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: Thanks, But No Thanks.

In Which I Go to Jail.

Tomorrow, I go diving into the real world* head first. I'm externing at the county jail.

Yeah. Me. The jail.

NoSchool has a really cool program where our desperately overworked public defenders take on third year interns for 8 weeks. The benefit for the public defenders: free labor, an ease on the caseload, someone to get coffee. The benefit for us: units, experience, awesome stories about jail. The terrifying hitch: our state has very loose practice rules, so in 2 weeks, I'll be in court defending my own clients.

To say that I am horrified at this prospect would be an understatement. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Public service! Practical experience! Cocaine addictions! That was when I thought I had several more weeks before hitting the ground running. But no: work starts tomorrow, which means that I have to iron a suit, put on my most reassuring face, and ohGodno learn something about criminal defense before Monday afternoon. People will look at me and think I am a lawyer. And Internet: I am not ready for the responsibility of another human being's freedom. I am barely ready for the responsibility of ironing my own suits.

Unfortunately, it is too late to drop out and get a phD. Believe me, I checked. On the upside: it will give me something to blog about.

Stay out of trouble, kids. Believe me, you do not want to see this face on the other side of the table.

*OK, the practice real world.

Full post as published by Thanks, But No Thanks. on August 30, 2009 (boomark / email).