Lauren Daniels '26

My experience this summer was educational. As a first-generation law student, I had no experience with the legal field when I started law school. So, experiencing the legal field from the perspective of the judiciary has been valuable to my education and career development.  As an intern in Judge Sinatra's chambers, I was able to observe a variety of court proceedings from criminal and civil trials to status conferences to pleas and sentencings. I was also able to do legal research and help draft documents. These experiences allowed me to see the role of the judiciary in the federal court system, and the impact that good advocates have on the system.

What impacted me the most is the sense of duty that everyone who works in the courthouse feels toward our legal system. From the judges to the clerks to the advocates to the court security officers and everyone else in the building. They all take pride in their jobs and strive to serve our legal system to the best of their abilities. In the challenges of law school, it's easy to lose track of the duty all advocates have to our legal system, but this summer has helped me to step back and see what my role in our legal system is and can be in the future.

I would like to thank the Law Alumni Association donors for allowing me the freedom to intern in Judge Sinatra's chambers this summer. Without their generosity, I would not have been able to take this position. I learned so much this summer and am excited to incorporate this experience into my remaining years at UB and my career.