Dominique Fry

Political Science and Law and Society

Cook County State Attorney Office

Why did you apply to intern at your particular organization?

I applied at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office for my summer internship because I want to go to law school after Purdue. I thought working first hand with some of the best lawyers in Illinois would be a great experience to see what I was getting myself into.

Describe your typical day as an intern.

On a typical day, I would pull the call for that day. That means I would grab all the files of the cases we would be hearing that day. Then we would go down to the courtroom. There I would check in police officers for trial and sometimes brief them on the case and prep them for the stand. Once everyone was there we would go through about 20 different cases in a row and I would help file motions and do background checks to help my lawyers.

What is the most exciting thing about your role?

The most exciting thing about my role was that it was my first time every being in the courtroom for criminal trials. It was exhilarating to see trials play out and also be inside the judge’s chambers during plea bargainings.

How has your internship prepared you for your career?

This internship really prepared me for my career by showing me what a typical day as a state lawyer would be like. This specific internship was really helpful to me because it solidified my desire to be a prosecutor.