Internship Program

Frequently Asked Questions about the Internship Program

Who is eligible?

Students currently enrolled in an accredited law school are eligible to participate in the City Attorney's intern program.

How do I apply?

To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and brief writing sample to:

Marisa Moret
Managing Attorney
City Hall, Room 234
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102

*Please note: Applications submitted via email or fax will not be considered.

When is the application deadline?

Be sure to read the Internship Program Schedule below. Applications must be RECEIVED by the deadline.

What types of internships do you have? Do I get paid? Do I get credit?

The San Francisco City Attorney's Office offers clinical, volunteer and work-study internships to law school students during the spring, summer and fall.

• Volunteer: The volunteer internship is unpaid. We accept students from accredited law schools for the volunteer internship.
• Clinical: A clinical internship is also unpaid. However, the intern receives school credit. An agreement between the law school’s dean of students and the office must be established before accepting a clinical intern.
• Work Study: In order for an intern to participate in the work-study program the intern must have federal work-study funds available and the City must have a current work-study contract with the intern’s law school. The City may not be the employer of work-study students. Work-study students may not work more than 20 hours per week during the school year. They may not work more than forty hours per week during the summer. No overtime is allowed. Work-study students must not exceed their work-study award. The amount of the award is determined by the student’s financial need and is unique to each student

Do you offer internships to law school graduates waiting for bar results?

No, the program is only open to current law school students.

When do the internships start and end?

Generally, the spring internship begins mid-January and ends mid-April. The summer internship begins in early June and ends in early August. The fall internship begins in early September and ends in early November.

See Internship Program Schedule below for important dates relating to the program.

What are the minimum requirements?

Applicants must be enrolled at an accredited law school and be able to work a minimum of 10 hours per week during the spring and fall.  Applicants must be available to work a minimum of 20 hours per week in the summer.

How many interns does the office take?

The number varies from year to year based on the office's need for interns. Typically, we host approximately twenty-five interns in the fall and spring and upwards of thirty-five in the summer.

What type of assignments do interns perform?

Interns assist Deputy City Attorneys in drafting statutes and regulations, reviewing contracts, representing the City in court and before administrative agencies and advising the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, and various agencies and departments of the City. Work varies depending on the team on which a student interns.

What type of training will I receive?

All interns attend an office orientation, which explains our role in City government, office structure and procedures. Interns also receive training on how to use the computer network. Each team provides interns with training to complete their assignments. Additionally, the office's continuing legal education seminars are open to interns.

What type of relationship can I expect to have with the Deputy City Attorneys?

The office encourages deputies to mentor interns and provide constructive feedback. Interns typically work closely on projects with at least two to three attorneys. Additionally, the team's intern coordinator works to ensure the intern has a manageable workload, is learning from assignments, and is receiving feedback.

What type of supervision will I have?

Each team in the City Attorney's Office has an intern coordinator. The intern coordinator runs intern meetings, distributes assignments and provides feedback. Additionally, interns will work directly for other deputies on the team.

What type of activities will I be able to participate in and observe?

When appropriate, interns are invited to Board, committee and client meetings, trials and depositions. Additionally, each season the office schedules lectures, events and tours for the interns. Events vary depending on the season and have included: a tour of Pacific Bell Park, a ride on a Fireboat, a tour of the Animal Care and Control facility, a tour of the Youth Guidance Center and an insider's view of the courts.

What types of research materials will I have access to?

The City Attorney's Office has an extensive legal library, three librarians, and a full range of electronic research materials including Lexis Nexis and Westlaw.

What are the teams in the City Attorney's Office?

Attorneys in the City Attorney's Office are organized into teams based on practice areas. We encourage intern candidates to state a team preference in their cover letter, however, final assignments are based on office needs. Internships may be available on any of the following teams:

• Airport (located at SFO)
• Child Protection and Family Services*
• Code Enforcement*
• Construction*
• Contracts and Intellectual Property
• Energy and Telecommunications
• Finance and Real Estate
• General Government*
• Government Ethics
• Health, Education and Social Services
• Labor*
• Land Use and Environmental Protection*
• Litigation*
• Port (located at Pier 1 in San Francisco)
• Public Protection
• Public Utilities
• Taxation
• Transportation
• Workers' Compensation*

* Teams that handle litigation matters

Will I be offered a job at the end of my internship?

Interns are not usually offered a position in the office immediately after their internship. The office typically hires attorneys with two to three years of experience.

What have past participants in the City Attorney's Internship Program had to say about it?

Not only do our interns gain great legal experience while interning with our office, they have a great time too.  Our past interns have had a lot of great things to say about our program.

• "Volunteering for the San Francisco City Attorney's Office provides students with a unique opportunity to gain practical hands on experience and training, while at the same time contributing in a meaningful way to the community.  It gave me a unique opportunity to combine my passions for public service and the law." (Nick, Golden Gate University, Summer 2006)
   
• "Working for the City of San Francisco is an unparalleled opportunity.  From defending the City from false employment discrimination claims to researching and writing about Constitutional claims in the marriage equality case, the issues are always cutting-edge.  It's both an honor and a profound responsibility knowing your work can impact public policy for years to come." (Charla, University of San Francisco, Summer/Fall 2006)

• "I spent a summer with the Public Protection Team, which represents the Police and Fire Departments, Animal Care and Control, and other public safety agencies.  I was given legal research and writing assignments in many different and interesting areas of law, including constitutional law, criminal law and statutory analysis. The attorneys invited me to attend commission meetings, legal proceedings, and meetings with clients. My internship gave me an indepth look at the legal and political  operations of San Francisco's public safety and law enforcement agencies and I would recommend the experience highly to anyone interested in public service and local government law." (Anne, Harvard Law School, Summer 2006)

Internship Program Schedule

The following is the most up-to-date schedule of deadlines and other key dates for the San Francisco City Attorney Internship Program.