Law Student Intern

The City Attorney's Office is committed to providing excellent legal services to its clients and supporting their efforts to better serve the citizens of the City of San José. It has a diverse staff of highly talented professionals with the expertise to provide comprehensive legal services for a wide range of issues facing a dynamic city. The Office strives to efficiently manage resources to meet the daily operational needs of its clients in a cost-effective and timely manner, while building the internal capacity to flexibly respond to the City’s ever changing legal needs.

Interns in the City Attorney’s Office may receive assignments from both the Litigation and Transactional Divisions, providing exposure to a broad range of municipal legal work. This cross-divisional experience allows interns to develop a well-rounded understanding of public agency legal practice.

Assignments will be based on office needs, intern interests, and background. Descriptions can be found in the
Division pages of the City Attorney's Office website.

Litigation Division
Interns assist attorneys with various stages of litigation Typical assignments may include:
- Conducting legal research and drafting memoranda
- Drafting pleadings, motions, and discovery responses
- Participating in litigation strategy meetings
- Attending mediations, depositions, arbitrations, and trials
- Certified law students may also have the opportunity to appear in court or administrative hearings under attorney
supervision.

Transactional Division
Interns assist attorneys serving as counsel to City departments. Typical assignments may include:
- Researching legal issues and drafting legal memoranda
- Drafting ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and other legal instruments
- Analyzing pending state legislation
- Participating in meetings with City departments and Council agenda review sessionsApplicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited law school to be eligible for the City Attorney’s Law Student Intern Program. Preference will be given to students entering their second or third year of law school. Completion of coursework in Evidence, Civil Procedure, and Constitutional law is desirable.

Interns must be willing to work up to 32 hours per week. Office hours are generally 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Work schedules are flexible based on the intern’s class schedule as well as the operational needs of the office. Once a schedule has been agreed upon, interns are expected to maintain the schedule on a consistent basis.

The Summer Program will run from Monday, June 7, through Friday, August 6, 2027. Requests for schedule exceptions
will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Any hourly pay will be subject to Budget approval prior to the start of the Summer Program.To apply, please submit the following materials with your application:
- Cover letter
- Resume
- Writing sample
- Law School transcript (electronic copy)
- Completed supplemental questions

Please email [email protected] with any questions about the Summer Program.