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Summer Honors Program FAQ's

Summer Honors Program Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply?
When should I apply for the Summer Honors Program?
What does the Law Department look for in candidates?
Are Summer Honors interns paid?
How long does the Law Department leave summer intern offers open?
Does the Law Department hire first-year law students for the Summer Honors Program?
Can interns split the summer?
How many second-year law students in the Summer Honors Program receive offers for permanent employment?
What is the interview process?
What do I need to bring to my interview?
How are interns assigned to divisions?
Can interns rotate between divisions?
Is there a mentor program for summer interns?
How many different attorneys will I be working with during the summer?
What kind of events are there for summer honors interns?
Is there a City residency requirement?
Is there a U.S. citizenship requirement?

How do I apply?
The Law Department participates in the on-campus interviewing process at law schools and job fairs, and we also accept applications through our online application system. Second year students may apply through our online application portal after August 1, 2023. First year law students may apply through this same link after December 1, 2023. Applications should include a cover letter and resume. Applicants are advised to discuss their division preferences in their cover letters. Law school transcripts (official or non-official), writing samples, and a list of three references may be requested at a later date. Please ensure your application materials comply with the Law Department's application guidelines.

Applications may be addressed to:

Lillian Evans
Director of Legal Recruitment
NYC Law Department
100 Church Street
New York, NY 10007

Applications are not accepted by regular mail or e-mail. Questions may be sent to recruitment@law.nyc.gov.

When should I apply for the Summer Honors Program?
Second-year law students should apply through the fall On-Campus Interview (OCI) process at their school or apply through our on-line application portal after August 1. First-year law students should submit their applications through our online application system after December 1 or through the Spring on-campus interview days and job fairs in which we participate.

What does the Law Department look for in candidates??
The Law Department looks for candidates who are committed to public service, pursuing justice and serving the common good. To best serve the City we represent, the Law Department seeks individuals from a variety of backgrounds who can bring different perspectives to contribute to the work of the office. The Law Department also seeks candidates who want to contribute to a work environment that values teamwork, inclusion and respect. Finally, for second year summer intern candidates, as many of our second year interns work in litigating divisions, the Law Department seeks candidates who have experience in moot court, trial advocacy, debate, public speaking, or litigation/mediation clinics or internships.

Are Summer Honors interns paid?
The 2024 summer program will be unpaid.

How long does the Law Department leave summer intern offers open?
In accordance with the National Association for Law Placement’s (NALP) “Principles for a Fair and Ethical Recruitment Process,” the Law Department will continue to abide by the NALP Timing Guidelines in place prior to the December 2018 amendments. Thus, during the fall recruitment season, offers of entry-level or summer honors intern employment made to current law students prior to December 15 will be kept open for 28 days, or until December 31, whichever is earlier. Offers made to law students after December 15 will be kept open for two weeks. Offers of permanent employment made to second year law students who interned in our summer program will be kept open until October 1. As always, we will make every effort to accommodate reasonable requests for extensions. Where law schools have adopted timing guidelines for their students that differ from the former NALP timing guidelines, we will make every effort to abide by those guidelines to the extent we are made aware of them by the school or the applicant.

Does the Law Department hire first-year law students for the Summer Honors Program?
We usually hire approximately 20-30 first-year law students. Under our student practice order, first-year summer interns can do any activity that a second year summer intern can do in terms of appearing in court under supervision. They participate in the same activities as the second-year law students in the Program.

Can interns split the summer?
We require interns to work eight of the nine weeks of our program, which normally starts the first Monday in June and ends the first Friday in August. Interns are free to arrange other internships for the remaining weeks of the summer.

How many second-year law students in the Summer Honors Program receive offers for permanent employment?
While the number changes every year, in 2023, all 28 of our eligible second year students in our Summer Honors Program received offers of permanent employment.

What is the interview process?

The majority of our interviews are conducted in a virtual setting at the moment.

First year intern candidates generally have two rounds of interviews. The first interview is held one-on-one with a Law Department attorney. If the candidate is recommended for a second interview, they meet with the Director of Legal Recruitment.

Second year intern candidates generally have three rounds of interviews. At a first-round interview, candidates meet one-on-one with an attorney from our office. Candidates who are selected for a second-round interview will meet with two senior attorneys and one junior attorney. Candidates recommended for a third-round interview will then meet with the Director of Legal Recruitment.

At all stages of the interview process, candidates should be prepared to discuss their interest in our office, their work and academic experience, and any legal issue that they may have worked on.

What do I need to bring to my interview?
We recommend that you bring copies of your most up-to-date resume, writing samples, law school transcript, and list of references. Please ensure that your application materials comply with the Law Department's application guidelines.

How are interns assigned to divisions?
Throughout the interview process, candidates are asked which divisions they are most interested in to ensure that the agency will have an available position in one of the candidate’s top division preferences. Candidates are encouraged to ask questions during the interview process and contact Attorney Ambassadors to learn more about which divisions they are most interested in. When a candidate receives an offer, they are asked to list their top four division preferences on their signed acceptance letter. The majority of second year summer interns work in one of our litigating divisions. These divisions include, in order of numbers of placements each year, our Tort, Labor and Employment, Special Federal Litigation, Family Court, Administrative Law and Regulatory Litigation, General Litigation, Commercial and Real Estate Litigation, and Workers’ Compensation Divisions. On occasion, we have placed an individual in our Affirmative Litigation, Appeals, Environmental Law, Legal Counsel, and Tax and Bankruptcy Litigation Divisions. Generally, we do not place 2L summer interns in our transactional divisions, which include our Economic Development, Contracts and Real Estate, and Municipal Finance Divisions.

Can interns rotate between divisions?
No. We find that continuity in supervision permits us to give interns increasingly challenging work over the course of the summer. The work within each division is varied enough to give interns a wide range of experiences.

Is there a mentor program for summer interns?
Yes. Each summer intern is assigned a mentor. Ideally, the mentor will be an attorney who will not be assigning work directly to the intern.

How many different attorneys will I be working with during the summer?
Each intern should receive several major assignments during the summer with different attorney supervisors. The number and nature of assignments vary by division.

What kind of events are there for Summer Honors Program interns?
While field trips and speakers change from year to year, events for the 2023 Summer Honors Program included:

Welcome reception in honor of the Summer Honors Program interns with Law Department staff and executives
Shakespeare in the Park
Boat tour of the NYC Harbor discussing Law Department projects on the Waterfront
Field trip to Governors Island
Visit to the African Burial Ground Museum and Monument
Tour of the Landmarks Preservation Commission Repository
Observation of a 2nd Circuit Oral Argument
Celebrations in honor of Juneteenth and Caribbean American Heritage Month
Participation as a mock witness at the Law Department's Trial Advcacy program

Is there a City residency requirement?
No.

Is there a U.S. citizenship requirement?
No, but we do require our interns to be enrolled in an accredited United States or Canadian law school.