Huckleberry_Zander
Huckleberry Zander
My Law & Advocacy Training
My Congressional Advocacy
I developed skills to effectively advocate on behalf of my client to congressional officials. To prepare for my meetings, I developed informative briefing materials with my team, which focused on improving the criminal legal system.
On Capitol Hill, we highlighted critical issues within the criminal legal system to congressional representatives and presented possible solutions. My team and I worked to ensure we had facts, statistics, and compelling stories to share with our representatives. After our meeting, we followed up with our representatives to call for further action.
Expert Witness Preparation
The Basics Of Oral Argumentation
I worked with a mitigation expert and my client to prepare them both for their testimony at trial this upcoming year.
I learned about direct and cross-examinations from real lawyers and was able to work with my peers to develop strong lines of questioning about different facets of the case.
How We Prepared Our Witness
I had the distinct privilege of learning from Federal Judge Adam Hunter, who provided invaluable insights on cross-examination techniques that became the foundation of my witness preparation.
Building on this guidance, I concluded my internship by preparing both my client and the expert witness for trial, conducting direct and cross-examinations alongside my peers.
My Legal Research
During this internship, I explored various aspects of the law and gained a deep appreciation for the role that research plays in legal practice. As a legal intern, I engaged with a diverse range of case documents, including motions, affidavits, grand jury testimonies, and discovery materials.
Under the mentorship of Brandi Harden from Harden Law | PLLC, I received valuable guidance on interpreting and understanding the significance of these documents in the trial process.
In preparing my client for trial, I meticulously examined legal documents and exhibits, completing extensive legal research to identify inconsistencies and gather supporting evidence. This thorough process informed the development of effective lines of questioning.
Internship Highlights
Brandi Harden is currently the Managing Partner at Harden Law | PLLC, a boutique law firm in Washington, D.C., focusing on criminal defense, civil rights, and family law. Ms. Harden is also an adjunct professor at Howard University School of Law, where she coaches the Huver I. Brown Trial Advocacy Team. Ms. Harden also serves as an Adjunct Professor at American University-Washington College of Law (WCL) teaching Evidentiary Foundations and Objections.
Ms. Harden has served as a trial attorney and a supervising attorney at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS). Ms. Harden also served as Chair of the Criminal Practice Institute, faculty for Summer Series training, served as a member of the PDS Forensic Practice Group, and led Felony Division-Trial Practice Groups. Ms. Harden has also worked for The Southern Center for Human Rights, The United States Department of Labor, and The United States Department of Justice, Antitrust Division - Computer and Finance Section.
Before entering into private practice, Ms. Pinckney served as a deputy chief of the Trial Division for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (hereinafter PDS). As a deputy trial chief, Heather Pinckney assisted in the management and day-to-day operations of the trial division and supervised over 60 attorneys litigating criminal cases in the District of Columbia Superior Court. Prior to becoming deputy trial chief, Ms. Pinckney served for 8 years as a staff attorney at PDS. She also served for 4 years as the chair of the DC Public Defender Service Hiring Committee.
Ms. Pinckney has also worked for the Educational Opportunities Section of the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice and the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and TransAfrica.
Ms. Pinckney has acted as a visiting instructor with the Georgia Honors Program and with the Southern Public Defender Training Center. She has also served as a guest lecturer at Howard University School of Law, American University School of Law, the David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC), and the Harvard Law School Trial Advocacy Workshop.
The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens is an organization dedicated to supporting individuals returning from incarceration through a strong national network, addressing their basic needs, and promoting successful reintegration. The Network emphasizes restorative practices, empowerment, and leadership among returning citizens to reduce recidivism.
Courtney Stewart, the Director of the National Reentry Network, exposed our team to the idea of the school-to-prison pipeline and the “War on Drugs” that targets Black men, women, and children, to a greater extent than others in our society. These issues also connect with the obstacles returning citizens face post-incarceration.
Mr. Stewart’s vision is to reinvest in safe and healthy communities, create more living-wage jobs, establish permanent housing, and develop economic self-sufficiency for returning citizens.
During his visit, he brought newly returned citizens to speak about their criminal history, reentry experiences, challenges with recidivism, and their lives before, during, and after incarceration.
Professor Sarah Stiles, a faculty member at Georgetown University, delivered an engaging lecture on the introduction to law and society.
Professor Stiles provided invaluable insight into the ways legal systems shape and are shaped by broader social, political, and cultural forces.
She guided us in understanding foundational legal concepts while encouraging us to think critically about how laws influence everyday life and the pursuit of justice.
In addition to her academic expertise, Professor Stiles shared her experiences as an educator and offered advice on studying law and building a meaningful career in the legal field.
During the internship, we had the opportunity to hear from a number of distinguished guest speakers, including Gerald Collins, a Federal Prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Mr. Collins provided invaluable insight into the role of federal prosecutors in upholding justice and ensuring the fair application of the law.
He guided us in understanding the complexities of prosecutorial discretion, case preparation, and courtroom advocacy, while emphasizing the importance of integrity and ethical responsibility in the legal profession.
In addition to discussing his work at the Department of Justice, Mr. Collins shared his career experiences and offered advice for students interested in pursuing a future in law and public service.