College Division
Summer 2024
The College Division of the Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program is generously supported by:
The College Division of the Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program supports diverse and underrepresented college students who are committed to bringing their unique voice to the legal field.
The Sotomayor Program’s College Division includes (1) an LSAT boot camp to focus the college students on the best law school to which they can gain entry, (2) rigorous academic, professional, and personal programming from legal research and writing to professional branding, wellness coaching, and soft skill trainings, and (3) our signature judicial internship experience to provide practical experience and mentorship opportunities. Our hope is to provide college students with the skills and resources necessary to successfully apply to law school and become a practicing attorney.
For our Summer 2024 program, the Sotomayor college program will run for 8 weeks on a full-time basis and include a 4-week judicial internship and a 4-week LSAT Prep program. Students are expected to be in the New York City area for the full length of the program.
We are working on providing housing options for those with demonstrated need. More information will be available in early 2024.
SPRING 2024 UPDATE: Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide housing for our Summer 2024 programming.
Learn more about the Sotomayor Program experience.
“Being assigned to Judge Badamo’s chambers was wonderful. It was awesome seeing a woman of color on the bench. She told me about her journey from law school to becoming a Criminal Court Division Judge. She also created a welcoming environment in her chambers where I felt comfortable asking her anything and she always answered thoroughly.”
— Chanelle
“My favorite experience so far has been the networking event held in collaboration with the Asian American Bar Association of New York. It was very empowering and insightful to me, an Asian-American pre-law student, to hear from successful legal professionals and scholars. Moreover, the event shed light on the importance of mentorship and networking in the legal field.”
— Ivan
“Interning for SCS JIP this summer has definitely reaffirmed my decision to attend law school. The opportunity to hear from established legal professionals about their accomplishments was especially inspiring—I am looking forward to becoming the first attorney in my family, and drawing on my identity and lived experiences to effectively advocate for people who have historically been marginalized and discriminated against by our justice system.”
— Jennie
Qualifications
We seek college students who bring a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and talents. The program is open to current college juniors and seniors who possess the following qualifications/experiences:
Current status as a college junior or senior in good standing, as demonstrated by a transcript
Committed to taking the LSAT in Fall 2024 and applying to law school by the conclusion of the 2024–25 or 2025–26 application cycle
Demonstrated ability to think and communicate clearly
Ability to work closely with others as part of a team
Capacity to undertake a variety of tasks simultaneously and a willingness to perform administrative tasks when necessary
Trustworthiness, discretion, maturity, and good judgment
Ability to work independently and with little supervision
Demonstrated commitment to diversity
Prior research experience and course work on constitutional law or the court system is preferred but not required
Important Dates
December 11, 2023: Application opens
February 21, 2024: Deadline to Apply*
February/March 2024: Rolling Interviews
May 2024: Orientation
June 2024: Judicial Internship
July 2024: LSAT Bootcamp
Fall 2024: Crush the LSAT!
*Applications submitted after this deadline will be considered on an as-needed basis.
In addition to completing the application, all applicants must submit the following in ONE SINGLE pdf to collegedivision@scsjip.org:
Resume
Writing Sample (no more than 10 pages)
Personal Statement (500-word essay outlining your understanding of SCS JIP’s mission, how you fit it, and why you want to help us achieve it)
Transcript (unofficial is fine)
A Letter of Recommendation