Chief Justice's Summer Placement Programme 2024
Sara Mebtouche is Griffith College's 2024 Chief Justice Summer Placement Intern. She shares some highlights from her four-week internship.
The placement programme has been an amazing experience, with opportunities to explore the courts and attend important processes. I had the pleasure, on my first week, to observe the Supreme Court in session regarding a fascinating immigration matter. His Honourable Mr Chief Justice O'Donnell appeared to interact with all the summer interns, giving an engaging talk about ethics and compassion being central to the next generation of practitioners and what he hopes we will gain from our time in placement.
One of the evenings, we were hosted by Fordham Law School at Kings Inns for dinner with some esteemed members of Irish legal history. I had the delight to converse with Mr. Sean Aylward, ex-Secretary General of the Dept of Justice and Equality, and Her Honourable and Justice Fidelma Macken, who retold inspiring feminist progressions in the legal profession.
The Chief Justice Internship consisted mainly of attending court with the assigned Judge and Judicial Assistants. The Judicial Assistants I was assigned were extremely helpful in briefing me in on the matters being heard, and answering any questions I had. It was eye-opening to have the opportunity to discuss the judge's thought process on certain evidence submitted and the advocacy displayed.
Outside of court, the programme had organized many different talks for us to attend- given by barristers, solicitors and other legal professionals to enlighten us on different career paths whether they would have been considered or something new such as the planning and environmental court. We were also encouraged to attend the Harriman Lectures presented by Supreme Court Judge Hogan, focusing on fascinating topics such as law in the media and legal journalism with guests such as Judge Biggs of the criminal courts.
At the end of the placement, there was a mock trial organised based on 'an alleged murder'. I was given the role of witness examination. It was honestly a really fun experience to practice advocacy in the Supreme Court in front of Mr Justive McGrath of the Court of Appeal. I was delighted to have been named afterwards as an advocate who stood out to him.
