Sample cover letter for Internship position at Public Defender Office

I am a second-year psychology student and am extremely interested in this internship at the Public Defender Office. I have extensive experience working for the county as a student intern; however, I would like to extend this experience to aiding those in the courtroom. It is to my understanding that there are individuals in the county, especially those with mental illnesses, who may not be rightly represented, whether it be due to mistrust from the clients, or clients being unable to respond to investigative questions due to their mental illnesses. I support the Public Defender Office and its goal to legally represent those in court who otherwise would not be able to afford to.

I am particularly interested in working with those in the community afflicted by mental illnesses and defending their cases, while advocating for the legal rights they deserve. In doing so, I would like to gain experience and expertise when it comes to assessing client’s needs. When I worked for the county district office as a student intern, I had the opportunity to work closely with high-level company executives and elected public officials, as well as reviewing and analyzing the county department’s work plans. I plan on utilizing this experience and applying it to a setting I would like to gain more familiarity with while learning new skills, developing professional interests and expanding my personal network.

Psychology is such a broad field and I am in need of a fresh perspective and want to get experience in my field of study that is not particularly in the clinical field. I am not sure what I want to do when I graduate, so I am sure some real life experience would help solidify my future endeavors. I have a great deal to learn as I continue on my career path. From this internship, I want to gain a better understanding of working with those with mental illnesses and supporting these under-served individuals as they undergo very complicated court processes and trials.