Dozens of students from the University of Miami School of Law Miami spent their summer actively learning the practice of criminal law while interning at the state and federal level in the offices of prosecutors, public defenders, and advocates for criminal justice reform and policy. Miami is home to a nationally recognized Public Defender's Office, State Attorney's Office, and government agencies specializing in all areas of criminal law. Miami Law students have direct opportunities with these agencies through our externship programs.
Students become practice-ready through Miami Law's numerous experiential learning opportunities and through Miami Law's more than 65 highly experienced trial attorneys and judges who teach in the Litigation Skills Program, where students engage in rigorous, hands-on training that provides practical skills and courtroom experience.
Miami Law has received an 'A' ranking in Criminal Law in Pre-Law Magazine for four years running. The law school's Moot Court Board was ranked third out of all U.S. law schools for the 2022-2023 academic year, and the Innocence Clinic is one of two Innocence Network member organizations in Florida and is the only university-based innocence organization in the state.
Second-year J.D./Accelerated Taxation LL.M. candidate Neil Amin spent his summer in the Miami Dade State Attorney's Office, Racketeering Organized Crime & Narcotics Unit.
The bachelor's degree in government & politics and economics from the University of Maryland at College Park said, "The internship profoundly informed and developed my future goals as a lawyer.
Amin said the experience unveiled a whole different side of the law, exposing him to the intricacies of prosecuting organized crime and narcotics cases. The experience has opened his eyes to another possible avenue that a legal degree can take, highlighting the dynamic and impactful role of a prosecutor. The combination of in-depth case analysis, hands-on fieldwork, and courtroom proceedings enriched his understanding of legal practice and solidified his aspiration to explore careers that involve direct engagement with law enforcement and the justice system. Amin found the opportunity through the Office of Career and Professional Development.
Double 'Cane and third-year law student Greg Beeson is serving an internship in the County Court Misdemeanor Jails Division in the Miami Dade State Attorney's Office, rotating between the office and the courtroom. He assists in preparing traffic and trial calendars, speaking with victims, and checking in with law enforcement officers and witnesses for any case set for trial on a given day. In court, he is able to speak on the record because he is a certified legal intern. As a result, he participated in two bench trials (during his second week on the job), spoke on the record to call calendar, and assisted with the jury selection process before jury trials.
He is also a member of the Yvette Ostolaza Trial Team.
Second-year law student PJ Chandra served as a HOPE Fellow with the District Attorney's Office of Delaware County in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Chandra graduated from American University in 2022 with a B.A. in communications, legal studies, economics, and government and a minor in finance and public health. He spent a year consulting for private equity before entering Miami Law. Chandra serves on the Junior Board for the Challenged Athletes Foundation based out of New York, helping athletes with physical disabilities participate in recreational sports. He has also volunteered for the Special Olympics, Ronald McDonald Houses, and at homeless shelters in Wilmington, Delaware.
Third-year law student Ummul-Baneen Jafry served as a HOPE Fellow with the New York Legal Aid Society in the Criminal Defense Unit. Jafry graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2021 with a B.A. in communication and leadership. As a 1L at Miami Law, Jafry was a member of the Civil Rights Reading Group and the South/West Asian and North African Law Student Association. During her 1L summer, she worked with the United States Department of Education in the Office of Civil Rights, where she engaged in research and policy drafting. During her 2L year, Jafry served as an intern with the Immigration Clinic, representing a client in court who was in deportation proceedings, drafting legal briefs and memos, and conducting legal research. She also participated in the Litigation Skills program during the spring 2024 semester.
Second-year law student Lezah Richardson served as a HOPE Summer Public Interest Fellow in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. Richardson graduated cum laude from Franklin and Marshall College in May 2020 with a B.A. in business and psychology. Before law school, Richardson worked as a legislative assistant for a Member of Congress in Washington, D.C., where she managed a diverse portfolio of policy issues, drafted legislation, and monitored legislative developments. She joined Moms Fed Up, a Political Action Committee, to support moms running for political office and advocating for policies to enhance the lives of women and families. As a 1L at Miami Law, Richardson was elected the alumni relations chair of Miami Law Women, joined the Cardozo Jewish Legal Society and First-Generation Law Association, served as a student ambassador, and participated in HOPE's Community Service and Pro Bono Challenges.
Second-year law student Cameron Weiss served as a HOPE Fellow with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida in West Palm Beach in the Civil Division. Weiss graduated cum laude from the University of Florida in 2023 with a B.S. in finance and a minor in economics. She held several leadership positions in Student Government, including senior class secretary and director of Women's Affairs in the Student Diversity Cabinet, where she coordinated with Gainesville police for self-defense seminars for women and facilitated round table discussions with female faculty, academic leaders, and student leaders. Before law school, she interned at a personal injury law firm, where she prepared notes for jury instructions, assisted in drafting complaints and interrogatories, and abbreviated depositions. As a 2L, she will continue her dedication to public service by serving as a legal intern with the Startup Clinic.
Read more about criminal law at Miami Law.
