PBCBA BAR BULLETINS pbcba_bulletin_Sept. 2019 | Page 11

DIVERSITY C o r n e r
Spotlight on the Diversity Internship Program:
The Intern Perspective
DANIELA VEGA & ALLISON FORSTER
Life at a Private Firm
My summer internship at Scott Smith Injury
Law was a wonderful experience. Seeing the
practice of law in action motivates me in my
aspiration to become a litigator. Throughout
the summer, I attended numerous hearings,
depositions, client meetings, mediations,
and trials. The most memorable experience
involved a full week of depositions on
a heartbreaking wrongful death case.
Attending these depositions reminded me
of how important a role lawyers play in the
lives of their clients. During my internship, I
also had the opportunity to draft complaints,
motions, and memos, which have helped to
improve my legal research and writing skills.
Mr. Smith has been a great mentor to me.
During my internship, he answered all my
questions with great clarity and a depth of
knowledge. He taught me that as a lawyer,
it is important to always do what is right for
the client and never to stray from that. He
gave me many opportunities to learn what it
takes to be a trial lawyer and the work that
is required on a daily basis. I am extremely
grateful for what I have learned from him.
In addition to the work I did at my internship,
I was very engaged socially through the bar
association’s different networking events
like the Young Lawyer’s Section (“YLS”)
happy hours and the meetings for both the
YLS and the Committee for Diversity and
Inclusion (“CDI”). These social events were
great and allowed me to put my networking
skills to use. Observing the camaraderie
among many of the lawyers was inspiring
and something I hope to be a part of once I
graduate from law school.
The Diversity Internship Program itself is a
very engaging program. My fellow interns
and I were involved in many networking
events and I felt welcome at each one
I attended. Interacting with lawyers in
different fields of practice, seeing how tight-
knit everyone was, and being welcomed in
made this internship program unique.
My summer was busy but productive, and
I enjoyed every moment of my internship.
Despite having been immersed in the Palm
Beach county legal community for only one
summer, I am excited for what is to come in
the future. I have to express my gratitude to
all the attorneys and judges who graciously
took time out of their day to talk to me, to get
lunch with Daniela and I, and to share their
wisdom. Special thanks to Tabitha Taylor
and Denise and Masimba Mutamba for
giving me great advice and for all the work
they have put in this program. Most of all,
thanks to Mr. Smith and the members of his
staff (Susan, Vicki, and Isabella) for being so
kind and pleasant to work with.
Allison Forster is a graduate of Florida
Atlantic University and a rising 2L at Nova
Southeastern University College of Law.
Life at a Government Agency
My time as a Diversity Internship Program
(“DIP”) intern at the Palm Beach County
Attorney’s Office was filled with a range of
different opportunities, from Board of County
Commissioner meetings and mediations to
an Environmental Resource Management
snorkeling trip and an immigration hearing
in Miami. As I was finishing up my 1L year
in Washington D.C., I knew that my main
goal for the summer was to return to Palm
Beach County to learn about all the legal
community had to offer in my hometown.
Through my summer internship experience,
I was reassured that this is the place for me.
At the County Attorney’s Office, I was able to
meet a group of intelligent and hardworking
attorneys who would often stop by my office
and give me mini review lectures on Civil
Procedure and Constitutional Law. I was
especially excited to learn about the ins
and outs of local government by attending
advisory board meetings and Board of
County Commissioner meetings, where
I was introduced by the County Attorney,
Denise Marie Neiman. It was great to see
local government in action, especially
when groups of residents would make
their opinions heard in front of the board.
Ultimately, I loved seeing democracy in
action and seeing how different people
and organizations would come together to
continue improving the county, something
that I am also very passionate about.
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In addition to all the great local government
experience,
my
supervisors,
Helene
Hvizd and Liz Herman, ensured that I was
exposed to every area of the law in which I
was interested. Together, we attended first
appearances and made a trip to downtown
Miami to observe an immigration hearing.
I even managed to complete a Motion for
Summary Judgement for the County’s
litigation department and to assist with
other research assignments.
Through the Diversity Internship Program,
I was able to attend the Young Lawyer’s
Section meeting and the Committee for
Diversity and Inclusion (“CDI”) meetings. As
an immigrant from Venezuela and the first
in my family to go to graduate school, I was
happy to learn about the efforts made by the
CDI to include individuals not often involved
in the legal system by providing support
and mentoring. Learning about the law has
reinforced to me the importance of giving
a voice to different perspectives and the
importance of having a willingness to learn
about others with different backgrounds.
As a result of my summer experience, I feel
better prepared to focus on my studies in
school and to ultimately become a part of the
Palm Beach County legal community.
Daniela Vega is a graduate of the University
of Florida and a rising 2L at FIU College of
Law.