Undergraduate Student Internships

Undergraduates can learn about the criminal justice system first hand. They work closely with all levels of staff, including deputy district attorneys, investigators, and support staff. Students working in one of our special units or Bureau of Investigation can be expected to assist with any of the following duties:

•  Assisting attorneys in court with large volume arraignment calendars

•  Collecting and analyzing statistics

•  Assembling reports, documents or manuals for distribution

•  Contacting witnesses - civilian and law enforcement - regarding 

    court dates

•  Assembling case evidence notebooks; sorting evidence

•  Performing any related clerical work as required, including answering     telephones

Applications for these internship positions are accepted year round. Students who apply for this program must commit to volunteer a minimum of 16 hours per week for at least 12 weeks. Students should check with their school to determine if course credits are available for this internship. Students interested in this internship should contact Staff Services Manager Ann Phelps at (805) 654-3005 or by e-mail at Ann.Phelps@Ventura.org .

Legal Internship - First Year Law Students

Currently enrolled first year law students and students between their first and second year of law school are typically assigned to assist attorneys who handle calendar court assignments where a large number of cases are called.  The intern assists a deputy district attorney in noting the orders issued by the judge and communicating with defense attorneys.  Minimum commitment requirements and contact information for first year students is the same as indicated below for other law students.

Legal Internship - Second, Third or Fourth Year Law Students

Interns are involved in all phases of criminal case activity, including attending court, conducting routine felony preliminary hearings and pretrial motions (if certified), as well as legal research and writing projects. Students are typically assigned to one or two attorneys with whom they work closely. The student's preference of unit is considered in his/her placement. Commonly, interns are assigned to the General Felony/Misdemeanor unit, the Sexual Assault and Family Protection Unit or the Major Crimes Unit. It is possible to gain experience in multiple units. The District Attorney reserves the right to assign interns where they are most needed and to perform functions listed above for undergraduate and first year law students.

Students who have completed or are currently enrolled in an evidence course are eligible for State Bar certification, allowing them to make court appearances under the supervision of an experienced attorney. An intern is not required to obtain certification; however, certification is necessary if the intern desires to represent the District Attorney in court. Many interns enjoy and covet the experience of functioning as a lawyer in the courtroom while others are more interested in working behind the scenes.

Certification forms are available through your law school and the State Bar of California. The certification procedure includes a fee of $55, payable to the State Bar for students who have never been certified; there is no fee for recertification. Fees are the responsibility of the student.

Students have the opportunity to participate in this program throughout the year. Students who apply to this program must commit to volunteer a minimum of 15 hours per week for 12 weeks during the school year. Most students can make a more significant time commitment during the summer. Those who can commit to working 40 hours per week for at least 10 weeks are given preference in the selection process for the summer program. Students interested in an internship should send a resume and note of interest via e-mail to Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Frawley, c/o Legal Management Assistant Cynthia Klante at Cynthia.Klante@Ventura.org.  Applications for these internships are accepted year round.

Due to our desire to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, students selected for this program are advised that they may not perform any work (paid or unpaid) for any criminal defense attorney during the pendency of their internship with this office.

All students are required to pass a background check conducted by our Bureau of Investigation. When completing the background forms, students are encouraged to be candid. Persons who have outstanding traffic warrants may be required to clear the matters prior to being allowed to participate in the program.