Understanding What A Legal Internship Involves
Legal internships for law firms in New Jersey generally function as the same as legal internships anywhere else in the country. Attorneys in New Jersey are required to hire students who are currently enrolled in law school with most of them targeting certain years for hiring interns. Legal internships vary depending on where you are interning, the practice area, and your law school. Some legal internship programs are very strict and requires commitment for a specific period of time whereas some legal internships are more relaxed on the requirements. Depending on these factors, you will be expected to perform certain actions . These include completing legal research for specific topics and cases, obtaining and summarizing information related to your legal studies, attending client meetings (and be able to interact with clients), and reviewing legal documentation. This might also require you to submit a report that summarizes your legal research. You could be tasked to look for information in relation to a certain opportunity or help to select jury members for cases. You will also be expected to draft and write legal documents while being monitored by legal professionals. In some cases, you will be tasked to draft other documents for future review. It could be various things depending on your location and the requirements.
Legal Internship Requirements In NJ
In addition to those who hold a valid New Jersey attorney license or have filed an application for admission, law students in New Jersey interested in sitting for the New Jersey Bar Exam are eligible to work as legal interns. However, there are some requirements that must be met prior to beginning an internship program in New Jersey. Accordingly, individuals interested in interning for New Jersey licenses must:
- be an active student enrolled in a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and have completed two (2) semesters of study or its equivalent. Note: ABA accreditation is not guaranteed; however, individuals interested in interning who successfully complete the program will be able to sit for the NJ bar even if their law school is not ABA accredited.
- provide the NJ Supreme Court with a certification of law school attendance or, if applicable, law school completion.
- be at least twenty (2) years of age. This requirement does not apply to current members of the military or those who are classified as veterans who have served on active duty for more than six months and have been received an honorable discharge or have been placed in an honorable status. An honorable status includes leave without pay.
- establish and maintain suitable character and fitness as determined by the Board of Bar Examiners.
- not receive compensation for services as a legal intern; nor receive a stipend, fee, or any other form of remuneration for such services.
- participate in orientation and training sessions as required; and meet all deadlines and requirements as prescribed by the Supreme Court or the Board of Bar Examiners.
Law Firms With Legal Internship Opportunities In NJ
As one of the largest states in the metropolitan area, New Jersey has several large law firms, many of which offer internship opportunities to individuals interested in the legal field. Greenbaum Rowe Smith & Davis LLP is located in Woodbridge, Edison and Iselin. The firm is a professional corporation that caters to a broad range of industries from healthcare to real estate. They allow students to gain real world experience at their offices on a case-by-case basis. Interns will receive hands-on training to help them get acclimated to the firm. Heller, Huron, Chertkof & Salomon, P.C is located in New Brunswick. They primarily focus on family law and bankruptcy, but also practice in employment and workplace issues, personal injury, sexual harassment, discrimination and civil rights. The firm is currently accepting applications for the summer. McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP is located in Parsippany. Their primary practice areas include labor and employment law, tax and public finance, litigation, business and commercial transactions and environmental law. McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP has terrific opportunities for summer law interns, whom they refer to as summer associates. The firm provides an exceptional experience not only for summer associate interns, but for attorneys as well.
How To Apply For A Legal Intern Position
The typical process for getting a legal internship job in New Jersey involves the following steps:
Search for Available Positions
Internships are more easily found at the private level than they are at school, especially in the form of summer jobs. As such, you want to start searching starting in your second year of law school. While you can find listings online through portals like the New Jersey State Bar Association, networking through sites like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook is strongly advised.
What To Include on Your Resume and Application
Your resume and any covers or recommendation letters should supplement your application with valuable information about your job experience. If you are an undergrad, you should highlight relevant course work and experience such as education in business, language, science and research. Those applications can be supplemented with strong letters of recommendation from family friends and other older professionals like professors.
For law school students , including a listing of your bar or court internships help differentiate you from other applicants. Professional development activities from any volunteer work and participation in any local bar associations, or school law organizations are equally relevant. Additionally, listing professional organizations in which you enhanced your networking footprint with like-minded individuals, showcases your desire to better yourself as a lawyer.
Show Your Interest With a Cover Letter
It is suggested that law school students send a cover letter strongly highlighting their skills and experience as well as expressing a desire to work for the firm when there are no formal openings. Failure to capitalize on an opening right away could cost you the position. The cover letter also showcases exactly who you are and what you can do.
Enlist the Help of Someone You Trust
Have your resume and application reviewed by family friends or other attorneys to get a sense of whether your cover letter and resume showcases any flaws. Remember, an employer may view your resume as a reflection of your writing capabilities.
Perks Of Being A Legal Intern In NJ
A legal internship in New Jersey offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience in a robust legal market, which can prove to be a significant advantage when applying for post-graduate job opportunities. Not only do internships allow students to apply what they’ve learned in their classes to real-world scenarios, but they can also make students more attractive to employers when searching for a full-time job upon completion of their degree program. Completing a legal internship in New Jersey allows students to develop a diverse set of valuable skills that are widely applicable to virtually any career path in the law. Internships present the opportunity to develop and hone critical legal skills such as: Students who have successfully completed a legal internship in New Jersey may find that they have increased access to quality references when searching for post-graduate employment opportunities, as well as greater opportunities to network with some of the best legal professionals in the state. When it comes to networking opportunities, there are few environments better suited for forming connections with influential legal professionals than a legal internship in New Jersey. The experience that legal internships provide in the form of firsthand exposure to the everyday workings of a law office is invaluable. Even students who have no post-graduate employment lined up should consider professional networking an essential part of life, and an internship presents an excellent opportunity to grow their network and meet legal professionals who may become valuable references or mentors now or in the future.
How to Handle Some Challenges You May Encounter while Doing an Internship In NJ
Legal internship in New jersey can be a daunting experience, and interns often face a number of challenges as they navigate through their roles. From understanding legal jargon to managing multiple tasks and deadlines, it can be overwhelming for new interns. However, with a little bit of guidance and proactive strategies, you can easily overcome these common legal internship challenges.
One of the most significant hurdles faced by legal interns is the amount of legal terminology they need to understand. Even if you studied law in school, legal documents are often written in complex and intricate language. This can be confusing, even for those who have a passing familiarity with the law. One way to overcome this challenge is to take notes and make a glossary of key terms that you don’t understand. This will allow you to refer back to it whenever you’re stuck for a word or need clarification on the meaning of a legal term. There are also plenty of legal dictionaries and online resources that can help you figure out the meaning of legal jargon.
Another common challenge that interns face is the issue of workload management. In a law firm or any other legal environment, you can expect to have a whole lot of work to do. Handling a large workload or a tight deadline can be overwhelming. The best way to manage your time effectively is to break down your tasks into smaller, manageable segments. Prioritize the most important and time-sensitive tasks first. Also, seek advice from your seniors. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek guidance from your peers at the law firm to help you better understand the priorities of the day or week .
Active communication is another essential tool that can help you deal with communication challenges. At the beginning of your legal internship or placement, set up a meeting with your supervisor in order to determine what is expected of you and how your performance will be assessed. Make sure to clarify any questions you have as early as possible and address any issues that arise as soon as you notice them. If a client approaches you, always refer them to your boss in order to avoid any scope creep. Creating a rapport with lawyers and clients can help you achieve successful communication.
Legal research can be an essential responsibility of legal interns, but it can also be another obstacle that needs to be overcome. Some interns struggle with legal research assignments that require a lot of background knowledge of a particular area of law. Always research your targets thoroughly beforehand, even in commercial law. This applies to both the case and the client. The more information that you can gather before you attempt to plan your case, the better you will perform as an intern. Electronic research databases, such as Westlaw and LexisNexis, can help with this.
Lastly, strive to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as burnout from too much work can occur in the legal internship environment. Long hours can be a part of working in the legal field, but as an intern, be mindful of the time you are spending at work. You may want to spend long hours in order to impress your boss, but sufficient time off will allow you to refresh and re-energize before you return to work. Create new, fun and interesting ways to spend your time outside of work, in order to give yourself time to recharge.