Intern of the Week: Zoonash Syed

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 14:43:11 -0400
intern, intern-of-the-week, internship, law, public-defense

Name: Zoonash Syed

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site: Maryland Office of the Public Defender (MOPD)

Major or Program: Public Health

Current Class Level: Senior

Semester of Internship: Summer 2023

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:

Some of the responsibilities I am required to do include shadowing attorneys within the office, attending court hearings for cases/trials, reading and organizing cases, as well as reviewing body camera footage in order to help with case preparation.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I knew I wanted to have some sort of legal internship, and decided to ask my peers if they knew of any opportunities. A friend who graduated from UMBC let me know about MOPD, which led me to visit their website and notice that they had applications open for summer 2023 placement. At the time, it was nearing the end of the spring semester, so I applied and ended up getting the position!

How did you find your current experience?

Alumni Networking.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?

The attorneys and staff at my office are all amazing, and have taught me so much about the legal field (in terms of public defense work). I've been able to ask many questions so that I can truly gain insight into a potential area of law I'm interested in. I also appreciate that I am allowed to participate in pretty much anything that I may find intriguing, such as specific cases or getting to witness interesting trials.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I was able to provide different perspectives while working as an intern, such as my thoughts on certain cases and the types of arguments one could make (in order to provide different viewpoints for the attorneys I was working with). I also reviewed body camera footage, which helped the attorneys that didn't have enough time to review it themselves (due to the high volume of cases they had on a daily basis).

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

You miss any opportunity you don't take, so always believe in yourself and try!

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

This opportunity gave me a realistic insight into the work life of a defense attorney, which has allowed me to reflect on the possible areas of law I may want to pursue in the future. It's an opportunity that simply can't be replicated through just reading about it online or in a book, and I'm thankful I was able to experience it myself!

Do you want the chance to be the next Intern of the Week? Fill out this form to be considered!