Legal & Public Service Internship PLSI 610/611 (4 total units) Spring 2026

Internships provide students the unique opportunity to earn four units of credit toward the B.A.
while observing and working with judges and other personnel at the San Francisco Superior Court,
or, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. These internships provide valuable work
experience relevant to all career paths, but they are especially valuable for students thinking about
or planning to apply to law school.

For the three units of PLSI 610, interns will participate in a seminar (3:30-6:15 p.m.) on Tuesdays.
These seminars will cultivate professional development skills and students will process their
internship experiences with fellow interns. For the one unit of PLSI 611, interns must work a
minimum of 8 hours per week at their internship assignment.

Please note that there are separate applications for each internship. You can apply to both if
you so choose but you will have to pick one if you happen to be selected for both. Please also note
that the deadline for the District Attorney Internship is earlier than the deadline for the
Judicial Internship.

To apply for the District Attorney Internship:
This internship is competitive (you may not be selected) and the District Attorney’s office handles
the selection process. Those wishing to apply for this internship must apply through the District
Attorney’s website (see below) by November 7, 2025. Be aware that this application requires some
time to complete so please plan ahead!

Internship dates: January 26, 2026 to April 24, 2026.
Hour Requirement: Minimum 16 hours a week
Application Deadline: November 7, 2025.
Apply here.

To apply for the Judicial Internship:
This internship is competitive (you may not be selected) and the court handles the selection
process. Those wishing to apply for this internship must send the following, via email, by the
December 15, 2025 to Professor Mark Leinauer at: markleinauer@sfsu.edu. Please put
“Internship” in the subject line.

(1) A resume.
(2) A statement of your class status (junior, senior etc.) and an acknowledgment if you have
taken this class before.
(3) A one-page letter addressed to Judge Patrick Thompson indicating why you want to be a
judicial intern, what you hope to gain from the experience, and how the internship fits into
your future plans.
Internship dates: January 26, 2026 to May 15th, 2026
Hour Requirement: Minimum 8 hours a week
Application Deadline: December 15, 2025

Internship application materials will be processed over winter break. Placements will
thereafter be made and applicants notified. Since we do not know in advance how many applicants
will be assigned to internships, students should not sign up for PLSI 610/611 in advance. If
accepted into the program, students will receive add-codes to register for PLSI 610/611. Any
questions should be directed to Dr. Leinauer at markleinauer@sfsu.edu