Testimonials
Nilou Mostarshed
2L intern spring 2021, 3L intern fall 2021
“Working at the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office as a certified law clerk during the fall and spring semesters has provided me with invaluable and unique learning opportunities. The resources and support the program provides is unparalleled and I have gained experience in handling complex cases under the supervision of knowledgeable and dedicated deputy district attorneys. During my time as a law clerk, I have grown as an advocate for the community and built a strong foundation for a future career as a prosecutor.”
Aiden Welsh
2L Honors Program 2018, Honors Post Bar fall 2019, hired 2020
“I had an incredible experience working in the Honors Program at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. In the Honors Program I had the opportunity to work alongside incredible mentors, handle dozens of motions and hearings, and even try a week-long misdemeanor jury trial myself. Working with the program helped me to find my voice in court and ensured that I was ready to hit the ground running as a Deputy District Attorney. Overall, the experience was invaluable, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Morgan Willis
1L summer 2019, Honors 2L summer 2020, Honors Post Bar fall 2021, hired 2022
“The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s internship program will push you to grow into the attorney you strive to be. You will get the opportunity to learn how to be comfortable being uncomfortable, which is essential in this line of work. This office provides you with an experience that helps you move through the growing pains of becoming an attorney, growing pains that one can only overcome through practice. It also provides an environment that fosters learning and asking questions without the fear of thinking “is this a dumb question,” which makes the opportunity to gain a wealth of knowledge. The experience this office provides, coupled with bringing a work ethic that goes above and beyond, produces outstanding attorneys, and even better prosecutors.”
Harry Dhillon
1L 2018, 2L Honors Program 2019, Honors Post Bar fall 2020, hired 2021
“When I first applied to the Law Clerk Internship Program in 2018, I was drawn towards learning the fundamentals of criminal cases. From the start of my internship through my subsequent clerkships, the invaluable mentorship I received from senior attorneys in this office provided unmatched experience. I was able to research law on a range of matters involving evidentiary law and issues of criminal procedure. Under the supervision of experienced attorneys, I was also able to conduct numerous preliminary hearings, motion hearings, and a jury trial. I carried forward the courtroom experience I gained as a law clerk to my present practice. In fact, my prior supervisors still make themselves available to help me develop as a practicing attorney. The team-natured focus of this office creates an environment of personal and professional growth. Just as importantly, I was entrusted and invited to provide my input on the cases I handled. I have a relatively inquisitive nature, and each time I had a question or comment there was an attorney to learn from or talk to. These experiences helped me put into practice the broader notions I hold regarding fairness and “doing justice.” This office fosters a culture of thoughtfulness and critical thinking in trying to do the right thing for the right reasons.”
Katherine Carey
2018 spring Stanford Prosecution Clinic, 2L Honors Program summer 2018, Honors Post Bar 2019, hired 2020
“I clerked at the Santa Clara County DA’s Office three times before being hired. My favorite feature of the program is that we rotated through assignments, thereby gaining experience with both misdemeanors and felonies. I got to run motions and conduct trials for the misdemeanor team, and I also had the chance to do prelims and write more in-depth briefs for issues related to felonies, like sentencing, for various felony teams. It was an efficient way to get exposure to many different aspects of being a DDA. Throughout my clerkships, I worked with numerous attorneys, all of whom were professional, knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to help me succeed. Everyone at the office, including support staff, made me feel welcome, and my office family here is one of the reasons I was most excited to be hired on permanently. I highly recommend a clerkship at this office for anyone who is interested in becoming a prosecutor.”
Britlyn McCormick
1L summer 2019, 2L Honors Program 2020, Honors Post Bar 2021, hired 2022
“During my years in law school, I was fortunate enough to participate in clerkship programs at three Bay Area District Attorney's Offices and I can confidently say that the wealth of in-court and out-of-court opportunities available to students at Santa Clara is unparalleled. An internship with this office will provide you with the practical knowledge and skills that you need in order to succeed in this career but won't get in a classroom -- you will have the chance to not only see, but experience firsthand nearly every part of the work of a deputy district attorney. At Santa Clara, I have had the chance to work with and learn from dozens of attorneys and know that my time here has more than prepared me to walk into any courtroom and represent the People.”
Melissa Castillo
1L Intern 2017, 2L Honors Program 2018, post bar 2019, hired 2020
“What I liked most about the law clerk program was the hands on experience. As a 1L clerk, I was researching and writing motions on novel issues, really immersing myself in criminal law. When I took criminal procedure and evidence as a 2L in law school, I had already learned so much of the material. As a 2L honors and post bar honors, I was fully immersed in the everyday life of a misdemeanor attorney, from writing and arguing motions to helping prepare arraignments calendars and doing my first jury trial. By the time I became a misdemeanor attorney, I already had a good idea of what the job entailed.”
Audrey Pak
Post bar fall 2014, hired 2015
“The program was a great way to get hands on experience. I honed my presentation and organization skills as an intern. I got to meet a lot of wonderful people in the office and learned a great amount from the experience. It helped solidify my decision to pursue a career as a prosecutor.”
Ryba Bhullar
1L intern summer 2021, 2L intern fall 2021 and spring 2022
“I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to clerk here beginning my 1L summer and was assigned to the Family Violence Unit. During my time here, I have engaged in numerous unique assignments, and no day is the same. I am so grateful for all the hands-on mentorship and training I have received. Everyone I have interacted with has always been more than willing to answer my questions and go out of their way to make sure I feel supported. The people at this office and the work that they do (and allow their clerks to do) is meaningful and has real world impacts. This experience has been extremely fulfilling and solidified my decision to want to be a prosecutor.”
Hugo Meza
2L Honors Program summer 2014, fall of 2014, hired 2017
“I interned for the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office twice while I was in law school. The law clerk program offered me the comprehensive legal training and meaningful opportunities for oral advocacy that I needed to get hired as a trial attorney.”