Internship Program

Eligibility

The Portsmouth Commonwealth’s Attorney Internship program is designed for students who are currently in a J.D. program at an accredited Law School.

Research

The selected interns will spend a portion of their time researching and writing for the attorneys within the office. The research will involve prior legislation and fact checking for a wide variation of cases. There will be other research related duties including drafting memos and briefs in opposition to appeals and keeping your assigned team abreast on updates.

Direct Courtroom Participation and Assistance

The most exciting duty of a legal intern will include handling misdemeanor cases in court. Interns who have earned their third year practice certificate will have the opportunity to prepare and litigate cases under the direct supervision of an office attorney. This valuable practical experience will help prepare the intern for his or her own legal career.

Length of Internship

This is an unpaid internship with a reward of exposure into the world of prosecution. The selected candidate(s) will assist prosecuting attorneys with legal research and administrative functions and have an opportunity to meet with the City of Portsmouth Commonwealth’s Attorney. There will be one or two open positions for the internship program for Summer 2022.

To Apply:

All interested students please submit a resume’ along with a letter of interest for one of the listed opportunities. To apply, please send all requested information to Chief Administrator, Tamara Shewmake at shewmaket@portsmouthva.gov.