14 Law Internships for High School Students in Charlotte, North Carolina
If you’re in high school, internships can be one of the most effective ways for you to gain relevant experience, build useful skills, and connect with professionals in fields you’re curious about. If you’re interested in law, an internship can help you gain insight into the legal system, take part in projects, and strengthen important skills like communication, analysis, and problem-solving, skills that are essential for a career in nearly any field.
If you’re a high schooler in Charlotte, North Carolina, there are a number of opportunities offered by colleges and organizations that you can consider. These programs are typically fully funded, and some even offer a stipend! Apart from practical experience and a professional network, internships can also give your college applications and resumes a significant boost. These experiences demonstrate a genuine interest in your chosen field and the drive to pursue it beyond the classroom—something college admissions officers value.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of the top 14 law internships in Charlotte, NC. Whether you’re interested in courtroom procedures, legal research, or advocacy, these options can help you explore potential pathways in law and find what suits you best. Covering various opportunities offered by local government offices, national institutes, and more, this list has programs that include mock trials, mentorship from legal professionals, real-world case work, and so on. Let’s take a look!
1. Mayor's Youth Employment Program (MYEP)
Location: Various locations across Charlotte, with virtual options
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students receive a stipend
Dates: Typically, 6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Varies with the placement
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 years old and enrolled in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools or reside in the City of Charlotte
MYEP offers career development opportunities across private, public, and nonprofit sectors, which could include private law firms and legal aid clinics, among other options. Through these placements, you’ll get practical experience in actual professional environments, gaining relevant insight into the field you’re interested in. You will also develop essential workplace skills such as time management and communication, while engaging with industry experts and building professional networks. The program focuses on helping you explore career interests with achievable goals while fostering social and leadership abilities.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies with program type
Dates: Multiple 8-12 week cohorts throughout the year, including Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring
Application Deadline: Varies with cohort
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students
Ladder Internships connects ambitious high school students with high-growth start-ups for a remote internship experience. This program is designed to expose students to project-based work in a wide range of industries and business environments. Based on your interests, you can choose to intern in media, tech, AI/ML, deep tech, sustainability, and so on. You’ll collaborate with and receive mentorship from your startup manager and a dedicated Ladder coach, contributing to deliverables such as research, product development, or marketing strategies. Over the course of the internship, you’ll build practical skills in teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work to the company and receive a certificate of completion.
3. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! A few tracks require prerequisites, see here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research. Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects. While this isn’t a traditional internship, it follows the work-learn structure of one quite closely!
4. Mecklenburg District Attorney's Office – High School Law Career Exploration Program
Location: Mecklenburg District Attorney's Office, Charlotte, North Carolina
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: Once a week, November - May
Application Deadline: This information is not available
Eligibility: High school students who are interested in law and aged 14-20
This program gives students an in-depth insight into the criminal justice system. Over the course of the program, you’ll explore key stages of the legal process, from crime scene analysis to trial procedure, through interactive sessions led by practicing attorneys. You’ll start by learning foundational concepts, like the DA’s role, and then move on to more complex topics, including sentencing and appellate issues. You’ll also gain practical experience preparing and presenting a case through mock trial exercises, concluding in a courtroom simulation. The program includes a guided courthouse tour and a visit to the Mecklenburg County Jail.
5. Pasquines High School Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: Flexible duration; roles are offered year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students
With Pasquines, you can take part in a fully remote internship focused on law, journalism, politics, and U.S. territorial affairs. You’ll research and write articles on issues shaping Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, while improving your writing, editing, and digital publishing skills. You’ll collaborate with a team of volunteers who share a passion for government, civic reporting, and public policy. This internship is unpaid, but you can request college credit for your work. The program is flexible and ongoing, so you can apply at any time and continue as long as you’d like.
6. USC Dornsife – High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 1 - August 1
Application Deadline: May 19
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.5 GPA. Graduating seniors are not eligible
The USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, in partnership with the Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability, offers a virtual summer internship where you can dive into law, public policy, and environmental issues. During the program, you’ll work on two projects: writing a legislative policy memo and completing a legislative process analysis. You’ll choose a local, state, or federal bill related to sustainability or environmental policy and analyze how it moves through the political system. Throughout the internship, you’ll receive structured mentorship and detailed writing feedback to help you grow as a researcher. This program helps you understand how policy is shaped, sharpen your writing and analytical skills, and deepen your understanding of environmental politics.
7. Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) Internships
Location: Remote and in-person (Philadelphia, PA) options available
Cost/Stipend: No cost; some internships are paid
Dates: February – May (Spring session) | June – August (Summer session) | September – December (Fall session)
Application Deadline: November (Spring session) | March 1 (Summer session) | July (Fall session)
Eligibility: High school students who are authorized to work in the US
The Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) offers a virtual internship where you can explore the legal field via topics in international relations and foreign policy while building essential, practical skills. You’ll collaborate with scholars and professionals who will guide you through projects that strengthen both your industry knowledge and workplace skills like communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. You can choose a focus: research, events, communications, or operations, based on your interests. You’ll also attend weekly foreign policy and career development seminars, join FPRI’s in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, and work on a research paper that may be published in the FPRI Intern Corner.
8. World Scholars Academy Law Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies with the program
Dates: Typically, once a week for 4 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Varies with the program
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18 years
The World Scholars Academy offers a Law Internship for high school students to examine and engage in discussions around various issues in law, such as jurisprudence, political economy, antitrust law, and government censorship. You’ll also work with an expert legal scholar to research and co-author an academic paper on a topic of your choice. During the program, you’ll learn research techniques and review relevant literature, helping you build the skillset needed to research cases and work as a lawyer. You will submit your final paper to the World Scholars Review academic journal or another academic legal publication.
9. Pathway Internship Programs at the U.S. Department of State
Location: Federal agencies across the country, with some remote opportunities
Cost/Stipend: No cost; most internship placements are paid positions
Dates: Internships are offered year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: At least 16 years of age by the closing date of the announcement; Cumulative GPA of 2.0
The U.S. Department of State’s Pathways Internship Program gives you the chance to gain actual government experience while still in school. You can apply for the Internship Experience Program (IEP), which offers longer-term roles with benefits and potential for promotion, or the Internship Temporary Program (ITEP), a shorter option that fits into school breaks. Both internships are paid and open to high school through graduate students. You’ll contribute to current projects, work closely with federal employees, and explore what a career in public service looks like. Completing the program can also make you eligible for non-competitive hiring into federal jobs, giving you a head start in your career. Positions are posted on USAJobs throughout the year.
10. JTB’s ConnectED
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: August 4-8
Application Deadline: June 30
Eligibility: High school students interested in the legal field
ConnectED is a free, week-long virtual program that introduces you to the legal field. Over five days, you’ll hear from federal judges about their journeys to the bench, take a virtual courthouse tour, and explore what it takes to pursue a career in law. Each day includes a live one-hour Zoom session, plus one to two hours of pre-recorded content on JTB University. You’ll also connect with peers in small groups to discuss legal topics and share ideas. The program wraps up with a social justice project, giving you the chance to apply what you’ve learned.
11. Interns 4-Good
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: Depends on the opportunity you apply to
Application Deadline: Rolling basis; opportunities are available year-round
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9-12)
Interns4Good is an online platform that connects high school students to internship opportunities at various nonprofit organizations. The site is frequently updated and offers roles in fields like law, communications, and marketing, giving students a chance to hone their skills while contributing to social impact. As an intern, you will be required to submit weekly logs detailing your hours and tasks, which are maintained for official documentation. Students can apply year-round, and specific schedules are arranged by the partnering nonprofit organizations.
While the next few programs are not traditional internships, we’ve included them because of the strong curriculum and relevant experience they offer.
12. Wake Forest University Summer Immersion Program: Law Institute
Location: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (1 hour from Charlotte)
Cost: $3,200
Dates: June 15 – 20 | July 15 – 20
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Current 9th-12th grade students
Wake Forest University’s Law Institute program offers high school students exposure to multiple areas of legal practice, including civil and criminal litigation, family law, government law, and transactional law. You’ll engage in activities such as reading and discussing case studies, participating in negotiation exercises, and attending a first-year law school class. The curriculum also covers legal ethics, confidentiality, and professional responsibilities through practical exercises. You’ll also be mentored by law students and young lawyers, along with guest lecturers, who will provide insight into the legal profession and potential career paths. The program includes daily structured sessions, group reflections, and networking opportunities.
13. Georgetown University’s Pre-College Online Program – Law: How to Think Like an Attorney
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,795
Dates: Multiple 2-week and 4-week sessions available
Application Deadline: Varies, depending on the session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older
This program introduces you to the way legal professionals approach cases, evaluate evidence, and present arguments grounded in facts. You’ll study real examples, such as the Lululemon murder case, to see how lawyers construct timelines, weigh different types of evidence, and negotiate plea deals. The course helps you practice separating fact from opinion and challenges you to think critically by asking deeper questions. You’ll also learn about college pathways and career options in law. Your experience concludes with a capstone project and a certificate of completion from Georgetown University.
14. Wake Forest University Online Immersion Programs: Criminal Law
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,495
Dates: Multiple 1-, 2- and 4-week sessions in the summer
Application Deadline: Varies by course
Eligibility: Students who are 13 years and older
This online program provides a detailed overview of criminal law, covering the process of a criminal case from evidence gathering through sentencing and appeals. You’ll study key legal principles such as probable cause, the 4th Amendment protections, rules of evidence, and the roles of judges, jurors, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. You’ll participate in practical exercises on witness examination and motion practice, alongside real case examples. The course culminates in a capstone project where you’ll act as an appellate judge, evaluating evidence and legal decisions. Mentoring support is provided throughout, with consistent feedback and guidance on assignments.
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