Graduate Legal Intern Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The selected candidate(s) will be working during the Summer of 2027. The appointment(s) may be extended beyond the Summer of 2027.
Under close supervision of the Assistant General Counsel managing the Office of General Counsel Internship Program and at the direction of the attorney(s)/staff associated with an assignment, the Graduate Student Assistant (GSA)/Legal Intern, in a trainee capacity, will assist Office of General Counsel attorneys or staff with legal work supporting the Department of Water Resources' mission and goals. The GSA / Legal Intern will gather, evaluate, and analyze materials related to assignments and may be expected to attend internal or public meetings related to assignments.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .
Minimum Requirements You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• GRADUATE STUDENT ASSISTANT

Additional Documents

• Job Application Package Checklist
• Duty Statement

Position Details Job Code #:
JC-523811
Position #(s):
840-132-4872-900
Working Title:
Legal Intern
Classification:
GRADUATE STUDENT ASSISTANT $21.48 - $33.51
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
Sacramento County
Telework:
In Office
Job Type:
Student Assistant
Department Information
Executive, Office of the General Counsel, Sacramento
Department of Water Resources (DWR) was established in 1956 by the California State Legislature. We manage California's water resources, systems, and infrastructure, including the State Water Project, in a responsible sustainable way.
At DWR, we are embedding climate change response into every project we undertake. We have set standards to help evaluate how each project incorporates climate resilience principles and ensure consistency across the Department. Our mission is to sustainably manage the water resources of California, in cooperation with other agencies, to benefit the state's people and protect, restore, and enhance the natural and human environments.
DWR also strives to create a trusting and welcoming workplace where employees embrace diverse viewpoints and treat each other with civility and respect. An important component of DWR's equal employment opportunity program centers around justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Department Website: https://water.ca.gov/
Free virtual career consultation services including one-on-one DWR career consultations, application/resume review, tips for applying, and mock interviews, provided by DWR's Recruitment and Workforce Planning section can now be scheduled via https://water.ca.gov/About/Careers.
Special Requirements
All applicants for Student Assistant positions must meet the following departmental eligibility requirements:
1. Enrolled in nine (9) semester/eight (8) quarter units for undergraduate students or six (6) semester/four (4) quarter units for graduate students.
2. Achieved a 2.0 grade point average in the most recently completed academic term.
3. Declared a major related to the duties of the advertised position and enrolled in coursework required for that major.
Student Assistant employees are paid hourly and are limited to 1500 hours per 12 consecutive months.
Application Instructions
Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 8/12/2026
Who May Apply
This is a non-testing classification, therefore anyone meeting the minimum qualifications listed on the classification specification may apply for this position. Individuals who are, or have been, a dependent child in foster care, a homeless youth, or a formerly incarcerated youth as defined by Government Code section 18220 are encouraged to apply and will be given priority. If you are applying under this eligibility status, please note on your application your eligibility by stating "preference under Government Code section 18220". Please note that prior to appointment, individuals claiming preference under one of these categories will be required to furnish documentation establishing their eligibility. Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
How To Apply
Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Department of Water Resources
Mailing Address
Attn: Division of Human Resources
P.O. Box 1079
Sacramento , CA 95812
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
Department of Water Resources
Submit in Person
Certification Desk
715 P Street, 7th floor
Sacramento , CA 95814
08:00 AM - 04:30 PM
Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• School Transcripts
• Other - Cover Letter
• Other - Legal Writing Sample

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.
Desirable Qualifications In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Currently enrolled as a law student
• Knowledge and experience with legal research and legal writing
• Ability to reason logically and to draw sound conclusions
• Ability to exercise good judgment and to make appropriate recommendations
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively while establishing and maintaining effective working relationships
• Ability to receive direction well
• Ability to maintain regular, consistent, and predictable attendance
• Ability to maintain security and confidentiality of privileged information in compliance with applicable laws
• Ability to problem-solve and manage time effectively
• Ability to meet scheduled and last-minute deadlines
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Experience with legal research databases
• Experience with legal writing

Benefits
Click here to read about the outstanding benefits offered to eligible employees.
Effective July 1, 2025, State employees are subject to temporary wage reductions in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) accruals. The specific rate and hours earned were negotiated and agreed upon by each bargaining unit. The actual monetary impact of these temporary reductions can vary based on your bargaining unit and/or federal and state tax withholdings. For additional information please visit https://hrmanual.calhr.ca.gov/Home/ManualItem/1/2113 .
Contact Information
The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.
Hiring Unit Contact:
Cody Howard
(916) 719-9519
cody.howard@water.ca.gov
Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.
EEO Contact:
Office of Civil Rights
(916) 653-6952
civilrights@water.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.
Special Instructions
To be considered, submit a completed State application (STD. 678), resume, cover letter, unofficial transcript, and legal writing sample. Please reference SAP Position #50100071 and Job Control #523811 in the "examination(s) or job title(s) for which you are applying" section of your application. The hiring unit will receive only the documents specified in the Required Application Package Documents section.
Legal writing sample criteria: Written during first or second year of law school; be compelling, organized, and free of grammatical errors and typos; contain persuasive supporting arguments and a clear conclusion or purpose; limited to 5 pages. Legal writing samples authored in any part by Artificial Intelligence (AI) must be disclosed and are not permitted.
The following basis of eligibility will be considered: List eligibility, transfer, LEAP, reinstatement, and SROA/Surplus.
Employment History on the STD 678 must be complete and include dates, accurate hours per week, total hours worked, duties and responsibilities, and contact names and phone numbers of supervisors. Resumes, cover letters, and/or other attachments will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.
Click here to complete DWR's Recruitment Survey . This survey is for research purpose only and will not affect the application status.
Examination/Assessment
For more information about the State hiring process, click here . To learn more about how to get a State job, click here .
This is a non-testing classification; therefore, no examination/assessment is required.
Please refer to the "Special Instructions" section in regarding how to apply for this position.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.