Summer Experiences: Emma Stapleton ‘24, Intern, Nashville Defenders
Emma Stapleton, ’24, is spending the summer as an intern for the Nashville Defenders. “I came to law school thinking I might want to be a public defender but wasn’t sure if I had the right personality fit or working style for state level trial work,” Stapleton says. “After spending all summer shadowing attorneys and getting a real sense of the day-to-day, I can now envision myself doing this work post-grad."
How did you connect with this summer opportunity?
I heard the Nashville Defenders internship program had a strong reputation as an office that provides interns with lots of training and an opportunity to use one’s student practice license in the summer before 3L. I, and I believe most other interns, applied and interviewed through the fall Equal Justice Works conference.
How does your experience connect with what you currently envision doing with your law degree?
I came to law school thinking I might want to be a public defender but wasn’t sure if I had the right personality fit or working style for state level trial work. After spending all summer shadowing attorneys and getting a real sense of the day-to-day, I can now envision myself doing this work post-grad.
Please describe a “typical” day at work.
Nashville Defenders places a high value in getting interns into court and being able to see what life as a public defender looks like on a day-to-day basis. I have spent a lot of time in the courtroom observing hearings, trial, plea negotiations, status dates, and more. I have also observed client interviews and personally interviewed clients, drafted motions, and prepared for hearings. I will have personally represented a client in a hearing by the end of the summer, and some other rising 3Ls have done even more hearings than that. The Nashville Defenders office is very dedicated to helping interns tailor their experience to their goals.
What is something you learned or experienced that was surprising or particularly compelling during this summer position?
I was surprised at the amount of resources that the Nashville Defenders office has. The office has done a good job at fighting for better pay, more manageable caseloads, and auxiliary resources such as the aid of investigators and client advocates. These resources make a big difference as Nashville Defenders seeks to provide the best representation possible to their clients. However, there are still many strides to be made in light of the resource imbalances between public defense and the money spent by the state on prosecution and jailing.
What are a couple of your key takeaways from the experience so far?
The odds are often so stacked against our clients who are often poor, unhoused, experiencing trauma, suffering from various mental illnesses, and more. The job is difficult because we cannot solve all those issues, but it’s impactful to know that we are at least making some difference in helping to counteract the unequal resources that are stacked against our clients. Whether guilty or innocent, it is an honor to serve our clients. We are all more than the worst things we have done, and we all deserve to have someone by our side.
What advice would you offer another law student contemplating working in a similar position next summer?
I would 100% recommend it, either at Nashville Defenders or another office. If you are at all considering public defense, I recommend being in an office that places a high value in intern training and allows you to use your student practice license. This kind of training and practice experience, as well as shadowing attorneys in their day-to-day tasks, is really important to figuring out if this is the work you want to do.
How are you spending your free time this summer?
I previously lived in Nashville during undergrad, so I am spending a lot of my time this summer catching up with old friends. Nashville has so many wonderful things to do: from delicious restaurants, to minor league baseball games, movies in the park, local lakes and swimming holes, and nature preserves to roam, not to mention all the incredible live music.
What are you most looking forward to in returning to UChicago Law this fall?
I am looking forward to being back home with all of my friends, getting to try new classes, and furthering my practice experience in clinic.