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Spring 2026 Public Safety Division Intern | Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

Job Summary 
The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (OAG) seeks highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students to work as legal interns during the academic year and summer vacation. OAG’s internship program provides students with a challenging experience that reflects the demands and rewards of public service.  Internships are unique and tailored to each student's needs, interests, and schedule. We will talk with you to learn about your interests, skills, experience, preparation, and training. After receiving the completed application and supporting documents, the internship coordinator will contact you to arrange a suitable placement that is mutually beneficial.  

Duties and Responsibilities
The Public Safety Division (PSD) handles all cases where young people commit a law violation in the District of Columbia and prosecutes selected adult misdemeanor cases. The Public Safety Division consists of seven sections (Criminal, Juvenile, Mental Health, Restorative Justice, Domestic Violence/Special Victims, Public Corruption) and two units (Discovery and Juvenile Specialty Court).  Interns will help section attorneys in a variety of ways including, but not limited to conducting legal research, drafting motions and pleadings, making charging decisions, evaluating reasonable and appropriate plea offers and resolutions, assessing what if any type of diversion program is appropriate, engaging with the Restorative Justice program, discovery, and trial preparation. Interns will be able to attend and observe many different types of court proceedings, including trials. 

Criminal Section 
The Criminal Section prosecutes adults who commit the following types of misdemeanor criminal violations: Traffic offenses, weapons offenses, quality-of-life offenses, municipal regulation offenses, and fraud against the District of Columbia.  

Juvenile Section 
The Juvenile Section has the unique responsibility of prosecuting all juveniles within the District of Columbia. Along with our efforts to protect the public, we also place a heavy emphasis on rehabilitation of the juveniles, and we evaluate each case on a case-by-case basis.  

Mental Health Section 
The Mental Health Section represents the Department of Behavioral Health in protecting residents of the District of Columbia from harm by facilitating access to mental health treatment, obtaining guardians for incapacitated adults, and prosecuting Red Flag cases.   

Restorative Justice Section 
The Restorative Justice Section facilitates conferences between young people who commit crimes and the victim, where the victim is interested.   

Domestic Violence and Special Victims Section 
The Domestic Violence and Special Victims Section includes the following: the Domestic Violence team, which prosecutes violations of Civil Protection Orders (CPO) and represents petitioners seeking to obtain CPO and Extreme Risk Protection Orders; the Special Victims team that handles juvenile prosecutions of offenses against vulnerable victims as well as adult indecent exposure cases; and the Elder Abuse team that represents Adult Protective Services obtaining guardians and conservators for vulnerable adults who are being abused, neglected, or exploited, or are self-neglecting, and prosecutes financial exploitation of older or vulnerable adults.  

Public Corruption 
The Public Corruption Section prosecutes offenses related to fraud that undermine the public trust.  

Discovery Unit 
The Discovery Unit collect, review, redact and evaluate any and all potentially discoverable and exculpatory evidence including, body-worn camera footage and police officer disciplinary records, to assess any potential disclosures that must be made in the course of prosecution pursuant to discovery and Brady obligations.  

Juvenile Specialty Court Unit 
JSCU comprehensively focuses on possible solutions to the District’s truancy and runaway, problems. JSCU also manages the ATTEND truancy mediation program, and the Juvenile Behavioral Diversion Program, D.C. Superior Court’s mental health court for youth. 

Qualifications and Education 
Incumbent must be currently enrolled in college and law school. General knowledge of the OAG, District and Federal rules of evidence, rules of criminal procedures, and rules of civil procedures, as well as the litigation process and court procedures to non-routine assignments, such as reviewing incoming documents and determining the need for the preparation of various legal documents. General knowledge of electronic and manual legal research techniques sufficient to compose legal documents and correspondence; search and analyze for legal relevance and summarize data; make conclusions; and recommend appropriate action. Knowledge of legal terminology. General knowledge of District of Columbia Government Executive Branch agencies, and their relationship to the courts and to the D.C. Council. Skill in legal writing to prepare a variety of documents, legal briefs, and summaries. Ability to analyze legal issues, factual issues, and subject matter details to determine the data needed, methods of obtaining data and the relevance of data already available. Ability to communicate effectively and prepare legal summaries of analyses. 
 
HOW TO APPLY: Under the subject heading PSD Internship Application, candidates should e-mail one PDF file which includes a cover letter, résumé, and writing sample to https://app.12twenty.com/jobpostings/35006704608922 by 11:59pm of the closing date indicated above.  
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