Current student, Zach Snyder, shared the following about being a Summer Intern at the Contra Costa Alternate Defender Office …
What did you do as an intern at this organization?
As an intern at the Contra Costa Alternate Defender Office (ADO), I worked with a team of Public Defenders on felony cases, many carrying the possibility of life sentences. About half of my work involved the relatively new California Racial Justice Act (RJA), passed in 2020, where I investigated potential violations in both current and post-conviction cases. This often meant reviewing trial testimony and developing statistical arguments comparing similarly situated individuals in the county who experienced different judicial outcomes based on race. The other half of my work focused on more typical felony case proceedings—meeting with clients, reviewing and organizing body-worn camera footage and other evidence, and conducting preliminary research. Beyond my direct assignments, I observed a wide range of court proceedings, from early arraignments to full murder trials, learning from the attorneys in action and occasionally offering suggestions based on my observations. As part of the internship, we also toured San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, Juvenile Hall, and the county crime lab, gaining a fuller picture of the justice system in practice, and its flaws.
How did you find this internship?
I was introduced to an attorney at the ADO through a family friend who had previously worked with her as an expert witness. After sending my cover letter and resume, I went through the interview process.
What did you enjoy most about your internship?
I think the easy answer is watching the progression of trials from jury selection to the final verdict, but beyond that, I would say, lunch was the most enjoyable part. I was an intern at the Alternate Defender Office which takes on all cases that our main Public Defender Office conflicts out of. As such, our office is much smaller with about 15 attorneys and legal professionals. This close-knit setting allowed us interns to form strong connections with the attorneys. Every lunch break, we gathered in the conference room, discussing not only cases and legal strategy, but also sharing anecdotes, stories, and conversations far beyond the law. These lunches helped me truly understand the attorneys I worked alongside, not just their approach to cases, but who they were as people and how they found their way into public defense. It humanized the legal profession, which had always felt daunting to me, and made it clear that there is no single, uniform path into the field.
What did you find challenging?
It is difficult to become comfortable with what is uncomfortable. Most cases in our office are felonies, and many involve the kinds of realities most people would rather turn away from. Being a public defender is not about excusing or condoning what a client may have done, it is about recognizing that they remain human and are entitled to support and guidance from someone fully committed to standing with them against the force of the state. When I hear the charges against a client whose case I will be working on, it can be challenging to immediately think, how can I best help this person? Yet, that is exactly what is essential: the ability to set aside judgment, confront uncomfortable truths, and focus on protecting the dignity and rights of every individual.
What advice would you offer to someone who wants to make the most of an internship like yours?
Get to know one or a few professionals in your field of interest. While it can be tempting to make as many connections as possible, I found it far more valuable to build a few strong, lasting relationships. Working on projects for the same attorneys allowed me to develop a strong rapport with them and to learn much more about the law as we progressed through the summer, rather than bouncing between different attorneys. In the long run, having close, well-developed relationships, rather than a large number of surface-level connections, is also more helpful for references and future opportunities.
