Picture of Macy Hamlett

Macy Hamlett

Legal Intern, Bruckheim & Patel

 Major: Government & Politics

Minor: Philosophy

Class Year: 2023

LinkedIn Profile

 

 

 

What was a typical week like in your internship position?

My weeks vary depending on how busy we are in the office. A lot of the tasks I am in charge of are reviewing evidence and creating memos for the attorneys on the "pros and cons" for our case. I speak with clients to gather information regarding their case. I will also prepare legal mail to be sent to our clients. Filing with the court and preparing legal documents are weekly occurrences. I also download evidence for our cases and upload them to our filing system. I will travel to the DMV and make appointments for hearings and file paperwork for our traffic cases. When the attorneys have court I am able to attend.

 

 

What do you enjoy most about your current position?

I really enjoy how closely I work with the attorneys at the firm. I feel there is a more personal connection in a smaller firm and I am able to ask questions to learn. I also enjoy that they are open about their journey about becoming an attorney and are willing to offer advice. Overall, the wide range of tasks I get is something that I enjoy because I can see different stages of many different case types.

 

 

How did your coursework help you in your internship?

My coursework has allowed me to bring strong analytical skills to this internship. By having this foundation I have been able to read and prepare legal documents critically. The basic knowledge about the structure of the legal system has also given me a foundation that I have been able to expand on in my internship.

 

 

 

How did you locate your internship position?

I located my internship through a cold email. I researched "criminal defense firms in DC" and cold emailed all the firms that I was interested in.

 

 

Advice for students:

My biggest piece of advice is don't be afraid to send a cold email. From these emails you never know what will happen. If you are interested in an organization, even if they don't have job postings, they may have openings for an internship, so send that email. When in your internship remember that no task is "below you" just by being in the environment you can learn something. Internships are great networking opportunities! Don't be afraid to have conversations or ask people about their journey to their current position!