McKinna’s Experience:
During the spring of 2024 my mom made me apply to a camp called “Supreme Court in My Hometown”. Though I was accepted, I worried that it would be a bunch of kids stuck in a classroom in wooden, rickety desks staring at a presentation and taking notes while we are being lectured. Safe to say that was not the case!
Those 2 weeks turned out to be a wonderful and enlightening experience. Hometowns was interactive, it was fun, it was unforgettable, and I cannot recommend it enough! Everyone involved really showed their passion and willingness to help us understand the federal courts and the featured cases. Whether through guest speakers or field trips, the time I spent was not time wasted. I made friends and connections with fellow high school students, college students, teachers, lawyers, and judges.
During Hometowns, I met the incomparable Federal District Judge Curtis L. Collier. Judge Collier is always willing and eager to get involved in his community. He is practically a walking dictionary, full of information and wisdom, and always there to answer any and all questions (which I am grateful for because I sure had a lot). At the end of the program, Judge Collier gave me his business card, and I kept in contact with him. I emailed him questions regarding cases I was learning about, Mock Trial, and even updated him on my life (I dressed up like a Founding Father for Halloween). When I neared the end of my semester, I asked Judge Collier if he would be willing to let me intern with him over the summer.
He said yes!
The summer of 2025 has been the most memorable summer! During my time at the Federal Courthouse, I have kept busy (a good busy). I expected to run errands, get coffee, copy files, and perform tedious tasks and then afterwards watch a court proceeding. Thankfully, it hasn’t been like that at all. At the courthouse, Judge Collier’s chambers arranged for the interns to go on field trips. We went to Bankruptcy Court, the U.S. Attorney’s office, the Federal Defender’s office, and Tennessee State General Sessions Court where we engaged with local attorneys. The other interns and I also learned about the law. We attended weekly meetings during which we discussed the content of preassigned readings of court procedures and cases and their impact. These sessions were planned and hosted by a judge, so I met and talked to every judge at the federal courthouse at least twice. I drafted papers such as sentencing memos, a plea colloquy, and court orders. I also watched court proceedings Judge Collier presided over and even had the chance afterwards to discuss what I had observed.
This internship appealed to my Type A personality—I organized books, grouped filing cabinets, and helped plan events. I can safely say that I have a good relationship with the other interns and clerks in chambers and I dread when the clock hits 2:30 and I have to go to work in my local mall.
Another assignment I prepared was a presentation on the Ed Johnson case, the case I learned during the Hometowns program, for a “movie lunch”. The materials I received during Hometowns (yes, I kept them, and I will not be throwing them away) helped me properly prepare. I confidently presented the details of the case along with the help of Emma Ford, a fellow Hometowns alum, and Bella Craig, a Hometowns mentor, who were both interning with Judge McDonough. The Hometowns program helped me become more confident and well versed in what I needed to present, and I was glad to have that experience under my belt.
One of the many, many reasons I am glad I participated in Hometowns and this internship is that they helped cultivate my interest in law. Since 8th grade I have wanted to become a lawyer, but pursuing law is not a decision to be made on a whim. Choosing a profession is a big and important choice—it will affect how the rest of my life will pan out, and I want to know what I am getting into before I waste time and resources. The weeks I spent in Hometowns and interning for Judge Collier helped cement my dream to go into the legal profession.
I absolutely recommend the Supreme Court and My Hometown program and any internships or other similar experiences. You can get a taste of your possible future, meet people and ask them questions, connect with fellow peers who have similar interests, and make memories that you will never forget!