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By: Ciara Harrington ’25
I spent this summer as a Judicial Intern for The Honorable Richard J. Arcara at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. It was one of most unique experiences I have ever had, and I am grateful to everyone who made it such a rich and enjoyable ten weeks.
The biggest takeaway I have from my summer is to go see everything you can. I was lucky enough to be able to watch many proceedings that occurred in the building. This allowed me to watch not only what was happening in Judge Arcara’s courtroom, but to experience the styles and various proceedings in front of other district court and magistrate judges. This is my first experience in a courtroom, so I was eager to see anything and everything. I had the opportunity to observe different Assistant US Attorneys, as well as Federal Public Defenders, and Private Defense Attorneys, and the different approaches each person took. I really enjoyed seeing the different styles and beginning to think about what might work for me one day.
The matters in Federal Court are heavy ones. I observed a trial and many sentencings that had upsetting facts. It was clear to me that each judge took extreme care in making sentencing decisions. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to watch sentencing proceedings in front of multiple judges. I was also grateful to be able to see a much happier day in court during the naturalization ceremony.
I also had the opportunity to attend the Summer Speaker Series, where different attorneys in the Western New York area came to talk about their experiences and to answer questions. We heard from attorneys working in public interest, private firms, in-house counsel, government work, as well as from two judges. I looked forward to attending these speakers each week. Attendance was optional, but I felt each speaker I saw left me with a new perspective on the legal profession.
I also got to see my classmates interning at various places downtown weekly during food truck Thursdays. It was something I enjoyed going to and trying food from a new truck every week, while getting a chance to hear about what my friends were doing in their internships.
Aside from observing, we also had research and writing projects to work on throughout the summer. I would not have predicted how much improvement I can see in my own abilities in these areas in only ten weeks. Some of the research led to discovery of novel issues, requiring creativity. I was able to help research issues as they came up in the proceedings, which was an interesting and special experience. I am grateful for all the helpful feedback and tips I learned from the law clerks and my co-intern. I feel much more confident in my research and writing skills now than I did at the start of the summer.
While I enjoyed all parts of my summer internship, my favorite part was getting to know all the people I met in the courthouse. Ten weeks goes by very quickly, but it’s enough time to form friendships and to get to know the people around you. All the Court Security Officers were so helpful and friendly. I am most grateful to the wonderful chambers staff. Kelsey, Megan, Lisa, Barb, and Megan couldn’t have been more welcoming, and I already miss seeing them all every day.
I also need to give a huge thank you to the Buffalo Public Interest Law Program and the Mann family for making this summer possible with the BPILP Fellowship and the Charles E. Mann Public Interest Award. This funding allowed me to spend the summer in a public interest internship and to gain this invaluable experience.
Name: Ciara Harrington ’25
Name of Fellowship: Buffalo Public Interest Law Program Fellowship, Charles E. Mann Fellowship
Placement: United States District Court, Western District of New York, Hon. Richard J. Arcara
Location: Buffalo, NY
One important lesson I have learned from this fellowship: “Go observe anything you possibly can. You never know what interesting things you may see or people you might meet.”
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