Notes from the Field: Eric Jung '17

Eric Jung '17 is the Class of 1971 Named Intern for the 2014-2015 academic year. He interned at the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, Criminal Division during the 2015 winter term. The following is an excerpt from his internship report.

The Criminal Division of the United States Attorney Office's for the Southern District of New York spearheads federal litigation against issues such as securities and commodities fraud, public corruption, and terrorism, and essentially represents the United States in federal court, whether that be in US District Court, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and so on. Thus, the Office naturally plays a critical role in the public policy process and assumes an important function in the American justice system. Its impact on case and statute law, regulations, and the faithful upholding of the US Constitution has consequences on not just the US judiciary, but also the public policy domain as a whole. The current US Attorney for the Southern District of New York has been particularly involved with questions of consequential, national policy issues such as insider trading, public corruption, consumer financial protection, and international terrorism.

My primary duty was to aid the Assistant US Attorneys and their paralegals with case-related duties. These tasks largely consisted of arranging government exhibits and discovery motions, transcribing calls and witness evidence, preparing trial materials, writing subpoenas, redacting sensitive documents, sitting in on proffer sessions, finding incriminating evidence on prison calls, and acting as a liaison between the US Attorney’s Office and the Court.

The Office’s atmosphere is naturally intense and highly professional, and I found myself surrounded by exceptional attorneys and their agents from the FBI, NYPD, DEA, and so on. Since the Office’s jurisdiction is over Manhattan, fascinating and high-profile cases were always coming through the Criminal Division, particularly issues pertaining to financial fraud and international terrorism. The most rewarding part was to have the honor of making a contribution to the pursuit of justice, no matter how small, and to witness the trials in court firsthand!

I learned from the first day to appreciate each task, no matter how small. Interning at any institution comes with many clerical and administrative tasks that are not typically exhilarating. Some of my tasks included making scans and copies, assembling binders and collating exhibit tabs, and delivering documents to presiding judges in their chambers. No matter how seemingly mundane, all of these tasks taught me something in their own respect about the larger process.

After graduation, I'm interested in attending law school and pursuing a public service career. Working for the US Attorney’s Office helped to focus my academic and career goals, while providing valuable experiences and lessons.

The Rockefeller Internships Program provides resources for Dartmouth undergraduate students interested in leave-term internships in the fields of public policy, public affairs, and social entrepreneurship.