School of Law Students Gain Invaluable Experience in the Semester in D.C. ProgramSchool of Law Students Gain Invaluable Experience in the Semester in D.C. Program
January 8, 2025
The UNM School of Law offers a unique program that allows select students to spend a semester in Washington, D.C. to live, study, and work. This experience allows participants to engage with judges, practitioners, and national political leaders, providing them with practical legal training and direct exposure to the operations of government.
During the semester, students work full-time at a nonprofit organization or government agency while attending a weekly class taught by a D.C.-based adjunct professor. In the 2024 fall semester, six School of Law students participated in the program, including second-year student Stella Leitner. “This semester has been incredible. D.C. feels like a playground for law students,” shared Leitner. She described the program as an eye-opening experience, highlighting the fast-paced work environment and the unique culture of legal practice in the nation’s capital. Leitner also shared how the program has provided her with a clearer understanding of her post-law school goals and reinforced that she is on the right path. “The city is full of attorneys who work at nongovernmental organizations, government agencies, private firms, on the Hill, the list goes on. They’re excited to talk about their experiences, especially with a student who came all the way from New Mexico. I’ve learned about career paths and areas of law that I didn’t even know existed. I feel very grateful to the School of Law for giving us the opportunity to spend a semester in D.C.”
One of the highlights of Leitner’s semester was attending oral arguments for Garland v. Vanderstock at the United States Supreme Court. Public seating for these arguments is notoriously limited, often requiring attendees to wait in long lines with no assurance of entry. Leitner described the experience, saying, “The public seating for oral arguments is first-come, first-served, and everyone lines up on the sidewalk next to the courthouse, right in front of the Capitol. My classmate and I got in line at 4 a.m. They let us into the courthouse around 8:30 a.m., and the argument started at 10 a.m. It was worth every minute of the wait. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argued for the United States, and she was phenomenal. The best part was, she delivered her argument more or less in the same way we learned to do oral arguments in school. For days after, I kept thinking, ‘I can’t believe I get to have the same job as her—attorney, that is.’”
While the Semester in D.C. program offers students invaluable hands-on experience, it also unlocks new opportunities and sparks inspiration. To learn more about the Semester in D.C. program, visit our website.
