This summer, I am excited to begin my internship with NYS Unified Court System for the 9th District. I have been paired with family court judge Honorable Andrea Composto. As someone who hopes to attend law school and pursue a legal career, I see this as an incredible opportunity to learn about the legal system, especially getting to see the day to day life of a judge and all the work and decisions that they have to handle.
The 9th District of NY serves around 2 million people, so the judges do a lot to serve the community. One of the things I am most excited about is gaining a better understanding of how the court system works on a daily basis. I hope to observe courtroom proceedings, learn about the responsibilities of judges and court staff, and see how legal decisions are made.
Family Court handles matters that can have a major impact on people’s lives, so I am interested in learning how judges carefully consider the facts and law when reaching decisions. I also hope to learn more about how lawyers prepare cases in order to bring these matters up to the judge, and then how the judge uses these facts in order to render her decision.
I believe this internship will have a significant impact on my career path because it will provide valuable exposure to the practice of law before I hopefully attend law school. I hope this experience will strengthen my understanding of the justice system and further confirm my desire to become an attorney.
– Liz Ortega, Psychology & Political Science 2027
That sounds very interesting, I am happy to hear that this so far is great experience for your future career!
Your internship sounds very interesting, and I am happy that you have the opportunity to get hands-on experience with the legal system!
This is a great experience for learning the day-to-day operations within the court system!
This internship sounds like it will really help you on deciding which career pathway is best for you to take and also give you value knowledge of how to get there. This seems like an amazing opportunity for you!
Seeing the behind the scenes work of judges must be interesting, nice!
Liz, your internship sounds like an incredible opportunity, since you’ll be working directly with a Family Court judge. I think it will be fascinating to observe how judges and attorneys work together to navigate complex cases and make decisions that can have such a significant impact on people’s lives.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: getting to experience the legal system through the lens of someone who is responsible for interpreting and applying the law. During my time with the Luzerne County Public Defender’s Office, it’s been a humbling experience to see the tremendous amount of hard work done behind the scenes before life-changing decisions are made. I’m sure this is even more beneficial to you, especially since you’re watching these decisions being made by the judge.
By observing these professionals in court and in their offices, you’ll gain a more well-rounded overview of how our legal system works. In particular, watching Family Court reminds us of the high stakes present, as the future of many families lies in the hands of the professionals in that courtroom.
I hope this internship can confirm your desire to pursue law school, and if this career is the right fit for you!