Alaska Department of Law Internship Program

Introduction

The Alaska Department of Law, under direction of the Attorney General, is the largest law firm in the state. The Alaska Department of Law has volunteer summer intern positions available for students enrolled in accredited law schools. Past interns have come from schools accross the country, including University of California, Hastings and Berkeley, Columbia, Vermont, University of Oregon, McGeorge, Rutgers, NYU, Yale, University of Idaho, Pace, Brooklyn, Boston College, Georgetown, Cornell, Emory and University of Washington.

The program includes round-trip airfare, but offers no stipend or salary. Our preference is to ask students to commit to an internship of at least ten weeks. Check with your law school to see if financial aid is available to students who intern for public agencies such as the Department of Law.

As an intern, you may do legal research, writing, and courtroom work in the trial court, and possibly in the appellate courts, under the direction of experienced trial and appellate lawyers. Our priority is to assign interns to Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau, but other possible locations include Barrow, Bethel, Dillingham, Kenai, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Kotzebue, Nome, Palmer, and Sitka.

Second and third-year students working for the criminal division, who have completed at least one-half of the course work required for a law degree, are eligible for a "legal intern permit" under Alaska Bar Rule 44, allowing you to appear in court. You may also have the opportunity to travel to a court in an outlying area.

During the internship, you will receive feedback of both your written and courtroom work from attorneys who have supervised and observed you.

Intern Experiences

Read about the experiences of past summer interns at the Department of Law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Alaska Department of Law pay its interns?

The internship program at the Alaska Department of Law is a volunteer program. An internship position includes round-trip airfare, but does not pay a stipend or salary. Check with your law school to see if financial aid is available for students who intern for public agencies such as the Department of Law.

How long is the internship and when would it start?

Our preference is to ask students to commit to an internship of at least ten weeks. The exact start and end dates of your internship are flexible depending on your school schedule or other commitments.

How does the application process work?

See "How to Apply," below.

When should I apply?

We accept applications for intern positions at any time. Acceptance is on a rolling basis.

What areas of law would I be working in?

The Civil Division of the Department of Law is divided into 14 statewide sections:

  • Child Protection
  • Collections and Support
  • Commercial and Fair Business
  • Environmental Law
  • Human Services
  • Information and Project Support
  • Labor and State Affairs
  • Legislation and Regulations
  • Natural Resources
  • Oil, Gas and Mining
  • Opinions, Appeals, and Ethics
  • Regulatory Affairs and Public Advocacy
  • Torts and Workers' Compensation
  • Transportation

Not all sections will take interns for a given summer, but you should communicate your preferences in your cover letter. If you are interested in more than one section, list all of the sections in which you have an interest in the cover letter.

Where in Alaska would I work?

The Civil Division has seven offices throughout the state but internships are usually only available in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau. Where interns are placed depends on the needs of the sections in each city; however, the majority of our interns are in Anchorage.

The Criminal Division has a central office in Anchorage and thirteen District Attorney offices throughout the state. These District offices are located in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Barrow, Bethel, Dillingham, Kenai, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Kotzebue, Nome, Palmer, and Sitka. While the Criminal Division gives priority to staffing needs in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, it is possible to intern in one of the more remote District offices.

What kinds of projects am I likely to work on?

As an intern in the Civil Division, you may do legal research, writing, and courtroom work in the trial court, and possibly in the appellate courts, under the direction of experience trial and appellate lawyers. Work projects will vary by section, but we want interns to get as many different legal experiences as possible, so if an opportunity arises in a different section, supervisors generally are willing to let interns participate.

In addition, second and third-year student interns in the Criminal Division who have completed at least one-half of the course work required for a law degree are eligible for a "legal intern permit" under Alaska Bar Rule 44. This allows the intern to appear in court.

How do I find out about housing?

There are a number of places that advertise short-term housing, including the Anchorage Daily News and Craigslist.

Do I need a car?

Not necessarily. Many housing options are within walking or bicycling distance from the office. Many of our interns bring bicycles from home, and others have bought bicycles on Craigslist. Some interns have even bought older cars when they arrived and resold them at the end of the summer.

Can I get work study credit?

Check with your school to see whether it allows school credit for the internship. Interns have, in the past, earned credit toward school.

Can I take time off during my internship?

Some sections will approve time off in the middle of the internship (i.e. a one week vacation) as long as the full term of the internship is ten weeks.

How to Apply

Send a resume, cover letter, writing sample, law school transcript, and three references to:


Applications for the Civil Division should be sent to:

Jennifer Currie
Assistant Attorney General
Alaska Department of Law
1031 W. 4th Avenue Suite 200
Anchorage, AK 99501
Jennifer.Currie@alaska.gov • (907)269-5280


Applications for the Criminal Division should be sent to:

Susie Frenzel
Legal Administrator
Alaska Department of Law
PO Box 110300
Juneau, AK 99811-0300
Susie.Frenzel@alaska.gov

Please indicate in your cover letter which Division(s) / Section(s) you are interested in, as well as your geographic preference or requirements.

Women and minority applications are encouraged. The Alaska Department of Law is an equal opportunity employer and complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Applicants who need accommodation to apply may call Relay Alaska at 1-800-770-8973, or the Department of Law. For civil division positions, call Melanie Ferguson (907) 269-5102. For criminal division positions, call Susie Frenzel (907) 465-3569.

Applicants are encouraged to solicit information about the Department of Law from any of its employees. However, the state will not be bound by any offer of employment or any commitment as to terms and conditions of employment or as to the application of departmental policies, if not made in writing by an authorized representative of the Attorney General. Final hiring decisions are made by the Attorney General.

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