10 Legal Internships for High School Students in New York
- Estelle Reardon
- Jan 16
- 8 min read
Updated: Jan 16
Topics We Cover:
For Empire State students interested in a career in law, engaging in one of the many high school internships in New York is a great stepping stone. Whether you’re dreaming of working as an attorney, policy analyst, or advocate, a high school internship provides the skills, experience, and insight needed to launch a successful career.
Why Do Internships in High School?
Another benefit of participating in a legal internship for high school students in New York (and internships in general) is that it can improve your chances of admission to a top school. Consider that the University of Chicago’s student-led consultancy, PRISM, found that 70% of students at U.S. News Top 50 universities completed at least one internship while in high school.
Completing a high school internship demonstrates to colleges that you’ve explored your interests beyond the classroom, gained real-world experience, and begun building the skills, expertise, and professional network needed for success in your field. This experience can help you distinguish yourself in competitive applicant pools—especially when many students have strong academics.
Internships also help open doors to other opportunities. For example, completing a high school internship increases your odds of securing a college internship. Furthermore, working as a high school intern can make it easier to join a pre-professional organization or group, like a pre-law club, debate team, or legal aid program.
How to Find Legal Internships for High School Students in New York
StandOutSearch is a valuable partner for high schoolers searching for internship opportunities. StandOutSearch is the largest free online database of internship opportunities for teens—it’s searchable with filters such as location, interest, and format (in-person, virtual, hybrid). Online search tools and lists—like this collection of high school summer programs and internships from MIT Admissions—are also useful.
Official high school internship programs are in extremely high demand; consequently, most are intensely competitive. Pursuing a cold outreach strategy—contacting professionals you don’t know about potential internships—is a smart alternative to applying to official programs. Cold outreach can be frightening, but the guide and templates below make the process more “simple” than “scary.”
10 Legal Internships for High School Students in New York
In general, the legal internships for high school students in New York listed below have acceptance rates under 20%. Due to the high demand for these programs, we recommend applying to at least five opportunities. If you find an internship that seems like a good fit, note its deadline on your calendar so you don’t miss out on a valuable opportunity.
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: Various Deadlines
StandOut Connect is a program that pairs ambitious high school students with remote internships tailored to their specific fields of interest. Opportunities span a wide range of fields, including:
Law
Business
Creative Arts
Healthcare/Medicine
STEM
The program is supported by StandOutSearch, the country’s largest free database of high school internship opportunities, and was developed with backing from the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. StandOut Connect has been featured in Forbes.
Ages: 18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 20
Participants in this exciting summer internship program attend some open meetings of the UN Security Council, the General Assembly, and various committees while cultivating a passion for foreign affairs. They also meet with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that align with their interests.
Interns conduct a research project, culminating in a written paper and oral presentation, and also participate in volunteer work, such as park cleanups and serving meals at soup kitchens.
Ages: 14-18
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: March 1
Legal internships are offered to both high school and college students by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. Competition is high for these positions, and opportunities are available with the following units:
Homicide
Special Victims Unit
Violent Criminal Enterprises (VCE)
Domestic Violence
Civil Rights
Victim Services
Crime Strategies
Investigations
Interns assist with a variety of tasks, such as supporting community outreach, compiling documents, and attending real-life trials.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 12
The Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program places high school students in paid positions with legal employers and provides them with professional development training. Interns work between six and eight weeks with law firms, nonprofits, and government agencies, gaining firsthand experience with the legal field and building skills they’ll use throughout their academic and professional lives.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 16
This summer program pairs high school and college students with paid internships at leading corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies in New York City. Participants develop career readiness through training in job-seeking skills, such as resume writing and interviewing, while gaining valuable real-world work experience.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York, NY or Washington, D.C.
Timeline: Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter
Deadline:
Spring: November 30
Summer: April 30
Fall: July 30
Winter: October 30
Interns improve their understanding of Congress by assisting staff with a number of tasks, including:
Administrative work
Answering phones
Sorting mail
Researching legislation
Attending briefings and hearings
Assisting with public events
Assisting with constituent casework
Interns have the opportunity to explore interests in both the legislative and communications fields.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 2
This program is kind of like an internship for college—participants live and learn like college students, taking college-level classes, living in dorms, eating in dining halls, and exploring New York City. Participants also engage in college-readiness workshops, community-building activities, and health and wellness programs.
Over 70 courses are available, including a number of classes focused on the law. For example:
Constitutional Law
Introduction to Corporate Law
Introduction to Criminal Law
Law as a Tool for Social Justice
Legal Reasoning: Thinking Like a Lawyer
Trial Advocacy
Ages: 14-18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Fall and Spring
Deadline: TBD
The New York University High School Law Institute (“HSLI”) is a student-run organization that provides free courses taught by NYU Law faculty and undergraduate students in constitutional law, criminal law, and speech and debate. Participants build foundational legal knowledge while developing soft skills like critical thinking, teamwork, and analytical reasoning.
Ages: Juniors and Seniors
Location: Manhattan, NY
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: Varies
The HISP offers high school juniors and seniors five-week internships that provide an up-close look at the criminal justice system. Participants engage in workshops, discussions, and mock trials, leaving the program with real-world experience and strengthened professional skills.
Ages: Rising Juniors and Seniors
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
December 3
This prestigious free summer program inspires leadership and explores how power and privilege shape social structures. Students engage in college-level classes, lectures, and group work. They’ll also compose essays and participate in a public speaking program.
Participants gain firsthand experience working collaboratively to make democratic decisions, from planning group activities and organizing community service projects to managing their program budget.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Law Internships
If none of the opportunities above are right for you, your next step to landing a high school legal internship in New York is to launch a cold outreach strategy. The guide below offers straightforward tips for executing an effective plan.
As an added note, exercise caution when reaching out to professionals you don’t know. It’s always safest to conduct interviews and meetings virtually.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
Leverage LinkedIn to identify small businesses, firms, or nonprofits where you could assist with tasks like organizing files and records, data entry, and research, or provide administrative support. Smaller organizations often operate with limited staff and are more open to bringing on high school students.
When reaching out, make an effort to establish a personal connection—such as shared roots (like growing up in the same city or town) or common interests (such as a passion for the same hobby or supporting the same sports team) to help your message stand out.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
Explore university faculty directories online to identify professors to contact about potential research opportunities. Remote research positions for high school students are rare, as most professors use high schoolers to assist with hands-on lab work, which requires in-person attendance.
The main exception is computational, where remote work is more common. These projects often require only basic programming skills, typically in Python or R, to handle and analyze large datasets. You can teach yourself these languages at no cost in just a few months using excellent free or low-cost resources, like Coursera’s Python for Everybody and R Programming.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
The more professionals you reach out to, the better your chances are of securing an internship—we recommend sending at least 50 emails to potential internship providers. When making inquiries, include a Google link to your resume and ensure its share setting allows anyone with it to view its contents. Links are preferable to PDF and Docs, which can trigger spam filters.
Be sure to also include any relevant work experience, such as student government roles, advocacy work, administrative jobs, or research positions. It’s equally important to highlight pertinent skills, including research, analysis, and communication.
If you don’t have a resume, no worries. Our resume guide and template offer practical, no-nonsense tips for crafting a resume that will help you earn internships. The University of Chicago’s resume toolkit is also a helpful resource.
Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
If you are unsure how to structure your outreach emails to potential internship providers, here are some basic templates you can customize to your needs.
Template for Finding an Internship
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Mr./Ms.____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I read about your company on LinkedIn and found the concept quite interesting. For context, [briefly state how the company relates to your interests or experience].
I was wondering if you might be looking for interns. I know I would have a great deal to learn from working with you, and I would love to contribute in any way I can. I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Template for Finding a Research Position
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Professor/Dr. ____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I recently read your paper on [restate the abstract] in [name of publication] and was quite intrigued by [part you found interesting]. I was wondering if I might be able to intern for you over this summer. [Elaborate on your relevant skills and experience and why you are passionate about the field].
I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Conclusion
Whether you’re targeting official programs or reaching out to professionals as part of a cold outreach strategy, persistence is essential when pursuing legal internships. These positions are often highly competitive, but worth the effort to get a head start on shaping your career.
If this guide was helpful, save it for future reference or share it with someone who also might benefit from it. Good luck with your internship search!