Internship Program

The Public Defender’s Office offers an internship program for current law students, college students interested in the field of criminal law and high school students interested in doing public service or in getting real world experience.

No, the internship is unpaid.

The interview takes place via Teams video call and lasts between 15 and 20 minutes.

No, the start and end dates are fixed to ensure the interns can attend the orientation and supervisors can effectively plan assignments. If students are unable to attend on the scheduled dates, please consider reapplying for the next term. Our internship program offers positions all year long.

The internships are available at three locations: Frank Crowley Courts Building, George Allen Courts Building, and Henry Wade Courts Building. All three locations are in or near downtown Dallas.

A majority of the available positions are in-person. A few of the positions are either fully remote or a hybrid between in-person and remote. The exact schedule an intern will have will be determined by their placement within the Public Defender’s Office and will be set in coordination with their supervisors.

Yes, orientation is mandatory for all first-time interns. During the orientation, the Internship Coordinator will cover the Dallas County and Public Defender’s Office policies, training on misdemeanor and felony case processes, and go over the office expectations and rules. Therefore, if the student is unable to attend the orientation, then please consider applying for a different semester.

The law interns will be supervised by an attorney in the division they are placed in. The supervising attorney will oversee the assignment of day-to-day tasks and may conduct informal evaluations. If required by the student’s school, a formal evaluation will be performed.

Parking garages and lots are available for interns; however, interns are responsible for parking at their own expense. The Public Defender’s Office offers a limited number of free parking spots on a first-come, first-served basis.