Why did you choose the Criminal Law Clinic?
I really wanted to get hands-on experience and get out of the classroom. I chose the Criminal Law Clinic because I've always been interested in criminal law and found it exciting and exhilarating to deal with real people with real problems.
Where did you work during the clinic?
During my first semester with the clinic, I worked in both the Boston Municipal Court and the Quincy District Court. Now, I work out of the Quincy District Court as a prosecutor.
What was the first time you had to speak in front of a court like, and how did you build confidence over time?
It was very nerve-wracking, because no matter how many cases you have read in a casebook or memos you have written, nothing can prepare you for actually being in court presenting your side of a case. I built confidence over time simply by doing it over and over again; there is no substitute for practice and preparation.
Did you work as a defender or prosecutor? Why did you choose this role?
I worked as a prosecutor. Although I went into the clinic more interested in defense, I ended up prosecuting because I wanted to see what it would be like from the other side. And I think it's given me a great glimpse into how the justice system works and how dispositions are decided upon, especially from a side I didn't think I would initially be on.
What was your most memorable case, and why?
My most memorable case dealt with prosecuting a young adult who was a habitual offender and stole various goods from his grandparents while he was staying with them. It really grabbed me because, first, you have to wonder how someone could steal from his own family like that; and second, because his grandparents were so upset by it that they actually wanted to see him go to jail. It was also a difficult case from an evidentiary perspective, since all the evidence was circumstantial. I learned a great deal from this case about how to go about proving something that nobody saw.
What was your favorite experience during the clinic?
My favorite experience was preparing for trial on an OUI [Operating Under the Influence] case: coming up with direct- and cross-examinations, an opening statement and closing argument. We've all done it before in trial advocacy, but it's different when it's for the real thing. As a prosecutor, too, you have to be very careful what you say because you are a representative of the government, and any impermissible language could result in a mistrial.
What did you gain from participating in the program?
I will take away first and foremost the very humbling feeling of being in a courtroom for the first time. But also, it gets easier and there is no substitute for hard work and practice. I learned that there are no shortcuts with this. Your clients need you at your best all the time.
