Momoko Hiwatashi '26

As a judicial intern for a criminal division judge, I drafted multiple opinions for judicial review and observed a variety of court proceedings. I was able to see behind the scenes how criminal cases are adjudicated, including the jury selection process and plea negotiations. I was fortunate to observe courts in other divisions with my fellow interns. Judge Pagano was also very generous in explaining the point of each proceeding and off-the-record discussion.

Judge Pagano never forgets his words of encouragement to each defendant, having presided over so many cases ranging from misdemeanors to homicides. The judges, DAs, and PDs really taught me a lot.

When drafting opinions, it was challenging for me to extract facts from the pile of motions and pieces of evidence. Specifically, it took a lot of time and effort to understand handwritten pro se motions. There was even a pro se defendant in civil court who tearfully pleaded something completely unrelated to the subject matter. This made me keenly aware of the significance of a legal education.

I greatly appreciate the generous donors of the 2024 BPILP Fellowship. Thanks to this award, I was able to dedicate myself to improving my legal research and writing skills as much as possible and spend a wonderful and rewarding summer.