SLIP Internship - Courtney L. Glasker
I
had the opportunity to participate in the Atlanta Bar Association’s Summer Law
Internship program for three very enriching summers; one was spent at McKenna
Long & Aldridge, the other two, at the Federal Defender Program, Inc. My diverse placement provided exposure to
both the corporate and public service areas of law. That first summer, I learned the importance
of accountability. This knowledge was
emphasized through the keeping of a timesheet, but applied to every aspect of
the professional environment in which I worked.
While working at the Federal Defender Program, Inc., I am grateful that
I was able to gain practical skills through interacting with clients and filing
documents at the courthouse, amongst other tasks.
I remember looking
forward to the mandatory weekly meetings that were held at the Atlanta Bar
Association for the program’s participants.
In retrospect, while I believe the meetings were supposed to be mostly
informative, as we often had guests speak about their respective practice areas,
the meetings also served as a type of support group. If only for a moment, we were able to come
together and discuss the events of our week and receive encouragement, advice,
and even correction when necessary.
Although many benefits
were gained through my participation in the internship program, the ones that I
cherish the most are intangible; the sense of professional confidence which was
instilled through the constant grooming, and mentoring and the lasting
relationship with my very first mentors in the legal community, Wade Malone and
Natasha Perdew Silas. Ultimately, the
internship program intensified my interest in practicing law and kept me
focused on that path; I was put into a position that allowed me to see a
glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel, therefore I was able to hold on to
the memory of its gleam when times were difficult. I am currently in my last year of law school
at the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law. I have nine credit hours standing in between
me and my Jurist Doctorate degree.
Years
Interned: 2003, 2004, and 2005
Current
Place in Life: 3L at University of Louisville’s
Brandeis School of Law
