How To Get A (Paid!) Summer High School Internship At The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office

The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office is hosting a competitive summer internship program for high school students who live or attend school in the borough, District Attorney Ken Thompson and United Federation of Teachers (UFT) President Michael Mulgrew announced last week.

Students with an interest in criminal justice or public service will participate in a comprehensive five-week program.

“This inaugural program is a hands-on internship that will pair high school students with Assistant District Attorneys, offering the interns an insider’s view of the inner workings of one of the largest DA’s offices in the country. It’s a terrific opportunity to learn, grow and be mentored in a professional environment,” said Thomson.

Selected students will be assigned to a unit within the DA’s office and will support the work of Assistant District Attorneys and other members of the DA’s staff. They can expect to assist with legal research and analysis using the Internet, news articles and legal periodicals; assist attorneys on pretrial matters; work on case preparation, discovery, file maintenance and organizing court documents; participate in trial zone workshops; participate in judicial, legal and law enforcement-related  field trips; and observe criminal proceedings including trials, guilty pleas and sentencings.

“This internship provides young people with real world experiences and expands the education process beyond the classroom. We are happy to join with the office of the Brooklyn District Attorney to help students acquire important new skills,” said Mulgrew.

The program is open to qualifying sophomores, juniors and rising seniors who must be able to commit to the entire duration of the program, which will run from July 11 to August 12, from 9am to 4pm Thursday, and 9am to 12:30pm on Friday.

Students will receive a weekly $150 stipend and a MetroCard. Applicants are required to supply their most recent school transcripts, a one-page resume, two letters of recommendation and evaluation forms, from either a teacher, coach, or mentor, and must submit a 300 word typed essay (12 pt. font and double-spaced) on why they are interested in interning with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office and what impact they think it will have on their future personal and professional endeavors.

Completed documents should be emailed to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office at edprograms@brooklynda.org in pdf format, with the subject line: “Brooklyn DA Summer Internship Program,” no later than May 11.