Volunteers needed for Metuchen Public Defender- Internship credits available
The Public Defenders provide Indigent individuals charged with criminal or serious motor vehicle charges with free or limited cost legal defense. The Public Defender of Metuchen invites persons interested in helping others or getting experience in law/ criminal justice to apply to serve as volunteer interns. Volunteer Law Clerk interns will attend Wednesday evening and occasional Friday morning court sessions.
VOLUNTEER LEGAL INTERNS NEEDED
PUBLIC DEFENDER OF METUCHEN
Court times: WEDNESDAY 1pm PM [approx]- 8:30 PM, every other Friday 9-12, plus hearing preparation work.
Volunteer Internship Description:
-Interview Clients facing charges in Municipal Court including Drug Possession, Drunk Driving, Assault, Driving While Suspended and other criminal and traffic offenses
-Make demands for Discovery on Prosecutor and review police reports
-Attend hearings and learn from experienced trial attorneys
-Prepare Motions to Suppress Evidence and Motions to Compel Discovery
-Conduct appropriate Legal research
-Acquire skills in Criminal Law and Procedure by active participation
-Participate in Public Relations activities and help organize seminars
- Update Lists of Prosecutors, Judges and Attorneys for publication of
NJ Municipal Court Law Review
- Revise criminal and traffic law Articles and submit to Law Journals and criminal law websites.
- Learn how to add criminal statutes and criminal articles to legal blogs and websites.
Volunteer to help indigent people charged with criminal and motor vehicle offenses of magnitude. In additional to time in court, you will be given research assignments. You can work more hours if you want. Help people less fortunate than you who are down on their luck.
Program lasts 12 weeks. Minimum time commitment September- May is 10 hours per week.
For Summer- College graduates and Law students only. Minimum Volunteer time commitment in summer- 18 hours per week. Send cover letter and resume. After sending resume, call to schedule interview
732-572-0500.
We sponsor a state wide website www.njlaws.com with information on criminal, litigation, personal injury, and probate matters. It is helpful if applicants have some familiarity with HTML programming, web page design and maintenance and Internet technology. If you can update a website, please indicate so in the first paragraph of your cover letter. This office is committed to excellence and service to clients and the community. Applicants must have attention to detail. We attempt to give assignments which will be meaningful and memorable but, nevertheless, expect that interns will pitch in on whatever needs to be done.
Interested students must mail or fax a cover letter indicating the internship they are applying for and resume. If no personal cover letter by student, the resume will not be considered.
Details on internships at http://www.njlaws.com/intern.htm
Mail or fax cover letter and resume to
Kenneth Vercammen, Esq.
Public Defender for the Borough of Metuchen
c/o 2053 Woodbridge Ave., Edison, NJ 08817
Fax 732-572-0030
