Madison Tjalsma

I interned in Massachusetts with the Essex County Superior Court, under the supervision of Judge Salim Tabit. This court handles anything from criminal trials, civil cases over $50,000, and cases of injunctive and equitable relief. My experience consisted of observing court proceedings, discussing decisions and issues of law with different court actors, and doing other administrative work. Interning here built my confidence in my ability to pursue a meaningful career in the legal field. Thanks to the generous award sponsored by the Harris family, I was able to further my experience in law and learn about different aspects of the justice system with extensive guidance from judges, clerks, and other court officials. Working in the Massachusetts Superior Court has been an amazing experience that has only strengthened my passion for working in this field in the future. I have gained insight into all of the moving parts of the system, and seen justice served firsthand. Everyone here works so hard to provide for the people and the well-being of the state and it is incredibly inspiring to be a part of. I have also been able to apply the concepts from UW-Madison courses to tangible situations, which has proven the high standard of our university’s coursework is a great foundation to joining the legal world.