Erica Marrow

The Locke Law Group

How did you get your job?

A friend and fellow St Mary’s University Law Student, Matthew Kiehn, did some pro bono work during Winter break. He met Shannon Locke, a partner at The Locke Law Group, at the courthouse. Shannon expressed to Matthew that he was interested in hiring a law clerk for Family Law. Matthew knew I was interested in Family Law, so he told me about the offer. I emailed Mr. Locke and got an interview with him and Jennifer Locke, a partner at The Locke Law Group. I was hired and began working part-time in February and full-time in May.

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

The most surprising thing I learned at my job is how wrong the negative stereotype is of fathers not wanting to be in their child’s life as much as mothers do.

What do/did you like most about your job?

I have a favorite experience at the firm: An adoption was granted for three children. When the hearing was over, I heard the children say, “Yay you’re our mommy now.” It brought tears to my eyes.

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

Working at The Locke Law Group has helped me in my career path by providing me with first-hand experience on how to interact with clients and with opposing counsel. I have learned how to remain focused and vigilant in a fast-paced environment.

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

The most valuable thing I’ve learned at this job is that no matter what someone has done, everyone is entitled to advocacy.

Xavier Dan Refuge Sr.

Warrior Defense Project

How did you get your job?

I met Professor Addicott randomly in the parking lot, and we began to conversate. It was revealed that I was a veteran and my purpose for attending law school was to learn to help veterans. This led to me being informed about the Warrior Defense Project (WDP). I went to the WDP office and continued to meet with Professor Addicott and other student research fellows several times as I completed my 1L year expressing my goal to help veterans. Eventually, before finals of the second semester of my 1L year, I was offered a position as a research fellow at the WDP and accepted.

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

The most surprising thing I learned is how deeply veteran representation is needed. Not only for the purpose of attaining post-service benefits but also to ensure the fair administration of law and policy for those actively serving. Often the same people who have volunteered to ensure our rights are protected find themselves needing someone to step in and protect theirs.

What do/did you like most about your job?

The opportunity to help those who have voluntarily chosen to sacrifice much of their lives to protect us.

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

It is helping me to learn exactly how to do what I set out to do with my legal education. It has been an immense blessing that the WDP happened to be at St. Mary’s University.

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

I learned how to find the answers to questions clients may have. Often these veteran clients will approach simply feeling they have been wronged. Working with the WDP has helped me to learn where I can look and find the answers to their problems and a way forward.

Majestie Barragan

Dallas County District Attorney’s Office

How did you get your job?

I knew I wanted to return home to work during the summer. Following Criminal Law with Professor Teeter, I knew I wanted to gain experience in the criminal field. I went to Dallas County DA’s website and submitted my application, resume and cover letter. I heard back soon after and began working with the office in June.

What do you like most about your job?

I love that I have the ability to work with ADAs, Judges and Chiefs across different units. Although I am assigned to a Felony courtroom, I take every chance I get to visit other courts and talk with the ADAs, defense attorneys and Judges. You can feel the sense of community within the DA’s office, and I am glad to be a part of it.

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

I plan to pursue a career in criminal law, and if given the opportunity, I would like to return home to Dallas to practice. The DA’s office not only provides me with exposure to the criminal field but also allows me to make connections with the ADAs, Chiefs, Judges, staff and defense attorneys. As the Chief of Misdemeanors told us on our first day, they are not only interviewing us, we are interviewing them. This opportunity gets my foot in the door in the city I love and the field I am passionate about.

Katherine Chevalier

Calhoun Law Firm – San Antonio, TX

How did you get your job?

I applied after finding the job listing on CORE. I wanted to make myself stand out, so I researched what cases this firm has handled in the past and used that information during the interview to show my interest in the firm’s work. Taking this extra step allowed me to be more confident during my interview.

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

When I started law school, I was convinced that I could only be successful as a transactional attorney. However, working at Calhoun Law Firm has given me some litigation experience and I am excited to know that I could also be successful in litigation if I decide to go that route after law school.

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

How to write demand letters and petitions. I’ve learned how to take what the client has given me and be creative in forming arguments to fit the cause of action.

Jamie Weber

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Judge Kevin P. Yeary – Austin

How did you get your job?

I called the Judge asking if he had any internships available for the summer and sent him my app materials. He later told me he does not post any internship postings and waits for students to contact him. My biggest piece of advice is to be assertive when it comes to applying for summer positions. A “no” from a potential employer is better than a “no” from yourself.

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

The most surprising thing is that you are thrown into the fire on day one, where it is assumed that you already know what you’re supposed to be doing! It was great learning along the way and being able to adapt and apply my new skills throughout the experience along with the skills Professor Copes, my 1L LCAP professor, taught me during 1L.

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

This experience helped me further my career path by giving me first-hand experience of what is happening behind the bench and inside the judge’s chambers.

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

I have learned how to put my skills and knowledge regarding legal research to use and how to draft an opinion.

Caitlin Sullivan

United States District Court for the Western District of Texas

How did you get your job?

On CORE. I saw the job posting, applied and was invited to interview all within the same week.

What do/did you like most about your job?

I enjoy how challenging it is. Because I work for the court, I am obligated to consider the parties’ arguments from an objective perspective and determine an outcome based solely on applicable legal standards. This requires extensive legal research — often beyond the law that the parties cited themselves.

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

As a judicial intern, I refined my legal research skills and greatly improved my legal writing skills. I also regularly attended criminal and civil proceedings, including evidentiary hearings, sentencings, and trials. This real-life exposure to the courtroom solidified my aspiration to litigate.

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

Before taking this position, I operated under the incorrect assumption that law school graduates could either become litigators or transactional attorneys. Working as a judicial intern exposed me to an entirely different opportunity within the legal field. Judicial law clerks get the best of both worlds. They are immersed in litigation processes and get to conduct substantial legal research; but instead of arguing in court, judicial law clerks thoroughly examine the law, discuss their findings with the judge, and then draft documents consistent with applicable legal standards.

Berenis Ibarra López

Norton Rose Fulbright US, LLP – San Antonio, TX

How did you get your job?

I obtained my summer associate position by applying directly to Norton Rose Fulbright through their website. I used the Big Law Bootcamp resources from OCS to prep for my interview and received an offer to be the only 1L Summer Associate in the San Antonio office.

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

The most surprising thing I’ve learned at my job is how willing to help every established lawyer is. As a 1L, I was afraid my limited legal knowledge would significantly hinder my ability to do the work assigned, but I’ve been fortunate to receive help every step of the way from extremely successful attorneys. It is very reinforcing.

What do/did you like most about your job?

The thing I like most about my job is how different every day has been. I have assisted in a wide variety of matters and every project enlightens me in new ways. I’ve really enjoyed learning so much about different areas of the law.

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

I am the first in my immediate and extended family to pursue a legal career. This experience has broadened my exposure to different areas of law and has allowed me to learn about the law unlike I’ve ever experienced before. Every day in this role feels like I’m growing.

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

The most valuable thing I’ve learned at this job is that you should always ask for help when you need it. Sometimes we think we need to solve problems on our own, but I’ve learned there is an enormous advantage to tapping into any resources available and other lawyers who are experts in their practice areas.

Ali De Leon

Comal County District Attorney’s Office – New Braunfels, TX

How did you get your job?

I got my internship through the Public Service Career Fair.

What do/did you like most about your job?

I love that each case is vastly different. Even if it is the same type of charge, the circumstances are different. So, researching issues in each case is always exciting.

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

This experience has helped me realize that I would love to work as a prosecutor.

Michelle Farris

Newnam Land, LLP – Wimberley, TX

How did you get your job?

I Googled attorneys in my area. Newnam Land was one of my search results. After reading through their website, I reached out to Dixie Newnam via email. I explained that I was (at the time) a 1L attending St. Mary’s University School of Law. I then asked if she might be willing to look at my resume and consider hiring me for a summer internship. Dixie responded asking for my resume. After sending in my resume, I was invited for an interview. About two weeks later Ms. Newnam called me with an offer.

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

So far the most surprising thing I learned, is that when an attorney is representing an administrator for an estate, and that administrator dies, the attorney can petition the court to be named the Administrator Successor if there is no one else local who can handle distributing the estate and all of the things the job entails.

What do/did you like most about your job?

If I had to sum up “one thing” I like most about my job it would be the atmosphere of the workplace and the attitude of the attorneys. The attorneys are genuinely nice people. I am a parent, and because the attorneys here are parents, they understand the need for flexibility when it comes to family obligations. I also love that they see teaching opportunities and will explain what they are doing and why even when it has no bearing on the projects I am currently working on. I also like that the two attorneys have very different ways of doing certain things, so I get to see different ways of handling the same issues, both of which are effective. Ms. Newnam is also an advocate for mental health and self-care of attorneys.

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

Working here has solidified my initial belief that I would be happy working somewhere where I can do a lot of transactional work as well as some litigation. I’ve also discovered that I enjoy property law more than I initially thought I would.

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

If your friends or family members say they don’t need to set up any estate planning, make sure you stress to them how wrong they are. If your friends or family members say they can write their own wills and don’t need an estate planning professional…stress to them how wrong they are. We have many clients whose loved ones passed without a will or with wills that were not drafted correctly, and it creates a huge headache for the person responsible for probating the estate. If you love your family, make sure you have a will or a trust setup that was created by a professional who knows what they are doing.

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

Our office has a very efficient virtual workplace setup. I can work from home if a child is sick, or if something comes up. When this happens, I interact with my coworkers and bosses via text, a virtual phone system (I can make and receive calls from my work number on my personal phone), email, or an instant messaging system on the computer.

Luke Cleland

United States District Court for the Western District of Texas – San Antonio, TX

How did you get your job?

While searching for summer employment, I continually refreshed C0RE to find exciting opportunities. I saw a posting for an internship with Chief Judge Garcia and figured applying couldn’t hurt.

What do/did you like most about your job?

I have cherished learning from Chief Justice Garcia’s brilliant clerks. It has been the opportunity of a lifetime to work so closely with them. I learned a lot from Yaffa, Sean, and Gail during the summer.

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

Absolutely. This summer gave me confidence that I am in the right career field and that I can produce a meaningful work product. If I can draft something of value to a judge, then I certainly have what it takes to practice law.