Juvenile Lifer Unit Legal Intern

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Job location
3031 W. Grand Blvd Ste 450
Detroit, MI 48202
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
State Appellate Defender Office
Street address: 
3031 W. Grand Blvd Ste 450
City: 
Detroit
State: 
Michigan
ZIP: 
48202
Organization URL: 
http://www.sado.org
Job type: 
Fellowship/Internship
Position Description: 

The Michigan State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) seeks first- and second-year law students committed to public defense, racial equity, and social justice to join our Summer 2026 Juvenile Lifer Unit (JLU) Internship Program. SADO’s Juvenile Lifer Unit provides representation to those sentenced to life without parole for crimes committed as youth.

Interns will work paired with members of the Juvenile Lifer Unit, including attorneys, investigators, mitigation specialists, reentry specialists and support staff. JLU interns will gain experience with file and transcript review, client visitation, mitigation, legal research, and brief writing—all in preparation for resentencing proceedings pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decisions in Miller v Alabama (2012), Montgomery v Louisiana (2016), the Michigan Supreme Court cases of People v Parks (2022), People v Poole (2025), and the decision of the Court in the combined cases of People v Czarnecki and People v Taylor (2025).

SADO is a hybrid work environment, and interns will have the opportunity to work remotely and in-person in either SADO’s Detroit or Lansing offices. The internship program will run from late May through August 2026; precise dates are flexible. Due to limited resources, our internship opportunities are currently unpaid. We encourage applicants to seek funding from their academic institutions or third-party funders, and we will share opportunities for financial assistance as we learn of them.

Requirements: 

First- and second-year law students committed to public defense, racial equity, and social justice

To apply: 

If you are interested in applying, please e-mail a resume and cover letter together in a single PDF file to [email protected]. Your cover letter should indicate why you want to be part of the JLU team and work for our clients. Please indicate in the subject line of your email that you are applying for a position with the JLU summer internship program. Applications should be submitted by January 12, 2026, at 5 PM. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis.

Questions? Email [email protected].

Notes: 
SADO is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. A felony conviction does not prohibit employment at SADO.
Salary range: 
N/A
Submission deadline: 
Monday, January 12, 2026

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