About the role#
The Committee for Public Counsel Services is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing legal counsel to individuals who cannot afford to retain an attorney. The Public Defender Division (PDD) provides representation in criminal, delinquency, and youthful offender cases. Interns work across the Commonwealth to support attorneys, social services advocates, and investigators in the fight for equal justice and human dignity. This is a full-time, paid internship for Summer 2027.
What you'll do#
Interns provide legal representation and advocacy for indigent clients in District and Superior Courts. You will work closely with legal teams to handle a variety of tasks:
- Conduct legal research and draft legal memos or briefs
- Assist with arraignment and bail advocacy
- Participate in second seating for trials
- Perform pretrial investigations, including visiting crime scenes and interviewing witnesses
- Support the Appeals Unit in representing clients before the Massachusetts Appeals Court, Supreme Judicial Court, and occasionally Federal Court
- Observe oral arguments
What you'll need#
- Enrollment as a law student (with or without SJC Rule 3:03 Certification), graduate student, or undergraduate student
- A demonstrated commitment to zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and the protection of fundamental constitutional and human rights
- Access to a personal computer with home internet for remote work
- Access to reliable transportation for travel to courts, client meetings, and investigation sites
Location & details#
This role is offered on a hybrid basis across various Massachusetts locations including Boston, Roxbury, Quincy, Brockton, Hyannis, Fall River, New Bedford, Framingham, Lawrence, Lowell, Malden, Salem, Worcester, Holyoke, Pittsfield, Springfield, and Northampton.
About Committee for Public Counsel Services
The Committee for Public Counsel Services is a government agency based in Boston, Massachusetts. It manages legal representation for indigent individuals in criminal, civil, and administrative cases where the law requires counsel. The organization coordinates a network of approximately 500 staff attorneys and 3,000 private attorneys. Its work covers areas including child welfare, mental health, and juvenile delinquency.
How to get in at Committee for Public Counsel Services
Applying early to the Committee for Public Counsel Services gives you a distinct advantage because recruiters review applications before the volume becomes unmanageable. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published, ensuring you are among the first to submit your materials. This timing often determines whether your application receives a thorough review or gets lost in a large queue. You can also improve your chances by reaching out to the recruiters behind the company roles directly to ask about the position or a potential referral. Intern Insider surfaces these specific contacts for you, which helps you bypass the standard portal and materially improves your response rates. Connecting with a human at the Committee for Public Counsel Services shows genuine interest and helps you stand out from the crowd.
