The mission of the Public Defender Service (PDS) for the District of Columbia is to provide and promote quality legal representation to indigent adults and children facing a loss of liberty in the District of Columbia and thereby protect society’s interest in the fair administration of justice. The Criminal Law Internship Program (CLIP) is designed to provide undergraduate and undergraduate students with the fundamental investigative techniques and relevant criminal law knowledge needed to assist attorneys within the organization. At the end of an intensive weeklong training session, the Intern Investigators are assigned to either one or two attorneys in the Trial Division for whom they are to complete all investigative aspects of the assigned cases. A small number of Intern Investigators may also be placed in our Civil Division, Parole Division, or other litigation divisions as needed. The responsibilities of an Intern Investigator include locating and interviewing witnesses and clients, taking detailed witness statements, performing extensive criminal background checks, serving subpoenas, photographing and diagramming crime scenes, preparing courtroom exhibits, writing reports regarding investigative activities, assisting with case development, and generally assisting the assigned attorney(s) in and out of the courtroom.
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Fellowship and Stipend Opportunities
While participating in the Criminal Law Internship Program is a priceless experience, we understand that living and working in the Nation’s capital can be financially burdensome. Therefore, a limited number of paid internship opportunities may be available through our Stipend and Fellowship programs. It is important to note that the Stipends and Fellowships are awarded to those who have already been selected to participate as a volunteer.
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Recruitment
Representatives from PDS, most of whom are former Intern Investigators, attend several career fairs, diversity fairs, and other large recruitment events across major cities in the United States to recruit the best potential participants for our Criminal Law Internship Program. The program attracts students from across the country and around the world.
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We may be in your area soon. Check out our Recruitment Calendar
Hiring
Applications for the Criminal Law Internship Program are accepted on a rolling-basis, however priority deadlines have been set up to encourage serious applicants to submit their materials as early as possible. To apply, complete the program application and send it, along with your essay response, cover letter, and resume, to the address listed on the last page of the application. Once the entire application packet is received and reviewed, you may be contacted to schedule an interview. Interviews are conducted over the phone or in person, depending on where you are located. Decisions are generally made within two weeks of the interview. Please note that the hiring process is extremely competitive, particularly for the summer session; when we hire an average of 8%-10% of the applicants.
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or download the Program Application
Training
The first week of the Criminal Law Internship Program is dedicated to an intensive training session that covers a wide variety of topics related to investigation procedures and the law. The training is conducted by the Supervisory Investigator in charge of Internships, but guest lecturers include current PDS executives, staff attorneys, and staff investigators.
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