Spring 2027 Criminal & Municipal Legal Internship

ArchCity Defenders•Saint Louis, MO

8d•Onsite

About The Position

ArchCity Defenders (ACD) is a holistic legal advocacy organization dedicated to combating the criminalization of poverty and state violence, particularly in communities of color. ACD's mission is to achieve and inspire justice and equitable outcomes through a combination of civil and criminal legal representation, social services, impact litigation, policy and media advocacy, and community collaboration. The organization envisions a society free from oppressive systems, where justice and racial equity are realized, public safety prioritizes well-being and transformation over criminalization and incarceration, and people can thrive regardless of race or income. ACD is actively working towards broad-based change in the region's criminal legal systems, utilizing impact litigation on issues such as debtors' prisons, police misconduct, cash bail, and jail conditions, primarily through federal Section 1983 litigation. Concurrently, ACD remains committed to improving clients' lives through individual representation via its Direct Representation teams, which focus on housing, consumer, criminal, and municipal law. The Housing & Civil Advocacy team represents tenants and those experiencing homelessness, handling various civil matters in Missouri's state courts and occasionally appearing in criminal, municipal, and federal courts. The Criminal & Municipal Defense team provides direct defense for individuals facing criminal charges and municipal ordinance violations across the St. Louis region, appearing in over 80 courts annually. Legal interns can choose to work with a specific team, with experiences varying slightly but generally involving fact and legal research, drafting memos, motions, and pleadings, assisting with discovery and investigation, and interviewing clients. Interns are encouraged to attend court hearings with staff attorneys. Legal interns are integral to interdisciplinary teams, supporting ACD's mission and expanding its reach. Successful interns are assertive, independent, persistent, empathetic, proactive, flexible, and self-directed, demonstrating initiative, problem-solving skills, and a commitment to advocacy. Undergraduate interns will focus more on discovery, document review, investigation, and administrative tasks, while still being encouraged to observe court proceedings.

Requirements

Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills
Excellent legal research and writing skills
Detail-oriented approach to working in a team-driven organization
High capacity for problem-solving and self-direction
Ability to work independently within time constraints
Flexible and able to respond appropriately to ACD’s changing needs
Commitment to racial and economic justice and systems change
Cultural awareness and sensitivity toward diverse populations
Awareness of structures of power, privilege, and oppression
Must be able to work part-time for 8-12 weeks.
Cannot simultaneously engage in more than one internship while working with ACD.

Nice To Haves

Intern seeking more individual client contact will likely prefer to work with one of the direct representation teams.
Intern seeking federal court experience or lengthier motion drafting experience would likely prefer to work with the Civil Rights team.

Responsibilities

Perform fact and legal research to bolster understanding of claims and issues.
Draft memos synthesizing findings, as well as motions, pleadings, and other legal documents.
Assist with discovery and investigation.
Interview and communicate with clients or class members.
Attend court proceedings with staff attorneys, where applicable.
Coordinate with attorneys and staff to support ArchCity Defenders’ mission.
Take initiative, use problem-solving skills, and see projects through to completion.
Engage in research and drafting (undergraduate interns may have more limited scope).
Spend more time on discovery, document review, investigation, and administrative work (undergraduate interns).
Observe court proceedings with staff attorneys (undergraduate interns).