About the role#
The Public Defender Division in Malden is seeking law students for Spring 2027 internships. Interns work directly with our staff of attorneys, investigators, and social service advocates to provide legal representation for clients who cannot afford to retain counsel. This is an unpaid position, and we encourage students to pursue external funding sources or federal work-study fellowships.
What you'll do#
- Represent clients at arraignments and pretrial hearings if you are SJC Rule 3:03 certified.
- Meet with and interview clients in our office, as well as at prisons, jails, and hospitals.
- Conduct legal research and draft pretrial motions and legal memoranda.
- Assist attorneys in preparing for motions and upcoming trials.
- Investigate cases by visiting the sites of alleged offenses and interviewing witnesses.
What you'll need#
- Completion of your first year of law school by the start of the internship.
- Coursework in areas such as evidence, criminal law, criminal procedure, constitutional law, or trial advocacy.
- Experience working with low-income clients, people of color, immigrants, or LGBTQ people.
- Ability to speak a foreign language is a plus.
Location & details#
- This internship is based in Malden, Massachusetts.
- The role is on-site, and you will work from our office and local courts.
- This is a full-time opportunity for the Spring 2027 term.
About Committee for Public Counsel Services
The Committee for Public Counsel Services is a government agency based in Boston, Massachusetts. It manages legal representation for indigent individuals in criminal, civil, and administrative cases where the law requires counsel. The organization coordinates a network of approximately 500 staff attorneys and 3,000 private attorneys. Its work covers areas including child welfare, mental health, and juvenile delinquency.
How to get in at Committee for Public Counsel Services
Applying early to the Committee for Public Counsel Services gives you a distinct advantage because recruiters review applications before the volume becomes unmanageable. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published, ensuring you are among the first to submit your materials. This timing often determines whether your application receives a thorough review or gets lost in a large queue. You can also improve your chances by reaching out to the recruiters behind the company roles directly to ask about the position or a potential referral. Intern Insider surfaces these specific contacts for you, which helps you bypass the standard portal and materially improves your response rates. Connecting with a human at the Committee for Public Counsel Services shows genuine interest and helps you stand out from the crowd.
