LIFE LESSONS OF A LEGAL INTERN

I am fortunate to have interned for two summers at Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (Norristown Office). Throughout my time spent at LASP, I witnessed the tremendous commitment the attorneys have to their clients and to the law. I also witnessed the gratitude on the faces of numerous clients after they were helped. This experience has truly been educational both in the field of law and for my personal growth. I have learned that being an attorney does not merely consist of solving a client’s legal issues it also involves connecting with a client on an emotional level.

I realized that sometimes the most grateful clients were not the ones who were just given a legal solution, but rather those who were made to feel that another human being felt they were important enough to listen to their plight. Clients have shown me the strength and determination of the human spirit in the midst of adversity; a strength that I never fathomed. The persistence of clients to thrive in the midst of adversity has allowed me to gain a greater admiration for the innate abilities of human beings, and it has also caused me to be very appreciative of the opportunities I have been given in my life.

Finally, this experience has taught me to never make assumptions, but rather to treat every client as an individual with a mosaic of life experiences that have culminated in him or her seeking legal help at a particular moment in time.

I feel extremely fortunate to have been given these life-altering experiences and I hope to carry the lessons I’ve learned from both the clients and the attorneys at LASP throughout my life.