Through support from a CCPD Summer Internship Stipend, this student spent the summer working in the Family Division of the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Kalamazoo County. Drafting legal memoranda, conducting research, and observing complex cases provided a closer look at how judicial decision-making differs from advocacy. The experience strengthened the students’ analytical and writing skills while offering meaningful preparation for law school and future legal work!

“Over this past summer, I served as a judicial intern for the honorable Kenneth N. Barnard at the Family Division of the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in  Kalamazoo County. Through working in this internship, I was privileged to take on some of the county’s more complex cases and diversify my knowledge across practice areas. Additionally, I grew to understand the distinct ways in which courts within the same county operate in comparison to one another in terms of case load and work distribution. Furthermore, my work provided me with an insight into the legal field about the types of thought processes necessary to analyze a case, as well as the differing writing approaches taken from the judicial standpoint in comparison to that of legal counsel.  

While serving as a judicial intern, my competence as a pre-law student grew through drafting memorandums of law and conducting legal research pertaining to ongoing cases. Furthermore, I established meaningful and rewarding relationships with those I worked alongside at the Court. I not only gained assurance in my capabilities to succeed in the legal field, but I also gained confidence in relying upon my coworkers when necessary, as well as becoming comfortable with constructive criticism. Most importantly, my experience has prepared me for law school and other potential employment opportunities within the legal field after I finish my degree at Kalamazoo College. I will forever be grateful to Kalamazoo County and the Career Center for Professional Development at Kalamazoo College for providing me with the opportunity to gain significant and influential legal experience as an undergraduate student.” – Ariadne Markou ’25