Law Clerk Externship Spotlight

By: Grace Bronson, Nonprofit Management Intern

Each semester, Center for Victim and Human Rights (CVHR) partners with the IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law: IUPUI to hire volunteer Law Clerks for hands on experience in working with a nonprofit legal services organization. This semester we have four fantastic women who are completing their externship with us, and we recently sat down which each to get to know them a little bit better:

Maitha Altamimi

Maitha is from Dubai in the United Arab Emirate (UAE). She graduated with her bachelor’s in law in 2015 and worked in Environmental Law before getting accepted as a Fulbright scholar to attend IUPUI McKinny School of Law. Her passion is focused on international human rights law and she would like to help create social change in society.  The most valuable aspect of studying law in the U.S has been being able to get practical experience and understanding the different perspectives of how the law is perceived and taught. She really appreciates the combination of knowledge and practice, which is why CVHR was her only choice when applying to externships. She hopes to one day start her own organization to help create social change and impact individuals. CVHR allows her new opportunities to learn different skills through going to court, sit in on client interviews, conduct research, and attend trainings. She plans on going back to UAE and working in a nonprofit. Maitha also volunteers for the Peace Center for Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Indianapolis, which focuses on refugees and post conflict survivors from Rwanda. Maitha is taking advantage of being in the U.S. by traveling and eating new foods. She self identifies as an addict of coffee and loves going to Starbucks.

Anna Zimmeramann

Anna is from Evansville, Indiana and graduated from IU Bloomington in Political Science and Spanish and graduated in 2017. She started law school at McKinney that same year. She is interested in immigration law from her experiences interning with her congressman and at Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic (The Clinic), and she currently works as a clerk for The Clinic. Law school has taught her to have an open mind and to conquer her fear of the unknown. She has used her fluency in Spanish to help immigrant communities who are often overlooked in our society. She values being able to connect with clients and learn from people who are different than herself. Anna wants to practice immigration law after graduation for a nonprofit or helping with visas. CVHR has been a great experience because she is getting exposure to civil legal work. She is better able to understand what all goes into civil procedures outside of the classroom. CVHR has helped with interpersonal and professional skills that she can use after law school. Anna also loves music, configuring cat puzzles, and baking with her new mixer she got for Christmas.

Caroline Bundy

Caroline is from Carmel, Indiana and graduated from University of Missouri having majored in International Studies and German in 2017. She came back to Indianapolis to study at McKinney Law School. Her dad is an Indiana State Trooper, so she has had the most exposure to criminal law but is interested in international human rights law, as well.  She really enjoyed doing Moot Court where she got to practice court proceedings amongst her peers. The Office of Professional Development has been essential for her law school experience and accessing resources for externships and alumni practicing international law in other states. CVHR was her first choice for this semester’s externship due to her past experience interning with the Prosecutors office working in the sex crimes and domestic violence department. CVHR has provided her the civil law perspective along with a cross-contextual understanding of criminal and civil law. She has realized in working with CVHR clients that the attorneys put a consistent emphasis on the care of the client, and not just the legal matters of the case. Caroline likes art, and specifically make-up, where she can be creative with her own aesthetic expression.

Madison Bowsher

Madison is from a small town called Steele, North Dakota. She graduated from The University of North Dakota and studied history and political science. She decided to go to law school because she wanted to help others and she believed becoming a lawyer would be the best way to do that. The most valuable part of her law school experience so far has been the real-world experience she has been able to gain in the legal field. This includes her externship experience, doing research, and writing assignments that provide a solid foundation of what legal work looks like. When she graduates law school she would like to work in the field of human rights. CVHR correlated with some of her past experience of working with victims of domestic violence and working for a nonprofit. She has learned a lot about civil representation and the differences between civil and criminal matters and domestic violence. She believes that civil legal representation is crucial for helping and protecting victims of all types. Madison enjoys reading, baking, and watching football.