Internship - PDD Quincy - Fall 2026

Committee for Public Counsel • Quincy, MA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The CPCS Public Defender Division, Norfolk County Office (located in Quincy MA and accessible by the T-Red Line) is currently seeking students for our Fall 2026 (August 24, 2026 thru Mid-December) internship positions. We fight for equal justice and human dignity by supporting our clients in achieving their legal and life goals. We zealously advocate for the rights of individuals and promote just public policy to protect the rights of all. CPCS is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain one. The agency provides representation in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, family regulation, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases, as well as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings related to those matters. The clients we represent are diverse across every context imaginable and bring many unique cultural dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a critical need for CPCS staff to be culturally competent and able to work well with people of different races, ethnicities, genders and/or sexual orientation identities, abilities, and limited English proficiency, among other protected characteristics. In the PDD Norfolk County office, we defend a broad range of adult felony and misdemeanor cases, including all offenses, in both District Court and Superior Court. We also advocate for clients in various capacities in mental health court, veteran’s court, and drug court programs. We offer law student interns (rising 2L through 3L) a variety of experiences and assignments, supervised by veteran attorneys, as well as extensive valuable training, which is currently unique to our location. Interns will work closely with lawyers, social workers, and investigators to provide legal representation and advocacy. The PDD Norfolk County office gives interns a wide range of opportunities, including, but not limited to, legal research and writing (including motions to dismiss, to suppress, and more), arraignment and bail advocacy (for our 3:03 certified interns), possible second seating trials, and more. Interns will leave with multiple projects to utilize as writing samples and with a written review to use for a reference. NOTE: At the beginning of the internship, there is mandatory attendance at an intensive, multi-day training. School-year internships at CPCS are unpaid. We strongly encourage students to pursue all funding sources available to students performing internships at public service agencies, including through their school or a federal work-study fellowship.

Requirements

• Law Students (rising 2L through 3L)
• Must be able to devote at least two full days per week to the internship.
• Must agree to keep confidential all information involving client representation, and the work they perform on behalf of our clients, and will be required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement.

Nice To Haves

• Law Students who have taken classes in evidence, criminal law, constitutional law, critical legal theory, and/or trial advocacy
• Law students who speak a foreign language
• Law students who have successfully completed or are enrolled in an evidence or trial practice class, and who are, at the earliest, in the summer prior to their final year of law school, may, with the written approval by their Dean and the Supreme Judicial Court, represent clients under the supervision of a staff public defender in court, per SJC Rule 3:03 (for Criminal Law).

Responsibilities

• Legal research
• Drafting pretrial motions, affidavits and legal memoranda
• Review of evidence, client and expert witness contact, correspondence with clients, and more
• Court Observation (Trials, Motions, Arraignments, and more)
• Client interviews (which 3:03 interns might conduct)
• Arraignment and bail arguments (for 3:03 interns)
• Pretrial Motion arguments (for 3:03 interns)

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed