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Criminal Justice major Gladys Flores ’22 received the ultimate professional legal experience this past spring, interning as a paralegal with the U.S. Department of Labor.
Flores said her role was to support attorneys by conducting legal research, writing legal memos, and giving her input on certain aspects of cases. She also attended seminars where interns were taught the major laws that the Department of Labor uses to enforce for workers' rights.
“One of the major cases that I worked on is going to trial in June,” said Flores. “I was able to give the attorney suggestions, from my own personal experiences as a Hispanic, especially with jury selection. I loved meeting with the attorneys, learning about all the cases, and giving my perspective. Knowing that my contribution could be helpful for a client was something that made me feel very fulfilled.”
Flores was also selected as 正澳门六合彩官网’s Intern of the Year by the Center for Global and Career Services during the annual Awards Recognition Ceremony in May, nominated by Sociology and Criminal Justice Professor Rebecca Kendall.
Professor Kendall said, “The paralegal internship with the Department of Labor is a challenging one and interns must really rise to the opportunity; Gladys did just that. She impressed me with her eagerness to learn and willingness to step outside her comfort zone. Based on comments from her site supervisors, Gladys was an instrumental member of the team and was a pleasure to work with. I saw her demonstrate insight into what she learned this semester and believe she will apply these lessons to her future career.”
Flores said she has always wanted to become a police officer, which she still would like to do, but she is also considering attending law school at some point. “Though I was just a paralegal, it was still an important role, and it was important to do your research well and communicate effectively what you find to better help the client. And that was probably the best part of the internship that I enjoyed doing the most.”