Support
This summer, I completed an eight-week internship with the St. Lawrence County Public Defender's Office, where I gained hands-on experience in both criminal and family law. Throughout the internship, I observed a wide range of court proceedings, including arraignments, sentencing hearings, Judicial Diversion Program (JDP) proceedings, evidentiary hearings, and trials in city, county, and town courts. I also assisted attorneys with legal research using LexisNexis online collection as well as the McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York physical collection, reviewed discovery materials, observed client meetings, and developed a stronger understanding of New York's legal system, courtroom procedures, and legal advocacy.
Beyond the legal experience, spending the summer in the North Country allowed me to better understand a part of New York that I had never fully explored. I visited many of the county's major towns and got a chance to meet local residents. Experiencing the North Country outside the courtroom provided valuable context for the clients served by the Public Defender's Office and helped me better appreciate the social and economic realities that shape the legal issues many individuals face.
This internship was generously supported by the Stewart's Shops and Dake Family Internship Fellowship Fund. Their support made this opportunity possible and allowed me to pursue an immersive, experiential learning opportunity that has had a lasting impact on my academic and professional goals. I am deeply grateful for their investment in my education and development.
At the beginning of the summer, I established several learning goals for myself. I wanted to develop a stronger understanding of New York criminal and family law, improve my legal research and legal writing skills, gain confidence in analyzing courtroom advocacy, build professional relationships within the legal community, and strengthen the interpersonal skills that will be essential throughout my career. Through daily exposure to court proceedings, independent legal research, discussions with attorneys, and interactions with clients and office staff, I made meaningful progress toward each of these goals. I became more comfortable reading statutes and case law, learned how attorneys develop legal arguments and prepare cases, and gained a deeper appreciation for the professionalism, preparation, and empathy required to represent clients effectively.
This internship made my resolve to pursue a career in law much stronger. It reinforced my interest in attending graduate school to study law and prepare for legal practice. My biggest takeaway is that I got the chance to experience public service work and contribute to the county's effort to ensure equal legal representation for all people. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of that effort and to see firsthand the importance of the St. Lawrence County Public Defender's role in the legal system.