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Testimonials from a few of our recent interns at the Washoe County Public Defender's office. Come join the smiling faces!
 "Working at the Washoe County Public Defender's Office was a great experience. Everyone at the office, from the attorneys to the support staff, were friendly and helpful. You have the opportunity to actually get some client interaction and almost every day there were hearings, arraignments, sentencings, and trials to observe. I had just finished my 1L year so even though I wasn't able to represent clients in court, I still had plenty of interesting projects to work on and I was able to write motions that were actually filed with the court. I could not have had a better summer experience and I would recommend this internship to anyone interested in criminal law."
Jenna Pritsos
 "My internship at the Washoe County Public Defender's Office was enriching, educational, and exciting. The program was well structured, yet flexible enough to grant the freedom to roam various courtooms and shadow different attorneys. The attorneys and staff made the internship even more enjoyable. The attorneys were always willing to give me work, advice, or just answer a simple question. I remember initially being amazed at how happy and warm everyone appeared.
The internship also allowed me to develop my legal writing and research skills. I wrote evidentiary motions pertaining to illegal searches and researched a variety of topics. In addition, because I was able to obtain provisional certification to practice, I represented defendants for arraignments, assisted in client interviews, and even argued a motion to suppress (which I lost but who cares!!). I even had a trial scheduled for the last day of the internship but it was dismissed. Many of the opportunities available during this internship were not available at school so it made the experience that much more valuable.
I cannot begin to give the internship its due in such a dimunitive testimonial. It will be the most memorable portion of my tenure at law school. It really opened my eyes to an area of law with which I had only a tenuous relationship. I certainly have more respect for the uphill battles that each public defender faces in defending indigent defendants."
Jeremy Thompson
 "I learned more two weeks into my internship at the Public Defender's Office than I learned in two years of law school. Advocacy is about more than the black letter law: it's about making your client feel like an individual in a dehumanizing system. Unlike other internship programs that simply shut students away in an office to do research, the program here ensures that students get real hands-on experience with client interviews and actual courtroom time. In addition to sharpening interns' lawyering skills, the program instills in soon-to-be lawyers a compassion and respect for people from all walks of life. It's been refreshing to work in such a supportive office where a dedicated staff truly enjoys what they do. Any law student interested in not only career growth, but character building as well, should spend a summer at the Washoe County Public Defender's Office.
Mallory Nelson
"My summer at the Public Defender's office was terrific. Having heard horror stories about public defender offices (in other states, of course), I admittedly did not know what to expect when I started this internship. However, whatever apprehensions I harbored prior to this experience disappeared within the first week of my summer here. First, the atmosphere at the office is always welcoming and both attorneys and staff were consistently pleasant to work with. Second, the program was set up such that there was a little more structure in the first few weeks, as to help the interns settle in our new positions and to be exposed to as many of the contexts in which this office represents clients as possible. I truly appreciate the freedom we were given within the following weeks to create our schedules and to seek our own assignments. This allowed me to tailor my summer to my individual needs, in terms of which particular work skills I needed to improve. Finally, one of the best parts of this program was having the opportunity to be exposed to the entire County's justice system. For instance, I was able to meet several prosecutors and judges, as well as tour both the State penitentiary and the County jail. I learned so much from this office and I would recommend this internship to any law student, whether interested in criminal or civil practice."
Vanessa Assae-Bille
"Working for the Washoe County Public Defender's office is a wonderful experience that I would recommend to any law student. First, the program is very well organized. There is no awkwardness on day one. This is due to a schedule of events for the first few weeks; including court hearings, jail visits, and research projects provided to you. Also, everyone in the office is so welcoming and willing to help. People go out of their way to make you feel right at home. Second, I was able to obtain invaluable hands-on experience this summer. As a rising 3L I was given the opportunity to first-chair a misdemeanor trial with the help of my amazing supervising attorney, compose and argue several motions to suppress, and represent clients in arraignments, sentencing and plea hearings. The attorneys are selfless in the fact they give you winning cases to argue and will help you every step of the way to make sure you are properly prepared for court. I could not recommend interning for the Washoe County Public Defender's office more, and this is from a person who had only been to Reno for 2 days before arriving for the internship.
Diana John, California Western School of Law
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