A Gift for the Ages

By Paul Szydelko

It was only about 15 minutes, but it felt like forever to Courtney Sinagra, a third-year student at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV. Just a couple of weeks into her fall externship at the Clark County District Attorney’s office, she was standing before a judge arguing on behalf of the State of Nevada and admittedly “terrified.”

A defendant who was serving a prison sentence had requested to have the sentence modified so that she could be out on probation. “We didn’t feel that that was appropriate in this case,” Sinagra says. “And so I was able to make that argument to the judge, who ended up agreeing with us on this one.”

Sinagra had written a response to the defendant’s motion and summarized her points for the judge, but then she had to go off script to respond to what the judge asked and the defendant’s attorney argued.

“The judge didn’t agree with me because it was me or because of how I presented. It’s just the law. But I was proud of myself for just diving in and putting myself out there. Because I think that’s the best way to learn,” says Sinagra, who grew up in St. George, Utah, and did her undergraduate work at Southern Utah University in Cedar City. She also completed an externship for Judge James Mahan, U.S. District Court, District of Nevada, in the spring. 

What Sinagra later said was an exhilarating episode before the judge is just one example of how the Samuel S. Lionel Externship Program at the Boyd School of Law helps students integrate what they learn in the classroom with real-world experience. Students develop and practice legal and workplace skills, and they gain an appreciation for the professional roles and ethical obligations of attorneys.

Under the supervision of lawyers and judges over the course of a semester, they also obtain a deeper understanding of the law and see first-hand how the law is applied. They can form lasting relationships with mentors over the course of the semester, working with judges, state and local government, public interest organizations and, every two years, legislative placements.

The Samuel S. Lionel Externship Program offers more than 125 approved placements throughout Nevada and across the nation. In 2022, students completing 167 externships will accrue more than 31,510 field hours at their externships, providing an estimated economic value of more than $850,000 in free legal services, according to professor Dawn Nielsen, a Boyd School of Law alumna who directs the program.

The program is named in recognition of Sam Lionel’s significant, lasting

contributions to the legal community. To ensure the long-term success of the externship program, a $1 million gift last December from Lionel and his wife, Lexy, has been invested in an endowed fund. A portion of the funds will be used each year to advance the mission of the program through enhanced program offerings, staff, and scholarships and stipends for Boyd Law students participating in the program.

“Externships provide students with the opportunity to develop practical skills through exposure to real legal issues and challenges that engage students fully with the intellectual, pragmatic, ethical, and personal challenges that arise for attorneys,” Nielsen says. “Mr. Lionel’s career-long commitment to mentoring new lawyers makes this gift even more meaningful because the Samuel S. Lionel Externship Program provides students with direct supervision and mentorship by attorneys and judges.” 

The Namesake’s Mission

It’s a mission near and dear to the heart of Sam Lionel, who practiced law for more than 80 years and has a long history of supporting Nevada’s legal community—and a steadfast passion for mentoring new attorneys.

Lionel, now 103 years old, is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and JAG (Judge Advocate General) officer who worked at the Pentagon for several years. One of his favorite positions throughout his career was teaching law at West Point Academy.

He’s been involved since the law school’s inception in 1998 and after he retired from practicing law in 2022, he and his wife decided that establishing the Samuel S. Lionel Externship Program would be a great benefit for the Boyd School of Law and its students.

“It is important for us to see the law school and its students flourish. … ,” they said. “We are hoping the Samuel S. Lionel Externship Program will raise the profile and leadership role of the externship program.”

Lionel, who has always loved to teach, had an open-door policy at his law firm for his colleagues and students. Providing long-term funding for the externship program is one way to further his legacy as the “Dean of the Nevada Bar” and support students as they gain practical experience with attorneys and judges. 

“We are thrilled about the opportunities that this gift will offer future generations of legal academic minds. … ,” the Lionels said. “We are committed to Boyd Law School’s future success and hope that this gift will have a lasting impact for generations to come.”

Practical Matters

Another third-year student who benefited from the externship program is Nick Wolfram. Born and raised in Las Vegas, the graduate of Palo Verde High School and the University of Nevada, Reno, worked for Nevada Supreme Court Justice Abbi Silver in the spring and the federal Public Defender’s Office in the fall.

“It’s been amazing seeing what these attorneys do day in and day out, and getting some actual experience and being able to help them with their projects,” Wolfram says. “And seeing that it’s something I would like to do at some point down the road. There’s just no other way to really get a feel for what these attorneys do.”

Wolfram, who has accepted an offer to be a clerk for a state appellate judge next year, observed proceedings in Municipal Court, Justice Court and the Supreme Court during his time with Silver. He gained insight seeing judges, attorneys, deputy district attorneys, and public defenders in action, often meeting them later to ask questions. He also completed two bench briefs, mirroring what Justice Silver’s clerks do.

“We got to see those cases play out in real time and how the product we put out lined up with the products the court put out. So that was also a really cool experience,” Wolfram says.

Sinagra, too, saw her writing skills sharpened by writing orders on Judge Mahan’s behalf last spring. Patient discussions with law clerks and their edits to her writing proved invaluable as she overcame some early struggles.

“Most of the time it was going to be for brevity and clarity, so taking long sentences and making them short and crystal clear is a true art in legal writing that you have to master,” Sinagra says. “I feel like through my externship, I really sharpened my writing skills and my ability to convey thoughts more succinctly.”

Both Sinagra and Wolfram agreed that their externships provided robust real-life samples of work they hope to pursue in their legal practices in addition to creating lasting relationships—just how Sam Lionel envisions the externship program benefiting Nevada’s legal community.