Julia Zimny - Gonzaga University School of Law

When I first walked into the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Idaho, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. As I became situated at my cubicle, one of the AUSAs addressed me and asked: “Would you like to be eased into it, or thrown into the fire?” With eagerness, I chose the latter option. Within the next couple of days, I was appearing in federal court with my limited license. I started with no confidence and an overwhelming amount of imposter syndrome which was quickly extinguished by the confidence my office had in me.

The Coeur d’Alene office is small, but every day I was met with attorneys and support staff that gave me experiences bigger than I could have imagined. I was provided with ample experience throughout my semester including but not limited to: appearing in court, creating arguments, drafting memos, watching body camera footage, observing investigations (free talks, witness interviews, etc.), interacting with FBI and DEA agents, visiting surrounding county prosecutor offices, sitting in on trainings, reading police reports, etc. Every day that I showed up to my externship, I showed up with something new to tackle.

While, yes, the work experience was very beneficial, I would recommend this externship placement based on the people alone. The AUSAs genuinely cared about my growth, and even hand-delivered me to the Kootenai County elected prosecutor and vetted me as a potential post-law school employee. Needless to say, I now owe my post-graduation employment to them. I am confident knowing that I am walking into my legal career with ample connections, vast experience, and people that I can call whenever I have a question. I would not have traded this part of my legal education for anything.

Julia Zimny

J.D. Candidate, 2023

Gonzaga University School of Law