Chair: Hon. Joanne D. Quiñones
Latino Judges Association Summer Internship Program is a ten week program that provides law students with a variety of experience in the legal field. During the ten week program, the intern will be under the supervision of a Judge or Justice assigned to the New York City, New York State or Federal Court. Each intern will rotate among the courts (Court of Appeals, Appellate Division, Court of Claims, Supreme Court, Family Court, Criminal Court, Civil Court, Housing Court, Town Court, and/or Federal Court) on a weekly to bi-weekly basis.
The 2023 Latino Judges Association Summer Internship Program will run from Monday, June 5, 2023 through Friday, August 11, 2023.
Interns are expected to wear appropriate business attire for both in-person and virtual proceedings, to be punctual and to conduct themselves in a professional manner. Intern assignments can include, but are not limited to, legal research and writing, observation of trial/hearings, and review/summary of documents.
*** All application materials were due by January 9, 2023, at 5 PM. ***
Click here for the 2023 Application
Past Scholarship Recipients
Summer 2023
Edianys Lima Enriquez
Rutgers Law School-Newark, Class of 2024
Edianys is a first-generation law student born in Cuba and raised in New Jersey. She is involved in the Association for Latin American Law Students (ALALS), the Hispanic Bar Association-NJ (HBA-NJ), and the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA). In her last year of law school, Edianys is looking forward to being a staff editor for the Rutgers Journal of Law and Public Policy. She holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology with minors in Psychology and International Studies from The College of New Jersey. After college, she worked as an immigration paralegal in the non-profit sector and then at a boutique firm in California before returning to New Jersey for law school.
Reflections: I’m so grateful to have spent my last summer of law school with the LJA Summer Program. It was truly amazing to meet and learn from all the judges, clerks, and court attorneys. This experience opened my eyes to the wealth of opportunities and career paths available within the judiciary. It also strengthened my confidence and legal writing skills as I was challenged to draft opinions on behalf of the judges. The feedback I obtained was unparalleled and I look forward to nurturing the relationships created this summer and expanding the network for future law students.
Sofia Gomez
CUNY Law
I am from Jackson Heights, Queens, NY, I am of Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban descent. Currently I am a 2L at CUNY Law. There I serve as the Co-Director of the Latin American Law Student Association (LALSA). I hold a bachelor’s degree in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Fordham University.
Reflections: This internship has been an exceptional experience—truly one in a million. I entered without knowing what to expect, and the uniqueness of this opportunity has been astounding. The exposure to various courts and the chance to connect with remarkable individuals make it stand out. Witnessing more courtrooms than even some seasoned attorneys underscores its exceptional nature. This internship provides insight into both sides of litigation and unveils the inner workings of the court system. Different judicial styles come to light, and each court functions as its distinct ecosystem. This firsthand experience imparts knowledge that’s impossible to grasp otherwise. Through this internship, I’ve successfully translated theoretical law school teachings into real-world applications. This has firmly anchored these concepts within me. The Latino Judges Association Summer Internship has left an indelible mark on my professional journey.
Summer 2022
Carmen M. Lopez
Penn State Law, Class of 2024
Carmen is from the San Francisco Bay Area, is a first-generation law student with Nicaraguan roots. She is currently a 2L at Penn State Law. An E-Board member of the Latinx Law Students Association and the National Security Association at PSL. Also, an E-Board member for the National Latina/o Law Students Association. Carmen holds a Bachelor’s in History with minors in Legal Studies and Philosophy from Walla Walla University, Washington.
Reflections: The Latino Judges Association Summer Internship Program provided an invaluable experience that I shall carry throughout as a law student and into my legal career. An introduction to the New York court system was something I did not expect as I am from California, but I loved every second of it. I am honored to have had the pleasure to work with and learn from such accomplished Judges, Justices, and court attorneys.
Summer 2021
Jazmin Reynoso Ortiz
City University of New York, Class of 2023
Jazmin Reynoso Ortiz is a first-generation immigrant from the Dominican Republic. She is currently a 1L (class of 2023) at the City University of New York School of Law, where she is an active member of the Latin American Law Student Association (LALSA), MetroLALSA, and the Woman of Color Collective (WOCC). Jazmin has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Policy with a concentration in Economics. Jazmin is very passionate about immigrant rights and criminal defense. She is determined to push for systemic reform through litigation. Jazmin strives to represent and provide support to the underrepresented and systematically oppressed by both social and legal structures. She further strives to engage in a client-centered framework that considers the goals of the clients and invites a collaborative relationship where clients can actively participate in their own representation. Jazmin is looking forward to networking and developing new skills that are highly valued as a litigator.
Summer 2020
Sebastian Blanco
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, Class of 2021
Reflections: While interning at the Latino Judges Association I was able to get firsthand experience behind the scenes of the courtroom. It was not only an incredibly beneficial learning experience, but I was also able to build relationships with some incredible judges as well as fellow interns.
Ana Ramirez
St. John’s University School of Law, Class of 2022
Currently at: St. John’s – Legal Writing Teaching Assistant
Ana is currently attending St. John’s University School of Law where she is a member of the Latin American Law Students Association and the Real Property Law Society. She is also a staff member of the New York Real Property Law Journal and works as a Teaching Assistant for Legal Writing. Prior to moving to New York for law school, she worked as a legal assistant in Washington D.C. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Central Florida where she graduated with a B.A. in International and Global Studies and a minor in Russian Studies. Ana comes from a military family and has Nicaraguan and Ecuadorian roots.
Reflections: The LJA internship provided the unique and invaluable experience of working directly with Judges and Justices at various levels in the New York court system. I learned something new every day, whether it was from debriefing with the Judge or Justice and court attorney, observing virtual proceedings, or completing research and writing projects. I developed meaningful relationships and engaged in productive discussions during each rotation. I am grateful for the LJA’s efforts in building such a robust program for law students.
Summer 2019
Catherine Polanco
University at Buffalo School of Law, Class of 2021
My commitment to public service was solidified as an intern for the LJA. It was a demystifying experience. This internship introduced me to the judicial court system in New York City. The biweekly rotation court incorporated into this program exposed me to the functionalities of courts such as the Court of Appeals, Appellate Division (First Department), Court of Claims, AnnCriminal Court, Federal Court, Family Court, and Surrogate Court, Housing Court, and Civil Court. The Judges and their staff were open and enthusiastic about sharing their professional experiences with me, which I am eternally grateful for.
Cesar Ruiz
City University of New York School of Law, Class of 2021
Cesar Z. Ruiz interned with Latino Judges Association in the summer of 2019. Following his internship, he served a year long term as a CUNY’s Center on Latinx Rights and Equality Fellow while also interning for LatinoJustice PRLDEF during the spring term and summer term of 2020. He also served on CUNY Latin American Law Students Association’s (LALSA) executive board during that same year. Currently he serves as a student intern at CUNY Law’s Community and Economic Development Clinic, while also serving on CUNY Law Review’s Editorial Board. Post-grad Cesar plans to continue his work in furtherance of his community fighting for Latinx rights and equality in the field of voting rights and redistricting.
Reflections: My experience as an LJA intern was transformative. It allowed me not only to develop my legal skills but connect with trailblazing and inspirational leaders in my community. Above all it was a chance to be a part of something bigger than myself and it let me know I was not alone in my struggle to fight for a better world por mi gente.
Summer 2018
Israel Rodriguez Rubio
Columbia Law School, Class of 2020
Currently at: Dechert LLP
Israel Rodríguez Rubio (he/him) is a law clerk at Dechert LLP. He received a J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2020, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and a managing editor of the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law. He received a B.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies from Columbia University in 2011. He is a first-generation college graduate and immigrant from Mexico.
Reflections: Through the Latino Judges Association internship, I had the remarkable opportunity to put my first year of legal education into practice, while getting to learn more about the legal system in New York. I am extremely grateful not only to have worked with such accomplished persons but also to have had the chance to learn more about their personal and professional experiences navigating the legal field.
Summer 2017
Jessica Orellana
CUNY School of Law, Class of 2019
Currently at: Assistant Corporation Counsel with the New York City Law Department – Tort Division, Brooklyn.
Jessica Orellana was born and raised in Jamaica Queens, New York to parents of El Salvadoran decent. She is currently an Assistant Corporation Counsel with the New York City Law Department, Tort Division in Brooklyn. She graduated from CUNY School of Law in 2019.
Jessica graduated from Queens College and earned a B.A. in Urban Studies and Sociology in 2010. She grew up in a bilingual household, and while in college, she was a volunteer at the Women’s Prison Association, a non-profit organization that promotes alternatives to incarceration and works with women at all stages of the criminal justice system. She continued her studies at New York University, completing an ABA Paralegal Diploma in 2012. Prior to enrolling in law school, Jessica worked as a paralegal at Panzavecchia & Associates, PLLC, where she focused on immigration rights, criminal defense and torts litigation and at the New York Legal Assistance Group in the Foreclosure Prevention Project helping save the homes of distressed families.
At CUNY School of Law, Jessica traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to promote justice and human rights for people in the South in partnership with other civil rights organizations in Mississippi. During her first-year, Jessica served as a legal intern for the Latino Judges Association working with several judges in several courts throughout New York State. Jessica was chosen as the Puerto Rican Bar Association recipient of the Justice Sallie Manzanet –Daniels Dare to Dream Scholarship. Thereafter, she interned with Ahmuty, Demers & McManus alongside Judge Lourdes Ventura earning the Hispanic Bar Association scholarship award. As a product of the NYC School system, Jessica will continue to work at the Law Department representing the City. She aspires to follow the steps of her mentors and become a Judge one day.
Reflections: Interning with the Latino Judges Association was one of the greatest opportunities in my life. I met Judges who became my mentors and have helped me become who I am today.
Summer 2016
Andrea F. Rodriguez
Fordham University School of Law, Class of 2018
Currently at: Associate in the Capital Markets Group at White & Case LLP
Andrea Rodriguez is an associate in White & Case’s Capital Markets group, where her practice focuses on domestic and cross-border financing transactions and general corporate representations. Andrea represents and advises U.S. and Latin American issuers and underwriters on U.S. securities and corporate law in a full range of debt and equity transactions, including unregistered offerings pursuant to Rule 144A/Regulation S, tender offers and private placements. Andrea’s practice focuses on public and private securities offerings in a wide variety of industries and she has represented a range of clients, including Goldman Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Advance Auto Parts, Inc. and Aerovías de México, S.A. de C.V.
Andrea also devotes substantial time to pro bono work, representing several clients in their immigration matters including asylum, U-visa, permanent residence and citizenship applications. Most recently, Andrea was part of a team of attorneys assisting Know Your Rights Camp, an organization founded by Colin Kaepernick, in creating an online “I Know My Rights” interactive guide informing the public of their rights when interacting with police. Andrea also serves as a mentor to law students through Fordham Law School’s L.A.M.P. program, LatinoJustice PRLDEF’s Next Generation Líderes Mentorship Program and the White & Case and Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) Mentorship Program.
Born in Quito, Ecuador, Andrea received her B.A. degree, summa cum laude in Legal Studies with a minor in Psychology from St. John’s University in 2012, and a J.D., cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law in 2018.
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