A Look at Legal Internships in Florida
The state of Florida is home to a diverse and robust legal community, providing various career options for students pursuing a legal career. As an essential step in the journey toward a successful law career, legal internships play a pivotal role in a law student’s education, offering invaluable insights into the intricacies of legal practice, including research, writing, and client interaction.
Legal internships in Florida can be found in a wide range of institutions, from high-profile national firms such as Akerman LLP, Greenberg Traurig, and Holland & Knight LLP to smaller boutique firms and regional firms that specialize in particular areas of law. Some firms focus primarily on civil litigation or corporate law, while others may concentrate on niche areas . Additionally, there are opportunities in the public sector and with nonprofit legal services organizations.
Internships provide students with hands-on experience that connects the dots between theory and practice and their school work with the "real world." These positions can foster professional relationships, expand the individual’s network of business connections, and expose them to various legal practices and settings. Even more impactful, a legal internship can provide potential law students with the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge in their area of interest, helping them secure positions in their desired practice area after graduation.
Regardless of the type of law firm, an internship offers students the chance to apply analytical skills and hone research and drafting abilities as they work with attorneys on current cases and issues.
Leading Law Firms That Offer Internships in Florida
Internships in the legal field provide students with valuable experience and opportunities to network. These positions allow students to develop the critical skills needed to practice law while also providing them with a foot in the door when they graduate. The following is a list of the top law firms in Florida that offer internships to law students.
White & Case: This law firm offers competitive summer internship and externship programs to law students across four Florida offices: Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. Candidates should be entering their second year of law school when applying. For current second-year students, the summer program acts as a stepped approach to full-time employment with the firm. Interns can expect to receive workspace in the firm’s Miami office, a full description of responsibilities and the opportunity to participate in an orientation and training with junior associates. Other features of the internship include formal and informal opportunities to learn about the firm via presentations from partners and associates, lunch with partners, an active social calendar and mentoring opportunities. Although hiring is based on overall performance, the firm considers applicants for permanent employment in the spring of their third year of law school attractive.
Akerman: The South Florida offices of Akerman, located in Coral Gables, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, offer summer internships that provide students with an inside look at corporate law. Like White & Case, these internships are competitive and designed for students entering their second year of law school. Participants get to work alongside attorneys on several ground-breaking and complex matters while spending time getting to know other people in the firm. Students are also taught general professional development skills that will help them build the foundation for their careers after law school.
Kelley Drye & Warren: This firm has locations in Fort Lauderdale and Miami and accepts resumes year-round from law students. Interns work during the 2L summer program and are assigned mentors from day one. Responsibilities include legal research support for several clients, administrative support to attorneys and attendance at hearings and depositions. This small firm internship program allows law students to get critical hands-on experience from day one while completing assignments. Summer associates are rewarded for their efforts with competitive compensation rates, and college sophomores may also apply for an internship during their junior years.
Hunton & Williams: The firm’s Miami location offers law students the opportunity to experience what it’s like to practice law at a distinguished firm by taking part in the Miami 1L Summer Associate Program during the period between their first and second year of law school. The firm hires a small group of these associates for the summer, giving them the opportunity to perform legal research regarding a variety of cases. They may also attend team meetings and client dinners and take the lead on writing a memorandum. There are three positions available, all offering competitive pay.
Baker Donelson: Over a 10-week summer program, students get to experience working in a team of like-minded individuals while working on issues that impact the firm’s clients. Summer associates are considered to be temporary employees, meaning they get to experience the work atmosphere and interact with their colleagues as well as executives. They are then evaluated based on a number of criteria and have a hands-on mentorship experience.
Internship Eligibility and Application Procedures
Typically, the eligibility criteria for legal internships are not overly stringent. Internships are often available to undergraduate students, law school students, and law school graduates. Of course, these opportunities are offered on a limited basis, and there may be separate applications for summer placements and fall and spring placements. For 2L and 3L level students, the law school may have a GPA cutoff that is necessary for consideration. As most law school students know, however, it is often their past experiences, rather than their GPAs, that govern whether or not they are invited for an interview. Law school internships are highly competitive. Having a background in law, such as a paralegal certificate and substantive coursework in civil procedure and legal writing are often valuable to employers. Also, prior work experience in a law firm or in another relevant area of the field, such as business, government, or non-profit organizations, can also be very helpful when applying for an internship. For undergraduates seeking internships, the hiring process may be slightly less competitive. Applications are often submitted online, and internships are sometimes offered on a 12-month rolling basis, following a potential internship in one semester with a request for the following semester. Deadlines for applications may vary, but many are in the spring for summer or fall internships. As with law school internships, relevant experiences, such as internships or certificates can help to narrow down the competition for a position.
Skill Development and Experience Gained Through Internships
Legal internships provide law students with invaluable experience and practical skills that directly apply to their future careers. Law students can expect to hone their legal research and writing abilities by completing real-world assignments under the supervision of practicing attorneys or judges. For instance, students may conduct research on case law to support an argument in a brief or motion or draft legal documents for use in court proceedings. Additionally, legal internships offer students the chance to observe and participate in client meetings, court hearings, and depositions to gain hands-on experience in the legal process. Internships also teach students essential professional skills that are vital to success in the legal field, such as client relations, communication, organization, and teamwork. By working with attorneys, law students are exposed to different areas of the law and get a better sense of which fields they might want to pursue after graduation. Finally, legal internships provide law students with the opportunity to network with professionals in the field and increase their chances of finding employment after graduation. These experiences can lead to mentorship and possible job opportunities down the line.
Internship Challenges and Solutions
The challenges of securing and succeeding in legal internships in Florida can be significant. Legal internships are highly competitive, and employers often have limited experience working with interns. To make the most of your internship, both during the application process and at the organization itself, you should be prepared to tackle a number of common challenges.
For many students seeking legal internships, the biggest hurdle is that there aren’t enough opportunities to go around. There are simply more students who want internships than there are available internships, so you need to do your best to stand out from the crowd. Obtaining great legal experience can help, but without strong connections in the state of Florida, you will likely have a difficult time standing out from the competition.
The first step to overcoming that challenge is to start networking early. Make connections with professors and students who have already completed internships. Speak with any Florida Bar members you know and ask them about internship opportunities. You can even reach out to local lawyers in the area where you would like to intern or live in order to see if they have openings. If you don’t have a lot of connections, that’s okay. Start by building your network while in law school , and you can continue to rely on those connections after graduation.
Another common obstacle for legal interns is simply doing enough research on a potential employer. In law school, you should be learning how to do legal research. You can apply those same skills to research the law firms at which you would like to work. You can look up information on boards of directors, as well as any important or interesting cases that have been handled by the firm. You may even be able to get an interview with an important insider at the firm, such as a partner or associate. This type of research will help you to better understand the firm you hope to join, and it will demonstrate your level of interest in the employer. It’s a good idea to take the time to review your information prior to an interview so that you are able to sample your interview responses and have all of your facts straight.
Once you’ve completed a successful legal internship, there’s no guarantee that you’ll land a full-time position. In fact, many students find that they have a hard time obtaining full-time employment after completing a legal internship. If this is the case for you, don’t feel discouraged. That’s why it’s important for law students to apply for multiple different positions, whether they’re full-time, part-time or temporary positions.
A Focus on Government and Non-Profit Legal Internships
A little-known, but exciting option is serving as a legal intern for a government agency or a non-profit organization (NGO). This will bring you into the world of highly specialized work that cannot seem to find enough employees to handle the volume. The use of law students in these jobs is essential.
These programs are generally very competitive given that they are relatively small. What makes these special is that as an attorney you may represent someone or something whose interests are often at odds with the "powers that be." For example, an attorney with the Department of Children and Families does not represent the State of Florida in child custody proceedings or administrative proceedings, the attorney represents the dependent child. Likewise, a legal intern for the Southern Poverty Law Center does not represent the federal government but rather an alleged victim of discrimination.
Most "government" internships are in the Glen’s government agencies which are generally public defenders, prosecutors, or various interests of the State of Florida. These positions tend to be highly competitive. A couple of examples are:
Legal internships with domestic NGOs is relatively rare. Although there are many NGOs which deal with various issues in Florida there are a limited number seeking attorneys who are also law students. A few examples include:
Networking and Career Growth Strategies
Throughout the course of their legal internship, students should actively seek ways to connect with other members of the firm’s staff to network and foster relationships. Asking questions of those who have more experience and knowledge than you is not only a surefire way to learn about best practices and industry standards, but also to gain insight into new opportunities and make connections for the future. Interns should not overlook their opportunity to get to know attorneys at the firm they are interning for. By requesting informational interviews with attorneys they would not directly work with, interns can learn about the opportunities in the field that they did not previously know existed and are often given valuable career guidance. Additionally, these informational interviews can help interns expand their professional network and learn how to effectively build their own personal brand as they establish relationships with experienced professionals in the field. Interns should keep an open mind about these informational interviews – even if you are unfamiliar with the practice area of the attorney you are interviewing with, you may uncover an interest that you wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.
Former Intern Success Stories
LaToya L. Middleton, J.D. Candidate 2017, The George Washington University Law School
"I completed my internship at the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington, D.C., Office of General Counsel. My internship involved conducting legal research on specific cases involving prison regulations. I also assisted with the preparation of discovery responses. I had the chance to attend court hearings as well during my time there. Thanks to my internship, I received training on how to prepare legal documents, including legal memoranda and inter-office memos. I now feel confident drafting pleadings and responding to discovery, especially while interacting with clients."
Gabriel E . Corradini, J.D. Candidate 2016, Suffolk University Law School
"Over the summer, I worked at the Law Office of David P. Rankin, P.A., in South Florida. In time, I was tasked with researching issues, writing motions and interviewing clients, all while becoming very familiar with the law. When I returned to law school in the fall, I felt comfortable writing various types of motions because I had practiced over the course of the summer working for Mr. Rankin. Regardless of whether you want to go into small firm work, corporate law or even go solo, internship opportunities are virtually endless and beginning summer after your first year will have you one step ahead of the game."