Law Internships for High School Students: What You Actually Do

InBlogByLauren Hensel, COO, Leadership Initiatives

Updated October 18, 2026. Leadership Initiatives, Washington, DC.

Search for law internships for high school students and you’ll find long lists of programs that share one label. Look closer and they aren’t the same thing. Some are a week of lectures. Some are mock trials built around a made-up case. A smaller group puts students to work on a real case that an attorney is preparing for court.

Those formats lead to two different weeks. In one, you write an opening statement for a fictional defendant. In the other, you read the actual case file of a person who is waiting for trial.

Below, you’ll see what students do in each format, how to tell them apart before you apply, what a real-case internship asks of you, and what it costs. The two law programs Leadership Initiatives runs at Georgetown University in Washington, DC serve as the worked example throughout.

Direct Answer

Law internships for high school students come in four formats: classes, mock trials, local paid placements, and real-case internships. In a real-case internship, students review case files and evidence, research legal questions, and prepare witnesses or draft brief sections under a supervising attorney.

TL;DR

Many programs called law internships are classes or mock trials; a real-case internship puts you on an open matter.
Real-case interns review files and evidence, research, and prepare witnesses or draft brief sections.
A supervising attorney directs the work and answers for it, and client information stays confidential.
Leadership Initiatives runs two seven-day law internships at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
Criminal Law & Trial ends with witness prep; Advanced Law & Justice Reform ends with an oral argument.
Both accept rising freshmen through graduating seniors from anywhere who can travel to DC.
Tuition covers everything except travel, with payment plans and scholarships.

One liner: Ask whether the case is real; the answer decides what your week looks like.

Key Numbers

Stat	What it measures	Source
7 days	Length of each law internship, Sunday to Saturday	Program pages, Leadership Initiatives, 2026
$3,500	Criminal Law & Trial Internship tuition, 2027	Tuition page, Leadership Initiatives, 2026
$4,000	Advanced Law & Justice Reform Internship tuition, 2027	Tuition page, Leadership Initiatives, 2026
2	Criminal Law & Trial sessions in July 2027	Tuition page, Leadership Initiatives, 2026
$150	Discount for paying in full within 14 days of enrollment	Tuition page, Leadership Initiatives, 2026
6 years	How long college prep benefits stay available after registration	Home page, Leadership Initiatives, 2026
$30 and $45	Optional airport shuttle from DCA and IAD	Home page, Leadership Initiatives, 2026
6	Application items, from recommendation to background check	Home page, Leadership Initiatives, 2026

What Do Law Internships for High School Students Actually Involve?

In short: The work ranges from lectures to real case files, depending on the format.

Law internships for high school students range from classroom programs and mock trials to placements on real legal matters. In a real-case internship, students read case files, review evidence, research legal questions, and help prepare witnesses or draft sections of a brief, all under the direction of a supervising attorney.

Here’s what that looks like in practice. In the Criminal Law & Trial Internship, interns work with a law firm on an active criminal defense case. They sift through legal documents, review evidence, and help prepare the client and expert witnesses for trial. On the final day, they run a witness preparation session and perform a pre-trial direct or cross-examination to get their client or expert ready to testify.

A mock trial works differently. The case, the witnesses, and the facts are written in advance, and the trial ends when the program does. Both build skills, but only one feeds your work into a case that is still open.

Internship, Class or Mock Trial: What You Are Signing Up For

In short: Check the format first: class, mock trial, paid placement, or real case.

Many programs listed as law internships for high school students are classes or mock trials. An internship in the full sense means working on an open legal matter under a licensed attorney’s supervision. The program’s own description usually tells you which one you’re looking at.

One county program that turns up in these lists describes itself as a classroom setting with lectures and guest speakers. One public defender’s office keeps its law clerk track for law students and runs a separate week-long program to introduce high school students to the legal system. Each is built to teach. Neither describes work on an open case.

Four formats sold as law internships for high school students

Format	What you work on	Who leads the work	Who can usually apply	What you leave with
Class or academy	Lectures, readings, case studies	Instructors and guest speakers	Students at schools in one area	Background knowledge of the law
Mock trial program	A fictional case written for the program	Coaches and instructors	Varies by program	Courtroom speaking practice
Local paid placement	Tasks in a law office or legal agency	Host office staff	Students in a partner school or academy	Workplace exposure and pay
Real-case internship	An active case or petition still in progress	Practicing attorneys	Rising freshmen to graduating seniors, in the two DC programs	Work that goes into an open case

Before you apply anywhere, ask three questions:

Is the case real, and is it still open?
Which attorney supervises the work, and how closely do interns work with them?
What happens to your work after the program ends?

In the Advanced Law & Justice Reform Internship, the program page answers the third question directly. Interns present an oral argument on the final day, and those arguments are incorporated into the legal team’s final motion in the fall.

What You Actually Do on a Real Case

In short: Interns work real files, prepare witnesses or write brief sections, and advocate on Capitol Hill.

The work starts with a real file. In the Criminal Law & Trial Internship, that’s an active criminal defense case awaiting trial, selected by legal advocacy groups in Washington, DC for clients who need more resources to mount a proper defense. In the Advanced Law & Justice Reform Internship, it’s an active petition for release for a person who committed a crime before adulthood and showed growth while incarcerated.

Over the week, Criminal Law & Trial interns:

Sift through legal documents and review evidence with the attorneys on the case
Help prepare the client and expert witnesses for trial
Write direct and cross-examination questions that prepare a client or expert to take the stand
Study legal ethics with law professors

Picture the difference on a direct examination. In a mock trial, the witness answers from a script. Here, you write questions for a real person, then put them to that witness in a preparation session.

Advanced Law & Justice Reform interns focus on legal writing. They conduct case and precedent research and write segments of the legal briefs and motions used in their client’s case. They also study flaws in the legal system with law professors and attorneys. On the final day, they present an oral argument and proposal covering key parts of the case theory to a panel of lawyers and social justice experts at American University’s Washington College of Law.

Both programs take the case to Capitol Hill. Criminal Law & Trial interns present a piece of legislation to a member of congressional staff and advocate on issues facing their clients. Advanced Law & Justice Reform interns meet with congressional offices to push for policy change and justice reform.

Along the way, Criminal Law & Trial interns meet leaders from The DC Public Defenders Service, Georgetown Law, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, and others. Advanced Law & Justice Reform interns work with criminal justice reform groups such as the Second Look Project and the DC Justice Lab. Both programs include a Supreme Court tour and a presentation in the Stephen S. Weinstein Courtroom at the Washington College of Law.

Interns also leave with more than case experience. Every participant can request two letters of recommendation from Leadership Initiatives staff. Law interns also attend undergraduate and law school admissions panels, where admissions officers from UCLA, Georgetown, Boston University, and Fordham University explain what those schools look for.

Law Firm Internships for High School Students: Working Under a Supervising Attorney

In short: Interns don’t practice law; a supervising attorney directs the work.

Law firm internships for high school students put you inside a legal team, but you don’t practice law. The attorneys do. Under the DC Rules of Professional Conduct, a lawyer who directly supervises a nonlawyer must make reasonable efforts to keep that person’s conduct in line with the lawyer’s own professional obligations. In plain terms, the attorney directs your work and answers for it.

The rule’s commentary lists law student interns among the assistants lawyers rely on. It says lawyers should instruct those assistants on the duty not to disclose information about a client’s representation. When a high school intern opens a real client file, that instruction is part of the job.

That’s why real-case programs screen carefully. In the Advanced Law & Justice Reform Internship, the cases contain highly confidential information, so interns and parents sign non-disclosure agreements and consent to background checks. Every Leadership Initiatives applicant also submits to a background check for Georgetown University and U.S. government agencies.

When you compare programs, treat steps like these as a good sign. Confidentiality paperwork usually means there’s something real to keep confidential.

Summer Law Internships for High School Students in Washington, DC

In short: Two seven-day programs: one built on trial prep, one on legal writing and reform.

Leadership Initiatives runs two summer law internships for high school students, both at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Each lasts seven days, Sunday to Saturday, and students live on campus in the New South Residence Hall for the week.

The two Leadership Initiatives law internships compared

Program	Criminal Law & Trial Internship	Advanced Law & Justice Reform Internship
Focus	Trial preparation and criminal defense	Legal writing and criminal justice reform
Case type	Active criminal defense case awaiting trial	Active petition for release
Final-day task	Witness preparation and pre-trial direct or cross-examination	Oral argument and proposal to a panel of lawyers and social justice experts
Advocacy	Present legislation to congressional staff	Meet congressional offices on justice reform
2027 sessions	July 18 to 24, or July 25 to 31	July 11 to 17
Tuition	$3,500	$4,000

The Criminal Law & Trial Internship suits a student who wants to see how a defense gets ready for court. The week builds toward questioning a real client or expert witness in a preparation session, so the core skill is writing and asking precise questions. With two 2027 sessions, it also gives families more room to plan around other summer commitments.

The Advanced Law & Justice Reform Internship suits a student drawn to research, legal writing, and criminal justice reform. Interns write parts of briefs and motions and argue key points of the case theory before a panel. It runs one session in 2027.

The next section covers who can apply and what the application asks for.

Who Can Apply and What the Application Asks For

In short: Rising freshmen through graduating seniors, with a six-part application.

Both law internships use the same criteria. You must be actively attending high school, as a rising freshman through a graduating senior, and be available to travel to Georgetown University for your one-week session.

The application asks for:

A recommendation
A personal statement
An admissions interview
Your high school transcript
Two references
Consent to a background check

A personal statement for a real-case program reads best when it explains why you want to work on an actual case, since that’s what the week is built around. If you have questions before applying, the Office of Admissions takes calls at (202) 738-1115, seven days a week. Enrollment for the 2027 law internships is open now. When you’re ready, you can enroll for 2027 online.

What a Law Internship Costs and What Tuition Covers

In short: Tuition covers nearly everything except travel to DC.

Tuition for both law internships is all-inclusive. The one cost it leaves out is getting to and from Washington, DC.

What tuition covers

Cost item	Covered by tuition?
Meals, plus room and board on the Georgetown campus	Yes
Materials, facility fees, and transportation to tour sites	Yes
Lectures, mentor sessions, and workshops	Yes
College admissions counseling and the college prep benefits package	Yes
A personalized student website	Yes
Travel to and from Washington, DC	No
Airport shuttle between DCA or IAD and campus	No, optional at $30 from DCA or $45 from IAD

The college prep benefits stay available for six years from registration, so a rising freshman can use them through senior year. Families can pay in full within 14 days of enrollment for a $150 discount, or spread tuition over a zero-interest three-month or six-month plan, with no penalty for paying early. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Leadership Initiatives also offers scholarships funded by its sponsors, though only one scholarship can apply per program. Current figures are listed under tuition and payment options.

Law Internships for High School Students Near Me

In short: One DC location, open to students from anywhere.

A search for law internships for high school students near me mostly turns up programs tied to one place. Many are open only to students at schools in a single city or county, or to students already enrolled in a partner academy. If you live outside that area, the door is closed before you apply.

Both Leadership Initiatives law programs work the other way around. They run in one location, Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and accept high school students from anywhere who can travel there for the week. Students who book the optional airport shuttle are met by staff at baggage claim and escorted to program registration on campus.

Explore a Law Career Before College

In short: Pick the program that matches the work you want to try.

If you want to know what lawyers do before you commit years to the path, a week on a real case is a direct way to find out. Choose the program that matches the work you’d want to do: trial preparation, or legal writing and reform.

Have questions first? The Leadership Initiatives office in Washington, DC is open seven days a week. A phone call can also connect your family with past participants and their parents, so you can hear about the week firsthand.

Frequently Asked Questions

In short: Five quick answers on format, pay, length and eligibility.

What does a law internship for high school students involve?

It depends on the format. In a real-case internship, you read case files, review evidence, research legal questions, and help prepare witnesses or draft parts of a brief under a supervising attorney. Classes and mock trials teach related skills through lectures or a fictional case.

Are law internships for high school students paid?

Some are. A few local programs pay a stipend or wages, usually to students at schools in that area. Both Leadership Initiatives law internships charge tuition instead, with a pay-in-full discount, zero-interest payment plans, and scholarships funded by sponsors.

Is a mock trial the same as a law internship?

No. A mock trial uses a case, witnesses, and facts written for the program. A real-case internship puts you on an active matter, such as a criminal defense case awaiting trial, working directly with the attorneys handling it.

How long is a summer law internship for high school students?

Both Leadership Initiatives law internships run seven days, Sunday to Saturday, at Georgetown University. Other formats vary. One county summer academy, for example, runs two weeks in July.

Who can apply to the Leadership Initiatives law internships?

Students actively attending high school, from rising freshmen through graduating seniors, who can travel to Georgetown University for the week. The application includes a recommendation, personal statement, admissions interview, transcript, two references, and a background check.

Definition Bank

Term	Meaning
Real-case internship	A program where students work on an open legal matter under a licensed attorney
Mock trial	A practice trial built on a case, witnesses and facts written for the program
Supervising attorney	The licensed lawyer who directs an intern’s work and is responsible for it
Direct examination	Questions a lawyer asks their own witness to bring out that witness’s account
Cross-examination	Questions a lawyer asks the other side’s witness to test their account
Witness preparation	Sessions that ready a client or expert to testify, often by practicing questions
Petition for release	A filing that asks a court to release a person who is serving a sentence
Legal brief	A written argument a legal team files with a court
Motion	A formal request asking a court to make a specific ruling
Oral argument	Spoken presentation of a legal position to a judge or panel
Congressional advocacy	Meeting members of Congress or their staff to push for a policy change
Non-disclosure agreement	A signed promise not to share confidential information

Quick Facts

Leadership Initiatives

Property	Value
Type	501(c)(3) nonprofit
Office	4410 Massachusetts Ave., NW #236, Washington, DC 20016
Phone	202-738-1115
Program site	Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Criminal Law & Trial Internship

Property	Value
Case type	Active criminal defense case awaiting trial
Length	Seven days, Sunday to Saturday
2027 sessions	July 18 to 24; July 25 to 31
Tuition	$3,500
Final day	Witness preparation and pre-trial direct or cross-examination

Advanced Law & Justice Reform Internship

Property	Value
Case type	Active petition for release
Length	Seven days, Sunday to Saturday
2027 session	July 11 to 17
Tuition	$4,000
Final day	Oral argument at American University’s Washington College of Law

DC Rule 5.3

Property	Value
Type	DC Rules of Professional Conduct
Governs	Lawyers’ responsibility for nonlawyer assistants
Key parts	(b) supervision duty; Comment 1 on instructing assistants about confidentiality, names law student interns