Community Partner: Office of Public Defender ‐ Juvenile Division
Intern: Grant Welby
Site Supervisor: Mark Friedenthal
What is the OPD ‐ Juvenile Division?
We are a group of lawyers, social workers, and staff members from the Juvenile Division of
the Maryland Office of the Public Defender who have chosen to dedicate our careers to
working with children in the Juvenile Court System. We believe that every child is deserving
of zealous advocacy, and we fight each day to protect and defend our clients and their due
process rights. Our representation continues even when the court case ends. We encourage
our clients to stay in touch with us.
My internship experience at the Office of the Public Defender has been, in a word, incredible. The
most astounding thing about this summer, and what I will remember for years to come, are the
stories of the clients whose cases I've worked on. The legal experience and professional skills I've
gained are also invaluable, but the people I've met have been the most impactful part of this
summer for me. There are no two clients that are exactly alike. Each has their own story, often filled
with hardship, that has led them to their contact with the justice system. Many come from broken
homes, with parents who have more problems than they do, and still others have no family left to
speak of. Some suffer from mental illness, while others have substance abuse issues. All of this is
exacerbated by the client's participation in a flawed justice system, one that has the tendency to
trap people inside of it, like a spider's web. I had always heard of these challenges in academic
settings, but I didn't really understand until I was able to see it firsthand. While there were many
things I observed that were disheartening, and even heartbreaking, moments that disturbed me
deeply, I also found reason to hope. The hope I found came in the form the attorneys and staff
working at OPD, and occasionally in other offices. Time and time again, I watched as these
individuals fought tooth and nail for their clients. I sat in an interview room or a courtroom and
observed what zealous advocacy looked like, and was inspired. For some clients, their lawyers are
one of the few people they trust implicitly. Getting to assist and observe at OPD changed the way I
view the law, the legal system, and the role of an attorney within that system. ‐ Grant
Tasks:
•
•
•
•
Legal research and writing
Interviewing Witnesses and Clients
Assisted with case theory
development
Transcription of interviews and
video evidence
37