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By: Marygrace E. Piskorowski ’25
I was fortunate to be able to intern for Judge Julio Fuentes at the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals because of the University at Buffalo School of Law Summer Public Interest Funding & Fellowship Program.
The internship began with a trip to Philadelphia for an Appellate sitting. We were able to review the arguments heard before the sitting and learned a lot about court room etiquette and procedure. Two of the cases were argued by law students, which was really impressive to see. They handled the judges’ questions with the poise of seasoned lawyers. It was a very humbling reminder that we will be doing the same thing in a few, short years. It was also a little reassuring to know that if they could do it, so can we.
It was such a great learning experience to be able to review bench memos, watch court procedures, and participate in the drafting of opinions. I worked intimately with the law clerks and learned about all different kinds of law including state laws, civil procedure, constitutional law, and criminal law. The law clerks were especially helpful as they provided practical feedback on my writing that helped me grow as a legal writer. I am amazed at how much I was able to learn in such a short time. Initially, the thought of interpreting and summarizing a case for the judge was terrifying, but very quickly it transformed into something fun and rewarding.
It was also a great opportunity for me to learn to work in a legal team. There were 5 of us from the University at Buffalo chosen for this internship. We were given the opportunity to work together to draft memos for the Judge and tackle complex legal issues together. The law clerks were great because they gave us a lot of space and autonomy to try to figure things out, while still being completely approachable and ready to answer questions. Not only did we learn a lot about the law, but we also made new connections and were able to network with each other, building relationships for the future.
I would like to thank everyone that made my internship possible, especially the donors of the Jessica Ortiz ’05 Federal Judicial Fellowship and my family. Their support during the last year has made my success possible. The fellowship funding made it possible for me to be able to make sure my expenses were met while still working and learning with the Judge.
Name: Marygrace E. Piskorowski, ‘25
Fellowship: Jessica Ortiz ’05 Federal Judicial Fellowship
Placement: United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Location: Philadelphia, PA
One important lesson I have learned from this fellowship: “No matter how far you go in your career, lawyers still need to rely on each other for new information and ideas. There will be many times when you get it wrong in your career. It was awesome to see the law clerks disagree on cases only to finally come together to write something meaningful using their skills and expertise.”
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