Internship, Fall

2-3 yrs required

Contract, Part-time

No

San Francisco City Attorney’s Office Law School Internship Program

The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office offers an internship program to law school students that is designed to provide an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in municipal law and government affairs. Our internship program is open to law school students who are enrolled in an accredited law school and are available to work a minimum of 12 hours per week in the spring and fall, and a minimum of 20 hours per week in the summer.

The City Attorney’s Office believes that diversity in our office is crucial to successfully performing the variety of work that we are entrusted with as the City’s attorney. We recognize that much work remains to be done to celebrate diversity in the legal profession, and are committed to continuing our role in contributing to that effort, starting with our internship programs. The City Attorney’s Office encourages a diverse applicant pool, welcomes qualified applicants of all backgrounds, and awards positions based on fair and open competition.

The internship program offers students an opportunity to work in an award-winning municipal law office that is nationally recognized by the American Bar Association for outstanding excellence. The City Attorney’s Office practices civil law and provides high-quality, consistent, and objective legal advice to policymakers and vigorously represents the City in civil litigation. The Office provides legal services to over 100 departments, boards, commissions and offices that comprise the City and County of San Francisco’s municipal government.

Interns work with attorneys on their assigned practice team who provide ongoing professional feedback and keep interns involved in the Office’s broader attorney-client relationship with city departments, commissions and officials. Depending on their assignments, interns can take part in client meetings with department staff and elected officials; trials, court hearings, and depositions; public meetings and closed sessions with city commissions and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors; and press conferences related to the Office’s work. Legal Interns also benefit from events, tours and lectures that the office schedules for interns every season.

Special programming offers an inside-view of important and sometimes surprising work required of lawyers for a city as innovative, fast-growing and unique as San Francisco. Past programming has included tours of the Fine Arts Museums in San Francisco (FAMSF), which include the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor; fireboat tours by the . Fire Department, which highlight its preparedness for modern maritime emergencies and its historical role in major disasters like the 1906 and 1989 earthquakes; observing hearings in federal court, followed with a Q&A with a presiding judge and clerks; tours of San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) facilities, highlighting the SFPUC’s efforts to protect public health and the environment; and tours of City Hall’s dome, Recreation & Parks Department’s facilities, the Probation Department’s Juvenile Hall, the City’s 911 Call Center, San Francisco International Airport’s facilities, and more!

The City Attorney’s Office currently offers two internship programs:

Law School Internship Program

We believe that diversity in our office is crucial to successfully performing the variety of work we are entrusted with as the City’s attorney. Being able to draw on different perspectives allows us to be at the forefront of legal issues both locally and nationally. We recognize that much work remains to be done to celebrate diversity in the legal profession, and are committed to continuing our role in contributing to that effort, starting with our internship programs. The City Attorney’s Office encourages a diverse applicant pool, welcomes qualified applicants of all backgrounds, and awards positions based on fair and open competition.

Law School Internship Program

Students currently enrolled in an accredited law school are eligible to participate in one of the Office’s three 10-week internship programs that run in the spring, summer, and fall. Once accepted to the Office’s Internship Program, participants are assigned to one of 20+ practice teams that are organized by practice area. Descriptions of the Office’s legal teams are available here.

Interns work on a variety of legal assignments under the direction and supervision of deputy city attorneys, who also serve as mentors. Each practice team designates at least one deputy city attorney to serve as an Intern Coordinator, who works to ensure that participants benefit from their assignments, are engaged in team and client interactions, and are fully immersed in the daily duties of the Office.

We aim to pair students with a practice team whose work is in line with the student’s professional goals and interests. We ask applicants to identify three practice teams of interest in their application materials, although the Office does not guarantee that applicants will be placed with one of their preferred teams. Descriptions of the legal teams are available here.

Interns in the Law School Internship Program will receive a stipend of $3,000 for the 10-week program.

Orientation (mandatory): June 3, 2024
Program: June 3 to August 9, 2024 (minimum 8-10 weeks)

How to Apply

To apply, email a cover letter, resume, and brief legal writing sample to .

Frequently Asked Questions

For common questions about the program, click here.
Hear from recent interns about their experience working with us, click here.

San Francisco City Attorney Internship Program

The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office offers an internship program to law school

Legal writing, legal research, client interaction, public speaking, time management, teamwork

Currently enrolled in an accredited law school

Submit a cover letter, resume, and legal writing sample to

Qualification and Experience Currently enrolled in an accredited law school

Legal