Government and Public Interest Placements

The Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities, Education Policy (Spring '25)

This semester I was involved with in-depth research concerning chronic absenteeism in Nevada. I got to explore the complex, interconnected factors that contribute to a student missing school. I learned about what Nevada is doing to address this issue and how school districts can continue to improve. More generally, I had the opportunity to learn about how our state policymakers learn about important issues and make voting decisions.

I have never planned on being a traditional attorney, and externing at the Guinn Center has given me invaluable connections to a team of professionals also passionate about education policy. During my assignments, I refined essential writing and research skills, such as being concise and precise when presenting study findings and developing policy considerations. My externship at the Guinn Center gave me a chance to be involved in meaningful, publishable work that will benefit my community and my desire to find my place in the field of education policy.

Southern Nevada Senior Law Program (Spring '25)

My externship taught me how to be comfortable with what legal practice is, how to talk to clients, how to be adaptable, and how to work and connect with a population that most people are not familiar with. I have also made a lot of great connections across the wider legal community. Although, the most important thing I have learned and taken away from this externship is to never forget that these are not just clients with legal problems – these are people coming to you at the most difficult point in their lives. It is remarkable to see how relieved, happy, and grateful that so many people are just hearing that you can help them.

Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (Spring '25)

I learned how important preparation is in practice and how much happens behind the scenes before a hearing. The DIR primarily reviews appeals concerning administrative fines and benefit penalties related to workers' compensation insurance coverage and claims. In relation to these appeals, I reviewed case files, researched relevant statutes and regulations, and drafted arguments for submission to the Appeals Office. I was involved in preparing for several hearings, from reviewing files to drafting documents and outlining arguments. That process helped me build confidence in myself and showed me how preparation can ease a lot of the nerves that come with public speaking.

This experience helped me feel more prepared for my future career. I got to work on the kinds of cases I expect to be seeing in practice, and that made the next step in my career feel less intimidating.

U.S. Department of Justice- U.S. Trustee Program (Spring '25)

It fundamentally shifted the trajectory of my legal career. Prior to starting the externship, I had only a vague sense of what kind of law I wanted to practice. But through this experience, I discovered not just a practice area that I enjoy and find intellectually rewarding, but one that many bankruptcy attorneys rightly hold out as economically resilient. The mentorship I received from my supervisors set in stone my decision to pursue a career in bankruptcy law -- most likely in the private sector for now, but I’m eager to see what the future holds. What I find the most invaluable is my renewed sense of clarity and purpose. Having now had the chance to argue in court and manage fairly complex debtor’s dockets in the course of real motion practice, I’m leaving law school with a newfound confidence and a tangible foundation for long-term growth.