Rachael Cunningham '26

Educational, hands on, and intense (in the best way possible). I really enjoyed the work atmosphere. Spending forty hours a week at a place of employment can be overwhelming if the work atmosphere isn't a place you want to spend your time. Everyone was very welcoming and wonderful to work with. We had a lot of fun in the office. All of the AUSA's took the time to work with me, explain projects, and provide examples. The first day was orientation and the next day the assignments started flowing in. We were given a lot of tasks. There was very little downtime. I wrote more motions and memos than I did in my entire 1L year. It was extremely informational and an excellent working experience. I learned so much this summer.

The program includes a speaker series and several field trips to other federal and state agencies.  It provided so much insight into all of the careers available. The field trip to the Erie County Sheriff SWAT was particularly exciting. We were able to fire weapons, rappel from a 50ft tower, meet a brand-new sheriff canine "Pablo," watch a drone demonstration, and witness a hostage training scenario. We interacted with a lot of different agencies, so when we visited these agencies it expanded our understanding of them.

I was tasked with writing four different documents for an ongoing federal trial. Everyone thought there would be a plea, but it ended up going to trial. When I realized that my motions and documents would be used in federal court it was a surreal feeling and definitely had the biggest impact. After only one year of law school, I wrote documents that are now part of the official record. I was able to watch the trial from start to finish. The verdict came in guilty on all four counts. Then, I moved on to writing a Motion for Summary Judgement that will also be reviewed and  filed in federal court. The education was invaluable.

I think they should know the impact they have on our ability to have a successful internship. I received my  fellowship from Dennis C. Vacco. He is a wonderful mentor and has had an amazing career in law. It was an honor to have lunch with him and hear about his career path. His contribution made it possible to work and park in the city without the stress of the extra financial burden. The program is very well run, and I had so much fun. As a tactical learner, I appreciated the number of research and writing projects I had. I'd like to thank him for making it possible to experience such an excellent summer.