Investigative Intern, Summer 2026 - New York, NY

Apply

The Legal Aid Society's Criminal Defense Investigative Services Unit has unpaid internship opportunities for the Summer 2026 term. The Legal Aid Society is built upon one simple but powerful belief that no New Yorker should be denied the right to equal justice. As the largest, primary, and oldest public defender in New York City, The Legal Aid Society strives to deliver justice in every borough while working tirelessly to improve our city. We work to protect the rights of the marginalized and disenfranchised in our society. We have a unique opportunity for those who believe in our mission.

The Summer 2026 Investigator Internship Program begins on May 28, 2026, and runs until August 6, 2026. The internship is an unpaid, full-time, in-person, intensive, hands-on program. No remote investigative positions are available. Interns carry their own caseloads and partner up with other interns for field investigations throughout New York City. The internship begins with mandatory training in Criminal Defenses, Interviewing Techniques, Constitutional Law, Ethics for Investigations, Memorializing Interviews, Social Media Research, Discovery Reform, Investigative Techniques, and more. These positions require considerable initiative, resourcefulness, creativity, drive, and a strong commitment to criminal defense work.

We have internship spots available in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island Trial Offices, the Homicide Defense Task Force Unit (HDTF), the Wrongful Conviction Unit (WCU), and the Parole Revocation Defense Unit (PRDU).

Applicants should indicate their preferred trial office or Specialized Unit in their cover letter. While we will make every effort to honor these preferences, placements will ultimately be determined based on organizational needs and available capacity.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Locate and interview complainants, witnesses, defendants, and other relevant parties
• Investigate crime scenes and other relevant locations
• Document scenes (via photographs, video recording, diagrams, or measurements)
• Create crime scene sketches/diagrams/maps
• Prepare written summaries of investigation results via our case management system
• Conduct background checks, internet research, and social media investigations
• Accompany defense players to crime scenes and relevant locations and assist in their cases
• Locate and secure surveillance footage from varying locations and buildings
• Communicate daily with defense team
• Provide accurate, detailed reports on investigations and support other necessary documents (e.g., chain of custody, witness statements, investigation summaries, etc.)
• Travel within assigned borough as well as out-of-borough via mass transit
• Communicate with other members of staff/team to effectively analyze and discuss cases
• Review detailed and voluminous discovery
• Locate clients and communicate with clients as needed
• Serve subpoenas, motions, and other legal documents as needed

QUALIFICATIONS

• Enrolled in an accredited educational institution pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in good standing
• Ability to attend mandatory training courses between May 28 - June 5, 2026
• Commitment to racially and socioeconomically oppressed communities
• Ability to work collegially and collaboratively with all members of the staff
• Strong writing, research, computer technology, social media, and communication skills required
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines and to think critically

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the career portal.

• Cover Letter
• Resume

SALARY TRANSPARENCY
As an intern position, this role has no salary.

STIPENDS & BENEFITS

Interns who meet the eligibility criteria have an opportunity to receive a $1,000 stipend from the Howard Rossbach fund. The Stipend was established in memory of Judge J. Howard Rossbach, Attorney-in-Chief of The Legal Aid Society (1950-1952, 1953-1955), whose mentorship encouraged young lawyers' dedication to civic engagement through legal aid. The J. Howard Rossbach Internship Stipend, awarded through a lottery system, aims to support 4-5 interns annually who demonstrate financial need and lack funding for their internship at The Legal Aid Society. To be considered for this stipend, interns must:

• Applicants must be enrolled as a degree seeking undergraduate or graduate student at any accredited institution
• Complete the Howard Rossbach Internship Stipend Form at the time of submitting their internship application.
• Must ultimately be accepted to participate in an internship program at LAS
• Must demonstrate financial need
• Must lack funding for their internship
• Must submit a statement reflecting the student's strong interest in working at Legal Aid upon graduation

Application deadline (s):

Please refer to the deadline listed on the internship description you wish to apply to.

Stipend application:

To be considered for the J. Howard Rossbach Internship Stipend, simultaneously fill out the J. Howard Rossbach Internship Stipend Form during the submission of your internship application. Only one application per applicant per year is permitted. If more than 4 or 5 applicants are eligible, then recipients will be selected by lottery. Please do not submit multiple forms even if you are applying for multiple internships. Selected interns will be notified prior to the start of their internships. The stipend will be treated as taxable income.

For additional information or inquiries about the internship, please reach out to jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must be completed online. We do not accept emailed submissions.

Candidates applying must indicate their location/unit interest in order of preferences in their cover letter. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early. Offers will also be extended on a rolling basis. Interviews will be scheduled throughout winter and spring, and if you are selected for an interview, you will receive an email notification during this season. Selected applicants should expect an interview via Zoom or Teams. Due to the high volume of applications and the competitive hiring process, we will not be able to interview all the applicants.

Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one's internal deeply-held sense of one's gender which may be the same or different from one's sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one's name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Manhattan - Criminal Defense Practice Office