San Francisco District Attorney

SF District Attorney

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Additional Internships

Communications and Policy

The Communication and Policy Department of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office is seeking interns!  Selected candidates will work with our small team of communications and policy personnel in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

SFDA interns receive a behind the scenes understanding of the criminal justice system, are exposed to best practices related to media and community relations, and will learn how crime and public policy related news stories are generated and developed in the media. They also receive ample training in the legislative process, and will need to attend court proceedings to provide updates on criminal cases being covered by the press. Communication and Policy interns may also conduct legal research, update and utilize social media, and help plan community outreach events.

PLEASE NOTE: Selected candidates are required to undergo a background check. This is an unpaid internship. 

Applying? Send an email to sfdainternship@sfgov.org with the following:

  • A short (one or two paragraphs) well-written cover letter included in the body of an email with resume attached.
  • Include your weekly availability, your preferred start date, and the approximate date through which you are available in the email.
  • Please ensure your email includes “Comms/Policy Internship” in the subject line.
  • Please familiarize yourself with our outside employment disclosure policy.

All students will be required to complete a Criminal Record Check Information Form with the submission of their application packet. These forms are thoroughly reviewed by our Bureau of Investigation, and students are encouraged to be candid. Acceptance into any one of the Internship Programs is conditional upon the candidate passing a background check. We suggest applying as early as possible.

Please note that the applications for the Communications and Policy Undergraduate Internship for the Summer 2023 Session are closed.

Community Liaison and Data

The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office currently has no open Community Liaison and Data Fellow positions.

Victim Services

The Victim Services Division of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office provides comprehensive advocacy and support to victims and witnesses of crime. The Victim Services Division offers free services in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Spanish. Our Victim Advocates work to ensure that crime victims and their families are provided the services and information necessary to be an integral part of the criminal case process. We are looking for compassionate, responsible, and motivated interns to help us achieve our mission of ensuring that victims are treated fairly and that their voices are heard.

 Victim Service Interns will assist advocates and staff members perform the following job responsibilities:

  • Assist victims of crime to navigate the criminal justice system.
  • Conduct crisis counseling and intakes with victims of crime, including assistance in filing California Victim Compensation Applications.
  • Provide court support and escort victims to the courtroom when needed to testify. Offer emotional support throughout the day when the victim is testifying. 
  • Assist with front office responsibilities, including: answering phones, transferring calls to Advocates, filing, receiving, copying, and submitting documents (i.e. medical bills, appeal letters, receipts).
  • Assist with client intakes.
  • Accurately gather, organize and record data relevant to advocacy cases.
  • Provision of case status updates.
  • Offer information and make appropriate needs-based referrals to: hospitals, clinics, mental health facilities, emergency resources, and community based organizations.
  • Work with Assistant District Attorneys, Investigators, and Police Inspectors on case development.
  • Conduct other duties required by management to guarantee the successful operation of the unit (i.e. generating reports, collecting and analyzing data).
  • Serve as liaison between the Victim Witness Unit and victims, witnesses, other law enforcement agencies, community agencies, service providers and other governmental personnel as such relate to advocacy.
  • Assist Victim Advocates updating and conducting outreach for new cases.

Qualifications:

  • We are looking for highly motivated, responsible candidates from the criminal justice, social work, psychology and legal academic studies fields. Candidates will be required to make a 9-month commitment, and work a minimum of 16 hours per week, days/times to be determined by the Intern Coordinator. Internship may meet the requirements of academic courses or departments. Bilingual skills (Spanish and Cantonese) are highly desirable. 

To Apply:

All students will be required to complete a Criminal Record Check Information Form with the submission of their application packet. These forms are thoroughly reviewed by our Bureau of Investigation, and students are encouraged to be candid. Acceptance into any one of the Internship Programs is conditional upon the candidate passing a background check. We suggest applying as early as possible.

Undergrad and High School

The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office offers unpaid internship positions for students with an interest in criminal justice who seek exposure to the unique and diverse opportunities the SFDA’s Office offers.  Students may assist prosecutors in a variety of clerical tasks such as organizing and preparing case files for trials, contacting witnesses and managing subpoenas and records surrounding both pre-trial hearings and jury trials (subject to attorney approval and supervision).  Applicants should be reliable and well organized students who can successfully balance their studies with their work at the office. Applications for high school internships are only accepted for Summer sessions.

Program Requirements

How to Apply

All applicants must complete and submit the following materials in one combined .pdf file in the following order:

  1. Cover Letter – Please address to Jacqueline Cao, Internship Program Coordinator, and indicate your year in school.
  2. Resume
  3. Background Investigation From (High School / Undergrad) (Type into the form, save it, print it, and sign it before including it in the .pdf file)
  4. A copy of photo identification
  5. Writing Sample – No longer than 10 pages in length. No writing sample is necessary for high school students.

Email questions and application material to: SFDAInternship@sfgov.org

All students will be required to complete a Criminal Record Check Information Form with the submission of their application packet. These forms are thoroughly reviewed by our Bureau of Investigation, and students are encouraged to be candid. Acceptance into any one of the Internship Programs is conditional upon the candidate passing a background check. We suggest applying as early as possible.

NOTE: Submissions that fail to meet the previous guidelines will be rejected immediately.

Paralegal Internship

The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office offers a voluntary paralegal internship program to students who are currently enrolled in a paralegal educational program.  The program will be offered year round.  To participate in the program, the student must be available a minimum of twelve hours per week.  We understand that some paralegal programs require a 120 hour duration for an internship and this may differ dependent on the paralegal program a student is enrolled in.

The internship program will give students an opportunity to learn about the criminal justice system and obtain the knowledge of how instrumental a paralegal’s role is in assisting in prosecution.  Paralegal student interns who qualify for the internship will be assigned to work with experienced staff in the various criminal units within the office.  Students will also be able to experience firsthand the work involved in providing justice, ensuring safety, and implementing innovative and efficient solutions to protect victims, hold offenders accountable, and resolve the underlying causes of crime.

Paralegal Internship Qualifications 

Interested students should submit the following documents:

  1. Cover letter stating the student’s reason for applying and other relevant information regarding their interests and availability
  2. Resume
  3. Documentation to show the student is enrolled in a paralegal program and in good standing (copy of transcript or enrollment letter from the registrar is sufficient) or
  4. Documentation to show the student has graduated from a paralegal program (copy of the certificate is sufficient)
  5. Complete the Adult Background Investigation Form (the background form can be typed in, saved as, printed and signed before adding to the PDF file)
  6. A copy of photo identification and
  7. References

The documentation listed above may be submitted via email to SFDAInternship@sfgov.org. Please indicate in the subject line “Paralegal Internship.”

Deadlines for all paralegal applications will be on a rolling admissions policy. Applicant materials are processed and reviewed as they are received. Students will be notified of their acceptance on a continual basis.  Please allow 1-2 weeks for processing.  

All students will be required to complete a Criminal Record Check Information Form with the submission of their application packet. These forms are thoroughly reviewed by our Bureau of Investigation, and students are encouraged to be candid. Acceptance into any one of the Internship Programs is conditional upon the candidate passing a background check. We suggest applying as early as possible.

Application Deadlines

Deadlines for all applications will be on a rolling admissions policy. Applicant materials are processed and reviewed as they are received. Students will be notified of their acceptance on a continual basis. Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing.

All applicants must complete and submit the following materials in one combined .pdf file in the following order:

  1. Cover Letter—Please address to Jacqueline Cao, Internship Program Coordinator, and indicate the specific program(s) that you are interested in applying for. 
  2. Resume
  3. Adult Background Investigation Form (Type into the form, save it, print it, and sign it before including it in the .pdf file)
  4. A copy of photo identification
  5. Writing Sample – No longer than 10 pages in length
  6. Be advised of our outside employment disclosure policy

Email questions and application material to: SFDAInternship@sfgov.org

All students will be required to complete a Criminal Record Check Information Form with the submission of their application packet. These forms are thoroughly reviewed by our Bureau of Investigation, and students are encouraged to be candid. Acceptance into any one of the Internship Programs is conditional upon the candidate passing a background check. We suggest applying as early as possible.

NOTE: Submissions that fail to meet the previous guidelines will be rejected immediately.

Spring 2023 Session Dates: January 23 – May 12, 2023 (16 weeks)

Application Deadline: December 9, 2023

Please note that the applications for Spring 2023 Session are closed.

Summer 2023 Session Dates: June 5 – August 25, 2023 (11 weeks)

Application Deadline: April 21, 2023

Fall 2023 Session Dates: September 5, 2023 – December 8, 2023 (14 Weeks)

Application Deadline: July 29, 2023

Outside Employment Disclosure

California Government Code §§1125 through 1127 prohibits local agency officers and employees from engaging in activities that are incompatible, inconsistent, in conflict, or inimical with their agency employment. As a volunteer intern with our office, interns are bound by these sections of the Government Code. Students selected for any of the intern programs 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. This applies even if the criminal defense work is in a different county. Students who have other outside employment/incompatible activity during the pendency of their internship must disclose this to our office for review prior to accepting the internship.

Should an intern engage in outside employment/incompatible activity after commencing the internship, the intern must immediately advise the Internship Program Manager. If the outside employment/incompatible activity is deemed to fall within the prohibitions of California Government Code §1125 through 1127, the intern will not be able to remain in our program. If an intern has any questions concerning other employment/incompatible activity, they should contact the Program Director.

SF District Attorney