The Basics of Legal Interns
Legal internships are short-term positions within law firms, businesses, or government agencies that typically involve assisting lawyers with their work. These internships can be paid or unpaid and are offered at various stages of the law-related process. They often come in the form of summer programs, which provide students with valuable experience that they may even be able to convert to academic credit . Legal internships serve two main functions for aspiring attorneys. First, they can provide these students with the experience they need to qualify for post-studies employment in the field, as law students are in many cases required to have already completed a period of internship experience to be eligible for employment by some firms. Second, legal internships can help students determine their career paths before they select one particular area of law over another.
The Best Legal Internship Programs in Nashville
Nashville’s legal community offers an array of opportunities for law students through internships with law firms, large companies, and the state government.
Brentwood Services, Inc. (BSI) is a group of companies under a common ownership that includes Brentwood Services USA (BSUSA), Brentwood Saw & Supply Company, Inc. (BSS), and a minority owned joint venture, BSI Air Filtration Services LLC (BSIA). This joint venture performs work for U.S. Government Agencies and contractors. Even in these companies, which are not engaged in the practice of law, there are opportunities for law students. BSI provides strategic guidance and experience to businesses and governments to help them manage the provision of life safety and other critical services during emergencies. Intern candidates may be enrolled or interested in law programs, business programs, or administrative programs.
King & Ballow, located in Nashville, has been in continuous operation since 1961 as a labor relations and employment law firm. The firm has daily dealings with unions and unionized workforces and primarily represents management in the private sector regarding labor relations and employment law matters. Law students gain insight into the dynamics between employers and unions and can participate in mediations and arbitrations related to grievances or bargains, prepare briefs and research issues, and attend NLRB hearings. King & Ballow offers a full-time summer internship program for rising second year students, four law clerk positions for rising third year students, and offers internships throughout the school year and during the fall.
The Law Office of the Davidson County Public Defender provides representation for indigent defendants charged with crimes in Davidson County, Tennessee. Law students working with the Law Office of the Nashville Public Defender can gain experience conducting legal research, drafting pleadings, motions and briefs in civil and criminal cases.
ProVenture, LLC is a government consulting service that supports government and commercial clients in need of end-to-end strategic sourcing solutions to drive measurable savings and ensure compliance with robust requirements. ProVenture offers an internship program that requires availability 32 hours per week during normal business hours. Intern responsibilities include supporting attorneys on a variety of government contracting compliance and litigation matters, conducting legal research on relevant federal procurement regulations, analyzing and summarizing documents such as reports, audits and contractor proposals, drafting internal reports, and assisting client with acquisition process.
Submitting an Application for Legal Internships
Applying for a legal internship in Nashville can be a competitive process, so it’s important to stand out from the crowd. Here are some tips:
When applying for a legal internship, dressing professionally is a key component that has lasting influence. Not only are you applying for an internship, but you’re also presenting yourself as a viable legal professional. From your resume to your attire, you want the employer to be impressed.
Having a great resume is essential, and you need to be sure to include all the necessary details. You can even include information like your GPA (if it’s high), relevant coursework, volunteer and extra-curricular activities. If you’ve ever worked in a law office or the legal field, you’ll also want to mention that as well.
A typical legal cover letter should explain why you’re interested in the company and why they would want you to work there. It’s likely to be the first real impression, so it helps to keep it brief and informative with details specific to your situation and skills.
All employers want to interview potential law candidates in person, so practice your interview answers so you can shine when the opportunity presents itself. You can ask friends and family or even a law office assistant to help out. Having a mock interview will help you feel more confident for the real deal.
Networking: How to Forge Professional Connections
Consideration should be given to doing an internship in Nashville before graduation from law school. Every law student should seriously consider working as an intern during their time in law school. It is a great opportunity to not only gain some real-world experience and hone your lawyering skills but also to truly learn about what goes on in the practice of law. Many people, including lawyers in Nashville, law students and professors, do not know what lawyers really do. I am consistently amazed at how many lawyers do not know exactly what really takes place in the various practice settings.
While firms and legal departments do not employ law students as summer interns as frequently as they once did, many of them do take at least one law student. Some of the in-house legal departments of large companies will hire one or two law students each summer as interns. Such internships can prove to be very valuable experiences for law students.
More frequently, law students are doing internships for judges, clerkships and legal aid programs. Interning for a judge, for example, can provide a law student with a unique "behind the curtain" view of what is actually happening around the courthouse. Again, most lawyers have no clue about what happens in the courts and how judges actually decide cases. Talking to a judge and finding out about the judge’s background, how he or she decided to serve on the bench can be invaluable conversations for a law student.
It is also important for law students to develop their personal networks while they attend law school. Approach lawyers to schedule a lunch or coffee to talk about what it is like to be a lawyer. Talk to professors and upper-class law students about how to try to make good use of your time in law school. Observe the workings of law students working on cases for the Innocence Project. Go to networking events with lawyers and judges. Take advantage of every opportunity to meet and mingle with experienced lawyers and judges. Ask thought-provoking questions and engage in dialogue to learn about what they think about various legal issues. I love to have lunch with law students. I would encourage law students to take advantage of opportunities to pick a lawyer’s brain for a couple of hours. Learning from lawyers firsthand and asking questions will give law school students a much clearer picture of the practice of law beyond what they may have read in law school or heard in class.
In recent years , while going through processes for hiring new lawyers and law professors, I was amazed at the lack of communication skills that many young lawyers and law students possess. It is essential for lawyers to have good oral and written communication skills. I became convinced that many young lawyers and law students had not figured out how to talk to people. It is probably because they had not had enough opportunities to engage in meaningful dialogue with others. Networking is a way to put your communication skills into practice. A good place to network is at bar association functions and events. The Nashville Bar Association and its Young Lawyers Division, including its social committee, hosts many networking events. I encourage more law students to go to the NBA and GULC’s Young Lawyers’ events and get to know Nashville lawyers. Going to events with classmates is nice, but get out and meet people who are practicing. Keep your options and opportunities open when you talk with lawyers. You will not only learn a lot, but you may also learn about upcoming job opportunities.
Networking and building professional relationships are some of the most important things to do in law school. It is a step toward developing long-lasting relationships that may help you in your future practice of law. Getting a graduate degree is important. So is getting work experience and developing professional relationships.
Maximizing the Value of Your Internship
A law firm internship in Nashville can be the start of your dream career. However, this opportunity can quickly become a waste of nine or even 13 weeks if you fail to understand how to make the most of your internship.
One strategy for maximizing the value of your internship is to set individual goals that you would like to achieve during your time with the firm. Many law school deans and professors believe that internship opportunities are mostly about networking and references. While these are certainly noteworthy considerations, so too should be the matter of what specific skills you want to develop during your time at the law firm.
Therefore, consider asking yourself the following questions: Answering those questions should give you an idea for what class or classes you should take in relation to your internship experience. This will provide important insights that will serve you well for relatively successful internships.
Mentor, don’t just network While developing and maintaining professional relationships is certainly an important part of any internship, you should not regard everyone in the firm as a source of potential job opportunities. Consider identifying one or two members of the firm that you find particularly helpful or anyway beneficial to your development and wellbeing. If you find that you are getting along particularly well with any one person in the firm, ask if that person would be willing to review your resume or career goals with you and offer some sound advice.
This strategy will provide you the opportunity to help build that relationship and allow that person to feel more invested in you and your progress.
Potential Career Opportunities After an Internship
While the experience gained through an internship is the most important part of the process, it pays to have a clear understanding of the types of legal jobs that are available upon completion of the program. Some of these jobs serve more of an administrative function, while others involve direct engagement with clients. Depending on the internship program, roles may be available in several of these areas.
Office Management / Support
Although not as immersive as other avenues, working as administrative support allows you to become familiar with a firm or organization’s operations, as well as its personnel. A solid understanding of human resources, confidentiality rules, customer service and general office proceedings will benefit any position you land in the future.
Research and Writing
Internships that do not directly involve engagement with clients may place heavy emphasis on research and writing activities. This work provides extra insight into the law, as you’ll often have the chance to uncover information that leads to powerful revelations about important matters. Legal scholars are often sought after by companies looking to bulwark their legal teams or by law firms that require dependable consultants.
Litigation
Many internships offer positions in litigation, allowing students to experience all aspects of the legal front line. Here , you’ll have the opportunity to engage clients, collect evidence and coordinate appearances in court. Some internships may even allow you to witness legal proceedings firsthand, which can be incredibly useful when first starting out.
Corporate Law
Interning with a corporation may be slightly different from interning with a law firm, but there are several critical skills and experiences you will gain from this venture. You will learn about business formation, legal regulations and corporate governance. Like litigation, these opportunities will allow you to witness legal issues in action, providing valuable insight into business-legal interactions.
Public Defender / Government Agencies
The government hires attorneys in several different capacities, making public-related legal careers complex and diverse. Those who intern with public defenders (or in another governmental capacity) may work with a wide variety of legal professionals. This experience can be particularly valuable when it comes to pursuing work for the government or judicial organizations.
Every internship is different. For this reason, comprehensive research into a particular law firm, organization or agency is crucial. Remember that opportunities do not stop once an internship reaches its conclusion. Instead, an internship should be used as a networking opportunity that opens key career doors.
