Over the last several years, UConn Law has established a Semester in D.C. Program which gives students interested in government or non-profit organizations the opportunity to spend an entire semester in Washington. This past Fall 2015, we had 12 students placed in government agencies and non-profits across D.C., including the Department of Transportation, the Department of Justice, the Security and Exchange Commission, the United States Senate, and the Executive Office of the President.
Perhaps the best aspect of the Program is that students, like myself, are allowed to work full-time, enabling us to fully immerse ourselves in the experience. I spent the fall semester as a Law Clerk at the Executive Office of the President Office of the General Counsel. Within the Office, I was placed in the labor and employment practice group in charge of representing the White House Administration against employment discrimination and wrongful termination claims. Working closely, on a daily basis, with a small subset of the Office attorneys allowed me to build lasting relationships with attorneys in my group.
On Monday nights, the D.C. Program students met with Professor Richard Parker for an Administrative Law class, in which we discussed the legislative and administrative process as well as advanced topics such as agency culture, the role of lobbyists, and White House and Congressional oversight, to help us understand the structure and function of the agencies we worked for. On Tuesdays, the students met again with Professor Parker for a Government Lawyer class, in which the students examined the special role of a government lawyer. The class also allowed us to share our thoughts and experiences at our placements with one another. Throughout the semester, the class visited agencies and government establishments across Washington. These visits included trips to the Department of Transportation, the White House, the Supreme Court, and the Capitol. During each visit, we had the pleasure of meeting with one of the government entities’ employees who would explain the office’s inner workings.
After three months in the Program, it really felt like we knew the city, as if we had a snap shot into the life a government lawyer in D.C. While spending time in the classroom is certainly an integral part of being successful law student, there is simply no replacement for practical experience. Working in D.C. gave me the opportunity to sharpen my legal analysis, work on my writing while taking part in work that has a lasting impact, and network with attorneys and other professional working for the Government. For anyone out there who thinks working in government or for a non-profit might be for them, the D.C. Program will promise to be an invaluable experience. It was for me.
