By Ava Halovatch, Pre-Law Peer Advisor
Finding an internship in law during your undergraduate years is daunting. Since we do not yet have the knowledge and experience of law students, it can be difficult to market ourselves and get involved.
My biggest piece of advice would be to reach out. Although there will be some lawyers who may not respond or say no, all you need is one person to agree and take you on as an intern.
Go in person to small law firms in your area and ask if they need help in any way, whether it be with organization of files, calls, or other monotonous tasks. Sometimes lawyers may not even recognize that they need help until you offer it.
Another idea would be to continuously network. Whether you are at an organized networking event, or just supporting your brother’s hockey team, there are always opportunities to talk with people in the industry. Take advantage of these chances and market yourself as curious and willing to help. LinkedIn is another great networking platform, where you can reach out to people in the industry who went to the same school or work at a firm you aspire to be at.
Over the past two summers, I have worked for a small personal injury law firm in my area. By networking, I was able to connect with one of the lawyers and secure this opportunity. For the first summer, I mainly focused on organizing files, updating client information, calling and negotiating client medical balances, and shadowing attorneys during court proceedings. Although these tasks may have been menial, they gave me an amazing chance to see how a law firm works and allowed me to evaluate my decision to become a lawyer.
However, as I established my dedication and reputation with the firm, I was able to get more involved and carry greater responsibility. This past summer I began conducting legal research and drafting legal complaints. These documents are essential to the court case as they present the argument to the court and are used to “sue” the other party. It was so exciting to be part of that process and get hands-on experience with legal writing. Through drafting, I learned how to be concise while stating all the required information, a difficult balance to strike.
My biggest takeaway from my internship was the importance of a team in the legal world. There are so many moving parts for a case, and so many cases being worked on at once, that everyone needs to rely on each other for help. When I was unsure, I knew that I could turn to my fellow interns or paralegals for advice or information. They were always there to support me and ensure that each document was my best work.
For the complaint drafting department at my firm, there were many rounds of corrections to make sure that the document was as close to perfect as possible. I wrote the initial draft, then handed it to my colleague for review. After that, two more paralegals reviewed my writing and made edits before the complaint went through its final revisions with the attorney. This team dynamic and internal revision process is really what allows us to complete so many strong complaints.
Reflecting on the past two summers, I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had. While building my legal knowledge and technical skills, I had the unique chance to collaborate with a team and watch court cases in action. This experience has definitely strengthened my desire to go to law school and become a lawyer.
If you want to hear more about opportunities and advice about securing your own internship, come to my drop-in hours! I would be happy to discuss 😊
Ava’s Fall 2026 Drop-In Hours (effective 9/28-12/11)
- Tuesday, 9:00 am – 10:00 am (In Person in Rowe 426)
- Thursday, 9:00 am – 10:00 am (Virtual via Webex; join here)