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By: Maison Ross ’24
It was the hottest summer in recent memory. The sun was ablaze, Canadian forest fires were raging, and the release of “Barbenheimer” ignitedbox office records. However, the most memorable experience of my summer was my internship at the federal courthouse. This summer I was given the opportunity to intern at the Robert H. Jackson United States Courthouse for the Hon. Richard J. Arcara, United States District Judge for the Western District of New York.
When I first interviewed for this internship, I asked Judge Arcara’s law clerks whether the Judge enjoyed his work, and they laughed, saying that the Judge loves his job is an understatement. In a similar vein, I am happy to report that it is an understatement to say that I loved this internship experience. Interning for a federal judge is a privilege that not many law students receive so I am thankful for being given such an opportunity. But I feel especially grateful to work in the federal courthouse because it is where I first decided to pursue a career in law when I competed in a 2016 mock trial competition in front of Judge Roemer. From competing as a high school student to interning in chambers, I feel like I have come full circle in my legal career.
Moreover, as an aspiring judge, interning for a federal judge who has been on the bench for thirty-five years has been a dream. Over the course of the summer, Judge Arcara imparted his advice and legal wisdom; due to his years of experience, his knowledge of the law is unsurpassed. When I had a question about the sentencing guidelines, Judge Arcara not only answered my question, but also told me that he was the only person to testify in front of Congress twice when the sentencing guidelines were being passed (testifying once as a DA, and once as a federal judge). Judge Arcara was also proud to report that federal judges have become more receptive to the guidelines over the years and that he should know because he can remember a time before the sentencing guidelines. This was only one instance in which Judge Arcara’s expertise enhanced my internship.
During my internship, I also worked on two Social Security decisions and researched several legal issues for the clerks, putting my knowledge of Criminal Law, Immigration Law, and Evidence to the test while also tackling new legal issues. I felt challenged, but not overwhelmed, and most importantly, unlike a lot of my 2L peers, I was not chained to a desk. Being in the federal courthouse allowed me to observe several proceedings in front of other district and magistrate judges. For example, I watched a trial in front of Judge Vilardo, a naturalization ceremony in front of Judge Schroeder, grand jury empanelment in front of Judge Arcara, and witnessed enough Rule 11 pleas that I could recite the law by heart.
However, out of all the proceedings I observed, the one that surprised me most was sentencing. Sentencing is the culmination of the legal process that every judge will have to routinely perform. However, it is not easy. Judge Arcara expressed his dislike for sentencing a few times and would state that the day he enjoyed a sentencing would be the day he retired from the bench. After watching a few of these proceedings, I can empathize with the judges’ difficult role. Sentencing is a hard calculation, where judges have to perform a delicate balance between serving justice and punishing no more than is necessary. Although the sentencing guidelines assist judges in this calculation, there are always other mitigating factors to be considered and it is hard to watch someone lose their freedom, especially in front of their family. I was not expecting this aspect of a judge’s job to be so emotionally draining, but now due to my insight from my internship, I have great respect for those who perform this task.
This experience would not have been available to me without the generosity of John P. Comerford ‘95 and Hope P. Comerford through the University at Buffalo School of Law’s Summer Public Interest Funding and Fellowship Program. I would also be remiss if I did not thank Judge Arcara’s clerks, Kelsey Till Thompson and Megan Steele, for being such great mentors. I also want to thank Judge Arcara’s team, Lisa Staff, Barbara Keenan, and Megan Palka, for being so welcoming and helpful. I would like to say thank you to all of the CSOs, including Chris and Pat, for helping the interns arrive to court on time. I especially want to thank my fellow intern, Ciara Harrington, for the endless laughs, attending every food truck Thursday with me, and for being the Statler to my Waldorf. And last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank Judge Arcara for imparting his legal wisdom and good humor.
Name: Maison Ross ’24
Fellowship: John P. Comerford ’95 and Hope P. Comerford Fellowship
Placement: United States District Court for the Western District of New York, The Hon. Richard J. Arcara
Location: Buffalo, NY
One important lesson I have learned from this fellowship: “I had the opportunity to witness procedural law in action and learn a breadth of substantive law in chambers. For example, Fed. R. Crim. P. Rule 11 concerns whether a plea is voluntary […]”
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