Legal Support Co-Op for the U.S. Attorney’s Office - District of MA, Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit
Fourth-year International Affairs & Criminal Justice major Alejandra De Leon was always interested in the legal field and law school, but hadn’t initially considered a government career. After a rewarding previous co-op as a Information Governance Assistant with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office in Fall 2023, however, she realized this could be a new path for her. “My first co-op really helped me develop a passion for public service and government work. It taught me what to expect in an office environment and how to work within it.”
Alejandra worked in the law library during her first co-op, assisting legal professionals with research and learning how to navigate resources like LexisNexis and Westlaw. When an opportunity to pursue a job with the U.S. Attorney’s Office arose during her search for a second co-op, she jumped on it, feeling that the opportunity to work at the federal level would complement her previous experience working for the state government.
What was your co-op like day-to-day?
“Working with the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit, I had the opportunity to take on a lot of hands-on tasks, which was something I really appreciated. It helped me feel immersed in the office’s work,” Alejandra shared. She contributed to trial preparation for ongoing cases during her co-op, processing evidence into binders to help her team prepare for trial. Her daily tasks included reviewing documents and assisting attorneys with projects. Alejandra was able to expand her legal vocabulary by proofreading various legal documents, which helped her keep up with legal jargon when attending court in-person. The legal office, located at the federal courthouse, allowed Alejandra to watch trials and court hearings to complement her co-op experience.
What was your favorite part of the co-op? What did you find most interesting?
“My favorite part was experiencing federal prosecution firsthand,” Alejandra shared. “Being in the office and seeing how it all works day in and day out was incredible. The work we did in the unit was so rewarding.” She felt that the overall culture in the unit was incredibly supportive: “I was my unit’s first and only co-op, but there were other interns and co-ops in the office, and we often collaborated. It was a very team-oriented environment” she commented, adding that “it was a place where I was excited to go every day.”
What was the most challenging part?
“The biggest challenge was the steep learning curve. I was thrown into a lot of legal concepts I hadn’t been exposed to before. Even though I’ve always wanted to go to law school, there was still so much I didn’t know.” She acknowledged that while the learning curve was tough, the support from her peers and supervisors made it manageable.
How did the experience help further your academic and professional goals?
“The co-op was a perfect complement to my criminal justice coursework,” Alejandra said. “Being able to see how federal prosecution works has been incredibly useful in my classes.” She noted that her co-op experience has deepened her desire to pursue law school and possibly work in public service.
Were any professors or courses especially helpful in finding this co-op?
“Professor Elizabeth Britt’s ‘Advanced Writing for Pre-Law’ course helped me understand legal writing, and Professor Krista Larsen’s ‘Criminal Law’ course helped me become familiar with concepts surrounding criminal legal proceedings and relevant laws.”
How has your time at Northeastern helped prepare you for the role?
Aside from skills carried over from her first co-op and classes, Alejandra explained that there are various activities on campus that she’s participated in that impacted her second co-op experience. “Primarily, I did research for the Violence and Justice Laboratory for the School of Criminology. The research I worked on dealt with the health and wellness needs of minor sex trafficking victims,” she explained. “My tasks as a research assistant included coding datasets tracking human trafficking, conducting literature reviews into already existing research, and designing social media advertisements to promote survey participation.” This experience gave her great background information for understanding what human trafficking is, and aided in integration for her co-op.
Another on-campus experience that was helpful in co-op preparedness was her participation in Northeastern’s mock trial team. “I have been on the mock trial team since my sophomore year. This experience allowed me to understand what it is like to work collaboratively on a case. Preparing for competition is similar to preparing for trial as the team has to collaborate to come up with our case theory, exhibits to use, and review our case materials.”
You mentioned you still work for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. How did you continue working with them?
“The office offers a ‘Pathways Internship Program’ for current students, where you’re considered a student trainee,” Alejandra explained. “The application process is similar to any job—submit a resume, cover letter, and go through an interview.” After the process, Alejandra received an offer and now works part-time alongside her classes. “This semester, my schedule allows me to work about 15.5 hours per week.”
“Although I am not directly engaged in face-to-face conversations with victims, I work on aspects of their cases that ultimately impact their outcomes.” By working on aspects of cases that are ultimately sent to trial, she feels like she’s making a difference. “I not only serve the victims of crimes through this type of work, but I also believe that I am contributing to keeping others from being targeted as well.”
Do you have any advice for students searching for co-ops?
“My biggest piece of advice is to consider co-ops in fields or industries you may not have initially thought about. I never imagined I would work for the government, but I took a leap and explored this side of law—and it’s been incredibly rewarding.”
