Dear TLF Donors,
My name is Sara Schaefer and I received a Hagans Fellowship from Texas Law Fellowships this summer. I am writing to thank you for making my summer at The Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office possible. I enjoyed my experience at the office immensely and learned so much. I know I would not have been able to spend my summer there without your generous support.
I worked as an Extern with the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office, which is in Knoxville, TN. I chose the office because of its unique approach to public defense. The office is committed to marrying quality legal defense with a myriad of social services that address root causes of criminality. This includes linkages to community mental health services, counseling, children’s programs, drug and alcohol treatment, and help with housing. This means, when I met with clients, I was able to address any underlying issues that they thought was contributing to their entry into the criminal justice system. For example, I was able to assign a social worker to a case to visit a client in jail twice weekly so he could receive in depth counseling. I was able to refer a homeless client to our summer kids camp, so his children could have a healthy activity to attend. There are many examples of how the strong social services department enhanced the legal representation I was able to provide and helped me establish trust with my clients.
My favorite social program that our office organizes is the Summer at the CLO. This is a twice-‐weekly camp for kids from low-‐income Knox County families. I was able to volunteer at the camp multiple times this summer during the art days and the yoga days. I was also able to work with the HABIT dog, a dog that comes to the camp, sits in a quiet room, and allows kids to work on their reading skills in a non-‐judgmental environment (as they are reading to the dog). The camp also provides the kids with a nutritious lunch, and a goody bag full of nutritious snacks to take home. The kids were a breath of fresh air and were exposed, through this program, to a wealth of new experiences that might be out of reach for them otherwise.
Additionally, I was certified to practice in court under the supervision of an attorney through Tennessee’s student practice law. Therefore, I got to advocate in open court and handle cases from first interview to resolution. I was working on the felony team, so I got to work exclusively with felonies. I got to visit the county jail and interview new clients. Then I would be able to identify a plan of action to go forward and do legal research on the best path. I got to negotiate with prosecutors to reach an amicable deal. I got to go out on investigations to interview witnesses or see the scene of the crime. I was able to reach deals on many cases and then announce the plea agreement in open court. Most excitingly, I completed all the research to form a foundation for a motion to suppress. I then got to write and file the motion to suppress and participate in the hearing on the motion to suppress by sitting second chair. Further, I improved my research and writing skills by completing many memoranda for attorneys in the office.
Being able to work in a holistic public defender’s office this summer allowed me to develop many skills that are vital to being a zealous public defender and trial attorney. The trust I was able to establish with my clients and the quality of legal representation I was able to provide was dramatically enhanced by the existence of a strong social services department. I left my summer job feeling more confident speaking in court and working through issues with clients. I feel even more convinced that public defense is the right career path for me. I want to thank you again for making this wonderful work experience possible. It was so extremely generous for you to sponsor my summer work, and through it, the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office’s work.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Sara Schaefer