Internship Opportunities - Summer 2025 - Racial Justice Internship Program

Overview

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is seeking applicants for the Summer Racial Justice Internship Program.  Interns will be assigned to work with various offices, including the Training Department and the Director of Equity & Inclusion. 

We fight for equal justice and human dignity by supporting our clients in achieving their legal and life goals. We zealously advocate for the rights of individuals and promote just public policy to protect the rights of all.

Our Values

Courage   •   Accountability   •   Respect   •  Excellence

We stand with our Clients and the Community in the fight for Justice. We are dedicated to providing zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense and protection of fundamental constitutional and human rights. Our staff across the Commonwealth embodies a diverse group of people from different backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives.  It is through these differences in age, ethnicity, geographic origin, race, faith, religion, and progressive values, that we are able to best serve our clients.  Through our internship program we seek to hire, develop, and hopefully retain talented people from all backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from non-traditional backgrounds, historically marginalized, or underrepresented groups to apply.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT

CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of our assigned clients through zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and the fullness of excellent legal representation.  We are dedicated to building and maintaining strong professional relationships, while striving to accept, listen to and respect the diverse circumstances of each client, as we dedicate ourselves to meeting their individual needs.  It is our CPCS mission to achieve these goals, and in furtherance thereof, we embrace and endorse diversity, equity and inclusion as our core values as we maintain a steadfast commitment to: (1) Ensure that CPCS management and staff members represent a broad range of human differences and experience; (2) Provide a work climate that is respectful and supports success; and (3) Promote the dignity and well-being of all staff members. CPCS leadership is responsible for ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion. The ability to achieve these goals with any level of certainty is ultimately the responsibility each member of the CPCS community.

AGENCY OVERVIEW

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain one. The agency provides representation in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, child welfare, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases, as well as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings related to those matters.

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Candidates must be current undergraduate, graduate, or law school students who are committed to racial and social justice and have demonstrated an interest in addressing systemic racism in the justice system.  Interns selected for the position must be able to commit to at least 8 weeks of full-time employment for the Summer.

Preferred candidates will be students who have taken classes in evidence, criminal law, criminal procedure, constitutional law, critical legal theory, and/or trial advocacy, have experience with data collection and analysis, experience working with low-income clients, people of color, immigrants, LGBT people, and other underrepresented groups, as well as familiarity working with individual with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders.

Interns should have (1) experience with Microsoft Office suite, (2) ability to maintain confidentiality, (3) excellent written and verbal communication skills, (4) strong teamwork and collaboration abilities, and (5) legal research and writing experience.

Candidates must also:

• Have access to reliable transportation in order to travel to courts, clients, and investigation locations that are not easily accessible by public transportation; and,
• Have access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely

Interested candidates should have a demonstrated commitment to the principle of zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and the protection of fundamental constitutional and human rights.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Interested applicants should submit (1) Resume, (2) Personal Mission Statement (no more than two pages detailing your interest in the internship, your personal qualities and background, and what draws you to this work, (3) Writing Sample, (4) List of References.

Applications received prior to January 10, 2025, will be given preference. 

INTERNSHIP FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

CPCS has a limited number of paid internship opportunities for Summer 2025.  In order to be considered, applicants may complete the following application: https://www.publiccounsel.net/hr/cpcs-intern-scholarship-program/

For students who are not selected for a paid internship, CPCS can work with students to support the receipt of externship credit or outside funding.

Responsibilities

OPPORTUNITIES

Interns will be assigned to work with various offices within CPCS that touch on our substantive work, including the Training Department and with the Director of Equity & Inclusion. The Training Division is tasked with supporting attorneys and staff by training and educating them on implicit bias and systemic racism within the justice systems and formulating methods to recognize and overcome racism within these systems on behalf of the clients we serve. The Equity & Inclusion Department works on initiatives and strategies that impact fairness and inclusion among internal and external stakeholders to our work.  Interns will be an integral part of our office and work closely with our team of dedicated managers, racial equity trainers, attorneys, social service advocates and investigators. Additionally, interns will work with the Racial Equity Committee, and other Racial Equity Initiatives throughout the Agency to assist in building racial justice capacity through litigation, policy advocacy, education and training of attorney, staff and other justice stakeholders.  

RESPONSIBILITIES

Interns will work directly with CPCS supervisors, staff attorneys, investigators, and social service advocates on (1) legal research and writing, (2) conducting legal and policy research on racial and justice issues, (3) data collection, analysis and presentation, (4) assisting in preparing and conducting race- based trainings, and (5) providing additional assistance to attorneys and staff on issues of racial equity.

EEO Statement

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other applicable federal and state statutes and organizational policies.  Applicants who have questions about equal employment opportunity or who need reasonable accommodations can contact the Chief Human Resources Officer, Sandra DeBow-Huang at sdebow@publiccounsel.net