Legal Internship Program

The Public Defender’s Office offers two types of internships for law students and undergraduate students: certified and non-certified. Both programs afford invaluable experience working alongside skilled and dedicated assistant public defenders in one of the nation’s most challenging criminal justice systems.

The certified legal internship is limited to students who have completed at least two years of law school and meet certification requirements set by the Supreme Court of Florida. Interns are "certified" by the state Supreme Court to represent our clients under the supervision of our office. After attending the Public Defender Orientation Training Series, these interns receive assignments in the felony, misdemeanor or juvenile divisions. The interns each work closely with an experienced assistant public defender who acts as a mentor. They do everything assistant public defenders do, such as conduct client interviews, take depositions, engage in motion practice, handle daily court calendars and try cases. The program is designed to be litigation intensive. Our certified interns are not assigned to endless memorandum writing in the library.

The non-certified internship is open to all law students and undergraduate students. These interns provide litigation support to our legal staff by conducting client interviews, research, investigations and doing some writing. They often are assigned to the Early Representation/Bond Hearing Unit, as well as the Domestic Violence Unit and, occasionally, the Capital Litigation Unit and the Civil Mental Health Unit.

Internships in the Public Defender’s Office may be performed for academic credit on a "work-study" or a volunteer basis. Sometimes stipends are available to reimburse out-of-town students for living expenses. Students interested in participating in our internship program, can either email their resume to Rory Stein, training director, or mail it to him at the address given at the bottom of this page.
 

Appellate Litigation Clinic at St. Thomas University School of Law

Started in the Spring Semester 2005, the Law Offices of Public Defender Bennett H. Brummer and the St. Thomas University School of Law have joined together to offer third year law students a unique opportunity to learn through experience in the law school’s Appellate Litigation Clinic. Third year law students at St. Thomas University Law School, certified by the Florida Supreme Court and under the supervision of Assistant Public Defender Howard K. Blumberg, have the opportunity to represent Public Defender clients in their appeals in the Third District Court of Appeal of Florida. The students write the briefs and present oral argument in the appellate court. Students spend two hours each week in a class taught by Mr. Blumberg, a minimum of sixteen office hours per week at the Law Offices of Public Defender Bennett H. Brummer, and whatever additional time is necessary to properly prepare the appeals to which they have been assigned. This joint effort between the Law Offices of Public Defender Bennett H. Brummer and the St. Thomas University School of Law provides a valuable service to both the clients of the Public Defender’s Office and the students at the law school.