The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Vermont will supervise undergraduate interns in our office in order to assist students in gaining relevant experience in the legal profession. Interns will be exposed to the defense of indigent criminal defendants charged with federal crimes from initial appearance through sentencing, as well as supervised release proceedings and violations of probation.

Program responsibilities of the intern: Successful completion of an undergraduate Federal Public Defender internship will involve the intern being present as scheduled, meeting all deadlines and completing required assignments in a timely fashion. Further, the intern will fully abide by all policies in the Office of the Federal Public Defender District of Vermont Office Information for Work-Study Interns and Gratuitous Services Students manual.

Supervision: Interns are supervised by an Assistant Federal Public Defender and the Investigator.

Education: Interns will be exposed to the substantive defense of federal crimes through their interactions with federal public staff and the federal criminal defense community (including prosecutors, United States Probation Officers, U.S. Marshals and court personnel) and clients of the Office of the Federal Public Defender. Interns will be encouraged to observe initial meetings with clients and regularly attend court proceedings and related meetings with those in the criminal defense community.

Research: Interns will be expected to complete research memoranda regarding topics relevant to the defense of particular cases. Such assignments will be equivalent to an undergraduate-level research paper, utilizing professional journals and online research services.

Investigation/information-gathering: Interns will assist in all aspects of case investigation including records collection (organizing and summarizing voluminous records, discovery and social history information), crime scene surveys, witness interviews, client interviews ( in office and at local correctional facilities), and networking with human services agencies. Interns are expected to summarize findings in a professional manner.

How to apply: Interested persons may apply by emailing a resume and cover letter to Kristen Bures, Administrative Officer, Kristen_Bures@fd.org. Please include proposed starting date and hours of availability per week. Successful applicants will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement and will be subject to a background check.