Moot Court

Every attorney in our office who prepares for court, whether it's in DC or around the country, must go through the rigorous process of preparing to go before the circuit court judges. The Department helps them by setting up moot courts, and have them speak in front of a group of their peers their presentation and afterwards follow with a discussion and attack them with intense constitutional questions. The attorneys all have read both sides' briefs and are prepped with background information and must find every loophole or point at issue to ask them so the attorney is ready for the judges. When I went to a moot court there were about 8 attorneys surrounding the conference table in the Solicitor General's office, along with 2 representatives from the government agency they were defending. They usually get a 15 minute period to speak their presentation, and the judges can interrupt at will when they have questions about the topic. As the attorney went on, "judges" (in this case fellow attorneys who the speaker had to call Judges) pointed out relevant questions, until about an hour later they were finished, satisfied that they were prepared.
The next day was the actual case, so I visited the DC Circuit Court and observed. The room was packed, it was a case involving the Securities & Exchange Commission, and business men were everywhere. The three judges sat and interacted differently with the proceedings, one asking most of the questions, one chiming in every few minutes, and the other contemplating but quiet. Our attorney performed wonderfully, presented our case well, and it was hard to decipher based on the questions which way the judges would go. It was an amazing experience because I was able to see an actual case that could go to the Supreme Court. I'll update you if it does!

New Interns!

The past few weeks we have welcomed two new interns into the Appellate Section, who already have learned so much and have amazing potential. When teaching the software or things you do around the office, make sure you put yourself back in your first week so you don't overwhelm them. Going over all of our responsibilities in one day wouldn't accomplish much because there's a lot of work that could get confused if it's not shown and then practiced. I like to show how to do it, then have them try it on their own and send me a copy. That way they can try it on their own right after instead of trying it a few days later when we might not be there to help if they have any questions. Bring them around the office, introduce them to people, show them the cafeteria. We just had a group lunch outing to Five Guys and it was great for the new Intern and us!

Save, Save, Save

Everything, Everything, Everything. As I am searching for a new job in January, an official one because I'm graduating in December, I realized over the weekend that I could have a whole portfolio of writing samples, articles, and examples of my work in both class and past internships. Except for one teensy issue: I either deleted them or never thought to make a copy and keep it. I'm debating going into a Communications-type field, working as a Press Assistant and learn the ropes, and on paper I have a lot of experience, but what happens when they need an example? Even something as simple as a letter written to constituents congratulating them on graduating elementary school- Keep it! Make a copy or send it to yourself and make sure you don't haphazardly delete it going through a year or two later. When I was abroad my computer crashed with all my papers from classes, so I lost all that material.
Lesson? Even if at the time you don't think it's exciting or useful, think about how you can use it later, especially papers. In my Writing for Mass Communication course we wrote an article every week, which adds up to over ten samples that I could go back to, edit and update then use for interviews. Also at the tech firm I interned in, I created packets for the press when we had conferences on new technology by one of our member companies, which illustrates creativity and examples of what you can do to an employer. So when cleaning out your desktop and folders from another semester gone by or cleaning your desk on the last day of an internship, go through your files and see what you can keep as an example of your work. It will definitely pay off when interviewers are looking for an idea of what you've done in the past.

The Sick Day Revealed

Midterm Week- Best week of the year, right? In fact, few words are needed to describe my exciement since I am recuperating from 4 hours of sleep and a 12 page paper. Beats vacation every time. Speaking of which, what happens when you do need to take a day off for studying time or just feeling sick? What's the right way and the very wrong way to go about telling your employer?
First off, if you know when midterms are and realize a few weeks beforehand that you will be bogged down, let your employer know. They will understand that you are in college and need to prepare for projects and tests. Better yet, they will probably also fondly look back at their times of all-nighters and cramming, and regale you with tales and tips that can surely help you (the best snack at 4am perhaps?). They will not, however, be in the best mood if the day before you think you can't handle it you decide to tell them, because they probably are not prepared to have someone else cover or divvy out the daily work you may do. Try and let them know well ahead of time, because it shows how responsible you are. Never feel afraid to ask for that time off either, because you deserve it.
Sick days are different, of course, because waking up feeling horrible is unexpected and unwanted, but going into work would just make it worse. Sleep! Stay inside, get that heavy warm blanket, and watch soaps all day. But make sure you make the courtesy call or e-mail to your boss explaining that you are sick, so they do not get worried about you. Not calling in leaves them wondering if you take the job seriously, which you most certainly do. A simple e-mail will go a long way in showing your respect and consideration for the organization.

Advancing During the Job

Ever tried saying, "If you ever need anything, just let me know." or "I am really interested in your work, is there any project I can help you with?"

Besides the regular tasks you have to do at work, wouldn't it be great to have that extra research project or substantive task that makes the entire Internship worthwhile? These can't just be handed to you, because since you're there for a short time they won't know what you can handle or what interests you until you say something. The best way to search for one is to ask your boss. While I was interning at a technology firm, I started discussing with my boss writing articles, and then she e-mailed me with a few press releases she was going to publish on the website and asked me to edit them and get ready to write a few. I was so excited! Also, when they found out I was interested in government, they immediately handed me the project of updating their government contacts, keeping me entertained with research and contacting offices for weeks.

In order to get the most out of it, ask at lunch or walking to the metro what fellow employees are working on, and leave th hint that they can't miss that you would love to do anything related to it that could build your resume and be fun for you. This could bring new projects to your desk and soon make you an integral part of the office where people can come to you with many different tasks so that you won't have to be pigeon-holed into one specific area.

Having the Cake Too

Is there an Internship or two you are thinking about that you really want to do but keep putting it off? I was always interested in the news, and the idea of interning on CNN or NBC was fascinating to me, jumping of course from coffee runner to producer in all of five months clearly the way it would be. However, I realize that this is my last semester as an undergraduate, and I really have no more chances to take some of those internships that I was interested in, and in fact when I looked into taking an internship in January after graduation, they usually don't call it an "internship" and the application process is much harder.
So what did I learn? I loved every Internship I've experienced, but I've also learned that early on in your college career a good idea would be a list of interests and places you might want to work, because there is never enough time. Rank what you want for the goals you're setting after college, and also what you might absolutely love to do that may not match up with your major but it's a hobby that could possibly be a fallback later in life. Midlife crises aren't a joke, people (eh, who am I kidding).
Also, there's always the Hail Mary shot after Graduation if you want to go for it as your first job out of college. Start comparing what they are looking for and what skills or experiences you have had that could be integrated into their company, and go for it. Why not? You have an equal shot as everyone else if you are confident and passionate about what you want to do. Grab a big piece of cake, and enjoy it too!

Behind the Scenes All Access Pass

Also known as your ID Badge, entrance code, or key- the way to get to all the underground and hidden places not open to the public. I have a photo ID for the DOJ, and there are metal detectors at every entrance that only allow people with IDs to pass, so basically everything in there is considered hidden. But that means that I must find every painting, historical fact, and museum in this building Lara Croft-style before I leave in December! So far I've discovered the marvelous Great Hall, an enormous room where they do public speeches and congratulations throughout the year. Also, on the top floor is the Main Conference Room, with flags lined up on each side of the blue carpet as reporters are escorted in to the room with cameras and microphones set up around the room. On the 5th floor I walked down a side staircase and opened the doors to a magnificent golden corner, with a large mural along one side heading into the library. Flying figures hold the olive branch and traditional justice symbols (I know, lame I know this stuff, but exciting for me), and the fight for justice through history unfolds as you walk to the library. In the main lobby of the library there's a dedication to Robert Kennedy, who served as Attorney General. I still think I haven't seen a lot, but it's very exciting to walk around different halls to see what surprises are behind them.
This is especially true on the Hill, where you can find lots of underground cool places. Take the subway from the Senate to the Capitol- how cool is that? Your own transportation to and from the main area of voting, and you can avoid the cold or the heat and still get the job done! Then on the other side if you bring a tour group from the House side you walk by paintings done by artists from every state. And of course, there's the Rayburn Cafeteria, which definitely always seemed to change places, leading me to think I stepped into Hogwarts and the forefathers enjoyed playing tricks on people. I feel I could go the same way every time and still end up in a random corner with a Representative's office that everyone forgot. Leaving breadcrumbs still wouldn't help, and a map would be strikingly outdated or just wrong.
Leaving your desk to go with co-workers to enjoy things like this enhances your experience, because you'll definitely enjoy the random statues in the basement between Canon and Rayburn, or the mazelike hallways to get to the flag pickup office. Take advantage of that pass, get lost and enjoy!

The Balance Beam- The Perfect Dismount

How can you balance an internship with a full credit load, and maybe even a part-time job? There is a very teetering balance between what takes priority, and it's sometimes hard to know the limit before you experiment and try it out.
My first internship I thought I needed to have as many hours as possible to get hired, and so since I had a few night classes I ended up working close to 25 hours a week, which is a lot especially the first time out in the field. Exhausted after a long day of work, I also did not factor in any time between work and class to eat or change- something you should definitely take into consideration. Doing a Chemistry lab in heels and a pantsuit is a memorable point of that year, for good or bad still TBD. When you work out hours with a possible employer, try and make a schedule beforehand and estimate the time it takes you to get from work to class, and give yourself enough time to relax and enjoy a meal- you deserve it!
Also trying to accomplish all my projects and homework was a challenge. I never felt comfortable doing it at work most of the time, so I had to make sure it was done the night before, even if I didn't have class that day til 5:30 or even 8:10. Definitely time this out well or risk unnecessary all-nighters.
If you can do homework at work, never leave too much to do during that time, because you never know what might need to be done. I had a paper due last week after work, and barely was able to finish it in time because we had to make a court run near the end of the day. Being able to do both is great, just make sure to estimate how much time you think you'll need.
Hopefully these tips and experiences help so you can make that perfect performance, both at work and class!