Semesters offered: 
Type: State/Local Government
Categories: Criminal Prosecution
SITE DESCRIPTION
Established in 1975 by an Act of the Georgia General Assembly, the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council provides operational support and training to Georgia District Attorneys and Solicitors-General to bolster their efforts to build safer communities through the fair and just enforcement of the law.
Students will be assigned a mentor who will insure that the student receives training in the practical application of the law, will provide and document frequent feedback about their performance, and will provide insight into the professional responsibilities of service as a prosecutor. Students may have the opportunity to observe courtroom proceedings but should not expect to take an active role.
The sections available for extern placement are:
The General Counsel Section:
The General Counsel provides legal advice to members of the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council and the Council staff. This includes providing guidance on contracts, employment matters and regulatory issues. The GC serves as the professional responsibility officer for the district attorneys and solicitors-general and provides guidance on ethics and professional responsibility issues faced by prosecutors throughout the state. Additionally, during the annual sessions of the Georgia General Assembly, the GC reviews and monitors legislation that potentially impacts prosecution or the criminal justice system. The GC drafts legislation and amendments to pending legislation as requested by district attorneys, solicitors-general and legislators. Externs assigned to the General Counsel section during the annual General Assembly session (spring semester) should expect to spend the majority of the externship at the General Assembly.
State Prosecution Support Section:
The State Prosecution Support Division researches, analyzes and distributes technical legal information on contemporary appellate issues, new criminal legislation, evidentiary law and procedures, trial strategies, and prosecution tactics. Attorneys in the Division research law, prepare legal memoranda and briefs in support of the State's position in pending appellate litigation; develop and regularly update trial and form manuals for prosecutors at all levels of state prosecution; and provide legal interns to prosecution offices.
Traffic Safety Section:
PAC’s Traffic Safety Resource Program, funded in part by grants from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS), provides Georgia traffic prosecutors with up-to-date resource material and training opportunities designed to prepare them for and assist them with the ongoing effort to curtail impaired driving and traffic fatalities. DUI and Vehicular Homicide cases often present enormous challenges to prosecutors as a result of the technical complexity of the DUI statutes, the sophistication of the scientific issues often involved, and the constantly evolving nuances in expert witness testimony. The goal of the Traffic Safety Resource Program is to enable prosecutors to better prepare themselves and their cases for trial by providing specialized training, legal research, practical resource material, and “real-time” trial support throughout the State.
STUDENT QUALIFICATIONS
Prerequisites:
- The externship will be open to second and third year students.
- Externs should have an interest in a career in prosecution.
Preferences:
- Criminal Procedure (Investigation or Adjudication)
- Evidence
- Constitutional Law
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- Externs must submit to a criminal background check and have no criminal history.
- A writing sample should be submitted at the time of application.
- Access to a laptop computer that can be brought to the externship site is required.