INTERNSHIPS
The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Hawaii provides indigent defendants with high-quality legal representation at all stages of litigation for offenses ranging from petty misdemeanors to serious felony offenses. Typical caseloads include misdemeanors, felonies, supervised release revocations, and appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Our clients are charged with crimes that fall under federal jurisdiction—cases including (amongst others) drug possession and distribution, bank fraud, wire fraud, sex offenses, and firearms offenses. All internships are unpaid.
Training
Each intern will have the unique opportunity to receive hands-on experience in the preparation of the defense of criminal cases in federal court. An intern may research legal issues, draft motions and memoranda, and otherwise assist in trial preparation and investigation. If interested in appellate work, an intern may also collaborate on briefs to the circuit court. Throughout the internship, interns are encouraged to accompany lawyers to court proceedings and client interviews at the U.S. Marshal Service’s holdover and the local federal detention center. A supervisory attorney will monitor intern assignments; however, interns should expect to work with one or more of the attorneys during their placement. Interns also may be invited to attend informal lectures on criminal practice in federal court.
Many law school programs will award academic credit to participants in a law clerk program. The requirements and procedures vary depending upon the specific school's guidelines. The law student must coordinate between their school and our office to ensure all requirements are met.
Qualifications and Requirements
Applicants to our program must have strong written and oral communication skills and a demonstrated interest in public interest and/or indigent defense.
Summer Program: Students are preferred to have successfully completed courses in Criminal Law, Evidence and Criminal Procedure by the position's start date. We strongly recommend that 2L students apply for the summer internship by March 1st. Outstanding 1L students may apply but must possess strong research & writing skills. Interns typically work around forty hours per week and must commit to at least eight weeks with our office.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should submit their resume, cover letter, unofficial law school transcript, writing sample (usually a brief or memorandum written for a legal research or writing class), and a list of two or three references. Intern positions are filled on a rolling basis.
Send applications to Max Mizono at Max_Mizono@fd.org