St. Thomas Law Students Participate in Transformative Internship Experiences at the United Nations and Florida Supreme Court

One of the hallmarks of the legal education at St. Thomas University School of Law is the out-of-classroom experience. St. Thomas Law is committed to training students to be effective and ethical advocates by providing opportunities for them to gain invaluable real-world perspectives that cannot be achieved in the traditional classroom environment.

The Supreme Court of Florida and the United Nations in New York are two of the most transformative learning experiences and St. Thomas Law was, once again, proud to send a number of our third-year students into these life-changing internships.

3L St. Thomas Law Student, Oscar Quintero (standing far right) along with
 Florida Supreme Court Justices and other interns

This past April, third-year student Oscar Quintero secured a highly sought-after internship with the Florida Supreme Court. His daily duties included writing memorandums of jurisdiction, and providing recommendations to the Justices as to whether they should accept a case for written argument.

"The internship provided me with a view into the inner workings of the Florida Supreme Court, an opportunity from which any attorney would benefit," reported Mr. Quintero. "The best part about the experience is that it provided me valuable insight and marketable skills."
A key benefit of the Supreme Court internship is to have interns practice law in the State's capital, having them work as a law clerk to all of the justices and conducting legal research.  

"While they are at court, students see both the Judicial and Attorney disciplinary hearings," explained Cece Dykas, St. Thomas Law's Associate Dean and Clinical Program Director. "They work for Justices who have committed their lives to public service and they see the importance of being a leader."

Erica Behm at the Florida Supreme Court Building.

Erica Behm, also a third-year student, is currently interning at the Florida Supreme Court and states that the process has pushed her to expand her boundaries and explore career opportunities that she had not considered before.

"The best part of this opportunity is getting to explore different legal fields." stated Ms. Behm. "I have seen cases of all types, including criminal appeals, pro se motions, and civil cases.  It’s a truly unique opportunity to venture out into the professional legal community at the highest levels, and I would not trade this experience for the world."

United Nations Trusteeship Chambers

That statement echoes the sentiments of Denise Calle, a third-year St. Thomas Law student who, along with fellow law student Gregg Rock, is interning at the United Nations in New York. Ms. Calle describes her experience as a "once in a lifetime opportunity." She  is currently placed at the Mission of the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, where she serves as an Advisor of the Holy See to the General Assembly's Third Committee. The Holy See is a delegation independent from the Vatican, who represents his holiness, Pope Francis directly.  She has had the opportunity to attend meetings at the General Assembly and Security Council where Heads of States addressed the international community in the context of their perspective on national and foreign policy and was present for President Barack Obama's address to the UN regarding the Iran Nuclear Deal.

St. Thomas Law UN Interns, Gregg Rock and Denise Calle
at the General Assembly in New York

"I'm extremely grateful for having the opportunity to work at the UN," stated Ms. Calle. "I have witnessed the Pope and a handful of presidents from other nations address issues of human dignity, poverty, displacement of peoples and armed conflicts."
St. Thomas Law professor Mark Wolff, who directs the Pax Romano UN internship, notes that the internship program at the United Nations is intended to develop leaders for a new global paradigm based on justice, peace and sustainability.


Together our students, professors and the practitioners who supervise and guide our students during their internship placements create unique, inclusive experiences that prepare our graduates for successful, enriching legal careers.