Serina Hernandez

Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit

How did you get your job?

I got my job through the mock interviews done through OCS in my first year. I picked a potentially interesting area, and it grew into an actual job.

What was the most surprising thing you learned at your job?

I learned how many people represent themselves from jail, and how much of a disservice they may be doing to themselves in the long run.

What do/did you like most about your job?

The opportunity to learn, everything I touch is an opportunity to learn something new and gain a new skill. I also really like that the Conviction Integrity Unit focuses on restorative justice. The emphasis on making sure things were done right and trying to ensure that justice was truly served is such an amazing path. I feel so blessed and excited to be able to have this exposure and experience.

How do you think this experience has helped you in your career path?

I think that hands-on application is invaluable.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at this job?

There are a lot of paths to get to the right answer. Not everyone is going to do things in the exact same fashion, and that does not make it wrong. Just different.

Did your job change in a virtual workplace? How did you interact with your co-workers?

This is an in-person position, but there is remote work that is leveraged pretty effectively as well. I suspect that remote work is being utilized as well as it is as a by-product of COVID.

Peyton Howe

The Hon. Brett Sell, Administrative Judge – U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

How did you get your job?

I applied for the job via CORE. It was a super simple application process, and Ms. Veronica Elizalde was very helpful in reviewing my cover letter before I applied.

What was the most surprising thing you learned at your job?

I was surprised to see how simple the drafting process can be for the various orders. Many of the cases I worked on and drafted documents for had similar claims, so I was able to recycle terminology and strong points that had been made in other drafts.

What do/did you like most about your job?

What I like the most about my internship is that I am given the same tasks as a judicial clerk. In my first week, I was given the opportunity to read through important documents, take notes and draft a Decision and Order. Additionally, I like how instructive Judge Sell has been. Often, he will call me to discuss a case, walk me through an analysis or to debrief after an Initial Conference with the parties. This has enabled me to see a judge’s thought process.

How do you think this experience has helped you in your career path?

This experience has assisted me in further developing my legal writing and analysis skills. Additionally, I got to experience the “behind the scenes” of a judge’s thought process and how they handle all the cases on their docket. Moreover, I learned to become much more concise and focus on the important arguments that need to be made.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at this job?

The most valuable thing I have learned is how incredibly important professionalism and preparation are in a career in law. I have witnessed how a lack of professional courtesy or under-preparation can harm your client’s case and your reputation.

Did your job change in a virtual workplace? How did you interact with your co-workers?

My job significantly stayed the same in the virtual workplace. The EEOC utilized Microsoft Teams, which kept everyone in the office connected. I was still able to contact the Hon. Sell and my co-workers easily. To stay in contact with the other interns, I created a Teams chat to ask each other for help.

Kenny Garcia

CJMA Business Law and Litigation

How did you get your job?

I found the job posted on Core and applied through there.

What do/did you like most about your job?

I enjoy how closely knit the staff is together and the team-like atmosphere in the workplace.

How do you think this experience has helped you in your career path?

This experience has proven to me that I want to follow the path to litigation, and now I am confident I will be able to do that.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at this job?

I have gained so much practical experience and knowledge that cannot be gained in a classroom.

Katherine Barnwell

Bexar County District Attorney’s Office – Conviction Integrity Unit

How did you get your job?

I got this job through the OCI Mock Interview program. When I signed up for a Government/Public Service Mock Interview, I didn’t know who I would be interviewing. I knew I was interested in criminal law, specifically post-conviction matters, so when I was interviewed by Mr. Howard, the Director of the Conviction Integrity Unit, I was so excited! I thought it would be the perfect place to gain experience and find a path I may want to take after graduation.

What was the most surprising thing you learned at your job?

That the Conviction Integrity Unit existed! The type of work they do is so much more than the post-conviction cases that may be portrayed in the media. The CIU helps with all types of situations; as long as there is a final conviction and it’s in Bexar County, one can apply for CIU review.

How do you think this experience has helped you in your career path?

I came into law school very interested in post-conviction matters. This position has allowed me to explore post-conviction work in various ways. I have received assignments in all types of post-conviction cases, from applicants convicted of felonies trying to get habeas corpus relief to applicants convicted of misdemeanors but would like to apply for some nondisclosure.

What do/did you like most about your job?

The variety of assignments is what I love most about working with this unit. I want to help people who need it the most, and I feel this unit provides a great opportunity for me.

How did you interact with your co-workers?

We all work in person, with an option to work some days remotely. It is a small office with two attorneys, so we work very closely on projects. I receive a lot of feedback on assignments and am involved with almost everything the office has going on. I am typically invited to meetings with other parts of the DA’s office and am always encouraged to come along to meet people.

Katelyn Mead

District Attorney’s Office of Travis County

How did you get your job?

I responded to an email sent from a current ADA on the Law Review at St. Mary’s stating that the office was hiring a Law Clerk in their Civil Special Victims Division.

What do/did you like most about your job?

I like that it is remote for the sake of still being in school and the convenience of just logging in to work instead of driving to the office. I also like that the expectations in our office are very clear. Everyone is part of a chain, knows what needs to be done, and is diligent to do it.

Did your job change in a virtual workplace? How did you interact with your co-workers?

It was strange at first—it is challenging when you can’t meet people organically in the office and get to know them face-to-face. Weekly and Monthly regular zoom meetings helped me gain that workplace relationship with their team members and grow to get to know all of them individually.

Joshua J. De Leon

Nationwide Insurance

What do I like most about my job?

I like seeing the ins and outs of the day-to-day job of a civil defense attorney, and then being tasked to assist them on a case. It is great to see what I could do in the future while getting a taste of it.

How do you think this experience has helped you in your career path?

It helps immensely with gaining the necessary litigation skills to be successful. I will be confident when applying to my next internship because I will be able to show the skills I am learning right now.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at this job?

Learning practical tips on how to approach important things like mediation or a deposition that you cannot learn in a textbook.

Jeanette Berlanga

Schulman, Lopez, Hoffer & Adelstein, LLP

How did you get your job?

I saw a posting on LinkedIn and took a chance to apply for the Commercial Real Estate clerking position. I had no experience but expressed my desire to learn the type of law, and the partners offered me the position.

What do/did you like most about your job?

The law firm does both Commercial Real Estate and School Law. I went in with the thought that I was only going to work with the Commercial Real Estate team. I soon realized the two types of law overlap each other. Through this clerkship, I did not only learn about Commercial Real Estate but also so much regarding law school. The firm’s structure gave me an overall grasp of two types of law, which I learned much about and enjoyed.

How do you think this experience has helped you in your career path?

I have learned so much about myself and where I want to be as an attorney. This law firm offered more than a clerkship. I am thrilled to be joining their team next year as an Associate.

Hannah Orendain

BRCK Criminal Defense

How did you get your job?

I found the job posting on CORE and was then able to email all requirements to one of the attorneys. I scheduled an in-person interview for the next week and was offered the job only a few hours after the interview!

What was the most surprising thing you learned at your job?

The most surprising thing I learned at my job is how quickly some matters can be resolved and how others can take years. It shows how diverse the courts, cases, and clients can be within the county.

What do/did you like most about your job?

My favorite thing about my job is how well-organized and communicative the attorneys are. We have an online calendar, so we know which attorney is where, when, and for which cases which allows the interns to attend court proceedings or meetings with them before or after class.

How do you think this experience has helped you in your career path?

This experience has helped me learn about the justice system to a greater extent. Having worked at the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office before law school, working on the other side at a criminal defense firm after my 1L year allowed me the opportunity to get experience from both sides and see which I would prefer in the long run. It also allowed me to see the differences in courts, judges, and attorneys within different counties in Texas. I was also able to gain a sense of confidence when it comes to speaking with both English and Spanish speaking clients and other legal professional.

Hannah Fawcett

Lishman Law

How did you get your job?

I got this job by applying to a posting on CORE! I sent in my application materials and had an interview the next day.

What was the most surprising thing you learned at your job?

The most surprising thing that I have learned at my job is how much goes into running a small law firm from the scheduling to the billing and everything in between.

What do/did you like most about your job?

What I love about my job is the mentorship I have received from my bosses. They can always answer any questions I may have, and they include me in as much as possible so that I can truly experience what day-to-day is like as an attorney.

How do you think this experience has helped you in your career path?

The experience I have been given in this job has been priceless. I have been exposed to everything from e-filing to client intake, to depositions, to trials in person and on zoom, how to manage a small practice, and so much more. I have taken the things I have learned on paper in law school and see how they look in real-life practice.

Fanisleidy Martin-Rodriguez

Travis County Public Defender’s Office

What was the most surprising thing you learned at your job?

Many people, like myself, thought the public defender’s office was a group of attorneys that never cease to work and are always high-strung due to soaring stress levels. I was surprised to find that it is not like that at all! Although the attorneys do have a high case volume, it is managed throughout the office by everyone. Mental health is seen as a priority and work-life balance is beautifully respected at the TCPDO. I wasn’t just sitting in an office all day; I was shadowing different attorneys and investigators and was able to see the complete journey of a case from intake to close. I was especially surprised when interns were brought into case meetings with higher-ups and allowed to voice our own opinions and thoughts on the evidence and facts of the case.

What do/did you like most about your job?

Although TCPDO is a relatively new office and I was part of their very first summer internship program, the attorneys did an excellent job of training the interns. At TCPDO not only do you put in work that is used in various legal proceedings, but you are given a voice and brought into conversations that many interns never get a chance to sit in on. The work-life balance at TCPDO is highly respected and the holistic model of putting the client in the center of so many useful resources is an amazing process to observe. Although the criminal process is nowhere near perfect, it is truly getting better with the TCPDO’s holistic practice.

How do you think this experience has helped you in your career path?

I already had experience in other sectors of law and wanted to take the opportunity to explore if criminal law is the right fit for my professional career. The TCPDO has not only given me the chance to explore that option but has given me all the tools I need to excel during my summer internship. They take the time to check in with all the interns about work product, they have trainings to teach the interns about a different topic in criminal law throughout the summer, and the attorneys have been a joy to work with. Needless to say, I have been able to go beyond the casebook teachings from criminal law this past spring and have had first-hand experiences of the criminal process. This opportunity brought my understanding of criminal law full circle.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at this job?

The holistic model at TCPDO is such a valuable tool to learn. Instead of putting the attorney in the center and having the attorney work for what is considered the best outcome; the client is in the center and is surrounded by people working for the client’s individual needs. The attorney gives the client a voice, the social worker finds resources to uplift the client, the paralegal connects the client to different social services or government assistance, the private investigators assist the attorneys to find further evidence that may help the client, the TCPDO also includes immigration and family law attorneys to aid clients coming out of the criminal proceedings into a smooth transition with other aspects of their life. At TCPDO a client is not just a criminal case number, a client is a human being with needs and TCPDO finds a way to answer those needs. I truly appreciated being a part of this revolutionary process!