How to Get a Legal Internship Without Connections

By Angelie Ala, Editorial and Research Manager - BCG Attorney Search

One of the most common concerns law students face is how to get a legal internship without having connections in the legal industry. If you're a first-generation law student, new to the profession, or simply don’t have family or alumni ties to firms, you might feel like you’re already behind.

But here’s the good news: you don’t need connections to get a legal internship—you need a strategy. With the right approach, tools, and persistence, you can land meaningful legal experience even without an existing network.

This guide will show you how to secure a legal internship without relying on connections, from optimizing your materials to tapping into hidden job markets and utilizing your school resources effectively.

Why Legal Internships Matter

Legal internships are more than just a resume builder—they’re a crucial step in your development as a future attorney. These opportunities provide law students with hands-on experience in real-world legal work, encompassing tasks such as conducting research, drafting memos, observing court proceedings, and interacting with clients.

Internships also help you:

Build practical skills that complement what you learn in the classroom
Explore different practice areas to determine your long-term interests
Strengthen your resume for OCI, clerkships, and post-grad jobs
Start forming professional relationships that can lead to future opportunities

Whether you're targeting BigLaw, public interest, or government work, a legal internship shows employers that you're serious, capable, and ready to contribute.

1. Start with a Strong, Targeted Resume

When you don’t have connections to open doors for you, your resume becomes even more important—it’s often your first and only chance to make a strong impression. Legal employers review hundreds of resumes, and the ones that stand out are clear, focused, and tailored to the job at hand.

Why It Matters

Unlike informal referrals, cold applications are judged solely on the quality of your materials. A well-crafted resume shows that you:

Understand what legal employers value
Know how to present information professionally
Can communicate clearly, concisely, and persuasively

“I got my first internship from a cold email. The partner told me my resume stood out because it was clean, specific, and showed I was serious, even without prior legal experience.”
— 2L, Public Interest Intern

Tips for Building a Strong Law Student Resume

Keep it to one page. This demonstrates your ability to prioritize and present relevant experience efficiently.
Start with your education. Include your law school name, graduation date, GPA (if above 3.3), and any honors or activities (Law Review, moot court, student orgs).
Highlight legal experience first. Even if it’s limited, showcase any clinics, research, or relevant coursework.
Emphasize transferable skills. Roles in customer service, teaching, or leadership can demonstrate communication, organization, and professionalism.
Use action verbs. Start bullet points with words like “researched,” “drafted,” “analyzed,” or “assisted” to show what you did and how you contributed.

Tailor for Each Role

Don’t send the same resume to every employer. Instead, adjust your bullet points to reflect the skills and experiences most relevant to each opportunity. For example:

If you're applying to a litigation-focused firm, highlight writing, research, or advocacy experience.
If you're applying to a nonprofit, emphasize service-oriented roles, teamwork, or mission-driven activities.

A strong, targeted resume can open doors—even when no one is holding them open for you. It’s your professional snapshot, and if it’s clear, polished, and relevant, you’ll earn interviews on merit, connections or not.

Leverage Your Law School’s Career Services Office

If you don’t have connections in the legal field, one of the best resources already at your fingertips is your law school’s career services office (CSO). These offices exist to help students—especially those who may be the first in their family or community to pursue a career in law—navigate the job search process.

Too many students overlook or underutilize this resource, assuming it’s only helpful during OCI. In reality, your CSO can serve as a direct bridge to internships, alumni connections, and exclusive opportunities that aren’t publicly posted anywhere else. If you’re considering internships or flexible roles to gain experience, our article on best part-time jobs for law students offers practical ideas.

How Career Services Can Help You

Personalized Resume and Cover Letter Reviews
Before you apply anywhere, your CSO can help you fine-tune your resume and cover letter to legal industry standards. This step is especially important when you're applying cold, without a referral.
Exclusive Job Postings on School Platforms
Most law schools use a platform like Symplicity or 12Twenty, which includes job listings that employers send specifically to your school. These roles often aren’t listed on public job boards and may include smaller firms, judges, or local agencies looking for students just like you.
Mock Interviews and Interview Coaching
If you land an interview, career services can help you prepare with mock interviews, feedback sessions, and guidance on how to answer common legal employer questions.
Alumni Connections and Employer Outreach
Many career advisors can introduce you to alumni who are eager to mentor or hire students from their school. Your CSO may also have longstanding relationships with employers who return each year looking to hire from their preferred schools.
Application Strategy Advice
If you’re not sure where to apply or how to stand out, your CSO can help you identify which sectors—government, nonprofit, firm—align with your interests, and how to approach each one differently.

Tips for Making the Most of Career Services

Don’t wait until your 2L or 3L year—start using CSO services during 1L.
Be proactive. Ask questions, schedule appointments, and follow up after meetings to ensure effective communication and collaboration.
Treat career advisors as collaborators—they can be your biggest advocates.
Use their insights to discover hidden job leads and avoid common mistakes.
Stay on top of school-wide job digests, resume drops, and OCI announcements.

You may not have family in BigLaw or connections at the courthouse, but your school’s career services office can help level the playing field. It’s a free, built-in support system designed to help students get hired, especially those starting from a blank slate. Use it early, use it often, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. That’s what they’re there for.

Apply Broadly and Early

When you don’t have connections, volume and timing are key. To increase your chances, apply to a wide range of opportunities as early as possible.https://www.lawcrossing.com/article/900046646/Don-t-Panic-What-To-Do-If-You-Don-t-Land-a-First-Year-Summer-Legal-Internship/

Why this works:

✅ Many legal employers hire on a rolling basis—early applicants get first consideration
✅ Casting a wide net helps you discover opportunities others might overlook
✅ Applying broadly shows flexibility and a willingness to learn
✅ Early and proactive applications reflect strong time management and professionalism

What to apply for:

Law firms (small, mid-size, and boutique—not just BigLaw)
Government internships (city, state, and federal)
Legal aid organizations and nonprofits
Judicial internships and externships
In-house legal departments and compliance roles

The more consistently and broadly you apply, the better your odds, even without personal connections.

Cold Email—Yes, It Works

Cold outreach may feel intimidating, but it’s one of the most effective ways to get noticed, especially at smaller firms, solo practitioners, or local nonprofits.
How to do it:

Identify a firm or organization that aligns with your interests
Send a brief, professional email introducing yourself and expressing interest in an internship
Attach your resume and a short, customized cover letter
Be polite, clear, and direct

Cold email template:
Subject: Internship Inquiry – Rising 2L at [Law School]
Dear [Attorney’s Name],
I’m a rising 2L at [Law School] with a strong interest in [practice area]. I admire the work your firm does in [specific type of law] and would love the opportunity to contribute as a legal intern this coming [summer/semester]. I’ve attached my resume and would welcome the chance to speak with you further.
Thank you for considering my inquiry.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Contact Info]

You don’t need connections to start building them. One well-written email can open a door that wasn’t even visible before. Be thoughtful, be polite, and don’t be afraid to follow up once if you don’t hear back. Cold emails work—not every time, but often enough to make a real difference in your legal job search. Even if you’re networking-light, Mastering the Legal Intern Resume provides concrete steps to craft a resume that opens doors on its own.

Use LinkedIn to Research and Reach Out

When you don’t have connections, LinkedIn can help you build them. It’s one of the most underutilized tools for law students seeking to break into the legal field, especially those without access to family, alumni, or firm connections. Used strategically, LinkedIn isn’t just a social platform; it’s a professional research engine and relationship builder.
You can use LinkedIn to identify hiring contacts, learn about employers, and start conversations that could lead to internships or mentorships—even if you’ve never met the person before.

Why LinkedIn Works for Law Students

✅ Helps you find attorneys and recruiters who share your interests or school background
✅ Gives insight into firm culture, hiring patterns, and employee career paths
✅ Offers a low-pressure way to introduce yourself and express interest
✅ Can turn cold leads into warm introductions through shared connections

How to Use LinkedIn Strategically

1. Research Employers

Look up the profiles of firms, agencies, and nonprofits you’re interested in.
Review employee bios to see where they went to school, what they studied, and what career paths they followed.
Take note of job titles, locations, and whether they’ve worked with interns before.

2. Identify Alumni

Use LinkedIn’s alumni tool to find graduates from your undergrad or law school working in your desired field.
Alumni are more likely to respond to outreach, especially when you're polite, professional, and show genuine interest.

3. Reach Out Professionally

Send a short, respectful message asking for a brief conversation, not a job.
Express your interest in their work and ask if they’d be willing to share insight about their path or advice for students interested in their area. You don’t need a built-in network to start building one. LinkedIn enables you to take control of your outreach and establish meaningful connections with individuals who can offer guidance or even opportunities. With a thoughtful approach, it becomes a powerful tool in your legal job search toolkit.

You don’t need a built-in network to start building one. LinkedIn enables you to take control of your outreach and establish meaningful connections with individuals who can offer guidance or even opportunities. With a thoughtful approach, it becomes a powerful tool in your legal job search toolkit.

Show You’re Serious—Even Without Experience

You don’t need prior legal internships to prove you're committed to a legal career—you just need to show initiative. Employers want to see that you're invested in the profession, even if you're just starting.

Here’s how to demonstrate that:

✅ Join law school organizations like Moot Court, Law Review, or student bar associations
✅ Participate in legal clinics, pro bono projects, or volunteer work
✅ Take relevant electives aligned with your interests (e.g., trial advocacy, criminal law, immigration)
✅ Attend panels, networking events, or webinars related to your target practice areas

These steps demonstrate that you’re actively engaging with the legal field, rather than waiting for someone to hand you an opportunity. That effort makes you stand out, even without connections or experience.

Follow Up and Stay Organized

Applying for legal internships without connections often means casting a wide net, so it’s crucial to stay organized and follow up professionally. Many students miss out on opportunities not because they weren’t qualified, but because they didn’t track deadlines or failed to follow up at the right time.

Being persistent and organized demonstrates to employers that you’re responsible, detail-oriented, and genuinely interested in the position, qualities that every legal workplace values.

Why Following Up Matters

✅ Reinforces your interest and enthusiasm
✅ Keeps your application top-of-mind for busy employers
✅ Demonstrates initiative and professionalism
✅ Can make the difference between silence and a response

After submitting your application or having an informational conversation, send a brief thank-you or check-in email within one to two weeks. If someone referred you or gave advice, follow up with an update later—it shows respect and builds long-term rapport.

How to Stay Organized

Create a simple job search tracker using a spreadsheet or document. Include columns for:

Employer/Firm name
Contact person and email
Date of application
Materials submitted
Follow-up date
Status or next steps

This keeps you from missing deadlines, applying twice, or forgetting who you’ve spoken to.
In the legal profession, details and follow-through matter. Following up and staying organized shows you're prepared for the real-world demands of legal work—even before your first internship begins. It’s a small effort that can lead to big results. When you’re ready to apply, make sure your materials stand out with these legal internship application templates that get results — designed specifically for law students applying without established connections.

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Final Thought: Connections Help, But Grit Wins

It’s true—connections can open doors. However, a strong work ethic, thorough preparation, and smart strategy will help you navigate them. If you don’t have a network today, build one as you go. Focus on adding value, showing up professionally, and applying consistently. For students specifically targeting federal opportunities, check out The Ultimate Guide to Federal Legal Internships for Law Students in the USA (2025 Edition) for a detailed roadmap of programs across federal agencies.

Plenty of law students land internships without a single referral—and you can too.

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