Every summer, young Atlantans head off for internships in their fields of study. But one program in particular emphasized a self-discipline and personal strength that helped Christina Williams persevere in the face of trial.
The day before the first orientation of the summer 2017 Atlanta Bar Association Summer Law Intern Program, Williams lost a beloved uncle. She was there at Emory University Hospital in Midtown, “literally putting the finishing touches on my enrichment (paper) when he passed,” said the 17-year-old from Snellville.
Three weeks earlier to the day, she had lost her grandmother. And her mother had been in a battle – ultimately, successful – with cancer.
“It was tough to get up and go to orientation the next morning,” Williams said. She had applied and been accepted for her second summer in the program. “But I knew there was a job I needed to go to in the morning and attitude was half the battle.”
Now in its 25th summer, the Atlanta Bar internship this year received more than 100 applications and accepted 50 young people from 32 area schools and from outside Georgia. Teens are paid $1,950 during the six-week program. They’re placed with law firms, the courts and government agencies.
Twenty-four of 686 interns since the program started have gone on to law school; and one, Judge Cynthia Saintil Adams (ABA ’93), was appointed last January to the Douglas County Superior Court.
“Whether the interns decide to pursue a career in law or not, it’s our hope the program will benefit them on their journey,” said S. Wade Malone, a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough and one of the founders of the program.
That journey begins with a lengthy application a transcript, two letters of recommendation, an essay on a topical legal issue and an in-person interview.
“One thing we put a lot of time into,” Malone said, “is the four mandatory orientations before the program starts in which we review the importance of professionalism, punctuality, proper attire, attention to detail and representing yourself in the best possible fashion.”
“Every young person who aspires to work in a professional environment can benefit from the training we give them,” said Natasha Silas, a federal defender in Atlanta. She co-chairs the program with Nekia Hackworth Jones, a federal prosecutor.
Important lessons, Silas said, include “learning how to appreciate opportunities and thank people when they have gone out of their way to help you.” A big emphasis is put on mentoring.
Williams, a rising freshman at Florida State University, interned last summer in Gwinnett County Clerk of Court’s office. This year, she’s at Nelson Mullins.
“I’ve always loved social sciences and I have a passion for helping people who can’t help themselves,” she said. “So I meshed the two as far as learning about the law and helping people. I think that’s the best profession for me to be in.”
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