Summer is one of the few times in the year when you can step away from school schedules and test what a subject feels like in the real world. Summer law internships for high school students offer the space to learn without juggling classes, exams, and assignments at the same time. Instead of studying a subject only through textbooks, you begin building practical skills and professional habits. An internship is also one of the most direct ways to understand whether a field genuinely interests you beyond theory.

Imagine spending your summer in a professional legal environment, observing how legal teams operate, assisting with research, drafting briefs, or learning how laws shape real people’s lives. Picture interacting with attorneys, legal researchers, or policy professionals, and seeing how classroom concepts translate into real-world decision-making. In a law internship, you gain early exposure to professional expectations and the realities of legal work.

What kinds of summer law internships for high school students are there?

With so many opportunities advertised, it can be difficult to know which internships are truly valuable. Some may offer little more than administrative tasks, while others provide structured mentorship and meaningful exposure to legal thinking. That’s why careful selection matters, so you can identify internships that build practical skills, deepen your understanding of law, and strengthen your academic and career profile.

A well-designed law internship can act as a foundation for a high school student’s academic journey and future career. It may offer you clarity and real-world context in an accessible and affordable setting. Through the internship, you could start building a profile that reflects genuine interest instead of a surface-level exploration. 

You’ll learn from experienced legal professionals, take part in discussions, workshops, and research tasks, and collaborate with motivated peers who share your interests. Along the way, you’ll sharpen your reasoning and writing skills, build professional confidence, and gain a clearer sense of what pursuing law at the university level can really look like.

If you’re interested in law, you can also have a look at law summer camps for high school students.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 15 summer law internships. Each program in this list offers a strong work-learn model. We’ve included experiences that allow you to actively engage with the law, legal systems, and professional practice.

15 Summer Law Internships for High School Students

1. Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program (TMSLIP) by the New York City Bar

Location: New York City
Cost/Stipend: Interns were paid $16/hour to $22/hour in the past
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Fairly competitive
Dates: June 18th – August 28th
Application Deadline: March 10th
Eligibility: NYC public high school students

The Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program (TMSLIP) is a paid summer internship for New York City public high school students interested in law. You are placed with a legal employer such as a law firm, corporation, nonprofit, or government agency through a competitive application and interview process.

The program begins with pre-employment workshops in the spring, followed by a 6–8 week full-time internship during the summer. You’ll work 35–40 hours per week in a professional legal setting and are paid directly by your host organization. The experience focuses on building workplace skills while giving you exposure to how legal organizations operate. 

Why it stands out: TMSLIP combines paid, full-time legal work with structured professional training at an early stage.

2. Immerse Education’s Law Summer School

Location: Cambridge, London, Singapore, and Sydney
Cost/Stipend: Varies; summer school scholarship available through their bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; average of 7 participants per class
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18; international students welcome 

The Career Insights Program lets high school students explore careers in major global industry hubs. The Immerse Education Law Track helps you build an understanding of what a career in law might look like. Participants engage in project-based learning with established companies, attend interactive workshops, and visit offices, factories, and headquarters.

The program also includes in-person weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions and sessions where you will receive personalized feedback on your resume and overall profile. You’ll also present your findings to industry experts at the end of the program. You can find more details about the application here!

3. Atlanta Bar Association: Summer Law Internship Program

Location: Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: $2,000.00 (total) for the six weeks ($333 per week) stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, around 35 spots
Dates: June 8th – July 17th
Application Deadline: March 19th
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors studying in Atlanta high schools 

The Atlanta Bar Association Summer Law Internship Program is a paid, six-week summer internship for high school students interested in the legal field. This is a full-time placement with weekly meetings, sessions by guest speakers, and academic assignments tied to current legal issues.

You’ll build an understanding of how the law works in practice while developing professional habits expected in legal workplaces. You will work closely with legal professionals across law firms, corporations, and public sector organizations. 

Why it stands out: This is an all-in program that mirrors the pace, expectations, and accountability of legal work more closely than most high school internships.

4. The United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York Student Internship

Location: Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Vary depending on the opportunity, but are typically offered during the summer
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Rising seniors from accredited high schools who are US citizens

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York offers a volunteer summer internship for high school seniors interested in federal law and public service. You work out of the Brooklyn or Central Islip offices and gain exposure to how federal criminal and civil cases are handled at the district level.

The placement allows you to support litigation teams through legal research, trial preparation, and document review while learning how large government legal offices operate. 

Why it stands out: It offers rare, early exposure to federal prosecution work inside a U.S. Attorney’s Office.

5. Judicial Youth Corps Program – Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Location: Boston, Worcester, Springfield, MA
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited placements
Dates: July – August, six weeks
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students from Boston, Springfield, or Worcester

The Judicial Youth Corps Program is a six-week paid summer internship that places you inside local courthouses in Massachusetts. You spend weekdays working in court offices in Boston, Springfield, or Worcester, and Fridays in educational sessions run by the Supreme Judicial Court’s Public Information Office.

The experience introduces you to how the court system functions, from courtroom procedure to the role of judges, clerks, and probation officers. You learn directly from legal professionals through mentoring, discussions, and shadowing. The program also includes hands-on components like mock trials and field trips that connect legal concepts to real cases.

Why it stands out: You get paid, immersive access to real courthouses while learning directly from judges and court officials.

6. Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP) at the Dallas Bar Association

Location: Dallas, TX
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend is provided, but varies depending on the employer
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Fairly selective
Dates: Session 1 (June 8th – July 3rd), Session 2 (July 6-31), Full Session (June 8th – July 31st)
Application Deadline: April 4th
Eligibility: High school juniors in the Independent School Districts in Dallas

The Summer Law Intern Program places you with a law firm or corporate legal department in the Dallas area for a paid summer internship lasting four or eight weeks. You work during June and July, with the option to commit to a single session or the full summer, depending on your availability and placement.

The matching process is handled through interviews and application review, with placements based on your interests and schedule. Once selected, you follow your employer’s set hours and take part in required orientations and program-wide educational events. Alongside the internship, you’ll complete a structured learning curriculum designed to deepen your exposure to legal careers.

Why it stands out: It combines real law firm or in-house legal experience with centralized placement and training through a major city bar association.

7. Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program

Location: Manhattan, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Interns will receive a stipend based on the minimum wage
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 29th – July 31st
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March
Eligibility: Current sophomores, juniors, or seniors living in or attending school in Manhattan  

The Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program offers one of the most immersive summer law internships for high school students interested in criminal justice and prosecution. Over five paid weeks, you work inside a major prosecutor’s office, gaining insight into criminal justice through guided workshops and discussions.

You take part in a mock trial program that connects legal theory to real courtroom practice. The program also emphasizes professional conduct and communication in a legal work environment, setting clear expectations about accountability and performance.

Why it stands out: You gain direct exposure to a major district attorney’s office while being paid and held to professional workplace standards.

8. Miami-Dade State Attorney High School Volunteer Internship Program

Location: Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Miami, FL
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Fairly selective
Dates: At least 3 months at 16-20 hours/week
Application Deadline: Rolling throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students who are US residents 

The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office internship places you inside one of the largest prosecutorial offices in the country, serving Miami-Dade County. You gain direct exposure to how criminal cases move through the justice system, from intake to filing, after completing an initial training period. You interact with victims, witnesses, and the public while observing court proceedings and supporting case preparation.

You learn professional responsibility, ethics, and courtroom procedures through structured orientations and ongoing training sessions. The program is designed to help you test whether criminal law or related fields are right for you.

Why it stands out: You are trusted with real, front-line exposure to prosecution work in a major district, not just observation.

9. Summer Law Institute (SLI) – Legal Outreach NYC

Location: New York City (hosted at law schools including Columbia and NYU)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: July – August, five weeks
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising 9th graders in NYC schools

The Summer Law Institute is a five-week summer program designed for high school students who want an early introduction to law. You spend your time studying core criminal justice concepts, working through legal problems, and building the skills needed to argue a case in a mock trial. You learn directly from law students and interact regularly with practicing attorneys, while visiting real legal institutions throughout the city.

The program is run on law school campuses, giving you a clear sense of what professional legal training looks like before high school even begins. By the end of the program, you will have completed a mock trial presided over by real judges and become eligible for a longer-term college-preparatory pathway.

Why it stands out: It offers serious, law-focused training at an early stage, using real law school settings and courtroom-style experiences.

10. Maryland Youth and The Law (MYLAW) – Law Links Internship

Location: Baltimore, MD
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Interns are paid $15 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Seven weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: March 13th
Eligibility: Baltimore City public high school juniors and seniors

Law Links is a seven-week, paid summer internship that places you in a law firm or law-related agency in Baltimore. You work full-time during the week while earning an hourly wage, gaining firsthand exposure to professional legal environments. Alongside the internship, you take part in the Law and Leadership Institute, a structured seminar series that focuses on workplace skills and professional development.

The program starts with an intensive orientation and continues with weekly training sessions that run alongside your placement. By the end of the summer, you leave with both practical work experience and a clearer understanding of what a legal workplace expects.

Why it stands out: It combines paid legal placements with formal leadership training and removes financial barriers by providing professional work attire.

11. University of Toronto’s Law Youth Summer Program (YSP)

Location: University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: $1175 CAD + $98 CAD registration fee (scholarships available for Canadian students)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not selective; 60 students per module
Dates: Multiple offerings from July 6-14 based on the YSP Module, check here
Application Deadline: Rolling deadline
Eligibility: Students enrolled in grades 10-12; international students welcome

The University of Toronto Law Youth Summer Program gives you a structured introduction to legal studies in a real university setting. You choose one of four focused modules: Corporate Law, Criminal Law, International Law, or Law, AI, and Technology. Each module centers on hands-on work, including mock trials, negotiations, debates, and case-based simulations.

You learn how legal reasoning works across different areas of law rather than just studying theory. Guest speakers and field trips connect classroom exercises to how lawyers use these skills in practice.

Why it stands out: You specialize in a single legal field for the duration of the program, allowing deeper skill-building instead of surface-level exposure.

12. Summer Law Internship Program

Location: Varies based on your placement
Cost/Stipend: $500 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 1-26
Application Deadline: March 27th
Eligibility: Rising sophomore, junior, senior; must be a resident of, or attend a high school in Shelby County, TN

This summer internship gives you a direct look at how legal work actually happens inside law firms, corporate legal teams, and government agencies. You spend the program embedded in a professional legal workplace, completing a total of 60 hours over the summer.

The focus is on exposure, especially if you are considering law and have not had many chances to see the profession up close before. You are placed with an organization where you observe daily legal processes and workplace expectations firsthand. 

Why it stands out: This program places you directly inside a legal workplace for a sustained period, giving you firsthand exposure to professional legal settings early in high school.

13. USF Summer Camps – JGHC: Mock Trial Intensive

Location: University of South Florida St. Petersburg Campus, St. Petersburg, FL
Cost/Stipend: TBA
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 32 students
Dates: TBA
Application Deadline: Applications open February 1st
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10-12; international students welcome

The JGHC Summer Scholars Institute Mock Trial Intensive is a one-week program where you learn courtroom procedure and trial advocacy through hands-on practice. You work on opening statements, witness examination, and closing arguments with guidance from legal educators and collegiate mock trial competitors.

The program focuses on practice, using drills and exercises to build critical thinking, public speaking, and legal reasoning. You also attend sessions with legal professionals and law school representatives to understand legal careers and admissions. The program ends with a full mock trial held at Stetson University College of Law, where you argue a case in a real courtroom.

Why it stands out: You complete a full mock trial inside a law school courtroom with direct coaching from competitive mock trial students and legal educators.

14. Pre-Law and Mock Trial Summer Academy – Rutgers University

Location: Rutgers–New Brunswick in New Jersey
Cost/Stipend: Tuition varies; includes housing and activities
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate, selective
Dates: Week I (Civil Case): July 12-18; Week II (Criminal Case): July 19-25
Application Deadline: Domestic: May 24th; International: April 12th
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors, ages 16-18; international students welcome

The Pre-Law and Mock Trial Summer Academy at Rutgers lets you learn law through sustained mock trial practice rather than lectures alone. You study the basics of civil and criminal law while working through a real case, guided by a Rutgers law faculty member. You build core trial skills like case analysis, witness examination, and persuasive argument through structured exercises and mock trials.

Each week focuses on a different case, allowing you to see how legal strategy changes between civil and criminal contexts. You also hear from legal professionals and explore how courtroom skills connect to careers across law and government.

Why it stands out: You can choose to complete one or two full trial cases, each taught by law faculty and centered on realistic courtroom advocacy rather than simulations on paper.

15. USF Summer Camps – JGHC: Cybercrime & Law

Location: USF Tampa campus, Tampa, Florida, USA
Cost/Stipend: $695 for the day-camp program (residential option available separately)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Camp capacity is limited to about 30 students per session (highly selective due to limited spots)
Dates: June 22-27, 2026, and July 20-25, 2026 (Monday–Saturday)
Application Deadline: Registration for 2026 opens February 1, 2026 (exact deadline not listed, but early registration is recommended)
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10-12 (rising freshmen may be eligible with approval); international students welcome

The USF Mock Trial: Cybercrime and Law summer program introduces you to the fundamentals of the legal system through an immersive, case-based mock trial experience. You explore real-world cybercrime scenarios while learning how evidence is evaluated, legal arguments are built, and courtroom procedures function in practice. Working closely with legal professionals and instructors, you develop critical thinking, public speaking, and persuasive communication skills.

The program emphasizes collaboration, ethical reasoning, and analytical depth, closely reflecting real legal processes. Through hands-on simulations and guided instruction, you gain a realistic preview of law-related academic and career pathways. 

Why it stands out: It combines real judicial work with a strong mentorship and professional network focused on diversifying the legal field.

From Classroom Law to Practice

Law becomes clearer when you move beyond theory and see how legal principles operate in real situations. Practical exposure turns abstract ideas into meaningful understanding.

The summer law internships for high school students highlighted in this article show how early legal experiences can shape academic focus and long-term goals through structured, real-world engagement.

By observing professionals, supporting research, and taking part in legal discussions, you develop critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills valued by universities.

To deepen this foundation, explore our Law Top Books Guide for essential reading that strengthens legal reasoning and supports confident preparation.