Law Student Clerkships | Office of the Federal Public Defender

Summer Law Clerks, Class of 2020

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We have three divisions within our office: the Capital Habeas Unit, Trial Unit, and Appellate Unit. Law students work with staff in all three divisions of our office, to experience different opportunities available in public defense and the federal defender system.

The Capital Habeas Unit represents indigent defendants who have been sentenced to death in state and federal criminal courts. The capital habeas unit assigns interns to one or two client teams, which are comprised of attorneys, investigators, and paralegals. Students gain experience investigating the factual bases for our claims, consulting with expert witnesses, researching discrete issues in criminal and constitutional law, drafting claims for federal habeas petitions, writing sections of briefs, and meeting with one or more of our clients.

The Trial Unit represents clients charged with federal crimes, such as immigration violations, drug and weapon offenses, violent offenses, and white-collar crimes. Law student interns assist trial lawyers in all aspects of our work, including performing legal research, drafting pleadings, analyzing discovery, assisting with trial preparation, visiting clients, and helping to develop sentencing mitigation. Interns cannot appear in court on behalf of clients, but students are encouraged to observe daily court proceedings, scheduled hearings, trials, and sentencings.

The Appellate Unit, which is a subdivision of the Trial Unit, handles appeals arising from cases in which our office was appointed. Our representation involvesboth the Court of Appeals for Third Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. Students may receive research and writing assignments on novel areas of federal criminal law. Past students have discussed novel issues with our appellate attorneys and then personally observed them argue those issues in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Feedback from past law clerks:

Even after the beginning of a global pandemic, the FPDs at the Middle District of Pennsylvania went above and beyond ensuring we had a meaningful internship experience, and I am forever grateful they did. I was exposed to federal practice and public defense in a way I never would have experienced outside of this internship. We learned about the complexity of federal criminal law in both academic and hands-on ways. We had weekly meetings where we discussed readings on different aspects of the federal criminal system, and attended presentations held by FPDs, officers of the court, and even a federal judge. The attorneys welcomed interns observing: we were able to sit in on visits with incarcerated clients, motions hearings, and sentencings. We also were given exciting projects to work on; for example, I looked at the chemical structure of a new drug and wrote a brief on whether it qualified as a scheduled controlled substance. At the end of the summer, we even put on a mock trial in a federal courtroom where the interns tried a case to a jury (of other FPDs and staff). In our preparations, we worked with the investigators and had a designated FPD we could turn to for questions. It was a wonderful way to put everything we had learned to practice,and we had so much fun!

This internship has led to years-long friendships and solidified my interest in public defense work. My summer interning at the Middle District of Pennsylvania was easily the highlight of my law school career.

Anna Rossi, Attorney
Law Clerk, Summer 2020

University of Wisconsin Law School, Class of 2021

I interned the summer before my third year of law school. While at the office, I worked closely with trial, appellate, and capital habeas attorneys on client cases. I performed research on a variety of fascinating criminal law issues, collaborated on a motion in limine and wrote two claims for a habeas petition. I received substantive feedback and felt challenged with each task. I also had the opportunity to visit with clients in jail and observe many court proceedings, including an oral argument before the Third Circuit.

The atmosphere at the office was stellar. Each attorney was dedicated to providing high-quality representation. They treated the interns as part of the team and offered continual support, always ready to extend help or insight when needed. In sum, my summer interning with the FPD cemented my desire to work in public interest law. I saw firsthand how meaningful the work is and the sense of community that stems from working with people similarly dedicated to making a difference through legal advocacy. The internship was eye-opening, and I could not be happier with the experience I had there!

Emaline Maxfield, Attorney
Law Clerk, Summer 2023

Penn State Law, Class of 2023

Interning at the Federal Public Defender - Middle District of Pennsylvania during Summer 2020 was, despite all odds, one of the highlights of my law school career. Although a novel pandemic had consumed the world, the FPD made sure that our internship still happened. Not only that, but we were afforded the opportunity to intern in a hybrid capacity; with four summer interns, we paired off and spent two days in-office, two days remote. By some cosmic intervention, what could have been an upended COVID-casualty turned into an experience of multi-faceted learning and long-term friendship (my co-interns came to my wedding three years later!).

After previously interning at my local county's Office of the Public Defender, it was eye-opening and invigorating to learn more about public defense from the perspective of federal law. I appreciated that we had the opportunity to learn from both the Trial and CHU attorneys, whereas the office just as easily could have assigned us to one over the other. Not only were we given research and writing assignments, but we were also brought into attorney-client meetings. In addition to observing hearings in front of federal court judges, we also participated in an intern mock-trial under the supervision of attorneys in the office. It is rare that a law student walks away from a summer internship with such a robust experience, both observational and practical. I will forever be thankful for my summer in Harrisburg (and for the Equal Justice Works Conference that connected me with this office)!

Ell Thomas (Connally), Attorney/Artist
Law Clerk, Summer 2020

Duquesne University School of Law, Class of 2021

HOW TO APPLY:

First-year law students may apply, but preference will be given to second-year law students and students who have completed or are currently studying Professional Responsibility, Criminal Procedure and Evidence. We accept applications on a rolling basis. Interested students may apply electronically by submitting a cover letter and resume to Ari_Weitzman@fd.org and Kanisha_Ervin@fd.org.