(Woodland, CA) – July 7, 2021 – The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office is excited to announce the addition of five legal interns who started the Summer/Fall internship program at the conclusion of their law school spring semester. These new members of the District Attorney’s team bring a tremendous amount of talent and a diverse array of life experiences to the office. Last year’s legal interns worked remotely due to COVID. This year, the five new law students started their internship working remotely and now are in the office four days per week.
Marisa Uribe, who attended college at UC Berkeley, will be entering her second year at UC Davis Law School in the fall. While at Berkeley, she interned for a non-profit organization focusing on immigration-related issues. She lives by her favorite quote, “forward always, never backwards.”
Stephanie Allen, who is coming back to Yolo DA for a second summer, is entering her third year at McGeorge Law School. She is an Arizona State graduate with degrees in political science and religious studies. When she is not studying, she is busy teaching her 7-year-old son to read. Allen stated, “I have enjoyed so many incredible opportunities in my time as an intern to both learn and actively play a role in the justice system. This has been, and continues to be, an experience that strengthens my belief in the good that can be achieved by prosecutors and my desire to be a part of it.”
Emma James is also a McGeorge Law School student and is entering her second year. She grew up in Woodland and, as an undergraduate, worked at Yolo DA. She is an avid hiker.
Also returning for a second summer as a legal intern is Matthew Lanthier who will be starting his third year at UC Davis Law School in the fall. He completed his undergraduate studies at UC Santa Barbara. He is also a reserve in the California Army National Guard. On his experience at Yolo DA, Lanthier said, “Despite being mostly via-Zoom until recently, I’ve had an amazing time in my past year with the office. From doing post-conviction homicide work to trying my first juvenile case, my experience with the District Attorney’s Office has exceeded all of my expectations. I’m excited to keep making a difference for a county that I call my home!”
This summer’s fifth intern is Omar Figueroa. Omar states he is “the proud son of a Mexican immigrant” and was born and raised in Yuba City. He studied political science at UC Davis as an undergraduate. He will be entering his second year at McGeorge Law School. His favorite quote from John F. Kennedy is “those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.”
District Attorney Jeff Reisig started this formal Legal Internship Program shortly after taking office in 2007. His mission was to create a program where law students would have an enjoyable, rewarding, and educational experience, and also provide invaluable legal support to trial attorneys. Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven was tasked with developing and coordinating the program.
Interns are involved in a wide variety of cases, both misdemeanor and felony. The summer program begins with a full week of training and orientation. A typical day for an intern involves drafting motions and memoranda of points and authorities, conducting research on complicated legal issues. If the intern is certified with the State Bar, he or she may argue the People’s position in the courtroom. Interns are also encouraged to observe ongoing trials to learn about the criminal justice system and gain better insight into what it is like to be a prosecutor. Ultimately, an intern may have the opportunity to conduct a jury trial in a misdemeanor case.
District Attorney Jeff Reisig stated that the intern program is very popular with law students from across California and also fills a critical need for support for our full-time staff. “Success for us is when students leave the office convinced that they want to make a career as prosecutors,” said Reisig. “And also, that they want to do so in this office.”
With the approval to go back into the office, 2021 Yolo County District Attorney summer legal interns toss their masks to the sky. L-R front row: Marisa Uribe (UC Davis) and Stephanie Allen (McGeorge). Back row: Omar Figueroa (McGeorge), Emma James (McGeorge), and Matthew Lanthier (UC Davis).
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