Legal Intern - San Diego City Attorney's Office

The San Diego City Attorney's Office protects the people of San Diego by serving as chief legal counsel to the City of San Diego’s elected officials and operational departments; prosecuting and defending civil cases involving the City; and as the City’s prosecutor on behalf of the People of the State of California, by holding accountable those who commit crimes against the public health and safety and violate other local and state laws. Our municipal law firm employs over 180 lawyers and approximately 230 support staff, dedicated to providing legal services to the City of San Diego.

The Administration Division is conducting a recruitment to fill a Legal Intern position. This position will provide assistance to a visually impaired prosecutor in the Case Issuance Unit of the Criminal Division. 

Duties and responsibilities of the position include:

• Reads aloud and describes contents of case files and documents to attorney
• Assists attorney in reviewing documents and photos for a given case
• Assists attorney in inputting information onto the Office’s case management system (CMS) when issuing and rejecting new criminal cases
• Assists attorney in transcribing and proofreading all required documents, including criminal complaints and affidavits in support of arrest warrants
• Reads aloud incoming emails and assists attorney in transcribing and proofreading outgoing emails
• Assists attorney in maintaining his daily calendar and tasks list
• Assists attorney in scheduling meetings and conference calls
• Accompanies attorney to, and takes notes at, various meetings, conference calls, and professional development trainings

Applicants are required to:

Ideal candidates will have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 

• Interest in criminal law
• Ability to effectively use Microsoft Office Suite products, video and teleconferencing platforms, and case management systems
• Well-organized, reliable, and detail-oriented
• Solid interpersonal communication skills (both verbal and written), including the ability to actively listen and communicate clearly and succinctly
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, demonstrate good judgment, and exercise discretion and tact when handling sensitive issues; adheres to the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior
• Ability to put into practice the City Attorney’s commitment to diversity and inclusion – be collaborative, supportive, respectful of differences, and committed to fairness, diversity, and inclusion in all interactions

Work is performed in a standard office setting, 2 days per week (Mondays and Wednesdays) from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting, including: to sit for prolonged periods of time; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination (including use of a computer keyboard); to verbally communicate to exchange information, including reading aloud for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to occasionally pull or push up to 25 pounds; and to occasionally walk to off-site locations.

Pre-Employment Requirements: 
 Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes that are applicable to this job, which may include but are not limited to the following: 

• Proof of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States. 
• Reference checks. 
• Fingerprint checks: fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. 
• Additional screening processes such as a background investigation. 

All these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. Misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment. The City of San Diego is committed to a drug and alcohol-free workplace. 

How to Apply:

The San Diego City Attorney’s Office accepts online applications.  To apply, select the position title of the job opportunity and click the "Apply" link. If you need assistance, please refer to our online employment application guide: 

To be considered for this position, applicants will need to submit the following by the closing date:

• San Diego City Attorney employment application, including supplemental questions.
• Cover letter and resume
• Copy of transcript showcasing minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher.

Following the closing date, resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined above. Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to interview. If a job has an extended deadline, applications will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached. The interview process may be used to fill additional, future vacancies.

Individuals must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. If an applicant has questions or concerns related to the recruitment process or needs accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, contact (619) 533-5811. The City of San Diego has an active Equal Opportunity/ADA Program for employment and strongly supports diversity in the workplace. 

Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION:  The San Diego City Attorney's Office is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It is vitally important to the Office that as public servants we represent the community we serve. To that end, the Office strongly encourages applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply. In furtherance of the Office’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Office has an active Committee for Diversity & Inclusion and Racial Equity Task Force.