Quinn Moss
My name is Quinn Moss and I am an incoming senior at Westlake High School. This will be my third year in mock trial and I’m excited to be serving as team captain. I’m also heavily involved in Journalism, environmental activism, and the Junior State of America. I entered this internship almost certain that I wanted to pursue criminal law. However, my work here at DK has shown me the tangible impact that civil law has on people’s lives. My preconceived notion of civil law was nothing like the extraordinary experience I have had working in this firm, and I am now much more interested in a career in civil law as a result.
I’ve also achieved great personal growth through this internship. Project Advocacy has constantly demanded that I step out of my comfort zone and try new things with regards to both the style and content of my arguments. I’ve learned how to be a more spontaneous, persuasive speaker as a direct result of the practice and feedback I received here. Throughout this summer, my passion for and commitment to a career in law has grown exponentially as I have learned the importance of trial advocacy. I cannot thank DK Law Group enough for this opportunity and I look forward to using the many skills I have developed here as I proceed in my legal career.
Elisabet Lindskog
My name is Elisabet Lindskog. I am seventeen years old and currently attending Santa Susana High School in Simi Valley as an incoming senior. I have been involved in mock trial since my freshman year at Santa Su, competing in many international, state, and county competitions that have impacted my life significantly. However, although I have gained valuable exposure to civil law through some mock trial cases and experiences, my time at DK Law Group has significantly expanded upon what I knew. This program gave me a unique perspective on what a real law firm is like and how it functions, as well as helping me hone the skills that I would need to pursue a career in law.
Project Advocacy 2019 had a tremendous impact on me right from the beginning. Being intentionally and unremittingly guided into anxiety-inducing environments may sound like a barbaric practice to execute upon four high school interns, but the results were showing early. Not long after our first impromptu speech in an unfamiliar room full of people we had never met before, the nervous barrier was slowly breaking down. Not only have my speaking and articulation skills improved significantly, but I consider myself to be more confident and able to better handle myself in unpredictable environments because of my time here.
This summer, David Karen and the entire team at DK Law Group were instrumental in helping me grow as a person and as an advocate. This internship opened my eyes to aspects of law that I was sure I would never even be interested in. Guest speakers, a visit to the courthouse, and legal lessons from DK are just a few of the valuable experiences I have had at this law firm. None of this would have been possible without my fellow interns, the mentors that guided us along the way, the generous guests that volunteered their time, and the staff that helped us succeed. Thank you to everyone at DK Law Group and Creative Dispute Resolutions for making my summer one that I will not soon forget.
Roshnee Moorthy
I am an incoming junior at Newbury Park. When applying for this internship, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was determined to get a spot as one of the interns. I was doubtful initially, as I have only had experience as a witness in my two years of being on my school’s mock trial team for the Ventura County competition. I had considered my advocacy skills to be above average due to my experience in parliamentary debate and mock trial, but little did I know what this internship had in store for me.
I applied with the intention of self-improvement, expanding my boundaries, and stepping out of my comfort zone. Throughout this internship, I did just that. I struggled a lot with impromptu speaking as I had previously been accustomed to nearly memorized preparation before speaking. Through the advocacy battles that put us on the spot with little to no preparation, I found myself floundering and falling behind initially. But slowly and surely enough, I began to see improvements in my speaking. I thoroughly enjoyed performing direct and cross examinations on our guest speakers like Judge Long, Judge Reiser, Dana Caudill, and Judge Bysshe. It was exciting to be introduced to a new world of law and being an attorney rather than being a witness (which utilizes a completely different skill set and set of muscles). While it was nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing, the support and feedback we received helped transform those feelings into confidence and determination.
Now that I have completed this internship, I feel reborn as a speaker. I have developed a new skill set and improved on my old ones, and I have learned many valuable lessons, such as “don’t be afraid to ask dumb questions.” This internship has started the metamorphosis of me, being the caterpillar that I was, turning into a confident butterfly that can flourish in its environment anywhere.
Arianna Horton
I am a junior at Santa Susana High School. I have been in Mock Trial for 3 years now and have competed in 4 competitions. Through my Mock Trial experience, I came across the DK Law Group internship opportunity that they offered to high school students in mock trial. At first I was reluctant to sign up because I had felt so inexperienced, but nonetheless decided to apply to give it a go. I was over the moon when I was offered a spot to be an intern for the summer.
At the start of the internship, I was extremely nervous. I knew I wasn’t a strong impromptu speaker or able to think on-spot, but being a part of this internship has helped me push past my boundaries and overcome my fears. They have pushed us out of our comfort zones, to help each of us grow in our own ways. For example, we have had many “advocacy battles.” Having to go up and talk about a given topic for 3-5 minutes with little notes has helped us develop an important skill set for any good advocate. Another way we learned to step out of our comfort zones was when we questioned our guest speakers. We were given almost no information about these speakers and were forced to ask them questions about their life, their career, and the steps they took to becoming who they are. We have had amazing opportunities to talk with some people such as Judge Long, Attorney John Light, and Attorney Panda Kroll, just to name a few. Through these challenges, I feel that I have grown from who I was at the beginning of the summer. Being able to talk more without being so nervous, or thinking more on the spot.
Being able to be an intern at DK Law Group this summer was such an amazing opportunity. Through this internship, I have learned that there is much more to the legal process and the making of a trial. It has further increased my interest in the field of law and helped me move one step closer to becoming a lawyer. I have developed great friendships with my other fellow interns and am happy that they were here with me to experience this as well. This internship has helped me so much as an individual, and I plan to apply the skills I learned to my everyday school life. Thank you to our mentor Hunter, and our other guest mentors, for helping us and guiding us this summer. I highly suggest if you are thinking about pursuing a career in law, that you apply for this internship. Thank you DK Law Group for this incredible opportunity!
