Working as a Judicial Intern: My Summer Internship at Erie County Supreme Court
Published June 16, 2026
While not required, summer internships are strongly recommended throughout law school. This helps students gain experience in different legal fields and practice in legal research and writing. Students can apply to a variety of internships, including law firms, public interest offices, the DA’s office, and judicial internships. This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern for Judge Michael A. Siragusa, a New York State Court of Claims Judge who serves as an Acting Supreme Court Justice in Erie County.
Judge Michael A. Siragusa was appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul in 2022 to a nine-year term as a Judge of the New York State Court of Claims and also serves as an Acting Supreme Court Justice in Erie County. He primarily presides over civil matters, including motion practice and other special proceedings, and he holds special terms every other Tuesday, where he hears multiple matters throughout the morning.
A Day in the Life of a Judicial Intern
I would arrive at the courthouse by 8:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the summer. After I got through security, I would head up to the 8th floor where Judge Siragusa’s chambers are located. The first week that I was interning for Judge Siragusa, I was so nervous. I had never been inside a judge’s chambers before, and I didn’t know what to expect. But Judge Siragusa and his office were extremely welcoming and kind; all my anxiety disappeared.
Typically, every morning, I would check in with Judge Siragusa’s law clerk, Tom Navarro, and see what he needed me to work on. He would give me a few cases to research and help him figure out what the controlling law was. I would spend the first half of the day researching and preparing a memo of my findings. Then, I would sit with Mr. Navarro and discuss other courts’ holdings. Usually, we would go back and forth, bouncing ideas off each other, trying to figure out how Judge Siragusa should rule. Mr. Navarro would give me feedback on my work and offered helpful advice on how I could refine my work. His mentorship allowed me to figure out my strengths and weaknesses when researching and writing.
After we were done discussing my research, I would draft an Order and Decision for Judge Siragusa to review. Drafting the Orders and Decisions was a daunting task because each judge has different expectations for their Orders. However, Judge Siragusa would review my work and then sit down with me to discuss the changes he made, so I could improve for the future. Judge Siragusa and Mr. Navarro created a safe environment where I knew I could learn from my mistakes.
Occasionally, Mr. Navarro would hold pre-trial conferences with the parties. These conferences allowed him to gain more information on the cases so he could relay the parties’ narratives to Judge Siragusa. Whenever possible, both Judge Siragusa and the parties favored settlements, because they allowed the cases to be resolved faster, without the need for trial.
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When Judge Siragusa had hearings, I would sit in the courtroom and take notes. His cases ranged from divorces and name changes to civil litigation trials. After his hearings were finished for the day, he would review the cases with me and ask if I had any questions. We would discuss the decisions he made, and he would explain why he ruled the way he did.
Every Thursday, all the judicial interns would meet for lunch. While we ate, the court held different informative sessions regarding the types of courts in Buffalo. We met with Judge Slisz, an Erie County Supreme Court Justice who specializes in expedited matrimonial law and Judge Vacco, an Erie County Supreme Court Justice who runs the Integrated Domestic Violence Courts. Judge Slisz specializes in expedited divorces, ensuring that the parties have safe and equal separations. Judge Vacco oversees the Integrated Domestic Violence Court, allowing parties to combine criminal, family, and matrimonial cases if domestic abuse is involved. Furthermore, we learned tips and tricks to draft motions and orders for the judges and took tours of the legal research library and Erie County Forensic Lab. The staff that oversaw the judicial interns wanted to make sure we were exposed to multiple avenues of law. They were very attentive and did their best to answer every question that came up.
My Practical Experience
Overall, interning with a judge taught me a lot of important skills. I gained experience in legal research and learned about different areas of law. I was fortunate enough to observe several hearings while I was interning, which showed me both the legal and judicial processes in a courtroom. During the internship, I was constantly working with Judge Siragusa’s law clerk to discuss different cases and their holdings. I practiced writing orders and decisions, received feedback on what I did well and improvements I could make in the future. I am so grateful for my time with Judge Siragusa. Interning with him showed me that while judges can appear as formidable authority figures, they want every case to be fair and just. And they will do everything in their power to ensure that.
If you are given the opportunity to intern for a judge over the summer, I highly recommend taking it. Working for a judge can offer great insight into many different types of law. It can give you a good idea of how the legal system works, allow you to network with people in the legal field, and strengthen your resume.