Criminal Law & Trial Internship
Program Information
Rising Freshman - Graduating Seniors
Georgetown University Washington, DC
Seven Days - Sunday to Saturday
July 20th - July 26th, 2025 July 27th - Aug 2nd, 2025
View Program Schedule
$3,500 USD
Click for Financial Aid
Intern with a law firm on an active defense case awaiting trial
Interns advocate for their clients on Capitol Hill and meet with Senators, Representatives, and Congressional leaders. Interns directly impact legislative policy priorities facing their clients and the nation by advocating for policy change.
Congressional Advocacy
Interns gain real-world experience assisting criminal defense attorneys with court documents, research, and trial preparation on an active trial case. Interns will develop cross and direct questions that will prepare their client or expert witness to take the stand in the fall of 2024.
Witness Prep
Participants intern for a top law firm and learn from some of the nation’s leading attorneys to develop a direct or cross-examination. Interns gain experience in the legal profession and preview what a future in the field of law holds for them.
Law Firm Internship
Program Highlights
Gabriela Lopez
The Academy of the Holy Cross, Class of 2024
2023 Criminal Law & Trial Internship
"My biggest accomplishment was the direct examination of the client. I am also super proud of successfully advocating for an issue related to the case in a Congressional Meeting. It was so cool reading his real case files and interesting analyzing all aspects of it. With Brandi receiving updates about the case during the week, everything felt very real."
Explore a legal career and work on a real case — before you graduate high school.
Explore a legal career and work on a real case — before you graduate high school.
Beyond the law firm they are interning for, students work closely with legal scholars and leaders from Georgetown University, Georgetown Law, the National Reentry Network, the Public Defenders Office Service, the District of Columbia Police Department, practicing attorneys, and former Justice Department officials.
Explore a legal career and work on a real case — before you graduate high school.
In previous years students have defended an FBI Agent with disabilities against discrimination, fought retaliation against a US Federal agent whistleblower, and prepared a witness to testify in the case against Paul Manafort, former Trump Campaign Manager, showcased in the national media. Past clients have been found not guilty at trial in part due to Leadership Initiatives Interns’ work on the cases.
Explore a legal career and work on a real case — before you graduate high school.
Interns explore Washington, DC, and attend an exclusive tour of the Supreme Court, meet with members of the US Congress and staffers on Capitol Hill, tour the National Mall and DC museums, present in the Stephen S. Weinstein Courtroom at the Washington College of Law, and experience life as a Georgetown University student in the Nation’s Capital.
Explore a legal career and work on a real case — before you graduate high school.
Interns have the rare opportunity to learn exactly what it takes to get into the Nation’s leading undergraduate colleges and law schools directly from admissions officers, including UCLA, Georgetown, Boston University, and Fordham University at our exclusive Undergraduate and Law School Admissions Panels.
Undergraduate Admissions Panels
Law School Admissions Panels
Explore a legal career and work on a real case — before you graduate high school.
Throughout the program, interns meet and network with leaders from The DC Public Defenders Service, US Federal Judges, the National Reentry Network, DC Police, Georgetown Law, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, and more.
Explore a legal career and work on a real case — before you graduate high school.
Harden has practiced law for more than 20 years and is known as one of the most skilled trial attorneys in Washington, D.C., specializing on criminal defense, civil rights, and family law.
Explore a legal career and work on a real case — before you graduate high school.
All students who attend one of our Summer Internship Programs will receive free SAT/ACT training through Testive, one-on-one admissions consulting with a former admissions officer, essay editing assistance, two letters of recommendation, and scholarship application assistance. These benefits remain available for four years to allow nominations for rising freshmen through rising seniors.
Click on each academic benefit below to learn more :
1. One-on-One Advising
2. College Essay Assistance
3. Letters of Recommendation
4. College Probabilities
6. Admissions Panels
5. Personalized Websites
Jumpstart your college experience.
Summer program students will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a college admissions expert. They will help walk students through the ins-and-outs of college applications, essay writing, and scholarships.
Students can speak directly with former admissions officers from schools such as Yale, Brown & UCLA. These individuals have a minimum of 15 years of experience in the field of college admissions.
Students are recommended to have their most pressing questions about the college application process ready so they can have them answered by someone who knows the application system inside and out.
Past students have used this time to hone in on their essay topics, decide on how many colleges to apply to, and create application time lines.
College Admissions Panel
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All Summer Internship Program participants receive one-on-one essay editing assistance from Leadership Initiatives partner University Connection.
This offer is exclusive, and not available with any other institution or program!
Each student essay will be edited to ensure it makes an excellent impression at every stage of the competitive application process. The editors will improve the style, clarity, sentence structure and coherence of your application so that your achievements are noticed.
Editors bring their experience in many different backgrounds, including Science and Technology, Commerce, Management, and the Humanities.
College Essay Review
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Letters of Recommendation
All participants in the Summer Internship Program will have the opportunity to have two written for them from any Leadership Initiatives staff member, including the Executive Director Marshall Bailly.
Students interns will also have the opportunity to have letters written by Leadership Initiatives partners from the International Business & Development Internship, International Public Health Internship, and International Law & Advocacy Internship.
These unique and complimentary letters are one of the most highly regarded benefits that Leadership Initiatives has. Below are letters of recommendation from past students showcasing how the program transformed their lives:
Matthew Matusiewicz - Full Ride to UC Berkley School of Engineering
Samantha Williams - Attending Harvard University
Meredith Karle - Full Scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Request a letter or recommendation here.
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College Probability Modeling
Leadership Initiatives and our partners at Parchment, Testive and University Initiatives have designed a system that will calculate the probability of acceptance into the student’s top university choices based on the students GPA, test scores, extracurricular activities, career goals, financial need and more.
The Leadership Initiatives college admissions team will then help all participants narrow their college interest list and create a college application plan.
Because our college admissions teamwork with a broad range of higher education institutions, their advice, and beneficial knowledge will allow students to further understand the college admissions process.
Register for college probability modeling today!
Financial Assistance Needs
Extra-Curricular Activities
Community Service
College Probability Calculator
Grade Point Average
SAT/ACT Training Scores
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Leadership Initiatives creates a personalized website for each International Internship Program team highlighting their collaborative efforts with their partner in the International Business & Development Internship, International Law & Advocacy Internship, or International Public Health Internship.
The website displays your team's solutions, grant proposal, photos of your partners, and illustrates the impact your team has had on the life and community of your partners. The website link is included in your letters of recommendation, allowing colleges to independently explore the phenomenal work done by each and every student.
Personalized Website
Click here to view Youth Development Program websites.
Summer program students will have the opportunity to meet virtually, one-on-one with a college admissions expert from our partners at CollegeAdvisor. They will help walk students through the ins-and-outs of college applications, essay writing, and scholarships.
Students can speak directly with dedicated admissions counselors and former admissions officers to provide them with an in-depth understanding of the college application process. These counselors have personal and extensive experience in the college application field that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
Students are recommended to have their most pressing questions about the college application process ready so they can have them answered by someone who knows the application system inside and out.
Past students have used this time to hone in on their essay topics, decide on how many colleges to apply to, and create application time lines.
College Admissions Officer Meetings
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Experience life as a student at one of the nation's most prestigious universities.
Experience life as a student at one of the nation's most prestigious universities.
Leadership Initiatives is committed to prioritizing the health and safety of our students, staff, and broader DC community. For this reason, we have gone above and beyond to ensure safety at all of our Summer Internship Programs, including regular disinfection and health screenings, social distancing, specialized training, and maintaining all DC and CDC guidelines.
Experience life as a student at one of the nation's most prestigious universities.
Participants become a part of the Georgetown community of students and staff who live together in the New South Residence Hall. Students live in two-person rooms and may select their roommate upon enrolling in the program. Leadership Initiatives will provide bedding, towels, and pillows. Each dorm room is air-conditioned and includes a bed, study desk, closet & Wi-Fi. Lounges, game rooms, laundry facilities, and our offices are located in the residence hall. With afternoon activities in the Georgetown Quad and outings along famous M Street, participants are immersed in life as a student.
Experience life as a student at one of the nation's most prestigious universities.
Leadership Initiatives provides three meals, snacks, and drinks as a part of the program tuition. Students order meals on their mobile phones from a selection of local restaurants, including Chik-fil-a, Epicurean, 90 Second Pizza, Georgetown Gourmet, Chipotle, Wisemiller's, and Jimmy John's. Meals are delivered directly to the students, and snacks and drinks are available in dorm lounges throughout the day.
Experience life as a student at one of the nation's most prestigious universities.
Students are responsible for the cost of travel to and from the internship. Leadership Initiatives provides program participants shuttle service between DCA or IAD airports and campus on the start and end dates of the program for a fee of $30 each way. Upon acceptance, you will receive instructions on how to sign up for the airport shuttle service.
Leadership Initiatives staff members will meet the students at baggage claim and then escort students directly to registration at Georgetown University.
Program Tuition & Assistance
All-Inclusive Program Tuition
Specialized
Scholarships
Assistance Scholarships
No-Interest Payment Plans
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Program tuition covers the cost of room and board, ground transportation during the program, a 5:1 student to faculty and staff ratio, all curriculum, and materials.
Education assistance covered by tuition includes one-on-one college admissions counseling sessions, lecture fees, mentor sessions with experts, workshops, and all academic benefits, including SAT/ACT training through TestRocker and college essay editing.
Scholarships, payment plans, and fundraising assistance are available.
All-Inclusive Tuition
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No-Interest Payment Plans
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Leadership Initiatives offers a variety of flexible options to pay for program tuition.
Zero-interest payment plans are available in three, six, nine, and twelve-month payment options.
Participants can opt to pay the entirety of their remaining tuition balance off at any point during the payment period.
Reserve a place today with a $100 refundable deposit here.
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Specialized Scholarships
Leadership Initiatives is dedicated to providing opportunities for everyone who shows drive, determination, and grit towards their future goals. We have created various specialized scholarships to provide merit-based aid to enrolled and potential students.
Click here to view 2024 scholarship recipients.
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Scholarships
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, all Leadership Initiatives programs are heavily subsidized by our sponsors allowing us to offer programs with academic benefits at a lower cost than for-profit institutions.
To apply for a scholarship click here to fill out the program interest form and indicate you are interested in a scholarship.
Please note scholarships do not stack (this means you can only use one scholarship per program).
Partners and Sponsors
Our office in Washington, DC is open seven days a week - give us a call! A phone conversation allows us to answer your specific questions and provide you with contact information for previous intership participants and their families so that you can get a first-hand perspective.
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Set Up A Call Today
Join us this summer!
Contact Us
4410 Massachusetts Ave., NW #236
Washington, DC 20016
info@lichange.org
202-738-1115
Helpful LInks
Join A Webinar
Request Alumni References
Become An Intern
Testimonials
Visit The International Internship Homepage
Leadership Initiatives is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported, charitable organization as determined by the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
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