Internship - Innocence Program - Spring 2026
Internship - Innocence Program - Spring 2026
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Salary Not Disclosed
1 Vacancy
Job Description
Overview
The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) Innocence Program is currently seeking students for our Spring 2026 internship positions.
We fight for equal justice and human dignity by supporting our clients in achieving their legal and life goals. We zealously advocate for the rights of individuals and promote just public policy to protect the rights of all.
Our Values
Courage Accountability Respect Excellence
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT
CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of our assigned clients through zealous advocacy community-oriented defense and the fullness of excellent legal representation. We are dedicated to building and maintaining strong professional relationships while striving to accept listen to and respect the diverse circumstances of each client as we dedicate ourselves to meeting their individual needs. It is our CPCS mission to achieve these goals and in furtherance thereof we embrace and endorse diversity equityand inclusion as our core values as we maintain a steadfast commitment to: (1) Ensure that CPCS management and staff members represent a broad range of human differences and experience; (2) Provide a work climate that is respectful and supports success; and (3) Promote the dignity and well-being of all staff members. CPCS leadership is responsible for ensuring equity diversity and inclusion. The ability to achieve these goals with any level of certainty is ultimately the responsibility of each member of the CPCS community.
AGENCY OVERVIEW
CPCSis the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain one. The agency provides representation in criminal delinquency youthful offender family regulation guardianship mental health sexually dangerous person and sex offender registry cases as well as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings related to those matters.
The clients we represent are diverse across every context imaginable and bring many unique cultural dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a critical need for CPCS staff to be culturally competent and able to work well with people of different races ethnicities genders and/or sexual orientation identities abilities and limited English proficiency among other protected characteristics.
INNOCENCE PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Innocence Program (IP) located in Boston is a unit of the Massachusetts public defenders office that is devoted to identifying and fighting wrongful convictions across the state. IP aims to identify and litigate meritorious Massachusetts innocence claims at both trial and appellate levels; assign experienced attorneys to litigate such claims; supervise and train lawyers handling innocence cases; and administer funds from a federally-supported Expert Funding System to support post-conviction investigation forensic consultation and testing in both DNA and non-DNA cases. Since the creation of this unit our staff and panel attorneys have been instrumental in securing the release and exoneration of over two dozen wrongfully convicted Massachusetts defendants. We also helped establish an innovative partnership with prosecutors criminal clerks and scientists from the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory to identify areas of common concern related to wrongful convictions.
You may also visit our website for more information:
All students who will have completed their first year of law school by the start of their internship are eligible to apply.
Preferred qualifications:
- 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
- Students who can work with us full-time
Candidates must also:
- Have access to a personal computer with home internet access sufficient to work remotely on at least a part-time basis.
Responsibilities
POSITION OVERVIEW
Interns will work closely with the program director staff attorneys paralegal and fellows to screen cases provide litigation support to post-conviction innocence claims work on research and data projects and policy advocacy and help draft trial court filings or appellate briefs for any active litigation. Interns will have the opportunity to attend court for any hearings or arguments.
EEO Statement
The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race color national origin ethnicity sex disability religion age veteran or military status genetic information gender identity or sexual orientation as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other applicable federal and state statutes and organizational policies. Applicants who have questions about equal employment opportunity or who need reasonable accommodations can contact the Chief Human Resources Officer Sandra DeBow-Huang at
Required Experience:
Intern
Employment Type
Full-Time
