Spring 2026 Internship Positions
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Job Description
About the Company (CPCS & ACRSU)
The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is a state agency in Massachusetts dedicated to providing legal representation for individuals who cannot afford an attorney, as mandated by state or federal constitution or statute. CPCS represents clients in a wide array of cases including criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, child welfare, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry matters, as well as related appeals and post-conviction proceedings.
CPCS’s mission is to fight for equal justice and human dignity by supporting clients in achieving their legal and life goals, zealously advocating for individual rights, and promoting just public policy. Their core values are Courage, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence (CARE). They are deeply committed to diversity and inclusion, striving to ensure that their staff reflects a broad range of human differences, provides a respectful work climate, and promotes the dignity and well-being of all staff members. They emphasize the critical need for cultural competence among staff due to the diverse backgrounds of their clients.
The Alternative Commitment & Registration Support Unit (ACRSU) is a specialized unit within CPCS. Its primary commitment is to ensure that all indigent adults and youths in Massachusetts have access to zealous legal representation when facing sexually dangerous person civil commitment trials and sex offender registry board classification proceedings. ACRSU also addresses emerging issues such as the disparate impact of these proceedings on minorities, the propriety of proceeding against individuals who were juveniles at the time of past crimes, and the enforcement of due process guarantees.
About the Job: Spring 2026 Internship Position (ACRSU)
This internship offers students an opportunity to contribute to CPCS’s mission of equal justice within the Alternative Commitment & Registration Support Unit (ACRSU).
Position Overview & Responsibilities:
Interns eligible for 3:03 certification will have significant hands-on legal experience, including:
• Fully litigating a client’s case from assignment through to the final administrative hearing before the Sex Offender Registry Board.
• Assisting with legal research.
• Observing Superior Court trials.
• Visiting incarcerated clients.
• Reviewing psychological and scientific studies.
• Assisting with other projects as needed.
Qualifications:
• Mandatory: All students who will have completed their first year of law school by the start of their internship are eligible to apply. Candidates must also have access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely on at least a part-time basis.
• Preferred:
• Students who have taken classes in evidence, criminal law, criminal procedure, constitutional law, critical legal theory, and/or trial advocacy.
• Students with experience working with low-income clients, people of color, immigrants, LGBT people, and other underrepresented groups.
• Students who speak a foreign language.
