The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office offers volunteer internship programs in the Spring and Summer Semesters for undergraduate students interested in attending law school and law students interested in a career in prosecution. Interns have the opportunity to work closely with prosecutors in a wide variety of areas of prosecution and to attend tours of several County facilities. Interns may also attend in-house training put on by the office.
Undergraduate Students will be assigned to a prosecution unit within the office and paired with one or more prosecutors. Students will accompany prosecutors to court and assist with such activities as distributing discovery, assisting with victims and witnesses and taking notes during hearings. Students will also observe preliminary hearings, trials, and other court proceedings. In the office, the student will assist prosecutors in organizing case files in preparation for trial, listening to jail calls, transcribing 911 calls, and any other task in which the prosecutor needs assistance.
Law Students Not Yet Qualified to be Certified will be assigned to a prosecution unit within the office where they will be involved in legal research and writing projects. Students will accompany prosecutors to court and assist in the preparation of felony and misdemeanor prosecutions and observe preliminary hearings, trials, and other court proceedings.
Certified Law Students are current law students enrolled in second, third or fourth year of law school and who have successfully completed or are currently enrolled in Evidence and Civil Procedure. Under the rules of the Office of Certification/Practical Training of Law Students, the State Bar of California allows qualified law students to make appearances in court under the supervision of an experienced attorney. Please note that while the rules allow for certification of students currently enrolled in Evidence, experience has shown that individuals perform better and have a more meaningful experience if the internship occurs after the student has taken the course. Certification forms are available through your law school and the State Bar of California. The Certification procedure includes a fee payable to the State Bar and registration as a law student with the State Bar. Fees are the responsibility of the student. Please see the State Bar website for fee details.
Certified Law Students will be assigned to a prosecution unit where they will research and write motions that they may then argue in court, conduct felony preliminary hearings and misdemeanor prosecutions, and assist the prosecutors in court and in the office. The students will experience what it is like to be a prosecutor.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must meet professional standards
- Must consent to and pass a background / criminal history check
- Must be available to work a minimum of 8 hours per week during normal business hours, Monday - Friday
HOURS:
Undergraduate Interns are required to meet a minimum of 16 hours per week.
Law Student Interns are allowed to work a maximum of 28 hours per week with an hourly compensation of $26 / hour.
All levels of interns may complete hours for class credit providing the school requirements for credit do not interfere with the normal conduct of the internship program.
Normal business hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Interns may set their own schedules so long as the requirements are met. The schedule set by the intern must be consistent week to week. If an intern is working less than a full day, the blocks of time must be 8:00 am to 12:00 pm or 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm to accommodate court schedules.
All interns are required to commit to the program for a minimum of eight weeks. Additional time in the program is strongly suggested.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Application Deadlines:
Spring 2025
- Law Students: November 11, 2024
- Undergraduate Students: November 11, 2024
Summer 2025
- Law Students: January 20, 2025
- Undergraduate Students: February 17, 2025
All Intern Candidates MUST submit the following documents:
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Grade Transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable)
- Law Student Candidates must also submit a Writing Sample (5-10 pages in length)
- Submit to a thorough background investigation, receiving a positive determination
Please submit the required documents in a single .pdf file to Leslie Gillespie at:
lgillespie@fresnocountyca.gov
Upon receipt and evaluation of the application materials, a panel interview may be scheduled. A phone interview may be scheduled for students attending school out of the county. Deadlines will be strictly adhered to as the Internship Program is often impacted. All offers made to the applicant are contingent on a successful background investigation.
The District Attorney is the principal law enforcement official in Fresno County. Accordingly, District Attorney employees and interns alike are subject to a high standard of ethics and professionalism. An intern's failure to adhere to professional standards of ethics and professionalism will result in termination from the Internship Program.