Isabelle Kristick
Practicum: An Applied Learning Experience
Choosing a Path:
Intern to Gerald V. Purnell, Maryland District Court Judge:
As Judge Purnell's intern my interactions and assignments were primarily conducted with his law clerk, Bridget Lowrie. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the format of the internship was mostly virtual. Ms. Lowrie and I met weekly were she gave me the weeks assignments and we reflected on the previous weeks. The weekly assignments included reading, analyzing, and briefing cases regarding the impact that the decriminalization of marijuana has had on searches and seizures conducted by the police. These weekly assignments culminated to form a memo which I drafted and delivered to Ms. Lowrie and Judge Purnell. At the end of the internship I also researched how the changing social atmosphere regarding marijuana has reflected the changes under the law regarding marijuana which I presented in the form of a poster. Although most of the internship was conducted virtually I was able to attend and witness a court session at the Maryland District Court where I was able to watch convictions, the presentation of arguments and facts, and other legal proceedings.
When considering possible practicum opportunities or paths I immediately knew that I wanted to do an experience that would help me gain a better understanding of what I wanted study in the future and what career path I wanted to take. In light of this I considered both marketing and law internships. I choose to pursue a law internship because I was less educated regarding law and what the career entailed and wanted to learn more about possible law careers. Once I decided to pursue a law internship I reached out to Judge Purnell, who I have known since I was five years old, in hopes of him granting me an internship. Judge Purnell was more than happy to provide me with an internship despite the COVID-19 restrictions. What I suggest to those pursuing internships in the future is to use your network and to not be afraid to ask professors or people you know for an internship.
Reflecting:
Through this experience I was able to gain a better understanding of how a court operates and functions beyond the legal proceedings, specifically what research and analysis lawyers have to conduct. I also was able to develop my communication, research, and writing skills through the breifs I crafted and the memo I drafted (attached above), When reflecting on my experience I also learned that I am interested in pursuing law specifically the application of law in society and how shifts in society reflect in the changes in the law. Overall this experience has allowed me to grow as a researcher and student by helping me refine my skills and become more focused on what possible careers I want to pursue in the future. These possible careers include being a lawyer for a public or non-profit organization or a lawyer for a business regarding the environment or social sustainability. I would be able to apply my developed communication and research skills, evident in the attached case briefs and memom, in these fields when researching the laws that impact their industries and how they could be leveraged to create changes in society. I hope to take classes at UMD such as business law and a sustainability upper elective to help me gain a greater understanding about law and its social applications with the hope of being able to apply the knowledge I gain in these courses while at law school and in my future career within law and business.