Certified Legal Intern Honored as Volunteer of the Month

Michael Hernandez is one of the lucky ones. He has an internship at the San Diego County Public Defender’s office where he not only gets to learn about the law but also practice it in front of a judge and jury.

On Tuesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors honored Hernandez as a Volunteer of the Month for volunteering more than 1,200 hours in 16 months for that office.  

“He’s put in more hours than any other volunteer in the office,” said David Lamb, volunteer coordinator for the Public Defender’s Office. “He’s very rapidly becoming one of our finest interns.”

Hernandez, 25, who is in his last year at the California Western School of Law, has worked as a certified legal intern for 16 months and finds inspiration among the public defenders.

“I think criminal defense attorneys are the most warmhearted people,” Hernandez said.

The public defenders are trying to help people accused of a crime who don’t have the means to hire a private attorney.  Despite this, public defenders often get a bad name among the public who think they are only trying to free criminals.

Hernandez said public defenders are in fact helping the less fortunate and making sure their rights are defended. That’s what drew him to his career path.

It is rare for certified legal interns to have an opportunity to speak in court, but San Diego County is one of those governments that permit it under supervision. He has spoken in court and even argued motions for various cases.

In the spring, he worked between 20-30 hours each week at the juvenile court in Kearny Mesa.  This summer, he worked more than 40 hours a week downtown as part of the misdemeanor unit. Now, he is working felony court cases downtown for 16-20 hours a week.

Hernandez said he knows people depend on him doing a thorough and good job.

“I’ve had some cases where I go home at night and I think about how to write a better motion,” Hernandez said. “I just do everything I can to help the attorney I’m working with or help the client.”