DA’s office seeks local high-schoolers for paid summer internships

It’s an appealing opportunity!

Aspiring legal eagles who live or attend high school in Kings County can now apply to intern at the district attorney’s office this summer, where they will gain valuable experience within the local legal system that will help them in their future careers, the borough’s top prosecutor said.

“Our goal every year is to provide the students with an understanding of how the system operates, and how my office works to keep Brooklyn safe and strengthen community trust,” said Eric Gonzalez. “This competitive internship is a great opportunity for students to get hands-on experience in a busy prosecutor’s office, where they will learn how a commitment to fairness and equal justice is integrated into our practice.”

Supervisors will assign students chosen for the five-week, paid internship — which runs from July 8 through Aug. 9 at Gonzalez’s Downtown office — to one of the agency’s specialized units. The apprentices will help prosecutors prepare for trials, conduct legal research and analysis, and observe criminal proceedings, among other opportunities, according to reps for Gonzalez, who said at least 20 interns will be hired for the program.

Interns will receive both a $150 stipend and a MetroCard each week, and are expected to work Mondays through Thursdays from 9 am to 4 pm, and on Fridays from 9 am to noon.

Current high school freshman, sophomores, and juniors can apply for the posts, and must submit application materials that include a recent school transcript, a one-page resume, and a 300-word essay on why they want the internship and what impact it will have on their future career goals.

Essays must be double-spaced and typed in 12-point font, and hopefuls can submit their applications online at apply.brooklynda.org through March 25.

Additionally, applicants should ask a teacher or mentor to write them a letter of recommendation, which applicants should attach to an e-mail and send to hsinternships@brooklynda.org, with “recommendation letter” and the applicant’s first and last name in the subject line, no later than March 25.

Prospective interns or recommendation-letter writers with questions about the application process can contact the office’s high-school internship and youth initiatives program coordinator at (718) 250–4873.