15 Best Law Internships for High School Students
If you’re a high school student curious about the legal field, joining a law internship can be a great way to gain exposure. Law internships allow you to develop essential skills such as research, writing, communication, and critical thinking through projects. You might assist with case summaries, observe court proceedings, or support attorneys and legal teams in their daily work.
These internships often have smaller cohorts, giving you the chance to receive personalized mentorship from professionals in the field. They also provide a look at how law firms, courts, and legal organizations operate, helping you understand what a career in law involves. We’ve compiled a list of 15 of the best law internships for high school students to help you prepare for a future in law.
1. Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program(TMSLIP)
Location: New York City (various law firms / legal employers across NYC)
Cost: None. Stipend paid
Dates: July 9-August 15
Application Deadline: January 14
Eligibility: Must attend a public high school in NYC
The New York City High School Law Internship Program offers an excellent opportunity for high school students to gain firsthand experience in the legal field. It connects you with a wide range of legal employers, including law firms, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies, offering a valuable glimpse into how the justice system and workplaces operate.
Throughout the program, you’ll participate in practical training sessions, panel discussions, and networking events designed to strengthen your professional skills and prepare you for a future in law. Internship responsibilities may include assisting paralegals, organizing case files, maintaining records, conducting basic legal research, and handling administrative tasks that support ongoing legal work.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Varies according to program (financial aid available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks; open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap-year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you will work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, and consulting, among others. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company.
3. Baltimore City Law Links Internship-Maryland Youth and Law
Location: Baltimore
Cost: None. $15/hour Stipend
Dates: Beginning in late June- August (7 weeks)
Application Deadline: Typically in April
Eligibility: Open to students currently in their sophomore or junior year of high school, attending a Baltimore City public high school
The Baltimore City Law Links Internship, run by Maryland Youth & the Law (a nonprofit organization), provides high school sophomores and juniors from Baltimore public schools with a full-time, paid summer internship lasting 7 weeks. As an intern, you will be placed in a law firm or a law-related agency, gaining hands-on experience in the legal field. In addition to your work placement, you will take part in the Law and Leadership Institute, a 56-hour educational program held at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. The internship also includes interactive activities, discussions with professionals from law firms, city agencies, and courts, as well as field trips to places such as Citi Watch and the Baltimore FBI Bureau.
4. California Innocence Project (CIP) Internships
Location: San Diego
Cost: None
Dates: Summer, Spring, and Fall
Application Deadline: Summer – March 1, Fall – July 1, Spring – November 1
Eligibility: High school, college, law, and post-bar students
The California Innocence Project (CIP) is a law clinic that provides free legal services to people who have been wrongly convicted. If you are interested in post-conviction law or criminal law, this internship could give you valuable insight. As a legal intern, you will receive in-house training, including an introduction to wrongful convictions and guidance on the responsibilities you will take on as part of CIP’s mission. You may be asked to help with legal research, filing and copying documents, and supporting clients, giving you hands-on experience in the legal field while contributing to meaningful work for justice.
5. Summer Mentorship Program (SMP)
Location: Penn Carey School of Law, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: None; participants receive a stipend upon successful completion, daily lunch, and a SEPTA TransPass for travel
Dates: July 7-August 1
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Open to rising 10th and 11th-grade students attending high school in Philadelphia or surrounding counties
The University of Pennsylvania Provost Summer Mentorship Program provides an excellent opportunity for you to gain firsthand experience in the legal field. Throughout the program, you’ll participate in hands-on legal workshops, courtroom observations, mock trials, and mentorship sessions designed to strengthen your understanding of law and prepare you for future academic and career opportunities. Some of your program responsibilities and activities may include engaging in legal research, participating in mock trials, attending interactive sessions on law and ethics, and connecting with law students and professionals for guidance and support.
6. Atlanta Bar Association Summer Law Internship Program (SLIP)
Location: Atlanta
Cost: $2,000 for the six-week program ($333 per week)
Dates: May 27 – July 17
Application Deadline: March 19
Eligibility: Open to high school juniors and seniors
The Atlanta Bar Association Summer Internship Program offers a hands-on, immersive experience for high school students interested in the legal field. You will assist with a variety of tasks, including copying documents, summarizing depositions, making deliveries, and assembling trial notebooks, among others. You will also have the opportunity to observe a deposition or court hearing, giving you firsthand exposure to the legal process. Before starting the internship, you will participate in orientation sessions that cover professionalism, confidentiality, and workplace expectations. Throughout the program, weekly meetings will help track your progress and provide feedback, ensuring you gain valuable skills and experience in a professional legal environment.
7. Eastern District of New York (USAO-EDNY) Student Internship
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Cost: None. Unpaid
Dates: TBA
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Must be enrolled in or accepted into an accredited high school
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (USAO-EDNY) Student Internship Program gives students a chance to learn how the federal legal system works and gain real experience in public service. You can work in different departments, such as Automated Litigation Support, the Legal Library, or Paralegal and Legal Studies, with each showing you a different side of how justice is carried out. During the program, you’ll help with case preparation, legal research, organizing files, and office tasks that keep the work running smoothly. You’ll also get to watch court proceedings and work with attorneys and staff, giving you a clear idea of how legal cases are handled in a federal setting.
8. San Francisco District Attorney’s Office (SFDA) College Internships program
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Cost: None. Unpaid
Dates: January 26-April 24 (Spring), June 1–July 31( Summer), and September 8 – December 5 (Fall)
Application Deadline: November 7 (Spring), March 7 (Summer), and TBA (Fall)
Eligibility: Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office High School Internship provides a hands-on opportunity for you to explore the field of criminal justice and understand how the legal system operates. You will work closely with prosecutors and staff, assisting with daily office tasks such as organizing and preparing case files for trial, contacting witnesses, and managing subpoenas and records for pre-trial hearings and jury trials (under attorney supervision). You’ll gain valuable insight into courtroom procedures, case preparation, and the responsibilities of legal professionals working within the DA’s office.
9. Jimerson Birr High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Cost: None. Paid Internship
Dates: 4-6 week paid internship typically held during the summer months
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students preparing to enter their first year of college
The Jimerson Birr High School Summer Internship Program gives you a hands-on opportunity to see how a busy law firm operates while building professional skills that are valuable in many career paths. Over 4–6 weeks, you will work closely with department heads and teams in areas such as legal services, accounting, communications, marketing, and information technology. You’ll take part in meaningful work that directly contributes to the firm’s daily operations. Through this internship, you’ll gain practical experience in both business administration and legal processes, helping you develop skills that are transferable to careers in law, economics, psychology, and beyond.
10. Memphis Bar Association's Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP)
Location: Various law firms and legal organizations throughout the Memphis area.
Cost: None. $500 Stipend
Dates: June 2-27
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: Minority rising sophomore, junior, or senior in high school as of August; a resident of or attending a high school in Shelby County, TN
The Memphis Bar Association Summer Law Internship Program gives you a hands-on opportunity to learn how legal workplaces operate while building skills useful in many careers. Over the summer, you will complete 60 hours of work in a law firm, corporate legal department, or government agency, assisting with tasks such as organizing files, preparing cases, and doing legal research. This program is designed especially for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds, providing exposure to different careers in law. Interns are selected based on their interest in law, involvement in school and community activities, and communication skills. Through this internship, you’ll gain practical experience and develop skills that can help in future studies and careers.
11. Summer Law Institute (SLI)
Location: 7 locations in New York City, New York
Cost: Stipend paid (amount unspecified)
Dates: July-August
Application Deadline: There is no deadline specified
Eligibility: Minority rising sophomore, junior, or senior in high school as of August; a resident of or attending a high school in Shelby County, TN
The Summer Law Institute is a five-week summer program for students entering ninth grade who are interested in exploring careers in law. The program introduces you to key criminal law concepts such as evidence, arraignment, and legal rights. Each day, you’ll learn from law students, engage with practicing attorneys, and participate in hands-on legal activities. A major highlight of the program is the mock trial competition, where you step into the role of an attorney and present a case in front of a real judge, gaining valuable courtroom experience and practical insight into the legal profession.
12. Judicial Youth Corps (JYC)
Location: Springfield, Massachusetts
Cost: Stipend paid (amount unspecified)
Dates: Spans six weeks during the summer (July-August)
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Attend a high school located in Springfield, Massachusetts
The Judicial Youth Corps Program is a rigorous spring and summer internship offered by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts that gives high school students an inside look at the court system and the rule of law. Selected interns participate in two sessions: an education and training session, where volunteer judges, lawyers, and court staff teach topics such as juvenile law, criminal procedure, and family law, among others; and a summer internship, where you work as a paid intern at a local courthouse, gaining hands-on experience with court operations and legal procedures.
13. Communities In Schools (CIS) of Houston Summer Internship Program
Location: Houston-area law firms, corporate legal departments
Cost: Stipend paid
Dates: 8 weeks
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
The CIS Summer Legal Internship Program, offered in partnership with the Houston Bar Association, is an 8-week paid internship for high school juniors and seniors from CIS-supported schools. You will gain hands-on experience at Houston-area law firms, corporate legal teams, and public interest agencies, contributing to real projects while observing legal professionals in action. You will build career skills, leadership abilities, and workplace readiness, all while exploring diverse paths in the field of law.
14. Saper Law Immersion Program
Location: Saper Law Offices, Chicago, IL
Cost: $875
Dates: August 4–8
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Open to both high school and college students
The Saper Law Immersion Program is a one-week summer program for high school students interested in law. Held at Saper Law Offices, it gives you hands-on experience with legal writing, negotiation exercises, and mock court cases, while exploring business, technology, and entertainment law. You will also visit law firms, government offices, and corporate legal teams, and hear from judges and practicing attorneys. The program includes LSAT practice and guidance on writing your personal statement.
15. Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $25 per hour stipend
Dates: 8 weeks (summer)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Open to students currently enrolled in high school
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office offers a paid summer internship for high school juniors and seniors in Brooklyn. You will be assigned to a unit within the DA’s office, supporting Assistant District Attorneys and other staff. Your tasks may include legal research and analysis, assisting attorneys with pretrial matters, case preparation, discovery, and file management, organizing court documents, and participating in trial workshops. You will also attend field trips and observe criminal proceedings, gaining hands-on experience in the legal field.
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