Rachel Wade
8/29/09
Georgetown University Law Center Investigative Internship Program
One of my first tasks this summer as an Investigative Intern in the Criminal Justice Clinic at Georgetown University Law Center was to travel to a low income, high crime area of Washington, D.C. to search for witnesses to the shooting of a young male. On other occasions, I photographed a crime scene involving a high speed chase, visited a crime victim in a hospital’s intensive care unit and did a jailhouse interview with a client charged with multiple felonies.
The Investigative Internship Program provided me with a unique opportunity to assist with the representation of indigent criminal defendants in both jury and non-jury trials in the District of Columbia Superior Court. I was one of nine undergraduate interns in the program, which included an investigations supervisor, eight staff attorneys and two Georgetown law professors who provided legal representation to defendants who had been charged with a range of crimes, including both misdemeanors and felonies. Not only did I gain a better understanding of the workings of the American criminal justice system, but I was also afforded the opportunity to learn the facets of client advocacy in cases ranging from murder to distribution of cocaine and domestic violence.
During my first week as an Investigative Intern, I was trained in investigative strategies and techniques, legal concepts and the application of the law in criminal cases. Another intern and I were then assigned to work closely with two attorneys in all phases of their criminal cases, from pretrial preparation through trial. Our responsibilities included locating and interviewing clients and witnesses, serving subpoenas, reviewing evidence, conducting criminal background checks, investigating and photographing crime scenes and interacting with the Metropolitan Police Department. We spent a lot of time meeting with clients in D.C., Maryland and Virginia jails and writing memoranda summarizing our investigative results. In addition to pretrial preparation, we were also given the opportunity to participate in plea agreements and observe criminal trials. After putting many hours of work into a case, it was very rewarding to be able to watch the attorneys’ argue it before a judge or a jury.
It was also eye-opening to observe the collaborative effort that is required among so many professionals - attorneys, investigators, social workers and others - to provide competent legal assistance and representation to indigent defendants. I was impressed and inspired by the dedication and professionalism of the program’s supervising investigator and attorneys. They spent many long hours and countless weekends working to ensure that each client received the best representation possible. Many times their jobs were thankless but they never wavered in their commitment to justice.
I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to make a contribution to improving the way that justice is administered to the disadvantaged and underserved. My experience as an Investigative Intern not only confirmed my desire to pursue a career in public interest law or criminal justice, but strengthened my commitment to public and community service.
