Trial by Internship

Katie Quigley spent eight weeks over the summer going to court. “I would go to trial every day,” she said. “Sometimes twice a day.” As the sole undergraduate intern with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Quigley attended four trials from arraignment to sentencing. 

From transcribing 911 calls and interview room conversations to contacting co-signers of bail bonds for information, Quigley assumed many responsibilities during her internship. “I was able to establish relationships with the assistant U.S. attorneys, and they would continually seek me out to help,” Quigley said. “I built a lot of interpersonal skills.”

Quigley was responsible for preparing trial materials for cases the office oversaw—printing and organizing thousands of pages of evidence, helping attorneys get up to speed on the material, and attending court. “It was really rewarding to see my trial materials used in court,” she said. “Nerve-racking, too! 

The Office investigates and prosecutes various criminal conduct cases involving violations of federal laws, and Quigley trial materials were used in several. One of note included U.S. vs. Htut, a conspiracy to assault Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations. “There were translators throughout the trial; it was so fascinating to witness,” she shared. Other trials involved a large wire fraud scheme and immigration violations.

With an international business concentration and a minor in Latin American and Iberian studies, Quigley has long been interested in learning about other cultures. She came to UR after spending a gap year traveling the world. “I wanted to live outside my house and understand how to do things independently,” she said. “I like to get out of my comfort zone and meet people different than me.”

While law school has always been on the horizon for Quigley, her internship helped solidify those plans. “Being in court and listening to attorneys opening and closing statements really confirmed my interest in law,” she said. “You are on your toes all the time—it’s exciting. Every attorney has their own style, you get to make it your own.”

Quigley is combining her business education and law interest this year through courses in International Business Environment and Business Law. She will take the LSAT this spring but plans to take some time after graduation before pursuing law school with Japan and Croatia on her bucket list.