UConn Student's First Internship!

Hi, Amanda here,

This summer I had the opportunity to work at a law firm. It was the first internship I have had and from my first interview to my last day at the firm, I thought my internship was an amazing learning experience.

In April I began calling law firms in my area and asking if they were looking for interns for the summer. A few of the firms asked me to send my resume and a letter of recommendation and upon reviewing my resume they called me back and asked me to set up an interview. I arrived home from UConn after final exams and went for my first interview. I was soooo nervous! It took me over an hour to decide what to wear and how to do my hair. I practiced answers to questions I thought the attorney would ask. I arrived to the interview fifteen minutes early and anxiously awaited meeting the attorney. Upon meeting Attorney Volman, I tried to act as professional as possible and not let my nerves show. The attorney was really impressed that I was seeking an internship while still an undergraduate. Attorney Volman ended up hiring me for the summer and I was ecstatic!!
I started working as an unpaid intern the next week. I worked Monday-Thursday from 9:00am-4:00pm. While I missed earning a paycheck all summer, I found the experience really rewarding. I was unsure of what to expect at the law firm and how I would be treated by the attorney. I didn’t know if I would be getting coffee the whole time or just opening the mail. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was treated like a real employee. Attorney Volman encouraged me to sit in on client meetings and to attend court with them. One of my favorite days at the law firm was when I attended a court hearing for a juvenile criminal case in New Haven Court House. I learned a lot while sitting and observing the court hearing. I was even able to speak directly with the judge regarding the case!

I learned much about working in a law firm and about what type of law I do not want to practice. I quickly realized that I would not make a very good divorce lawyer because I had a hard time not getting emotionally attached to the clients and their stories. I found that working with the divorce clients was utterly depressing and frustrating. I would meet with the clients and they would either cry or scream. I was surprised to realize that I really enjoyed criminal and real estate law. Those were two areas of law I hadn’t previously been interested in or didn’t know too much about.

I gained a lot of experience by working at the law firm for the summer and I am really glad I had the opportunity to work directly with Attorney Volman. And I highly recommend everyone obtain a summer internship to gain work experience!