Certified Legal Intern: Academic Year 2026-2027
About The Position
The Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office, 15th Judicial Circuit, is a client-centered, dynamic advocacy office providing representation to people whose lives and liberty are at stake. The office handles close to 30,000 cases per year and has approximately 200 employees including lawyers, investigators, social workers, and support staff. The main office, housing the trial and appellate divisions, is in downtown West Palm Beach and there are four branch offices in other areas of the county. Divisions include: County Court; Felony; Mental Health; Major Crimes; Youth Defense; Appeals; and Investigative & Social Services’ Units. Recruiting Summer Academic Year 2026-2027 Certified Legal Intern Volunteers: Students enrolled in a credit-bearing law school practice program, or who have already participated as a CLI in such a program, may receive academic credit and are unpaid/volunteer. Internships run for 10 weeks over the summer and are full time.
Requirements
- Be enrolled in a credit-bearing law school practice program or have already participated as a CLI in such a program.
- Be a student enrolled in an American Bar Association approved law school in the United States.
- Have completed legal studies amounting to at least 2 semesters or 3 quarters for which the student has received not less than 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours of academic credit or the equivalent.
- Be certified by the dean, or the dean’s designee, of the student’s law school as being of good character and competent legal ability and as adequately trained to perform as a legal intern in a law school practice program.
- File a Registrant Bar Application or Florida Bar Application with the Florida Board of Bar Examiners.
- Pass a criminal fingerprint check conducted by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners or receive a letter of clearance as to character and fitness from the Florida Board of Bar Examiners.
Nice To Haves
- Receive academic credit for the internship.
Responsibilities
- Shadow a County Court attorney for a week (on average).
- Be assigned a small County Court caseload and possess responsibility for it.
- Attend all court proceedings.
- Act as the attorney of record for all assigned clients, with a supervising attorney present.
- Try one or more cases as first chair attorney and multiple as second chair.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
No Education Listed
