Category: Student Spotlights

Civil Rights Corps – Washington, D.C.

I spent the summer of 2018 working with Civil Rights Corps in Washington, DC and had a great experience. CRC is a non-profit that engages in nationwide impact litigation, by identifying local jurisdictions with constitutionally violative criminal systems and filing federal civil suits to require changes in those systems under the civil rights laws and amendments. For example, counties that employ a money bail system, where criminal defendants are allowed pretrial release for on a monetary amount regardless of their ability to pay, violate the equal protection and due process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. This is because between two criminal defendants, with identical charges and criminal histories, one may be released from custody pre-trial because they possess a certain amount of money, and the other will continue to be detained because they lack that wealth. CRC also challenges use of private probation companies, prosecutorial misconduct, debt-based driver’s license suspension, among other issues. The staff is an energetic and passionate group of skilled attorneys, investigators, and support professionals. CRC welcomed six total law school interns for the summer.

On the first day, I jumped into legal research, geared towards proposing viable strategies for maintaining federal court jurisdiction of future civil rights lawsuits. My research involved the legal issues of federal court abstention doctrine, the irreparable harm exception, and organizational standing. Again looking towards future cases and policy work, I analyzed and comprehensively catalogued state and federal case law on the status of visitation rights in jails and prisons nationwide in order to target promising jurisdictions. For CRC’s ongoing bail reform lawsuit in Harris County, TX, I monitored video and document discovery to ensure compliance with a federal preliminary injunction order.

The intern supervisors made it clear that maximizing the learning experience for interns was a priority. CRC organized an engaging series of visitors to share their work and perspective with the interns and the office, from judges to journalists, and professors to poets. We had opportunities to visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture and to observe DC Superior and Appeals Court proceedings. The attorneys were happy to grab coffee and share their stories and advice with interns, and our supervisors proactively sought feedback from the various attorneys each of us worked with to share with us.

Overall, I would recommend CRC to any future Duke Law students. Spending significant time on research and writing solidified my inclination towards switching gears and pursuing public defense for my 2L summer job to gain more experience with clients and direct representation. I found that I had the most energy and motivation on assignments with tight deadlines and would thrive in a more consistently fast-paced environment. But I see impact litigation and policy work as being a likely part of my future career though not immediately upon graduation. I would be happy to return to CRC as a staff attorney down the road.

Submitted August 23, 3018

ACLU of North Carolina – Raleigh, North Carolina

This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern with the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina. The ACLU of NC is a state affiliate of the national non-profit organization, and focuses on legal, legislative, and community advocacy at the local level. Their office is based in Raleigh, and their work ranges from protecting individual students’ speech in schools to promoting broader criminal justice reform.

Before I came to Duke, my academic research focused on the sociopolitical power of storytelling, and my professional experience included work in grassroots organizing. Learning that civil rights litigation could potentially combine my interests in powerful stories and social justice was a turning point in my personal development, and I came to Duke with plans to devote my future to pursuing similar work. Accordingly, I am particularly grateful that I had the chance to work with the ACLU, as their model of impact litigation was one of my main aspirations for choosing law as a career. Working in Raleigh this summer clarified my professional goals and solidified my commitment to a career in community-driven impact litigation after law school.

Interning at the ACLU was the perfect opportunity to witness both the strategic planning that fuels successful impact litigation and the open communication that is so integral to supporting the individuals behind the case names. My internship allowed me to engage in local efforts around issues like gender-based violence, LGBT discrimination, voters rights, and bail reform. I researched and wrote legal memoranda on statutory and constitutional law, including religious rights of prisoners, equal protection for LGBT communities, and due process rights of indigent defendants. For example, I drafted a demand letter to North Carolina’s Department of Public Safety on behalf of a transgender prisoner who was being denied medical treatment. I also edited legal filings for a class action suit on behalf of indigent drivers who had their licenses automatically revoked for their inability to pay traffic fines. Through it all, I had the chance to observe some truly incredible attorneys, and to learn from their thoughtful and intentional approach to client advocacy. Talking with current and potential plaintiffs was also a critical reminder that true advocacy must be based on authentic relationships and active listening, and I was grateful for the chance to engage with communities here in North Carolina.

Seeing the extensive thought and preparation that goes into every case was an amazing opportunity, and I came away with a better understanding of the unique challenges to legal advocacy in North Carolina. I learned about some of the constraints of social change through the court system, but was also invigorated by the passion I encountered from the entire team at the ACLU of NC. Their legal, policy, organizing, and communications departments all acted as an exemplary reminder of what holistic and community-centric advocacy can look like, and I finished my internship inspired and enthusiastic about continuing to pursue a career in civil rights impact litigation.

Submitted October 14, 2018

U.S. Department of Justice’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division – Washington, D.C.

I spent the final six weeks of my summer as a SLIP intern with the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Commercial Litigation Branch. During my internship, I assisted attorneys in the Civil Frauds, National Courts, Corporate / Financial, and Foreign Litigation sections of the Commercial Litigation Branch with various assignments in support of the Justice Department’s mission. As a student interested in both litigation and public service work, this internship was an unparalleled opportunity to gain experience in these areas.

My time with the Commercial Litigation Branch exposed me to numerous areas of law that I had not previously studied. This included bankruptcy law, statutory requirements for civil fraud liability, and the imposition of moral damages by foreign states. At the same time, I was able to utilize various doctrines I reviewed during my coursework at Duke Law to contribute to the Branch’s efforts, including rules for preclusion and for state sovereign immunity. This work resulted in an excellent mix of assignments that required me to both hone my previous understanding of certain areas of law while also learning new legal rules in subjects I have not yet studied.

Additionally, the assignments in my portfolio required that I both research and provide summaries of discrete issues and cases for ongoing litigation matters and also generate research memoranda addressing areas of law with long-term impacts for the Branch’s work. This gave me experience in focusing on individual issues in present matters while also providing research for the future benefit of the Department.

Further, the Commercial Litigation Branch offered an enjoyable environment to meet government attorneys practicing various areas of the law. I was provided four dedicated mentors, each from a different section within the Commercial Litigation Branch, and the Branch also held a number of events to meet and socialize with current attorneys. These included events outside of the office and also events during the lunch hour where attorneys would share their past experiences prior to working for the Commercial Litigation Branch.

The Justice Department as a whole also offered numerous events for its interns. I took advantage of a guided tour of the U.S. Supreme Court, and I also attended a career fair the Department held that allowed its interns to speak with attorneys working throughout the Department. I also attended a very informative event led by members of the Department’s recruiting team that provided insight into applying for and working in the Justice Department as an Honors Attorney that will be useful when I seek to apply to the Department following my post-graduate clerkship.

Submitted August 13, 2018

Legal Aid of North Carolina – Greenville, North Carolina

My time at the Greenville office for Legal Aid of North Carolina was enjoyable and rewarding. Unfortunately, the office was not able to provide me with the opportunity to represent a client in an administrative hearing due to lack of availability. However, in all other ways it exceeded my expectations. I found each attorney in the local office to be incredibly helpful and accommodating. They were all willing to answer questions, give me varied work, and allow me to attend court sessions if I chose.

At the time, I was the only intern. This provided me with a good deal of flexibility to choose tasks that were of interest to me, and to learn from all the attorneys in the office. Unlike many interns at other offices, I always had a personal desk and computer. While not essential, this made my work easier to manage and organize.

This summer, I gained experience with many of the issues faced by people in Eastern North Carolina, including many issues related to rural poverty. I was able to assist with many domestic violence protective orders (DVPO, or 50B order), including negotiating consent decrees with the opposing counsel. I found the DVPO process to be interesting and rewarding, as we were able to get immediate relief for our clients and could personally see their relief and gratitude.

I assisted two separate attorneys with Social Security Disability benefits appeals before an Administrative Law Judge. In one case, for which we had significant advanced notice, I reviewed medical records, spoke to teachers and other references and helped to develop a theory of the case to meet the legal standards and participated in writing a brief. In this case, we received a favorable decision at the hearing. For a different client, I assisted one of the attorneys in preparing for his first SSDA case. Here, we did not have enough notice to prepare a brief, but I was able to help build and review the factual record, as well as prepare our theory for the hearing.

In another interesting matter, I assisted with a claim for unfair and deceptive trade practices against a landlord for unfit housing. Here, I prepared a memorandum of law to be used at trial. This situation gave me a surprising look into the workings of the courts. Although the law is well settled in this area, we expected the elected judge in that district to decide the case based on local tradition and the fact that the defendant is influential in the community. As such, we prepared for trial with the expectation that the case would need to be appealed. It was interesting to observe the internal strategy sessions in anticipation of this outcome.

At LANC Greenville, I gained experience not only with substantive law, but also with the social and cultural conventions that come with practicing in many small communities. It was very personally and professionally rewarding to develop close relationships with clients, and then be able to obtain relief for them. While many may be put off by the prospect of spending their summer in a smaller city, I found that it afforded me great flexibility and an opportunity to get to know the attorneys (and some judges) much more closely.

Submitted August 24, 2018

National Institutes of Health – Bethesda, Maryland

For my PILF-funded summer internship, I served as a special volunteer in Neuroethics with the BRAIN Initiative, a multi-institute, multi-billion-dollar project with the vision of mapping brain function and developing novel neuroimaging and neuromodulation technologies. This exciting initiative involves hundreds of physicians, scientists, and researchers across the country, and as part of its foresight concerning brain technologies, its leadership have accentuated Neuroethics from the start. Over the past 5 years, BRAIN Neuroethics has held many Working Groups and developed a framework of Guiding Principles for grant-giving bodies and researchers alike to use in analyzing new projects and technologies. However, these principles are distilled down to foundational ideas, and their application therefore depends on research into the ethical implications and capabilities of these projects.

While my internship gave me innumerable opportunities to learn about the function of the BRAIN Initiative and the NIH in general, my contribution was centered around applying these foundational ideas across BRAIN Initiative technologies. My focus was on data sharing and privacy, which is relevant not only as an important aspect of research ethics but has been part of a growing ethical discussion about the future of communication and technology. Under the guidance of Dr. Khara Ramos, a neuroethicist tasked with organizing the application of the Guiding Principles, I created a risk assessment and research collection methodology for researching data privacy concerns with respect to each BRAIN-related technology.

This project combined a great deal of intensive technological research with independent research-design, and the enormity of the task required me not only to complete my own research but create replicable research methodologies that could be carried out in future ethics-related research. Furthermore, given the enormity of the task of overseeing hundreds of preclinical and clinical grants per year, the leaders of BRAIN cannot be expected to read a comprehensive literature review on each subtopic, so amalgamating large amounts of data—either dozens of ethics articles on a given topic or small studies of the capabilities of technologies or current research practices—about dozens of privacy-related topics was an absolute necessity.

To meet this challenge, Dr. Ramos and I developed an interactive, data-driven risk-assessment compilation. It is a visual representation of risk assessments as applied to specific BRAIN-related technologies, and each technology-associate risk assessment is linked directly to not only a summary of its source material but also the methodology used to create it. This allowed us to collect and process vast quantities of ethics research and present their recommendations in focused, technology-specific assessments, meaning that not only BRAIN leaders but scientific researchers and the public at large can access and easily discern the ethical areas of interest that BRAIN Neuroethics has identified. This hopefully will be useful in data privacy risk assessment and also as a model for the creation of risk assessment compilations for a range of other ethical issues in the future. I will keep in contact with Neuroethics and hopefully contribute more to this effort, including publishing and presenting our ethics compilation at Neuroethics society meetings and in Neuroethics-focused journals.

Submitted August 20, 2018

U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina – Raleigh, North Carolina

During my 2L criminal procedure class, I worried about developing an aversion to Fourth Amendment issues. I often felt that I misunderstood the cases, and the in-class problems were particularly difficult. However, in my summer job at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I grew to like working on matters that involved Fourth Amendment issues. I was assigned to write a response to a suppression motion in two different cases, and the experience was both demanding and rewarding. By the end of the summer, my work on these two matters was one of the highlights of my internship.

The first assignment involved a relatively straightforward challenge to a vehicle search. The response didn’t require much research, so I practiced articulating Fourth Amendment doctrine based on my knowledge of foundational cases. I relied on some of my class materials from the spring semester and found that the supplement recommended by my professor was especially helpful. I was satisfied with the first draft and felt encouraged when my supervising attorney did not recommend any major changes. Nearer to the submission deadline, he recommended that I include an argument that I had begun to draft and ultimately omitted. This revision was an exercise in writing precisely and quickly, but I ended up pleased with the final product. I have continued to follow the case and look forward to reading the judge’s disposition of the issue.

The second assignment came on the heels of the first, when I was feeling rather secure in my familiarity with the Fourth Amendment. The latter issue was not at all straightforward: it was a challenge based on the Supreme Court’s decision in Carpenter. The intersection of the Fourth Amendment and modern technology was a discussion topic in my criminal procedure class and the subject of the most recent Casenote, but neither experience had prepared me to submit an argument on the issue in federal court.

Before I began to write, I relied on many secondary sources, guidance from Main Justice, a designated attorney help line, and several AUSAs in addition to the assigning attorney. I spent my evenings after work poring over cases in hopes of preparing myself for the following day. Ultimately, I submitted a draft in time to have it reviewed by a section of Main Justice, and the final product was filed with few substantive edits. This fall, I will get to hear argument on the motion and attend the trial for the defendant who filed it.

In all, my work at the U.S. Attorney’s Office left a lasting impression on me. The Fourth Amendment issues were just one example of the interesting, challenging assignments that I had the opportunity to work on this summer. I completed my internship feeling more confident as a researcher and writer, and I know that these skills will benefit me as I finish law school this year. I am eager to continue to grow in these areas and hope that my career path leads me back to a U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Submitted August 14, 2018

U.S. Department of State Office of the Legal Adviser – Washington, D.C.

I spent the first eight weeks of my summer as an intern with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Legal Adviser. During my internship, I worked with the Human Rights & Refugees and Western Hemisphere Affairs offices to advance U.S. diplomatic efforts in these areas. As a dual degree student enrolled in the joint J.D. / LL.M. program in International & Comparative Law that is also very interested in public service work and is part of the Public Interest & Public Service Law Certificate program as well, working with the Office of the Legal Adviser was an excellent opportunity for me to engage with my varied areas of interest.

I was able to repeatedly utilize my research, writing, and foreign language skills during the course of the internship while working on diverse and engaging projects. The offices I worked with covered both the Office of the Legal Adviser’s thematic and regional obligations, and my portfolio ranged from work relating to specific country issues, to treaty analysis and interpretation, to research on state responsibility and the immunity of various organizations under international law. I gained experience both in drafting longer research memoranda and in providing concise, bulleted information sheets with only the most necessary information included. I contributed substantively to every project I worked on, and I felt like a valued member of my project teams. I even had the opportunity to provide input during an oral briefing for a U.S. Ambassador during my first two weeks at the State Department.

The work I was doing was also directly relevant to securing my post-graduate clerkship with a U.S. Court of Appeals. I was able to speak intelligently on various substantive issues during the clerkship interview, which was held during the course of my internship, given the substantive responsibility I had on my projects. I have no doubt that this experience was a strong contributing factor to being offered the clerkship position.

Finally, I developed very fruitful relationships with numerous attorneys during my eight weeks with the Office of the Legal Adviser, including numerous Duke Law alumni. I was provided two attorney mentors, and there was a dedicated team of four attorneys that were in charge of all intern programming during the summer. My offices also had multiple social gatherings during my eight-week internship. These opportunities allowed me to connect with various attorneys, and this experience should be invaluable when I seek to apply to the Office of the Legal Adviser following my clerkship.

Submitted August 13, 2018

US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section – Washington, D.C.

I spent my summer working with the Department of Justice, in the Civil Rights Division, for the Disability Rights Section in Washington, DC. The mission of this section is to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act and related provisions of law protecting individuals with disabilities. Additionally, the section works to spread the word about protections for people with disabilities under law. Our only client is the United States, and we take on cases that are impactful for the individuals as well as for people with disabilities in general.

During my time with the DOJ, I was able to draft settlement agreements, observe settlement negotiations, research and draft memorandums of law, and provide support for cases that are in litigation and active investigation. This experience gave me the opportunity to apply my knowledge after my first year of law school and expand my understanding of the life of a civil rights lawyer. Additionally, it confirmed my passion for civil rights law. I was able to work on matters in which individuals alleged discrimination on the basis of disability. These matters ranged from employment contexts, to schools and prisons. The stories behind the matters are what gave me the motivation to put in hard work and expand my knowledge. I was also inspired by the attorneys and staff I worked with who were brought to the section by their passion for advocacy and the rights of people with disabilities.

My summer in DC gave me both the experiences and connections that I need to pursue a career in civil rights law after graduating from Duke Law. I met with many attorneys throughout my internship who do the work I aspire to do and learned about their paths to civil rights work. Being in Washington, DC enabled me to connect with individuals across the Department of Justice, Department of Labor, EEOC, and other offices. I also attended lunches and presentations provided by the DOJ that informed me about the work of various components of the DOJ. This gave me the confidence to focus my career on public interest work right after graduation, and left me with a greater understanding of what civil rights work looks like in both government and non-profit contexts.

Finally, I developed close relationships with the fellow interns and the attorneys in my office. These individuals made my summer enjoyable, and will be great connections going forward in pursuit of my career. Being in Washington, DC and working for DOJ was an outstanding opportunity to envision my future career, and develop the skills I will need to be a successful attorney.

Submitted August 10, 2018

Advocates for Children’s Services – Durham, North Carolina

As an intern with a LANC project team, being able to work on statewide issues in a specialized area of law has been both challenging and rewarding. Although I have prior experience working on issues related to youth rights and education, litigation and representation of youth clients in education matters is unfamiliar territory for me. The opportunity to meet parents, youth, and their legal and community advocates has been empowering and highlights the importance of the work that ACS and LANC attorneys, staff, and volunteers do. In these ways, I have enjoyed my internship experience, which has reinforced my commitment towards pursuing a public interest career after graduation.

Through the Advocates for Children’s Services project, I have shadowed attorneys and our social worker as they represent clients in education hearings. These opportunities allowed me to meet with clients, their parents, and see how school administrators and education laws protect and inhibit access to free and appropriate public education. One of the benefits of working on a statewide project is that clients and advocacy opportunities are not limited to the more urban counties like Durham and Wake. For example, I went several times to Warren County and saw stark differences in the availability and access to resources, and how directly influential the administrators, law enforcement, and court systems were in shaping the lives of residents. In contrast, Wake and Durham counties serve many more students, who have access to more programs and alternative placements for students. The school districts are also represented by large private firms, unlike the Warren County schools, where it seems that an attorney in the district attorney’s office also represents the school district on education matters in a private capacity. The interplay of communal relationships and resources is important in how ACS attorneys can effectively represent clients and collaborate with clients and their parents on their desired outcomes.
Developing this perspective has been important as I represented a client. Although the client resides in Wake County, seeing how relationships between administrators, students, families, law enforcement, and mental and behavioral health service organizations form is important in providing legal advice and developing legal strategy to better serve the clients. A relationship between a child and his or her school is likely long-lasting and may precede and continue our involvement as attorneys. The consequences of a student not receiving appropriate education based on academic or behavioral needs, and the environment in which a student with a disability should be educated in, are significant if not addressed or insufficient. Relationships between parents and students with school administrators plays an important role in preserving the opportunity for students to receive the best education available, so part of the legal advocacy I am learning about is discovering how to preserve or create positive relationships between families and the school despite the adversarial nature of legal advocacy.

Submitted July 28, 2018

Law and Policy Forum for Social Justice (LAPSOJ) – Kathmandu, Nepal

In the summer of 2018, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern as a rising 3L with the Law and Policy for Social Justice (LAPSOJ) in Kathmandu, Nepal. This young, but ambitious, non-governmental organization (NGO) is working on transitional justice and human rights issues in Nepal. After years of socio-political conflict and transition, Nepal adopted a new constitution in 2015. LAPSOJ works to dismantle barriers to the access of justice in order to ensure that the fundamental rights guaranteed in the new constitution are practically realized and that the new Nepali government adheres to its international human rights obligations.

At its core, LAPSOJ is a strategic litigation NGO. LAPSOJ’s current project, which I primarily worked on this summer, focuses on migrant worker issues. In recent years, Nepal has emerged as one of the most prominent countries of origin for foreign labor, averaging more than 1,500 Nepalese migrant workers leaving Nepal every day for foreign employment. Migrant workers are extremely important to the modern Nepalese economy, with remittance from foreign labor making up over 31% of the national GDP. Unfortunately, Nepalese migrant workers frequently experience a wide-range of abuses, including human trafficking, at the hands of the private and governmental actors that facilitate Nepal’s foreign labor regime.

So far in the project period, LAPSOJ filed five Public Interest Litigations (PILs) directly with the Supreme Court of Nepal, which have tackled issues including disproportionately high rates of migrant worker deaths in destination countries, legal aid and legal assistance to migrant workers in destination countries, out-of-country voting rights for Nepali migrant workers, Nepal’s Zero Recruitment Policy, and the regulation of foreign employment agents. LAPSOJ is currently expanding its efforts to follow up on the implementation of those Supreme Court decisions and is seeking to build upon the judgments’ foundational rights. It was just approved for a grant renewal (from the concept notes that I drafted!) that will support a more holistic approach in engaging stakeholders, finding routes to effective implementation, start a direct services legal aid program for migrant workers, and publish an annual legal journal centered on the foreign employment sector.

I originally pursued this summer internship to generally cultivate greater experience in the international policy field. Ending up specifically at LAPSOJ was the product of a series of coincidences. I was unfamiliar with much of Nepal’s history, political system, and the degree of difficulties facing migrant workers. After this summer, I cannot properly express to you the passion that I have developed for the wonderful work that LAPSOJ is doing. I admire my supervising attorneys at LAPSOJ, who have been wonderful mentors, because they exhibit great perseverance and flexibility in working not only in a developing country, but also in a transitional state on behalf of some of the most marginalized members of their society. My personal highlights from this summer include drafting concept notes for a grant that were approved by Humanity United and writing a journal article/recommendation to the Nepalese government on the benefits of international sentence transfers. Next week, my supervising attorney plans to use my research to amend the organization’s PIL on mutual legal assistance to include the state’s obligation to organize international sentence transfer agreements.
My advice to future students considering an internship with this organization is to be unafraid in reaching out to the LAPSOJ attorneys prior to applying. Even though I do not speak Nepali and I had no prior training in transitional justice mechanisms, I feel that I was still able to succeed here because I am extremely detail-oriented (much of my job involved editing and drafting English language documents) and I am flexible regarding the inevitable logistical difficulties that come with living in a developing country. Interns here should also feel comfortable in requesting certain types of assignments or pitching their own ideas—the attorneys appreciate initiative and are very accommodating.

LAPSOJ will likely not solicit interns on any American public interest website; I was introduced to the organization through a former Duke Law LLM. However, I believe that students should definitely reach out to the organization because they will receive an unparalleled experience in international human rights law and policy.

Submitted July 25, 2018