PILI is excited to welcome Patricia Varona Garcia to our Alumni Network Leadership Council as the 2018 Law Student Intern Alumni Representative. Each year, PILI appoints one Intern and one Fellow from the most recent class to serve on the council for a two-year term.
Patricia is a second-year law student at the John Marshall Law School. She completed her PILI Law Student Internship at CARPLS last summer. As an Intern, she was able to interview, counsel and advice clients both over the hotline and at the help desks. She also conducted legal research, reviewed court documents, drafted demand letters and drafted legal pleadings for self-represented litigants.
“Being a PILI Intern made me realize how much of an impact I could make by helping people that lack the resources to obtain legal representation,” said Patricia. “I truly enjoyed being able to use my Spanish language at CARPLS to assist clients with their legal issues.”
Before law school, Patricia worked as transportation specialist in the United States Army for five years. As a law student, she has been helping clients through John Marsall’s International Human Rights Clinic, writing an article for the Review of Intellectual Property Journal and taking part of the Intellectual Property Moot Court Team. She is also a Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois Scholar and a Barrister’s Scholar.
Patricia feels like one of the best takeaways from her PILI Internship was her ability to talk to clients who are going through difficult situations. She also actively participated in PILI’s events and programs. “I truly enjoyed being able to attend the events and being able to meet other PILI Interns and Fellows.”