Internship Opportunities - Summer 2026 - Public Defender Division - Statewide

Overview

The Public Defender Division (PDD) of CPCS is seeking applicants for Summer 2026 internship positions across the Commonwealth.  We are interested in law students (both with and without SJC Rule 3:03 Certification), graduate students, and undergraduate students for opportunities in the Public Defender Division.  

 

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 the 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.

 

The clients we represent are diverse across every context imaginable and bring many unique cultural dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a critical need for CPCS attorneys to be culturally competent and able to work well with people of different races, ethnicities, genders and/or sexual orientation identities, abilities, and limited English proficiency, among other protected characteristics.

 

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.

 

PUBLIC DEFENDER DIVISION OVERVIEW

 

Public Defender Division (PDD) Trial Offices

 

Interns will work closely with attorneys, Social Services Advocates, and Investigators by providing legal representation and advocacy to indigent clients who are charged with criminal offenses in both the District and Superior Courts. Trial offices will provide interns with a wide range of opportunities, including, but not limited to, legal research and writing, arraignment and bail advocacy, second seating trials, pretrial investigations including visiting crime scenes, locating and interviewing witnesses.

 

Public Defender Division Appeals Unit

 

The Public Defender Division has a statewide Appeals Unit, based in the Boston office, whose lawyers provide appellate advocacy in cases tried by Public Defender Division attorneys.  Interns will assist skilled Appeals Unit attorneys represent clients before the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court, and occasionally in Federal Court.  Interns will have opportunities to do a great deal of legal research and writing, including drafting legal memos and sections/entire briefs,