The Michigan State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) seeks first and second-year law students committed to public service, racial equity, and social justice to join its Summer Internship Program. SADO is seeking interns for its Direct Appeals Unit and for its Juvenile Lifer Unit.
—Direct Appeals Unit
SADO provides representation to poor people who appeal their state criminal convictions. For the 2023-24 Michigan Supreme Court term, SADO attorneys have twelve cases awaiting argument and decision.
Interns are paired with a staff attorney and will work with other SADO team members including investigators, social workers, reentry specialists, and support staff. SADO summer interns will gain experience with client counseling, fact investigation, mitigation, legal research, brief writing, and oral advocacy (if possible).
Because Michigan has a unique criminal appellate process that allows for factual development on direct appeal, interns can expect to work in both trial and appellate courts, and to attend trial court hearings and Court of Appeals arguments
Those interested in applying should e-mail a resume and cover letter together in a single PDF file to internships@sado.org.
The subject line should read “Direct Appeals Summer Internship Application.” The cover letter should indicate why the applicant wants to be part of the SADO team and work for its clients. Applications should be submitted by January 12, 2024, at 5 p.m. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis.
—Juvenile Lifer Unit
SADO’s Juvenile Lifer Unit provides representation to those sentenced to life without parole for crimes committed as children.
Interns will work paired with members of the Juvenile Lifer Unit, including attorneys, investigators, mitigation specialists, reentry specialists, and support staff.
JLU interns will gain experience with file and transcript review, client visitation, mitigation, legal research, and brief writing—all in preparation for resentencing proceedings pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decisions in Miller v Alabama (2012), Montgomery v Louisiana (2016), and the Michigan Supreme Court case of People v Parks (2022).
Those interested in applying should e-mail a resume and cover letter together in a single PDF file to internships@sado.org. The cover letter should indicate why the applicant wants to be part of the JLU team and work for its clients.
The subject line of the email should indicate that it is regarding a position with the JLU summer internship program. Applications should be submitted by January 12, 2024, at 5 p.m. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis.
Anyone with questions should email internships@sado.org.
For additional information, visit www.sado.org.
