5 answers
Kayleigh
Student
Benson, North Carolina
1
Question
Asked
767 views
How to get an internship at age 14?
I'm really interested in being a criminal defense attorney. I'm only 14, but I was wondering if it was possible to do an internship or something?
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5 answers
Kisha GK
10
Answers
Updated
Kisha’s Answer
You can start getting ready for an internship even at 14. While a formal law internship might not be possible yet, there are many fun and useful ways to gain experience:
Things you can do now:
1. Volunteer with groups that focus on justice, like youth advocacy or legal aid organizations, and attend court-watch programs with a parent.
2. Join or start a debate club, mock trial, or speech club in school. These activities help you learn the skills used by criminal defense lawyers.
3. Read books and watch videos about real court cases and the justice system to see how arguments are made.
4. Spend a day or two with a lawyer if you know one, with permission from your school or parents.
5. Practice writing and thinking critically by journaling your thoughts on fairness, laws, or current events.
In high school (ages 15–18):
6. Participate in summer law programs or mock trial competitions for teens.
7. Once you’re old enough, volunteer at public defender offices or legal nonprofits.
8. Take classes that help build skills like English, writing, public speaking, history, government, and psychology.
Things you can do now:
1. Volunteer with groups that focus on justice, like youth advocacy or legal aid organizations, and attend court-watch programs with a parent.
2. Join or start a debate club, mock trial, or speech club in school. These activities help you learn the skills used by criminal defense lawyers.
3. Read books and watch videos about real court cases and the justice system to see how arguments are made.
4. Spend a day or two with a lawyer if you know one, with permission from your school or parents.
5. Practice writing and thinking critically by journaling your thoughts on fairness, laws, or current events.
In high school (ages 15–18):
6. Participate in summer law programs or mock trial competitions for teens.
7. Once you’re old enough, volunteer at public defender offices or legal nonprofits.
8. Take classes that help build skills like English, writing, public speaking, history, government, and psychology.
DENNIS BREEN
Lawyer
230
Answers
Cary, North Carolina
Updated
DENNIS’s Answer
Hi Kayleigh: Frankly, I'd wait a bit!
Criminal stuff can be draining and sad. You see bad stuff. At 14 I think you should wait a bit before trying to intern somewhere in this field!
If you want to intern I'd suggest you go to the Court first and see if you can intern for a judge. If that does not work try going to a lawyer's office and try to intern. Try to learn all aspects of the law so you can get a better idea of the entire field.
Good luck!
Criminal stuff can be draining and sad. You see bad stuff. At 14 I think you should wait a bit before trying to intern somewhere in this field!
If you want to intern I'd suggest you go to the Court first and see if you can intern for a judge. If that does not work try going to a lawyer's office and try to intern. Try to learn all aspects of the law so you can get a better idea of the entire field.
Good luck!
Thank you, this is amazing! I really needed it.
Kayleigh
Tammy Hanerfeld
5
Answers
Updated
Tammy’s Answer
Kayleigh,
FIrst be unstoppable and don't give up. It's not easy finding a role at your age -- but if you or one of your family members has any ties to a law practice, reach out and see how they might help. Second I would draft a letter that shares why you're interested in law and expressing that you would like to volunteer to assist them in any way possible including administrative work and general filing. You learn a great deal from being around a profession and listening. Also keep an open mind when considering the type of law you'd like to learn about. When you limit yourself to one type of law it makes it that much harder to find that specific role and you might pass up a good opportunity in family law or corporate law or one of the many avenues in law. Learn about everything you can and then make the decision. Best of luck on your career path!
Tammy
Create a letter talking about yourself and send it out to law firms in your area
Follow up with phone calls to see if they could use a volunteer in their offices
Look into all areas of law and learn about all of the paths
FIrst be unstoppable and don't give up. It's not easy finding a role at your age -- but if you or one of your family members has any ties to a law practice, reach out and see how they might help. Second I would draft a letter that shares why you're interested in law and expressing that you would like to volunteer to assist them in any way possible including administrative work and general filing. You learn a great deal from being around a profession and listening. Also keep an open mind when considering the type of law you'd like to learn about. When you limit yourself to one type of law it makes it that much harder to find that specific role and you might pass up a good opportunity in family law or corporate law or one of the many avenues in law. Learn about everything you can and then make the decision. Best of luck on your career path!
Tammy
Tammy recommends the following next steps:
Yoav Traeger
Bid Manager
95
Answers
Kiryat Ono, Tel Aviv District
Updated
Yoav’s Answer
It's so impressive that you're already thinking about your future career and looking for ways to get involved at fourteen. While most formal law firm internships are set up for older students due to privacy and legal rules, you've actually got some really cool options available to you right now. One of the best ways to get started is by looking into a local youth or teen court program where you can actually train to serve as a defense attorney, prosecutor, or juror for real cases involving other young people. You could also reach out to your school's mock trial team or see if there's a local legal aid office that needs help with basic office tasks or community outreach. Don't be afraid to ask a local criminal defense lawyer if you can shadow them for a day just to see what their world is like, because many professionals love seeing that kind of initiative in someone your age. Even if you can't get a formal internship title just yet, starting a law club or volunteering for social justice causes will look amazing on your future applications. You have plenty of time to build a great path for yourself, so keep that passion alive. You're going to make a fantastic attorney one day and I'm rooting for you. Good luck.
Thank you very much!
Kayleigh
Anil Adyanthaya
Attorney
8
Answers
Newton, Massachusetts
Updated
Anil’s Answer
That is great you are so motivated! Do you have family friends who work with lawyers? They may be more likely to offer you a position filing or running errands for them. You would then be able to see how a law office works and that would give you some perspective on whether you think you might like it some day. But it may be hard for a high school freshman or sophomore to get an internship with a lawyer. But don't let that discourage you! There may be summer programs for students interested in law that will allow you to get exposed to legal careers. In the meantime, you should try reading books about lawyers like To Kill a Mockingbird. Your local public library will probably have some other great suggestions. To be a lawyer requires a lot of reading, so this will help you begin developing the skills needed to become a lawyer some day. Good luck - it is a great career!