Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund Spotlight: Julia Dohan, Colorado State Public Defender (Part I)

by Julia Dohan

The Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund (NPILF) Summer Fellowships provide a limited number of stipends to University of Nebraska College of Law students who secure public interest positions with a host organization that serves an unmet legal need.

3L Julia Dohan, a 2019 NPILF recipient, worked in the Fort Collins office of the Colorado State Public Defender during the summer following her 2L year. She received an offer from the Public Defender’s Office after interviewing with them at the 2018 Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair in Washington, D.C. In the Q&A below, Julia provides a glimpse into the work she did last summer and reflects on some of the things she took away from the experience. You can find Part II – where Julia writes about her first jury trial – here. Julia has accepted a postgraduate position with the Colorado State Public Defender and will begin working as a Deputy State Public Defender later this year.

What were your main responsibilities last summer? How did you spend your time?

My docket days, which included initial appearances, disposition hearings, probation hearings, and in-custody appearances, were Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-5. On the other days, I would negotiate plea agreements, write motions, and meet with clients to discuss the discovery in their cases and decide how we could reach the best resolution. Client meetings entail reviewing discovery files: reading through the charging documents, criminal history, witness and police reports; watching videos (surveillance/body camera); advising the client of the charges against them and their rights; collecting background information; listening to the client’s account of the situation; and determining their goals for the case and whether to plead or to set the case for trial. I worked on 154 cases in varying capacities over the summer, assisting 107 different clients. 

Do you have a favorite anecdote from your summer work?

I had a big-eyed hedgehog beanie baby that sat on my desk, and my supervisor has one too. The hedgehogs represented a trial witness who texted me nonstop on the day of the trial asking when she could come into the courthouse; wore tie-dye leggings to court; took a break from testifying because she was shaking so badly; and aggressively rubbed her little hedgehog while waiting on the jury. She said she could not have gotten through the day without me. And that little hedgehog sitting on my desk was a constant reminder to think of how someone else is processing everything in court. She was a character — a witness that I will never forget.

How has your summer experience impacted you or your view of the legal system?

Last summer changed me in many ways, and I have learned that the impact [of this work] is much greater than just the clients; their friends and families are relying on us just as much as they are. But even more so, it has reinforced the fact that I am doing what I was meant to do. It’s overwhelming and a lot of work, but I loved every minute.

Would you recommend this placement to others? Why or why not?

I would not just brazenly say that this is such an amazing opportunity that anyone would be lucky to have. This work is not for everyone. This work is for those who understand that different people face different challenges, that charges do not directly correlate with guilt, and that there is never too much creativity.

What would you say to someone who was considering making a donation to the NPILF fund?

Please donate to NPILF. This funding was such a blessing for me. I worked with other interns whose schools did not have similar programs who struggled and worked weekend jobs just to get by. I was able to dedicate more time to my work thanks to NPILF and, when I was not working, I had time to relax and enjoy my last summer break. The funding provided through NPILF is another fabulous way that Nebraska Law sets itself apart from other law schools.

You can learn more about the Nebraska Public Interest Law Fund (NPILF) and make a donation here.