Paid Summer Mediator Internship Resolve Consumer Complaints

Regional Offices Division
Utica Regional Office
Student Mediator
Reference No. UTC_PUGS_SUM_2025

Paid Summer Placement for Undergraduate Students 

Application Deadline is February 28, 2025*

The Office of the New York State Attorney General (OAG) is seeking an undergraduate student to serve as a student mediator for pay in the Utica Regional Office (RO). In addition to its other activities, RO prosecutes businesses and individuals engaged in fraudulent, misleading, deceptive, or illegal trade practices, and mediates thousands of complaints each year from individual consumers. A large percentage of these complaints are resolved satisfactorily through an informal mediation process. The student mediator is an integral part of this mediation process.

Student mediators act as consumer advocates in negotiating consumer complaints with merchants. Each student mediator is assigned a docket of consumer complaint files covering a broad range of consumer issues including retail sales, mail order transactions, credit transactions, telemarketing, warranty problems, home repair, and automobiles.

The student is exposed to RO’s procedures and philosophy and deals directly with consumers and merchants to resolve the complaints. Students are taught interviewing techniques and will have the opportunity to develop analytical skills as they learn to focus on the underlying issues to reach a resolution of each complaint. While each complaint is reviewed by a member of our professional staff, the students typically exercise significant discretion and independent judgment. Consumer representatives and experienced attorneys supervise the students.

Summer Program Details
• The format of this placement is hybrid. Students report to their designated workstation two or three (2-3) days per week. On the days students work remotely, they need a reliable computer, a secure internet connection, a phone, and a sufficiently quiet and private workspace to telework.
• To be eligible for a paid summer placement, applicants must be able to demonstrate they are full-time students in good academic standing as defined by their schools. Applications from student who will be starting college/university during the 2025 fall semester will not be considered.
• The summer program will run for eight weeks from May 19 – July 11, 2025. Students hired for the program must be available to work full-time (37.5 hours/week) during these dates and for the entire eight (8) weeks of the program.
• Applications are accepted online until February 28, 2025, and paid placement offers are made on a rolling basis.*
• Undergraduate students will be hired as student assistants and paid the hourly rate of $15.91.
• United States (U.S.) citizenship and New York state residency are not required, but applicants must be eligible to be employed in the U.S.
• Applicants are encouraged to learn more about OAG bureaus and regional offices prior to submitting their applications by reviewing information that is available on the public website.

Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
The OAG is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to workplace diversity.

How to Apply
The following section provides detailed information about the application process and application requirements. Please review the complete list of instructions prior to preparing and submitting your application materials online.
• Applications for summer placements are being accepted online. To apply, please visit
UTC_PUGS_SUM_2025
• Applications are submitted separately for each bureau/regional office, and an applicant’s candidacy for each application is determined separately by each bureau/regional office.
• Please limit your application submissions to three (3) total across all bureaus/regional offices.
• Applications are accepted online until February 28, 2025, and paid placement offers are made on a rolling basis.*
• The following four (4) documents are required for your application:
Your documents should reflect your own thoughts/work product in text that was written by you.
1. Cover Letter
− You may address your letter to the Legal Recruitment Unit.
− Indicate why you are interested in a placement with OAG and what makes you a strong candidate.
− You may wish to include information about what life experiences you will bring to the position that will enhance OAG’s ability to better serve the diverse population of this state.
2. Resume
− Ensure your resume is complete and current prior to submitting your application.
3. List of three (3) references.
− Submit only professional (i.e., supervisor or professor) references.
− For each reference, indicate the nature and duration of your relationship.
− Include contact information and email addresses for each reference.
− We do not conduct reference checks until after you interview for a placement.
4. Writing Sample
- You may choose to submit a paper that you completed for school or a writing sample that you produced during an internship or externship.
- Submit a sample that demonstrates your ability to analyze and organize information into an effective document.
- We recommend submitting a sample that is 3-6 pages in length.
- If needed, please include a cover page providing the reviewer with any relevant background information or context.

• Failure to submit a complete application will delay the consideration of your candidacy.
• Once submitted, you will not be able to access or edit your application. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to have someone review/proofread your documents ahead of submitting your application online.
• Please submit your application for a summer placement at least three (3) weeks before any deadlines that could impact your candidacy and note this in your cover letter.
• If a bureau wishes to schedule an interview, they will contact you directly to arrange this meeting.

If you have questions about a placement with OAG, the application process, or need assistance with submitting your application, please contact Legal Recruitment via email at recruitment@ag.ny.gov.