‘Real-world’ experience
Law students learn the ropes in public defender’s office internship program
Three law students from Arizona universities took part in the highlycoveted Yuma County Public and Legal Defender's Office Legal Internship Program this summer, giving them the opportunity to get some "real-world" experience.
Dominic Karns, a third-year law student, and Kaitlin Secker, who is in her second year, both from the Sandra Day O'Conner School of Law at Arizona State University, said they are thankful for the knowledge and inspiration the program has provided them.
"So far it has been a great experience and I have learned a lot," Secker said. "I would highly recommend it to other law students because everyone here is really nice and willing help you and share their expertise with you."
Karns admitted to being skeptical at first, but said now he's glad he decided to take part in the program.
"I had a friend who recommended the program to me a few months ago, right around the time I was looking for summer employment opportunities," Karns said. "The more I looked into it, and the more he told me about it, it sounded like a great opportunity. So far I would say I got a lot of great experience."
He added that all the attorneys and staff in the Public Defender's Office have been unbelievably supportive and made them feel welcome from the moment they arrived.
What Secker and Karns said they enjoyed the most about the internship was they were able to watch law happen in front of them every day. It also, they added, gave them a chance to do some meaningful work.
Throughout the summer the pair found themselves observing both adult and juvenile hearings, writing motions and memorandums, doing legal research, assisting in client interviews, conferring with prosecutors, conducting jail visits and generally soaking up everything they could from the veteran attorneys.
"In classes you are learning the basic principles of certain subjects, how they are applied, and how to think like a lawyer, but it is abstract," said Secker, who plans on joining the U.S. Navy or U.S. Air Force and serve as an attorney in the Judge Advocate General's Office. "This is more practical, in that you are seeing what it is like to work as an attorney."
"It does feel real and motivates you to put in your best work," Karns added.
They also got to tour the Yuma County Detention Center and the John M. Roll U.S. Courthouse. The highlight of the internship, however, was being able to attend the Arizona Public Defender's Association Conference in Tempe last month, with the other attorneys in the office.
"That was an incredible experience because there were a lot of discussion and we were able to meet with people who will be hiring," Karns said. "Certainly that was extremely beneficial to me."
Karns, under Rule 38(d), also got to appear in court before Presiding Superior Court Judge David Haws on behalf of a defendant during a sentencing hearing.
"It was a hearing where a guy was about to be sentenced, and I presented some mitigating factors," Karns explained. "Unfortunately it did not change the judge's mind."
A mitigating factor is basically any information or evidence presented to the court regarding the defendant or the circumstances of the crime that might result in reduced charges or a lesser sentence.
The internship program, Karns added, also confirmed his future aspirations for working in the legal field.
"The idea of becoming a public defender is something that has grown on me over the past year, and this summer has solidified that," Karns said. "I have had other positions where it just doesn't feel real, the work doesn't feel substantive or rewarding enough."
Another aspect of the internship that Secker and Karns said they found meaningful was they felt the attorneys were genuinely interested in helping them with their educations.
The internship will end in early August and Secker and Karns said Yuma is a wonderful community and they have met a lot of great people, many they hope to stay in contact with in the coming years.