Introduction to the Paralegal Internship
Rio Salado’s Paralegal program offers an internship opportunity to qualified students. This internship involves both educational and practical work experience, and both virtual and in-person placement options are available. Moreover, it meets the needs of students academically and professionally as they prepare for graduation and occupational pathways. In fact, those students with no prior law related experience are strongly encouraged to participate in the internship program to enhance their chances of securing employment upon graduation. Students with a legal background can only further enhance their resume with additional legal experience, too. While in the program, interns work closely with practitioners gaining valuable experience while also earning academic credit. Should you be interested, the Paralegal Department will assist you in locating quality internships.
There are two options for internship placement:
- PAR290AA – one credit/80 hours
- PAR290AB – two credits/160 hours
Paralegal Internship Placement Process
Interested internship candidates must meet the following criteria before being placed in any internship:
- Completion of internship application, including cover letter and resume
- Two faculty endorsements
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75
- Successful completion of the following courses prior to placement:
- PAR101: Paralegal Profession
- PAR102: Intro to Legal Writing I
- PAR103: Intro to Legal Writing II
- PAR104: Ethics
- PAR106: Legal Foundations
- PAR112: Civil Litigation I
- PAR114: Civil Litigation II
- PAR260: Paralegal Internship Skills (see below)
PAR260 is a career preparation course assisting students with resume preparation, cover letter drafting, and interview preparation. Though it is a required course for internship placement and will assist prospective interns in completing their internship application process, PAR260 is open to all students, regardless of placement, and students are not required to complete an internship in order to take this course. In PAR260, students will learn to:
- Draft a legal resume
- Draft a legal cover letter
- Practice and hone interview skills
- Review and/or modify your digital footprint
- Work one-on-one with Paralegal Internship Coordinator in enhancing your application
The Paralegal Internship Experience
Through their work at the host site, our interns will be exposed to a diverse array of legal work, including research, writing, and litigation-related activities. No matter where they are placed, our internship is an excellent opportunity for Paralegal program students to experience the paralegal career in a true, professional setting, while simultaneously developing multiple professional connections in the legal field.
During the internship, the student is required to submit journal entries detailing their internship hours, sample work product, as well as provide periodic supervisor and self-evaluations. The internship coordinator will guide the student throughout the internship and work directly with both the intern and host supervisor to ensure that the program requirements are being met and that the placement is a successful one for both the student and the host. Interns are not paid unless otherwise indicated. While most internships are conducted in person, virtual internships are also offered. Virtual internships allow students that might not otherwise have the time during the traditional work week to utilize this great professional opportunity.