To Quit or Not To Quit Internship? Forum

[Rhiannon17]

I would honestly tell someone in your career services about how they treat their interns. They probably have some sort of database this type of feedback is good for.

Especially since they apparently are so desperate for interns to help their workload they have to be better than this. Internships (I think by law right?) are about educating the student not working them hard and "sink or swim." Maybe I have too idealistic an image of internships, but legal internships (and for a government body!) I expect a lot better.

Not to down-talk a specific area of law, but it IS a public defender office after all... and PD offices are notorious for overworking and underpaying their attorneys and having no pay for their interns. Last I checked, the attorneys in that office were on about 199 cases each (don't even know if that is legal) making somewhere between $43k and $50k/ year. I would want someone to help me out, too. And yes, Georgia does have a Student Practice Act, but we are still law students... not barred attorneys... and we are supposed to be "practicing" under the SUPERVISION of another attorney. Not have another attorney's crap dumped off on us with no aid.

Some people will sign up for internships with the PD office for class credit (180 hours there = 3 hours Externship class credit), but I wasn't one of those people.

[kaysta]

...told me I could consider it my 2 weeks' notice since he didn't want any interns working for him who weren't fully passionate about criminal law. Then tried to scare me saying he probably would not be able to give me a good recommendation for future jobs.

man, I can hear the desperation behind those threats.
whole office sounds like a shitshow requiring intervention beyond scope of career serv. Not familiar with PD office governmental oversight, but dont think it's something an intern can initiate.
If you want to, you might write a report for CS, so future interns know the score before applying.

eta for sure, it's up to her tho. what say you OP may seem pointless to you given that you know the scope of the problem there. but it's a small thing that could do some good

[Auxilio]

...told me I could consider it my 2 weeks' notice since he didn't want any interns working for him who weren't fully passionate about criminal law. Then tried to scare me saying he probably would not be able to give me a good recommendation for future jobs.

man, I can hear the desperation behind those threats.
whole office sounds like a shitshow requiring intervention beyond scope of career serv. Not familiar with PD office governmental oversight, but dont think it's something an intern can initiate.
If you want to, you might write a report for CS, so future interns know the score before applying.

Yeah that was the main point I was trying to make, just so they can advise other applicants etc.

[lolwat]

Not to down-talk a specific area of law, but it IS a public defender office after all... and PD offices are notorious for overworking and underpaying their attorneys and having no pay for their interns. Last I checked, the attorneys in that office were on about 199 cases each (don't even know if that is legal) making somewhere between $43k and $50k/ year. I would want someone to help me out, too. And yes, Georgia does have a Student Practice Act, but we are still law students... not barred attorneys... and we are supposed to be "practicing" under the SUPERVISION of another attorney. Not have another attorney's crap dumped off on us with no aid.

Some people will sign up for internships with the PD office for class credit (180 hours there = 3 hours Externship class credit), but I wasn't one of those people.

Yeah, they have heavy caseloads and are unpaid. Doesn't exactly excuse their conduct. But no one is advising you to shit-talk the PD's office to everyone, just to inform CS of what happened so they can advise future potential interns so they know what they're getting into.

[encore1101]

the attorney is cringe-inducing

[Rhiannon17]

Went in today-- first day after I've given the 2 week's notice-- and was met at the door by the assistant chief PD (who is over the intern-bossing PD). I was immediately hugged and asked to please stay for the duration of summer. I told them I hated to leave but was going to do what was best for my future career prospects. They pulled me into their office and wanted the rundown on the full story of why I was leaving. Apparently, the intern-bossing PD had told them that he and I had a meeting that "went fine" in which I dropped the bomb that I was going to go with my other internship. When I told the assistant chief about his whole stint about how I was "not hired by him to begin with" and he's "made interns cry before," they went got pissed and had a talk with him. Further, the asst. chief asked me to "sleep on it" for another night and come back tomorrow and let them know if I'm still standing by the 2-week notice. The answer will be Yes. The past 48 hours have been so exhausting I'm just mentally checked the hell out and ready to have it over and done with and behind me.

I'm going to inform career services that the assistant PD in charge of the intern program at this particular office has a control problem with wanting only interns HE hires, regardless if someone over him hires them, that I was expected to text to him my whereabouts at all times, and that he has an unprofessional approach in handling things in general and the other interns are wanting to leave because they feel like he is a "micromanager" and thinks an unpaid internship is supposed to come before class.

[gregfootball2001]

Not necessarily your responsibility, but consider letting your intern friend know that under the Georgia student practice rules, it's illegal for him to actually practice law (e.g., hearings, trials, etc.) without an actual attorney present (Rule 95(6)). I can't imagine a judge would actually let the student do a hearing by himself (without a supervising lawyer in the room), but it could make him/her feel better about the semester.

[Rhiannon17]

After work yesterday, my intern friend told me this guy is financially strapped and pissed off that he has not moved up in the ranks in his few years at the PD office and is trying to find another criminal defense job with better pay. Intern friend also told me this guy apparently told him that he likes him better than he likes me. Petty BS... Super thankful I resigned. Riding out these last 2 weeks are rough haha.

[Rhiannon17]

Not necessarily your responsibility, but consider letting your intern friend know that under the Georgia student practice rules, it's illegal for him to actually practice law (e.g., hearings, trials, etc.) without an actual attorney present (Rule 95(6)). I can't imagine a judge would actually let the student do a hearing by himself (without a supervising lawyer in the room), but it could make him/her feel better about the semester.

Usually there are other attorneys from the PD office in the courtroom when the practicing students are in there. So a supervising attorney will be present technically, just not actually supervising.

[Rhiannon17]

I spoke with a CSO person from school today (yes, on a saturday). She informed me that this is not the first complaint they had from this particular office in general and not the first they heard regarding this guy. CSO lady remembered him as a law student 5 years ago and that even as a student he had a problem with being called out.She said at his former PD job, he gained a reputation for being unprofessional. She said a complaint came in about him not too long ago (probably the person he took pride in "making cry" but that intern asked CSO not to go to the dean of the school or this guy's superiors due to fear of retaliation, so she did not have liberty to do anything. I gave her permission to tell whomever else at the school and guy's superiors. She said she believed it was time for the institution to do something about this office and this guy. She said they are not going to send any more interns there, at least until/IF a change is made.

It was good to be validated.

And apparently the summer stipend I received will count towards my internship with the judge, so I don't have to worry with paying it back.

My advice to other law students would be... if something doesn't feel right and you're being treated like shit at your internship or job, leave as soon as you can. And don't be afraid to report it.

[lolwat]

Glad you're out of it and it sounds like your school will do something about it.