by: Cory Cascalheira

Besides a job, an internship is often the best way to gain practical, hands-on experience. Internship programs are rich, informative, teach skills and provide the experience that employers seek in potential job candidates. The legal field offers many different types of internships.

An intern taking part in a judicial courtship, for instance, assists judges in preparing, conducting and closing court trials.

A clerkship is also a legal internship option. Clerkships often require an extensive time commitment and are hard to obtain. Usually, only top law students receive clerkship positions. However, clerkships may be more lucrative than other internships because if a student excels at a clerkship he/she may be offered a position after the internship is complete.

Legal clinic internships, usually practiced under the guidance of a school, allow students to perform legal operations under the eye of a practicing attorney.

Pro bono projects, another legal internship options, involved working with communities and minorities who are often underrepresented in the law.

Internships supply the know-how that college classes rarely focus on. Taking part in a legal internship as well as maintaining academic excellence are the quickest and most reliable ways for recent law graduates to embark on successful careers.