Washington, D.C., Summer Program

2007 Recap - by Yasmin L. Johnson (2L), Intern with the Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship & Immigration Services

• 2007 Students and Externships

The Courses
The two classes offered in the Washington DC Summer Program of 2007 included a Washington Seminar and a class on the Ethics of Washington Lawyering. The class met on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and focused on various topics covered by the Model Rules, such as conflicts of interests and confidentiality of information. Throughout the summer, a number of recognized professionals lectured including Lanny Davis (former special counsel and spokesperson for President Clinton), Bruce Mehlman (founder of the government affairs firm Mehlman, Vogel, and Castagnetti), and Jodie Bernstein (first woman to be General Counsel of EPA and HHS). I looked very forward to going to class as Professor Swire makes the material both fun and fascinating. Professor Swire's familiarity with the DC political landscape added context to the material which made the subject matter come to life.

The seminar consisted of an internship and a paper on a related topic. I interned in the Office of Regulations and Product Management at Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security. My paper topic addressed proposed immigration legislation. Professor Swire's continual support and assistance with the development of the papers provided a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our legal writing skills.

Student Experiences
I had an amazing summer working and living in DC. The city is unique in its wide array of offerings. I visited some of the Smithsonian Museums, enjoyed eating at famous restaurants and took in some of the nation's most famous historical sites. During the summer, the city is full of interns from around the country making the atmosphere full of energy and excitement. No other city can compare to the politically and intellectually stimulating opportunities DC offers. Professor Swire does an amazing job of making all the students aware of various activities in the city and inviting students to do activities outside of class. During my 2L year, I found knowledge of the ethical rules very helpful in Business Associations and Interprofessional Ethical Issues. The five credits were instrumental in creating a manageable class schedule and work load for my 2L year.

Comments from Ohio State Moritz Law Students:

Sara Igdaloff (2L), intern at the Department of Health & Human Services, Office of General Counsel
"I believe the D.C. summer program gave me the best first year summer experience possible. My internship at the Department of Health and Human Services allowed me to not only apply what I had learned in my first year of law school, but gave me insight into what an attorney actually does. The attorneys I worked with were great mentors, and I assisted them with cases involving employment discrimination and medical malpractice. The experience I gained that summer definitely helped me in the interview process this year as well. I think many of my interviewers were surprised by the amount of substantive work I did after only one year of law school, and my work in DC demonstrated my desire to work outside of Ohio. One interviewer even told me, after I described my summer job, that I should pass along the opportunity to my other classmates, so they could benefit from such great experience as well."

Elliott Tomes (2L), intern in the office of Senator Sherrod Brown
"If you wish to work in Washington permanently, the D.C. summer program should be your first choice. No matter your interests, Professor Swire will match you up with an agency or organization that provides substantive legal work and unparalleled networking opportunities. Working full time and taking classes at George Washington demonstrates to employers how dedicated and capable you are.My experience on Capitol Hill required me to not only conduct legal research for the Senator's legislative staff, but to participate in policy debate on energy and environmental issues that matter to me."

Frederick Lah (2L), intern for Federal Trade Commissioner Jonathan Leibowitz
"Professor Swire helped me land an internship at the Federal Trade Commission in one of the Commissioners' offices. During that summer, there were a lot of exciting cases going on at the FTC, and being right in the thick of it, I was able to gain great exposure to government work. All in all, I had an amazing job and I was able to get credit for it. I could not have asked for much more than that from my first summer."