Summer provides University of Miami School of Law students with opportunities to build practical legal skills while serving communities through public sector work. Through internships, externships, fellowships and clinical programs supported by the Office of Career and Professional Development, HOPE Public Interest Resource Center and Litigation Skills Program, students gain firsthand experience in government agencies, courts and nonprofit organizations.
This past summer, students contributed to criminal prosecutions, public defense, housing advocacy, environmental protection and appellate decision-making while exploring careers dedicated to public service. Meet some of the students who worked in these sectors:
Olivia Campmany
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York
Legal Intern
Olivia Campmany is a 2L with a passion for criminal law who is pursuing a J.D./LL.M. in International Law. She is involved in various student organizations including Criminal Law Society, Public Interest Leadership Board, Human Rights Clinic, Miami Innocence Alliance, First-Generation Law Students Association, and more. Her internship confirmed her interest in becoming a prosecutor. "The most rewarding part has been witnessing federal justice in action...Seeing how Assistant U.S. Attorneys, FBI agents, and other law enforcement professionals collaborate to build and prosecute complex cases has been incredibly inspiring," she says.
The work also reinforced the type of lawyer she aspires to be. "Visiting facilities like federal detention centers and the medical examiner's office has also deepened my understanding of the human stakes involved in this work...I'm leaving with a much clearer sense of the kind of lawyer I want to be: one who is committed to public service and to pursuing justice on behalf of the community."
Sarah Howard
Miami-Dade Public Defender's Office
Certified Legal Intern
Sarah Howard is a 3L involved in the Yvette Ostolaza Mock Trial Team, Center for Ethics and Public Service, and the Innocence Clinic. Through Miami Law’s Litigation Skills Program, Howard became a Certified Legal Intern, enabling her to gain real courtroom experience while making a meaningful impact on the lives of clients. As a CLI in the Public Defender’s Office, Howard represented her own clients, managed her own caseload, and argued on the record before the court—all while still in law school.
But beyond the courtroom, what stood out most to Howard was getting to know her clients, hearing their stories, and gaining a deeper understanding of the circumstances that brought them into the criminal justice system. As she put it, "There's simply no substitute for standing up in court and learning firsthand what it means to advocate for a client."
Julia Montejo
Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide
Legal Intern
Second-year law student Julia Montejo is passionate about community impact and interested in a public interest law career upon graduation. At Miami Law she is an intern with the Immigration Clinic and the Center for Ethics and Public Service and active in various student organizations including the Public Interest Leadership Board, the Society of Bar and Gavel, the Indigenous Law Students Association, and more.
Her summer experience in the Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide reinforced her commitment to pursuing work that creates meaningful community impact. She says, “Immigration and criminal law often intersect, and my desire to further understand criminal law and complex legal proceedings drove me to pursue this opportunity. As I move forward in my career, this experience will enlighten my understanding on how academic institutions, private law firms, and non-profit organizations can work together to make a difference in clients' lives."
Arnelle Naissant
Legal Services of Greater Miami, Private Tenant Rights Unit
Law Clerk
Arnelle Naissant is a 2L with an interest in real estate and intellectual property law. She is president of the Black Law Students Association and has worked as a research assistant for Professor Michael Froomkin. As a law clerk this past summer with the Private Tenant Rights Unit, she developed hands-on skills going to Bankruptcy Court and working “directly with clients to assess the status of their eviction cases, conduct client intake, draft pro se answers, and attend court hearings. I also draft a variety of other legal documents, including motions to dismiss, motions for leave to amend, proposed orders, and memoranda of law.”
When asked about the most exciting aspect of the experience, she appreciated how eviction diversion work connects to bankruptcy law, criminal law, family law and more. She says, "My internship has developed my passion for public interest work and has opened my eyes to the abundance of pro bono opportunities that are out there."
Zain Tokatly
Judge Thomas W. Logue, Third District Court of Appeals
Judicial Intern
Aspiring litigator Zain Tokatly spent the summer strengthening the research and writing skills that are central to effective courtroom advocacy. The 2L is an editor on the University of Miami Law Review, member of the Yvette Ostolaza Mock Trial Team, and a member of the First-Generation Law Students Association and Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity.
A strong writer, Tokatly is a research assistant for legal writing professor Jill Barton and received the Dean's Certificate of Achievement Award in Legal Communication & Research II with Professor Christina Frohock which recognizes one or two students who excelled in a course. His summer experience with Judge Logue was made possible by securing a Kozyak Summer Fellowship. Tokatly appreciated the impact the experience had on his legal skills and says, “I am having the opportunity to improve my legal research and writing skills further.”
Francis Wilton
Everglades Law Center
Legal Intern
Former wildlife photographer Francis Wilton is a 2L studying a joint J.D./M.P.S. in Marine Ecosystems and Society with a focus on coastal zone management. At Miami Law, he is involved in the Environmental Justice Clinic and the Environmental Law Society. His summer internship with the Everglades Law Center further honed his skills as a legal writer, researcher and communicator. He says, “As someone with an eye toward non-profit environmental law work, this experience has been really transformative. The team at ELC is small but mighty, and I admire the passion of the people in this world fighting battles on behalf of others.”
In addition to his legal work, Wilton also attended the Biscayne Bay Marine Health Summer as part of the internship. The event had an impact. “This event brought together over 400 elected officials, industry leaders, scientists, and non-profit activists for discussions regarding the progress we have made in restoring Biscayne Bay and preserving it for the future. It was truly an honor and utterly inspiring to meet with these individuals.”
Whether advocating for tenants, supporting criminal prosecutions, conducting appellate research or advancing environmental initiatives, these students spent the summer applying their classroom learning to real-world challenges. Their experiences reflect the University of Miami School of Law's commitment to experiential learning and preparing graduates for careers dedicated to service, leadership and impact.
Read more about externship and internship opportunities at Miami Law
