculty supervisor.
Judicial Externship: Students work for a judge in a trial, appellate, state, or federal court.
Learning From Practice Externship: Explores how lawyers learn from practice and develop skills on the job.

Additional Internship Opportunities

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

The EEOC offers internships in its Legal Unit and Boston Area office, providing opportunities to assist with litigation and learn about employment discrimination law.

Legal Unit: Interns assist with legal research and writing related to employment discrimination and federal practice issues.
Boston Area Office: Interns work closely with Administrative Judges, summarize evidence, and learn about evidentiary, procedural, and administrative law issues.

Center for Law and Education (CLE)

The Center for Law and Education seeks volunteer law clerks in its Boston and D.C. offices. Law students work on legal research and writing projects across forums and support CLE attorneys advocating on behalf of students from low-income families.

District Attorney's Office

The District Attorney's Office offers internships in its Appeals Division and Superior Court Trial Team.

Appeals Division: Interns perform work connected to the Division's duties, including researching and writing pleadings.
Superior Court Trial Team: Interns work directly with Assistant District Attorneys on a variety of cases, conduct research, and observe courtroom proceedings.

General Internship Requirements and Application Tips

Academic Standing: Most internships are open to current law students, typically those who have completed at least one year of law school.
3:03 Certification: Some internships, particularly those involving courtroom representation, require students to be Rule 3:03 certified by the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC).
Application Materials: Common application materials include a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, and writing sample.
Deadlines: Application deadlines vary by organization. It is advisable to apply early.
Funding: Many public interest internships are unfunded, so students should explore funding options through their law schools or external fellowships.

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