Practice Section

Immigration Practice Section hosts Immokalee students at the courthouse

by indera demine, esq.

On April 14, 2022, the Immigration Practice Section, in collaboration with the Immokalee Foundation, hosted 19 students from Immokalee at the courthouse in downtown Fort Myers. This event was organized with the goal of exposing students to the various employment opportunities available within the field of law. We wanted the students to be able to see how diverse a law career can be. The students met with judges, lawyers (including a prosecutor and a public defender), bailiffs and representatives from the clerk’s office. The judges talked about their journey to the bench. Each speaker spoke about their journey in their careers, the challenges, and the rewards of a career in law.

The students had an opportunity to ask questions, explore the courtroom and even sit on the bench! We had one student who had the opportunity to wear Judge George’s robe and feel what it felt like to sit on the bench as a judge. Such an experience is life changing. For the students to see themselves in these positions is so important to reinforce that it does not matter where you come from or what your economic standing, you can achieve anything and be anyone you want to be. Many of the students come from immigrant families and had little exposure to the law. The students, while hesitant at first, opened up to the speakers, asked questions and even shared their future career goals. After the courthouse experience, the students went to the Collaboratory where they toured the building and met with Collaboratory staff to speak about scholarship opportunities available at the Collaboratory. This event would not have been possible, without the support and coordination from the 20th Judicial Circuit Court. We want to thank Judge Devin George, Judge Robert Branning, Clerk of Courts Kevin Karnes, Deputy Robert Cannata, Deputy Chaz Bucci, Assistant State Attorney Jennifer Justham and Assistant Public Defender, Sara Ghassemi.