This summer, 45 high school students are serving as interns in law firms in Baltimore City, Prince George’s County and on the lower Eastern Shore. Through MSBA’s unique Law Links student/law firm summer internship, high school students work as interns in local law firms and law-related agencies and are paid for seven weeks of summer employment. The law firms and agencies give the students time off with pay every week to attend the educational component of the internship. Thus, Law Links student interns engage in a comprehensive educational and professional experience.

MSBA created this public service program in 1994 to prepare young people for college and the professional business world. In addition to paid employment in a business setting, the students attend the Law and Leadership Institute to help them hone professional skills for their future careers. This unique aspect of the internship supplements the interns’ professional work experience with education and training.

The Citizenship Law-Related Education Program (CLREP), MSBA’s educational arm in the schools, presents the Institute and serves as Law Links’ administrator. The Institute focuses on everything from workplace issues, career goals and cultural diversity to communication skills and business etiquette. CLREP’s staff guides and mentors the interns, sponsors field trips and invites prominent judges, attorneys and other officials to address the interns. Essentially, it introduces students to the professional world of work.

Since 1994, 575 high school students have taken advantage of MSBA’s unique public service program. Many have gone on to college, and several have now graduated from law school: one from Harvard and one from Georgetown University. Another intern is now studying law at George Mason University.

Over the years, many interns have excelled in their work and continued their employment with the law firm well beyond the internship, at the firm’s invitation. Several now work full-time at the law firm. There has always been a tremendous amount of support for Law Links from the supporting law firms.

“Law Links provides a transformational experience for student interns who seize the opportunities it offers,” states CLREP Executive Director Ellery “Rick” Miller, Jr. “Many of these students will be the first in their families to go to college. Law Links builds a solid foundation of life skills which will serve the student interns well throughout their future careers.”

The 2005 Law Links internship is welcoming 24 high school students in Baltimore City, 17 in Prince George’s County and four on Maryland’s lower Eastern Shore. Law Links began in June and runs through mid-August.