Law Student Intern

City of San José; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of San José invites law students to join the City Attorney’s Office as a Summer Program Intern. You will gain exposure to both Litigation and Transactional work while supporting attorneys on a broad range of municipal legal tasks.

Interns must be enrolled in an accredited law school, typically in their 2nd or 3rd year, and may work up to 32 hours per week. The program runs June 7 to August 6, 2027, with flexible schedules and budget-approved hourly pay.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an accredited law school.
• Preference for students in 2nd or 3rd year.
• Desirable coursework in Evidence, Civil Procedure and Constitutional law.

Responsibilities

• Assist attorneys in litigation and transactional matters.
• Research issues and draft legal memoranda.
• Draft ordinances, resolutions, contracts and other instruments.
• Attend meetings with departments and review sessions as needed.

Skills

Legal research

Drafting memos

Litigation support

Education

Law student enrollment

Job description

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

About The Department

The City Attorney's Office is committed to providing excellent legal services to its clients and supporting their efforts to better serve the citizens of the City of San José. It has a diverse staff of highly talented professionals with the expertise to provide comprehensive legal services for a wide range of issues facing a dynamic city. The Office strives to efficiently manage resources to meet the daily operational needs of its clients in a cost-effective and timely manner, while building the internal capacity to flexibly respond to the City’s ever changing legal needs.

Position Duties

Interns in the City Attorney’s Office may receive assignments from both the Litigation and Transactional Divisions, providing exposure to a broad range of municipal legal work. This cross-divisional experience allows interns to develop a well-rounded understanding of public agency legal practice.

Assignments will be based on office needs, intern interests, and background. Descriptions can be found in the Division pages of the City Attorney's Office website.

Litigation Division

Interns assist attorneys with various stages of litigation. Typical assignments may include:

• Conducting legal research and drafting memoranda
• Drafting pleadings, motions, and discovery responses
• Participating in litigation strategy meetings
• Attending mediations, depositions, arbitrations, and trials
• Certified law students may also have the opportunity to appear in court or administrative hearings under attorney supervision.

Transactional Division

Interns assist attorneys serving as counsel to City departments. Typical assignments may include:

• Researching legal issues and drafting legal memoranda
• Drafting ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and other legal instruments
• Analyzing pending state legislation
• Participating in meetings with City departments and Council agenda review sessions

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited law school to be eligible for the City Attorney’s Law Student Intern Program. Preference will be given to students entering their second or third year of law school. Completion of coursework in Evidence, Civil Procedure, and Constitutional law is desirable.

Interns must be willing to work up to 32 hours per week. Office hours are generally 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Work schedules are flexible based on the intern’s class schedule as well as the operational needs of the office. Once a schedule has been agreed upon, interns are expected to maintain the schedule on a consistent basis.

The Summer Program will run from Monday, June 7, through Friday, August 6, 2027. Requests for schedule exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Any hourly pay will be subject to Budget approval prior to the start of the Summer Program.

Other Qualifications

To apply, please submit the following materials with your application:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Writing sample
• Law School transcript (electronic copy)
• Completed supplemental questions

Please email [e-mail] with any questions about the Summer Program.

Additional Information

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email [e-mail] and we will research the status of your application.

AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.