Intern Testimonials | Federal Defenders for the Middle District of Alabama

Dear All, Where to begin? This has been such a transformative summer for us interns. We have found so much joy in becoming immersed in cases, getting to know clients and their families, and most of all, getting to spend time with your office. You all welcomed us into your community immediately, and we are so grateful. It has been so inspiring watching you all in action: fighting in court, thinking deeply and working together, and conveying to your clients that you are on their team. We are so grateful to you for all the effort you put into making this summer such an exceptional experience. It was such a gift to have you welcome and support us throughout the summer. We are so grateful to have had such fascinating, exciting assignments. And, we cannot believe how much we have learned from the orientation and workshops you organized. We are hungry to do this work now. We’ve discussed how odd it is going to be to be back in the classroom after such a rich experiential summer. We have sat with a woman and her daughter as their husband and father was taken away to spend at least a decade in prison; we have seen a loving, bighearted man be resentenced from death to LWOP; we have seen a young man be told he has no respect for the law because he wanted to be with his ill partner; we’ve seen a young woman’s potentially lengthy sentence reduced to the mandatory minimum. These moments of joy and moments of hardship drive us. We are so lucky to be able to carry these memories with us, and can’t wait to be your colleagues in the field one day. Thank you so much.

A. M., ‘21

As an intern, I felt fully part of the office – I was included in meetings, asked my opinion, and assigned work requests that were integral to cases. I never felt like I was doing “busy work.” In working with attorneys in the trial unit, I learned how to research quickly and thoroughly, and how to make decisions under pressure while centering the client’s needs and priorities. During my internship, I got the opportunity to work on a trial team, and it was one of the best experiences I have had so far in law school - made even better when our client received a not guilty jury verdict! The opportunity to work with CHU attorneys taught me a lot about habeas corpus proceedings, and strategic writing and advocacy. The office is a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, and I thoroughly enjoyed working with the attorneys, investigators, and staff. My internship with the Federal Defender’s Office was an excellent experience that I would highly recommend to other law students interested in criminal defense!

J. R., ‘21

This internship has resolidified my desire to become a public defender. It is evident that everyone in the office has a passion for, and a dedication to, helping their clients, and getting to learn in such an environment was really inspiring. Being able to work on various types of assignments and getting to be part of the different stages of the trial process was especially impactful and reaffirmed that this is the type of work I aspire to do in the future. I am extremely grateful for my experience with the Federal Defenders and all that I have learned throughout my time with them.

E. T., ‘21

This internship has definitely sustained and furthered my interest in pursuing a career in public defense. I am thankful for all of the wisdom that was imparted on us interns by everyone and I appreciate the welcoming and supportive atmosphere. This is definitely a program that deserves more recognition nationwide and I’m very proud to have been an intern with this office.

M. W., ‘20

The internship was fantastic. It was the perfect combination of hand-holding and trial by fire. The work was substantive, and I felt like I was making a real difference in my cases. I also especially enjoyed our workshops. I went into the internship vaguely interested in criminal law. Now I want to be a public defender. I got a great taste for the type of work, the office culture, and the stakes for our clients. It’s probably corny to say, but the internship changed what I want to do with my life.

E. S., ‘20

I now know I want to become a Federal Defender eventually. Working in an office like this would be the dream. It has given me clarity on what I need to be doing to get hired one day.

W. C., ‘20

I wanted to figure out if being a federal defender was something to keep aiming for and the answer is 100% yes. The attorneys were very open and gave advice on how to reach that goal. I can see myself working with a CHU in the future. Thank y’all it was great.

B. V. ‘20

This was an amazing program.

A. K., ‘21

I have accepted an offer from the Travis County Public Defender’s Office here in Austin and I’m super excited about it! I really appreciate all that I learned from you and Alabama Middle- it really was a great experience.

I. J., ‘20

I start a job post-graduation as a public defender in Indianapolis. I wouldn’t have chosen the career path without the mentoring and experience I had at the Federal Defenders in Montgomery!

G. C., ‘20

This internship completely altered my career goals. I had always thought I wanted to pursue civil rights work with an eye to criminal justice reform. But now I know what I am most passionate about is client centered trial work. I came into this summer hoping to learn more about the criminal justice system, but after working with some of the most passionate and intelligent lawyers I have ever met, I know for a fact that indigent criminal defense is my calling. I owe it all to your office!

E. Z., ‘21

I thought I wanted to do this kind of work, and I’d done a lot of reading, but there is nothing like actually seeing it for yourself. I’m so grateful for how much we could attend and observe, and how much of the substantive work we were allowed to do. This internship reaffirmed and solidified my career goals, and also gave me great examples of the type of lawyer I’d like to be.

L. M., ‘21

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