This summer season, CAC welcomed 4 interns to study our technique of understanding the progressive promise of the textual content, historical past, and values of the U.S. Structure. Take a look at their reflections on classes discovered and lasting impressions they’ll carry ahead of their careers.
Miranda Litwak
New York College Regulation College 2024
I by no means anticipated to spend my first summer season internship of legislation college doing analysis that might find yourself in amicus briefs filed on the Supreme Courtroom. From my first day at CAC, I used to be in a position to delve into a lot of main constitutional points coping with reproductive, voting, labor, and client rights. The attorneys not solely ensured I used to be in a position to work on the problems that me most, however relied on my work and valued my perspective. At CAC, my analysis and writing expertise improved exponentially below the tutelage of unimaginable constitutional thinkers.
CAC’s litigation workforce not solely helped nurture my lawyering expertise but in addition supplied mentorship for the following steps in my authorized profession. All through the summer season, we had a lot of brown bag lunches the place I used to be in a position to study concerning the unimaginable careers of the attorneys and get steerage about 2L 12 months, internships, clerkships, and our careers after commencement. CAC didn’t solely see us as priceless further fingers, however invested in us as future progressive attorneys. I do know the connections and friendships I made this summer season will final all through my profession.
Lucas Rodríguez
Harvard Regulation College 2024
I can not consider a greater place to have spent my summer season than CAC. Not solely did I’ve the possibility to work on urgent, progressive authorized points, however I additionally received to take action alongside a gaggle of motivated and type mentors dedicated to fulfilling the Structure’s progressive guarantees and serving to my particular person progress. On day one, I used to be requested to contribute analysis to a Supreme Courtroom amicus transient on the Sixth Modification’s proper to a jury trial. Instantly, CAC’s attorneys taught me the right way to remodel summary ideas from my 1L programs into concrete arguments we may use to guard marginalized communities and higher safe our Constitutional rights. This sample continued all through the summer season as I received the chance to work on instances implicating racial gerrymandering and the flexibility of residents injured by unconstitutional authorities conduct to petition the courts for redress. On the finish of the summer season, I used to be overjoyed to see my work instantly integrated into briefs filed within the Supreme Courtroom.
Although I’m grateful to have had the possibility to work on the problems I did this summer season, I’m much more grateful for the folks I set to work with. In what proved to be a troublesome summer season for progressive constitutionalists, I’m grateful to have discovered neighborhood within the CAC household. The workers’s fixed dedication to defending all our rights and realizing the potential of our Structure will proceed to encourage me as I type out what sort of lawyer I wish to be. Everybody I labored with additionally at all times took day out of their day to reply any questions I had about our work and what it means to be a powerful authorized advocate. I’m a greater authorized researcher, author, and scholar of the legislation due to everybody at CAC; I can not thank them sufficient. I do know at CAC I made connections that may final all through my authorized profession, and I look ahead to persevering with to assist reclaim our Structure’s textual content and historical past in no matter I do subsequent.
Devontae Torriente
College of Pennsylvania Carey Regulation College 2024
I’ll without end be pleased about my summer season at CAC. I’m ending my internship as a sharper authorized researcher, author, and advocate due to CAC’s funding in my progress. Every task was a brand new alternative to dig into an space of constitutional legislation with which I used to be unfamiliar, pushing me to study greater than I may have imagined. The attorneys trusted me with researching powerful authorized questions and sincerely valued my perspective on every activity I accomplished. My internship was hands-on from the start, permitting me to dive into a number of the most urgent authorized problems with our time and enhance expertise that I’ll use for the remainder of my profession.
At a second when our constitutional rights—certainly, the Structure itself—are being undermined to extend hostility towards marginalized communities, I relaxation assured realizing that the wonderful advocates at CAC are working to meet our Structure’s progressive promise. I really feel extremely fortunate to have began my authorized profession at a spot as dynamic, visionary, and considerate as CAC. I’m extra clear-eyed than ever earlier than concerning the function of the Structure in making certain America lives as much as its highest beliefs.
Maybe most significantly, the CAC workforce modeled for me the form of individual, teammate, and future lawyer I attempt to be. I don’t take as a right the importance of being mentored by kindhearted people who find themselves additionally top-notch attorneys. I gained invaluable perception into the form of profession I hope to create for myself and I’m grateful to have the ability to rely for years to return on the neighborhood I’ve constructed at CAC. The authorized occupation and our nation are higher off due to CAC’s dedication to making a extra simply America.
Quynhanh Tran
Yale Regulation College 2024
I totally loved my summer season at CAC! I’ve discovered a lot about fascinating areas of legislation that I’d solely briefly touched on in my lessons (who knew that the dormant Commerce Clause was so necessary?). Brianne made such an effort to tailor assignments to our particular areas of curiosity, and I used to be genuinely excited to delve into each. My time at CAC has not solely improved my authorized analysis and writing expertise but in addition challenged me to assume extra critically about our constitutional rights and who will get to outline them. Throughout a summer season of devastating choices from the Supreme Courtroom, it was inspiring to be surrounded by attorneys who’re dedicated to fulfilling the progressive promise of the Structure.
Not solely are CAC attorneys glorious at their job, they’re additionally fantastic mentors and associates. As an immigrant, first-generation skilled, and girl of colour, I’m all too conscious that appellate advocates don’t usually appear to be me. Earlier than this summer season, I used to be frightened that I wasn’t educational sufficient for the work. However my time at CAC has solidified my curiosity in appellate litigation, and I do know that I’ve mentors who will assist me alongside the best way. I’ve been so impressed by each CAC’s dedication to progressive lawyering and to creating the authorized occupation extra various and humane.
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