After speaking with several people in each of the possible fellowship choices, I chose the Safe Neighborhood Initiative in the Attorney General's Office. I was assigned to Roxbury District Court.

The whole experience was tremendous. From the very beginning, everyone at the Roxbury D.A.'s made me feel welcome and part of the team. My training in the office was exactly as any other newly hired attorney. I started in the first session, the arraignment session, the very first day, and spent only two days observing before I was able to start taking my own cases. By the end of the second week, I was left in the arraignment session on my own. I steadily worked my way through the pre-trial and motion sessions as well, taking all kinds of cases including drug possession and distribution, motor vehicle crimes, escape, assault and battery/domestic violence, theft crimes, and even cases that were eventually indicted in Superior Court. There was no upper ceiling on the types of cases that I was given to handle. I did plea negotiations, bail arguments, bail revocations, discovery work, motions to suppress, pre-trial hearings, and second sat another Assistant District Attorney at trial. Next week, I will be submitting a Memorandum of Law arguing the Commonwealth's position after a motion to suppress hearing I conducted a few weeks ago. Needless to say, the feeling of trust and confidence I got from the office, and especially the supervisor, Viktor Theiss, was exhilarating.

In addition to all of this, I was in regular contact with Marcy Jackson and Tim McDonough, the Assistant Attorney General in Roxbury, attended community meetings with them and was kept abreast of new developments. Using that information, I tried to incorporate the concerns of the community in the handling and dispositions of cases I handled in court.

I also want to inform you and the committee that I will be continuing to work in Roxbury Court this coming academic year. I was accepted into Suffolk's Voluntary Prosecutors Program, and after speaking with Ellen Caulo (the course professor) and Viktor Theiss, they have agreed to allow me to stay on in Roxbury through next April. Also, thanks to Marcy Jackson, I will be able to continue with my involvement in SNI-Grove Hall by going to community meetings, and assisting Tim McDonough with Roxbury SNI projects and cases.

I have you and the committee to thank for my excellent experience this summer, and for my continued involvement in the community this year. I can't tell you how much this opportunity meant to me. Please feel free to call on me at any time to help with the promotion of the Fellowship in years to come. It's the least I can do to thank you.