Criminal Law Internship Program

The mission of the Public Defender Service 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 is designed to provide undergraduate, graduate, and law students with the fundamental investigative techniques and relevant criminal law knowledge needed to assist attorneys within the organization in preparation for legal representation of our clients.

The expectations and responsibilities of the Intern Investigators are diverse and intensive. The greatest aspect of this internship is the enormous amount of responsibility given to each student, as well as the hands-on nature of the workload. At the end of a comprehensive weeklong training session, the Intern Investigators are assigned to attorneys in one of our legal services divisions for whom they are to complete all investigative aspects of the assigned cases. The assigned cases can range anywhere from drug possession to homicide. The investigative responsibilities include: locating and interviewing witnesses, meeting with and interviewing clients, taking detailed witness statements, performing extensive criminal background checks, serving subpoenas, photographing, diagramming and measuring crime scenes, preparing courtroom exhibits, preparing memoranda regarding investigative activities, assisting with defense theory development, and generally assisting the assigned attorney(s) in and out of court.

The Intern Investigators selected to participate in the program must be either currently enrolled in an accredited college or university, or have already graduated with a Bachelors degree. In order to perform well in this program, it is essential for the interns to possess superior communication skills, to be self-motivated and relentless when attempting to complete an investigative task, to be a creative writer and thinker, and to be able to solve problems on their own. It is also necessary for the interns to be capable of being unbiased and objective when considering our clients and their cases.

Investigating at the Public Defender Service is not a 9 to 5 job. The hours are flexible, but can also be demanding at times when the attorney is in trial. Many of the witnesses that need to be interviewed work during the day, making it necessary, on occasion, to go into the field in the evening or on weekends. The office environment at PDS is informal. Staff Investigators dress casually (jeans, tennis shoes) and the Intern Investigators are encouraged to do the same. The Intern Investigators could potentially be required to testify in court, therefore suits or other business attire may be needed. Intern Investigators have a computer lab to write reports and conduct investigative searches on the Internet, however, the majority of the time will be spent in the field.

The program is further supplemented with a tour and lecture series that may include but is not limited to the US Attorney's Office, the D.C. Department Corrections, the Medical Examiner's Office, St. Elizabeth’s Mental Hospital and the Metropolitan Police Department. The purpose of the tours and lectures are to expand the scope and understanding of the criminal justice system. Also, student interaction with the staff is highly encouraged as it provides increased comprehension of our role in the system. The backgrounds and motivations of our professional staff are quite varied and impressive. Working directly with them provides students with an opportunity to understand the passion and dedication towards our mission. In addition, discounted services are available with LSAT test preparatory centers in the area for those seeking admission to law school.

See attached PDF for additional information about this internship.