What is your internship position, and what do you do daily? What is your favorite task to complete?
 
I am the Virginia Supreme Court Law Library Intern. I work under the state Law Librarian, Gale Warren. 

A day for me; I get in, I have my breakfast. Then, I usually do some personal research, because there are cases I’m not assigned that I want to know more about like the Loving v. Virginia case. And so I’ll go on the databases, code, and statute books to kind of get myself familiar with Virginia codes for my own sake. Then, I complete the tasks I’ve been given by Mrs. Warren to better my legal research skills and to learn new methods. I will usually listen to oral arguments from cases that are heard during the Supreme Court sessions if I didn’t get to sit in on them myself. Some days I do get to sit in on the Supreme Court and watch them do their thing. I’ll prepare for those cases by reading all of the briefs, and the court cases which are cited by each party. I make myself familiar with the terminology used, and with the statutes and codes, they use in their arguments. 

My favorite task is sitting in on the Supreme Court sessions, especially when it’s a case I’ve prepared for. I know the background, I know what to expect and it’s cool to see it all happening in real-time. 

What would you say you think you gained from your internship experience?

I certainly cultivated my legal research skills and terminology in the legal field. Something I’ve learned in these cases is that it’s like a never-ending cycle. You go to read the documents and you find there’s a case cited and then another case cited, and another. I have received an insane education from there, in the sense of legal research methods. You get a deeper understanding of how the legal system works. And you get a look into the minds of the justices and the law clerks when you do this type of thing. 

What advice would you give to other students who are looking for internships?

My advice for internships and even choosing your college major is; if you can take your passions and what you love, and make it into work, you’ll never work a day in your life. That’s advice that my family gave me when I was going through high school and it helped me pick my major as well as decide where I wanted to do my internship. 

For my internship specifically, you have to be ready to read. But, you also have to have an open mind. You never really know when you’ll find what you’re looking for and that’s what makes it so exciting for me. It's almost like a treasure hunt. 

Do you think you’ll seek more opportunities like this in the future?

I do. I plan to go to law school. I currently work at a law firm and the skills I’m learning there will certainly help me in my current position as well as in the future. Yes, I do see myself working in politics or as an attorney, but I’ve kinda got this new thing where I’m considering being a judge. 

Interested in an internship?

For more information about internships, head over to the VCU History Internship webpage.