This summer I had the privilege to work for the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center (LCAC), a nonprofit law firm in New Orleans, LA that provides capital defense to indigent people. In other words, the LCAC defends people facing the death penalty. This opportunity was funded via the Harold M. and Margaret R. Coons Public Service Internship Fund. I would like to extend a massive thank you to the Coons family for their support in making this experience possible. I would also like to thank Linda Cortez and everyone at the LCAC for allowing me to contribute to the vital work of the LCAC this summer.
Throughout the summer I worked on a variety of tasks related to ongoing cases. These tasks included records collection, research into the client’s history, and other general research tasks related to the cases. I also reviewed transcripts and records that were already received. While I completed tasks related to a handful of cases, I primarily worked with the teams for three clients. Working closely with three of the teams allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the facts of the cases, as well as the legal questions surrounding each case. Throughout the summer I also got the chance to attend court proceedings. Although there were no capital trials ongoing, I was able to observe a preliminary hearing and pretrial motions hearing. Observing court proceedings allowed me to see our justice system in action.
Spending a summer in New Orleans with the LCAC allowed me to work firsthand in an area of our justice system that is both interesting and impactful. As capital cases are complex, I enjoyed the ability to deep dive into a few cases, getting to know the clients, facts, and legal issues. Additionally, while many of LCAC’s clients have not gone to trial yet, LCAC represents people both at trial and on appeal, allowing me to gain an understanding of how our legal system operates at different levels. I also had the privilege of working with many smart and good people, from my fellow interns to the attorneys and investigators at LCAC.
I want to thank Wabash College, the Coons family, and everyone at LCAC for making this experience a reality. I feel as if I made a positive impact in ensuring equal justice before the law for all people. This experience reaffirmed my commitment to pursuing a career in public interest law.
