Senior, Janessa Avila-Crespo completed an internship with the Attorney Office of Azzinaro, Manni-Paquette located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Read on to learn about her experience!
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What was your internship? My internship was with the law firm Azzinaro, Manni-Paquette Attorneys. in Pawtucket Rhode Island. I was an intern for Felicia-Manni-Paquette.
Why were you initially interested in this internship? I was drawn to this internship because I am interested in studying law to pursue a career in the area of Family Law. The firm was located in an area that allowed me to be able to continue working, have classes, and have an internship all at the same time. It was also near my hometown so I was able to visit family when I wanted to.
How did you find your internship? I research law firms in my area and specifically looked for family law, law firms. There were no listings on any apps so I personally called to see if they had any interest in hiring interns. There was a short back-and-forth discussion on numerous occasions to coordinate our schedules in order for there to be an internship opportunity.
What did you do as part of your internship? For this internship, I assisted in preparing files weekly, organizing files, and attending court regularly. The files would need to be put in order of date and time for each case that was taking place each day. At the end of the week, I would file the cases into the designated spaces to maintain organization in the workplace. I would attend court and watch the cases that were on the docket for the day.
Has this internship helped you work towards your future career goals? If so, how? Yes, this internship helped me because I now know what to expect in court and the approximate workload of a family law attorney. I had always known it was going to be a lot of work but now I know the workload will vary and depend extremely on what the case is related to, child custody, child support, restraining orders, etc. I also am aware now of how the court handles these cases. The judges, stenographers, secretaries, attorneys, etc. all come together on numerous occasions to complete a single case in a timely fashion.
What was your biggest lesson/takeaway from the internship? The biggest lesson from this internship has to be everything is not as it seems and to go with your gut. If something feels wrong, follow that feeling and talk about it. The way people act is not predictable and you need to be ready to handle it.
What advice would you give to someone interested in a similar internship opportunity? I would say to stay on top of things. Make sure you communicate weekly and stay on your toes. Interning for an attorney can be hectic because their schedules fill fast. Make sure you make yourself available. You need to be ready to go in when they are in the office or in court. It is not every day they do, so just be ready for when they are.
