MEMPHIS LAW STUDENT INTERNS AND EXTERNS RECOGNIZED BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE By: Steve Jones
Five Memphis Law students received some memorable, real-life legal experiences through the Honors Prosecution Externship Program at the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office in 2014. One student, Paige Munn, even found herself sitting second chair in a murder trial that later resulted in a guilty verdict.
The externs – Paige Munn, Kevin Brown, Christopher McKnight, Brad Reasonover and Megan Welton –
That has meant practicing in a courtroom setting
recently took turns working on their direct examination
a witness, as they did when Nichols had them
skills in simulated preliminary hearings with prosecutors
participate in pretrial interviews with the state’s star
as their tutors and Memphis Police Department Vice
witness – veteran police detective Tony Mullins – in a
Squad officers as their witnesses.
triple-murder case.
“Most law-student training usually comes from mock
The students also reviewed actual crime-scene photos,
with real officers or learning how to “pretrial”
trials where law students play the part of witnesses and
diagrams and other evidence that would be used
“I hope they benefit half as much by being here as
‘testify’ about made-up facts,” said Assistant District
in the trial. (The defendant later was convicted as
we do from having them here,” said Shelby County
Attorney Steve Jones, the DA’s training director who
charged and was given three death sentences.)
District Attorney General Amy Weirich. “They provide
served as judge in the courtroom exercise. “This was an
Nichols also took the externs on a field trip, two
invaluable assistance to our office, to the public we serve
incredible exercise because the students got to question
blocks away at the offices of the Ballin Law Firm, to
and to the justice system.”
real police officers about their actual cases.”
hear a defense perspective on what makes a good
Daniel M. Schaffzin, assistant professor of law and
The setting was a General Sessions Criminal Court
director of experiential learning at the University of
courtroom after work hours and the facts were drawn
Megan Welton, one of the externs, said the program
Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, said the
from actual cases involving prostitution and criminal
serves as an important bridge between the classroom
externship offers students an opportunity to learn from
simulation. Playing the role of defense attorneys were
and the courtroom. “Law school teaches its students
some of the most skilled prosecutors in the country.
prosecutor Austin Scofield and Deputy District Attorney
issue spotting, procedural and evidentiary rules,
General Jennifer Nichols, an adjunct professor whose
and how to analyze cases,” Welton said. The Honors
District Attorney General’s Office and the University
“classroom” is the Criminal Justice Center at 201
Prosecution Externship at the Shelby County DA’s
of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law have
Poplar.
Office provided all of us externs with an opportunity
“Building on years of partnership, the Shelby County
created a course that allows the Honors Externs to live the life of a prosecutor,” Professor Schaffzin said.
prosecutor.
to gain practical experience with the support and Deputy District Attorney Nichols’ externship
guidance of supervising attorneys.”
seminar course complements the students’ hands-
He said the combination of supervised practice and
on externship by addressing procedural, ethical and
classroom training — also at 201 Poplar — has created
practical issues that prosecutors face. “My goal is
an environment that is “experiential learning at its
twofold,” said Nichols. “Number one, don’t bore the
absolute finest.”
externs, and number two, show them what we do in a realistic way.” 10