About the role#
The Harris County Public Defender's Office offers law students and recent graduates the chance to gain hands-on experience in one of the largest criminal court systems in the country. You will join interdisciplinary defense teams and work directly with attorneys on active criminal cases. This program focuses on practical skills, mentorship, and courtroom exposure to prepare you for a career in criminal defense or public interest law. The summer program includes weekly legal training, lunch-and-learn sessions, and a mock trial program.
What you'll do#
- Conduct legal research and draft motions, memoranda, and other legal documents.
- Assist attorneys with case preparation, investigation, and trial strategy.
- Observe hearings, trials, and daily court proceedings.
- Review discovery, police reports, court records, and other case materials.
- Participate in client interviews in both office and custodial settings.
- Support factual investigation and case development.
- Attend office trainings and educational programming.
- Work collaboratively with attorneys and interdisciplinary team members, including investigators, social workers, and mitigation specialists.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment in or recent graduation from an ABA-accredited law school.
- Strong research, writing, and analytical skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a client-centered environment.
- Demonstrated interest in criminal defense, public interest law, or indigent defense.
- Preference is given to 2L or 3L students and those with prior legal, clinical, or public interest experience.
Location & details#
- Location: Houston, Texas.
- Term: Summer 2027.
- Modality: On-site.
- Compensation: This is an unpaid internship. Many students receive academic credit or funding through their law school or fellowship programs.
About Harris County
Harris County operates as a government agency in Texas. It sits within the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area. The county seat is Houston. It serves a population of over 4 million residents. This makes it the most populous county in the state and the third largest in the United States.
How to get in at Harris County
Applying early to Harris County roles gives you a distinct advantage because recruiters review applications as they arrive. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published, so you can apply among the first before the pile grows. Reaching out to the right person often beats applying into a general queue. Intern Insider surfaces the recruiters behind these roles so you can contact them directly to ask about the position or a referral, which materially improves your response rates.
