Internship at the public prosecutor's office: A look behind the scenes!

Internship at the public prosecutor's office: A look behind the scenes!

Hanna, a law student at the University of Hamburg, completed an internship at the Hamburg public prosecutor's office. Her decision to pursue the District Attorney's Office was influenced by recommendations from senior students who spoke of the diverse experiences the internship program offers. A central aspect of the program is a structured internship that is divided into three main areas.

During her internship in Main Department VII, Hanna had the opportunity to work intensively with public prosecutors. This included visits to court hearings, viewing files and meetings, which gave her a deep insight into the diverse work processes of the public prosecutor's office. She describes the introduction to the different areas of work as particularly instructive and highlights the differences between the public prosecutor's office, the general public prosecutor's office and the "normal" public prosecutor's office.

Practical experiences and challenges

Hanna was also able to gain more practical experience, for example through an internship in the police patrol service or a visit to the Institute of Forensic Medicine as well as the evidence chamber and the department for internal investigations. What was particularly impressive to her was the high number of cases per prosecutor and the complex coordination of information. She emphasizes that the detailed work in court made a lasting impression on her.

One of the most unusual experiences during her internship was a morning house search by the LKA, which represented an unpleasant intrusion into her privacy. These experiences led to some uncertainty about her desire to become a prosecutor and made her think about whether she wanted to work in the field of criminal cases in the long term.

The challenge of separating professional from private life turned out to be significant. Some of the cases she experienced remained etched in her memory. Despite these challenges, she recommends the internship at the public prosecutor's office as a valuable introductory internship, especially for first-year students. She emphasizes that many of the offenses covered in the internship also appear in the lectures, which creates a direct connection between theory and practice.

Organizational aspects and recommendations

Hanna also points out that the internship program is designed to be advantageous in order to get to know various points of contact with the public prosecutor's office. In Germany, compulsory internships, which must last at least three months, are a prerequisite for the first state examination. This is particularly true during the lecture-free period, when law students should gain practical experience in order to complete their training. Jurios.de supports this point and illustrates the benefits of a group internship.

The application process for the internship is straightforward and places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis as capacity is limited. The opportunity to gain practical experience is crucial for many law students in order to meet the requirements of the first state examination. Internships at various institutions such as the judiciary, administration or lawyers are advantageous. Lawyersblatt.de highlights the design options available to students when choosing their internship.

For Hanna, it remains to be said that her internship at the Hamburg public prosecutor's office was an enriching experience that gave her insights into both practice and her own professional goals. Despite the uncertainties, she advocates that first-year students in particular should take advantage of this opportunity to gain valuable experience and decide in which direction they would like to further develop their career as a lawyer.