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 Direct Appeals Summer Internship Program. SADO provides representation to poor people who appeal their state criminal convictions.
Interns are paired with a staff attorney and 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 which 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.
The summer internship program includes weekly sessions on a variety of topics, including wellbeing, the Michigan Department of Corrections, the Fourth Amendment, and litigating race on appeal.
SADO has space in both the Lansing and Detroit offices to work in-person. There will also be client visits and court attendance throughout Michigan.
The program will run from late May through August 2025—precise dates are flexible. Due to limited resources, the internship opportunities are currently unpaid. Applicants are encourages to seek funding from their academic institutions or third-party funders, and SADO will share opportunities for financial assistance as it learns of them.
To apply e-mail a resume and cover letter together in a single PDF file to internships@sado.org with 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.
Applications should be submitted by January 10, 2025, at 5 p.m. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis.
For questions, email internships@sado.org.
Interns are paired with a staff attorney and 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 which 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.
The summer internship program includes weekly sessions on a variety of topics, including wellbeing, the Michigan Department of Corrections, the Fourth Amendment, and litigating race on appeal.
SADO has space in both the Lansing and Detroit offices to work in-person. There will also be client visits and court attendance throughout Michigan.
The program will run from late May through August 2025—precise dates are flexible. Due to limited resources, the internship opportunities are currently unpaid. Applicants are encourages to seek funding from their academic institutions or third-party funders, and SADO will share opportunities for financial assistance as it learns of them.
To apply e-mail a resume and cover letter together in a single PDF file to internships@sado.org with 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.
Applications should be submitted by January 10, 2025, at 5 p.m. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis.
For questions, email internships@sado.org.
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