PBS Legal Intern - College Magazine

PBS LEGAL INTERN, ARLINGTON VA

If you possess a passion for law and a knack for media, then throw on your suit and schedule an interview–this internship is the perfect mix. The office of General Counsel at PBS helps law students experience different legal areas, including government, non-profits, media and communications, data privacy, public interest and more. And because PBS serves such a large network of people, from Curious George lovers to Frontline fanatics, you’ll never end up bored out of your mind.

What Its Actually Like

Interns work with PBS in-house attorneys on recent legal matters on a day to day basis. While each daily assignment varies, you’ll get to experiment with different legal situations that put your English skills to use. This includes drafting documents, meeting with clients and doing research. Intern manager Brenda Bowyer says that unlike other fast-paced companies, PBS adds ethics to the mix so interns can see the impact of their work. “They can see how their work affects others,” Bowyer said.

Cool Stuff You Get to Do

PBS’s high status means you’ll get to interact with super important clients inside the legal realm. Think of all of the amazing media networks that come out of PBS; from youth shows to serious dramas, PBS has really touched on everything. You’ll be covering legal problems for shows that dominated your entire childhood (who didn’t watch Arthur?) and are now consuming your adult life. And as everyone who is anyone knows, being on the inside is the real deal.

What You’ll Learn

If you feel strongly about the law, you’re in the right place. This internship will open the door to how to handle legal problems from the pros. “It is an opportunity to write your story and make an impact in your community,” Bowyer said.

How to Prepare for your Application

Revisit any legal experience and be sure to add them to the comments box on the application page. You also must be a law student and they prefer second year students and up.

Skills That Impress Them

Well, here’s the hard part. An excellent GPA is not just impressive, but completely necessary. Specific traits they love: verbal communication skills, effective legal research skills, computer knowledge (related to legal research) and an ability to handle complex work. Basically, being a jack of all trades is never going to hurt.

Cool Perks

To state the obvious: this is PBS, people. If you’re American, you’ve surely watched one of their shows plopped on the couch with your family. If you get this internship, you will get to be a part of what makes PBS so central to children everywhere. So it goes without saying that this will end up a valuable resume asset for any and all future legal work. PBS legal interns gain knowledge through a widely known and respected company while also learning about media and communications. “You’ll get to work hands on,” Bowyer added. “You’ll be taught all of the skills you need.”