Hi Everyone!
I can’t believe that I’m halfway through my summer internship in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Sex Crimes Division! Many of the interns who started earlier than I did are already gone and the office has gotten much quieter. The summer is flying by; I already know I’m going to be so sad when it’s over. Even though I’m one of the few interns left, I’m not too sad because this week is my last week in the downtown office. Starting next week I’ll be at the Compton courthouse assisting in a month-long trial. Unfortunately, I will probably be back at school before a verdict is reached.
Even though it means that I will be working for a little bit longer than anticipated, I am thrilled to be working on this trial. Being the only law clerk working with the attorneys prosecuting the case means that I get to participate in almost every part of trial preparation. It is especially interesting to see the ways that the attorneys balance other assignments and trials with a huge trial looming over their heads. Last week we went to the forensic lab to review evidence and prepare testimony. My current task is digging into the Facebook profiles of everyone involved in the case. Being a part of such a big trial is an unbelievable opportunity and I am grateful that my schedule was flexible enough for me to work a little longer and gain so much more experience.
A few of my goals for the summer were to maintain contacts from last summer, learn more about human trafficking, develop my ability to apply the California Penal Code to cases, and attend more trainings about sex crimes. To some degree I have completed my goals, but not necessarily to the extent that I expected. I have kept in contact with people I met last year and I have attended more trainings, but my other goals have taken a backseat. However, I think it’s a valuable internship lesson that it is important to take the opportunities given to you. Even though I’m working on different tasks than I initially expected, I feel they will benefit me more in the long run.