How to Succeed as a San Diego Legal Intern: Everything You Need to Know

What Does a Legal Intern Do?

At its most basic, a legal intern is a law school student or recent graduate who works temporarily for an attorney or firm and is paid a stipend or an hourly wage. Legal interns should be unpaid or receive academic credit for their work under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). An unpaid legal intern must work primarily for their academic benefit, so although legal interns may have their hands full within the walls of San Diego’s largest and most well-respected firms, unbundling volunteer tasks such as filing, printing, copying, and even research are an overall helpful way to approach these intern roles.
While some legal internship positions are offered at the local level (for example, at the enterprise level), the primary focus for a legal intern will be to support their supervising attorney’s practice . Unstaffed legal interns are those who do not have direct contact with a managing attorney, but may support the legal assistant position by conducting general administrative work around the office. Staffed legal interns are assigned to a specific attorney to assist with many responsibilities such as; assisting with client phone calls, maintaining files, drafting and filing documents, trial preparation, or even billing assurances.
Legal interns are often expected to comply with the same standards as any other San Diego lawyer or professional (with some exceptions communicated in advance). They need to be careful about sharing confidential information, and must complete all assigned tasks on deadline without the possibility of extension.

The Law Firms in San Diego That Offer Internship Programs

In the heart of downtown San Diego, and with three other branch offices, Allen Matkins has a corporate culture that embraces collaboration and communication. They are well known for their generous legal intern program as well as a paralegal internship program, which includes training on legal research and Westlaw. Interns are also given opportunities to work closely with associates on editorial tasks, case/filing review, and deposition summaries.
Baker & McKenzie is a global law firm with a reputation for being highly diverse. With 77 offices in 47 countries, they have programs that are externally recognized for promoting women leadership in the workplace. They are focused on the development of their interns and offer a specific mentorship program in the San Diego office.
Specializing in business, real estate, and litigation, Bird Marella is known for its mentorship and internship programs. Interns develop a comprehensive knowledge of the law firm environment and typically perform legal research, manage case files, assist with depositions and witness interviews, and draft motions and motions in limine. Summer interns can expect to join them for a minimum of eight weeks during the summer and winter interns may commit to 16 hours a week during the school semester.
The California Innocence Project (CIP) is a non-profit organization located at California Western School of Law, where law students can gain valuable experience in criminal appeals. A high demand for their fellowship internships means an extensive interview process to fill positions. Former interns who have been hired by CIP have gone on to become public defenders.
As the largest employer of lawyers in San Diego, USCIS offers a range of internship programs for students. The USCIS Office of the Chief Counsel Internship Program recruits students, who have completed a minimum of one year toward their Juris Doctorate and who are able to earn class credit towards the internship. Externships and clerkships in the San Diego field office are also offered to attorneys who have judicial or comparable experience, and who have received bar certification. The positions also require the students to be in good academic standing.

The Legal Education and Experience Necessary to Become an Intern

A common misconception among aspiring legal interns is that a law degree or enrollment in law school is a prerequisite. San Diego firms typically do not require a law degree for their legal interns; high-achieving undergraduates may be considered as well.
More often than not, a Bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational requirement. Some firms prefer (albeit not require) a J.D. Some firms might even sponsor and offer perks to candidates who are pursuing a J.D., but it is by no means a requirement for getting an internship.
What they do look for are stellar grades. This is a chance for students to demonstrate their academic prowess and gain the attention of future employers. They recognize that although a J.D. is not required for these internships, undergraduate education is critical to their success in actually passing the exam.
Most firms require at least a 2.9 GPA. San Diego law and paralegal programs have high GPA requirements of their own, averaging 3.2 GPA or higher in recent class years. Many students who take on a legal internship also work as part-time student researchers during their training, gaining invaluable experience and exposure to the types of situations that they will encounter in a few years. Students who perform well as researchers can also work part time during classes and thus obtain internships as well.

How to Apply for a San Diego Internship as a Legal Intern

While the specifics of applying to legal internships in San Diego vary from employer to employer, the general process is typically standard and should be followed in order. After deciding the type of legal work you want to pursue as a legal intern, your first step is to start your research. Whether it’s governmental, private legal, or non-profit organizations, research will help you craft a strong cover letter and CV specific to that organization or legal practice. Then you must craft a winning cover letter and CV. Pay particular attention to how you describe your academic and previous job qualifications. You need to show the employer why you would be an asset to their organization while also ensuring you do not misrepresent your talents or qualifications. Because you are seeking work in a legal field, you need to ensure your writing is impeccable. Including typos, grammatical errors, or even spelling mistakes can make for a poor first impression. Keep in mind what legal employeers typically look for in interns: enthusiasm, dedication, an analytical mind, and strong communication skills (both verbal and written), as success in the legal profession requires superb research and analytical skills. Many legal employers want students who have been able to maintain a high GPA, especially if you want to land an internship at a firm. Law firms and corporations usually expect interns to have earned a minimum of 1L status before applying. That being said, while a law degree is not typically required for a legal intern position, many employers will still seek candidates with academic backgrounds in history, political science, sociology, or economics. They want students who are currently seeking a Juris Doctor or a Masters in Law. In addition to a well-written cover letter, you may be asked for writing samples. This offers you the chance to show your mastery of the English language. Submitting a high-quality researched paper you wrote as a university assignment is a good addition to your application. If you don’t have a sample paper, try to find a legal memo or any other piece of writing that showcases your intellectual effort. If invited to participate in an in-person interview with a possible future employer, then you would be wise to do some additional research before sitting down with your interviewers. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all legal interview, there are standard questions lawyers will typically ask legal interns. Your ability to answer these questions in a clear and concise manner will go a long way in making you stand out as a viable candidate for the position.

San Diego for Legal Interns

For legal interns, living in San Diego is a lifestyle cushioned by the sunshine. Of course, it is also a lifestyle that requires money, and while the salary for an internship may not stretch to accommodate your every desire, San Diego is an average city with regards to cost of living. Housing will be the greatest expense a legal intern can expect to face; the median rent for an apartment is $1,828. Legal interns can seek more affordable housing by renting a room, thereby sharing with roommates the cost of utilities as well. Additionally, the student housing population in certain areas of the city keeps housing affordable through competitive pricing. Hillcrest, consisting of established and new construction, is a popular choice for legal interns and young professionals, as it is close to many employers and offers convenient access to the trolley on Washington Street. While the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Hillcrest is $2,030, the average rent for a room in a two-bedroom apartment is $944.
Scripps Ranch is an established neighborhood famous for its lovely residential community and white-collar job market. With a steady influx of college educated 25-34 year old professionals, Scripps Ranch sees a steady demand for housing . It is well equipped to supply the needs of housing through a mix of older and newer construction options, the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,882. Scripps Ranch residents enjoy a median household income of $117,759 and are serviced by Fletcher Elementary School, Marshall Middle School, and Scripps Ranch High School. The upscale fashion mall known as Scripps Ranch Marketplace is home to contemporary retail establishments where dining, shopping, and leisure activities can be enjoyed.
Normal Heights is a small community with a cost-effective housing market of traditional style architecture located east of Interstate 805 and south of Interstate 8. It is a hot spot for young professionals, thanks to the fact that traditional-style housing costs half of what similar space commands in other premium areas. Normal Heights’ resident population is 79 percent renter, and the average rent is $1,538. Because Normal Heights is a small neighborhood, residents enjoy a strong sense of community. Residents enjoy biking to work, hiking at the nearby Mt. Pilot trail, or simply relaxing at home with neighbors and friends. Normal Heights offers legal interns competitive housing, ideal weather, and a superb location.

Making the Most of Your Legal Internship

If you’d like to excel as a law intern at a legal firm in San Diego, there are a few things that will ensure you’re able to make the most of your time there. There’s no denying that legal internships can be incredibly time-consuming and add a substantial amount of stress to your life, but as long as you take smart steps to learn the ins and outs of the legal field, you’ll be in great shape. Here are five ways for law or paralegal interns to maximize the effectiveness of their internship:
Networking opportunities are abundant when working for a San Diego legal firm, so if you’re smart, you’ll take advantage of them. Unless you’re an expert introvert, being a great people person will not hurt you. Don’t be shy about getting out there and meeting people in the legal field. Attend networking events, attend firm meetings and introduce yourself to professionals with whom you work; there are myriad opportunities out there.
Once you’ve made a name for yourself and your skills, you’ll be in a lot better position to be hired by the firm with which you’ve interned than you would have been before starting the internship. In fact, interns are often awarded full-time jobs at legal firms due to the fact that the firm already knows how well the intern works, and how committed they’ve been throughout their internship.
Ideally, interns who perform admirably during their stint at a San Diego legal firm will land a number of great job offers by the time their internship is over. If you do end up getting multiple offers, you’ll be in the excellent position of being able to essentially shop yourself around by focusing on what type of work you want to do in the future, rather than taking the position that pays the most.

Real-Life Legal Internship Success Stories in San Diego

Among the many who have navigated the concept of interning to finding full-time employment is Maya Penalosa, who interned with the San Diego firm of DeMaio Couture Law. Before this internship, she was balancing classes in business and pre-law while becoming fluent in both Spanish and Mandarin. After one semester with the firm, which including working on immigration cases, she became a full-time paralegal for two years before enrolling into the University of California at San Diego. "We had a special program for fall quarter, a full legal course with a certificate as the final exam, where we could work at a firm or business on one full case. I was fortunate to intern at DeMaio Couture Law," Penalosa wrote. "Working there allowed me to understand my aptitude for law, my skills and my passions better. I realized I enjoyed litigation more than transactional law." In addition, Legal Intern Andrew Ebens, who followed Penalosa as an intern with Couture Law, found himself hired on as a full-time attorney and had an added blessing in finding a lifelong friend. "We went through the process of deciding whether to go to law school together," Ebens explained. "Like many people, I was not sure whether it was for me, particularly since I took the LSAT and my score was quite low. San Diego doesn’t really advertise the LSAT scores very well, so I didn’t know what I was qualified for if I attended law school there. But I found out about the University of San Diego’s pre-law center here in San Diego, and I started volunteering there during my last semester of college. That led to me being put in touch with San Diegans who were also weighing the decision to attend law school, but were having trouble. So, like many people in their first year of law school, I joined the group that Maya was in. And that was my first semester of law school." Ebens spent three years as an intern before joining Couture Law as a full-time attorney while in law school. He now owns his own firm , representing clients in family law, personal injury, criminal defense and for profit businesses. Lastly, the story of Chay C. Wasabi, a former intern who worked her way up from unpaid videography and social media to paid work and then a full-time job while maintaining home and work life. She is currently a Project Manager and has graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. "I learned a lot during my time and enjoyed the fact that I had genuine input on the cases that I worked on," she wrote. "This experience helped me to grasp what it would be like to work in that environment. I was able to apply much of what I learned from my classes at SDSU into practice and it helped me to see how important communication skills are. I am a firm believer of the "you learn by doing" motto. My experience as a legal intern was absolutely invaluable. It offered me hands on practice. I was able to apply that theory to practice. I was able to learn procedural aspects that are not taught in school. I was also very fortunate that I got to prove myself to be a vital asset. I am very grateful to say that I was hired on as a full time employee after my internship. I’m currently a Project Manager, and the skills I learned on my journey to becoming an unlicensed private investigator; I found my passion for becoming a private investigator. I’m currently enrolled in the online private investigator certificate program at UC Berkeley Extension." The experience of penalosa, ebens and wasabi is not uncommon for those who have landed legal internships in San Diego. Internships provide the opportunity to establish key professional relationships and discover individual career goals. Best of all, it allows you to practice what you’ve learned in a real world situation that produces a document that will become part of law practice as well as in your portfolio.