
Erin Smearman
Legal Services Intern, Montgomery County Family Justice Center
Major: CCJS & PSYC
Minor: WMST
Class Year: 2024
What was a typical week like in your internship position?
On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, I wake up at 6:45 am to get dressed and commute to the Montgomery County Family Justice Center (FJC). Between 8:30 am and 8:45 am, I enter the FJC office building and drop off my belongings in the intern office. On Tuesdays and Fridays, I walk 5 minutes to the Rockville district court to observe protective order hearings for FJC clients. I then report my findings back to the FJC's on-site attorney so that she can better help clients with legal matters. On Thursdays, I stay inside the FJC office to shadow client assistants contacting victims of domestic abuse. I also update the FJC's database that records all client interactions with the FJC administration.
What do you enjoy most about your current position?
I enjoy most observing the protective order hearings in district court. I hear testominies from the victims of domestic abuse and I hear the responses from the alleged abusers. It can be difficult sometimes to listen to these testimonies, but I think its very important for future lawyers to experience. Legal work has a direct impact on individuals seeking relief from the courts. It's important for professionals in the legal field to have empathy and compassion for their clients.
How did your coursework help you in your internship?
My courses regarding criminal justice proceedings have been very useful for this internship. I understand how the court system works and I can follow the judge's actions in the courtroom. My courses involving politics have also been useful because the FJC has a lot of policy initiatives about domestic violence prevention. I've learned that underneath every legal agency are political agendas.
How did you locate your internship position?
I located my internship on the University of Maryland's Careers4Terps database. I also found the internship on the Criminology & Criminal Justice Department's undergraduate blog website. I would recommend checking departmental websites for internships you find interesting. LinkedIn and Indeed also post internship positions in the College Park and DC areas.
Advice for students:
One thing I think is important is to review your resume. I had no prior experience before applying to the FJC but I made sure my resume was structured well with excellent grammar and punctuation. Another thing that is important is your presentation during the interview. You want to feel confident during interviews, so dress well. You also want to be prepared to answer general internship questions like: Tell me about yourself, why are you interested in this position, and what are your greatest strengths and weaknesses.
Anything else you want to share with students?
From this experience, I've really appreciated the work of nonprofit organizations and supplemental governmental programs. These agencies are vital to many low-income and need-based civilians, and they are the backbone of a lot of advocacy work in the criminal justice system.