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The University of Texas at Austin School of Law

Course Information

Course Description: Federal Public Defender Internship

  • Taught by Susan Klein and Horatio Aldredge
  • 2 credits (pass/fail)
  • Offered spring 2027 only during 2026 – 2027
  • This course is not offered in the summer.
  • Students should expect to spend one day per week at the Federal Public Defender’s Office in downtown Austin.
  • This program is open to students who have completed their first two semesters.

Course Description

This internship program offers students the opportunity to apply for for-credit internship positions with the Austin Federal Public Defender’s Office. Students will assist in the defense of federal criminal cases under the supervision of Supervisory Assistant Federal Public Defender Horatio R. Aldredge, 504 Lavaca St., Suite 960, Austin, TX 78701-2860. While the internship requires a 10 hour per week commitment, not all those hours must be completed at the Fed. Public Defender’s office – many can be done at school or at home. Students should expect to spend one day per week at the office or in federal court.

Students earn 2 credits (pass/fail) for the fall semester and, if they enroll in the spring, they earn another 2 credits (pass/fail) for spring semester. Students can commit to a full academic year of internship study, or to a single semester. This internship program is not available during either summer session.

While not required, students may benefit from upper-level criminal law courses such as Advanced Federal Criminal Prosecution & Defense, Federal Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure: Investigation, Criminal Procedure: Prosecution (bail to jail), and Evidence. These courses are not required.

Application Information

The application deadline for the spring 2027 term is Monday, October 19, 2026.

To apply, please email a copy of your cover letter, resume, and transcript (unofficial is fine) to Prof. Susan  Klein at sklein@law.utexas.edu and to Supervisory Assistant Federal Public Defender Horatio Aldredge at horatio_aldredge@fd.org. Please indicate which semester you are applying for. There is no additional application form. Interviews will be conducted at the Career Services Office or via Zoom.

Additional Information

Students interested in this internship can obtain additional information from Prof. Klein by visiting her office, TNH 3.207, during her office hours on Wednesdays from 4:00 – 6:00. Students may also call her at (512) 203-2257 or send her an email. Students may also call Prof. Aldredge at (512) 916-5025 or send him an email.

Information on the Federal Public Defender Office is available at: https://txw.fd.org/.