When Salma Solis packed her things to leave Clemson for the summer, she had to make sure she was prepared for two different experiences: interning at the South Carolina Supreme Court and taking classes in London on the Pre-Law Study Abroad trip.
A senior philosophy major with an emphasis in law, liberty and justice, Solis was pursuing opportunities to explore the legal field before graduation. When she discovered she may have the opportunity to do both in one summer, she didn’t hesitate to jump in.
The South Carolina Supreme Court internship is organized and funded by the Department of Philosophy and Religion. Philosophy Lecturer Cary Berkeley Kaye, who earned her J.D. at Yale University, serves as the internship advisor. Through the internship, Solis spent six weeks in Columbia learning the ins and outs of the legal system. She worked through case packets, doing research to aid justices’ decision processes; watched oral arguments; and visited a variety of courts across the state, including a municipal court, the Court of Appeals and a federal court, where she saw a jury trial.
Solis came into her internship with an interest in human rights law. As she observed court proceedings, she realized that access to the legal system goes beyond the court proceedings themselves.
“We went to a municipal court at one point and there was a guy who showed up at the end of the court session because he couldn’t catch the bus,” she said. “Luckily the judge was nice enough to let him come in and talk to her, but if it had been another judge they might have said no.”
“He could’ve ended up in jail all because he couldn’t catch the bus and didn’t have any other means of transportation,” she added.
Solis’ interest in human rights law is what led her to apply to the Pre-Law Study Abroad in London, directed by Pre-Law Advisor Tim Garrision. The program focused on the indigenous history of human rights. Through coursework, guest speakers and visits to historical sites across London, students studied the history of indigenous peoples’ rights– specifically how the rights were formed by English principles.
The study abroad course ended with a research paper where students were tasked with picking an indigenous group and tracking how their system of rights had developed over time. Solis chose to study Aboriginal Austrailains and highlighted the ways that the group was overrepresented in the criminal justice system, continuing to pursue her interest in the practical implications of human rights law.
Looking back on the summer, Solis noted how each experience provided more clarity as she thinks about the future. “One of the biggest things was strengthening the fact that this is what I want to do,” she said. “Study abroad is scary and internships can be scary, but everything worked out so well. That is because of Clemson and how awesome everyone was at the court.”
Clemson offers robust options for students pursuing law school and a legal career after earning a bachelor’s degree. The College of Arts and Humanities maintains a pre-law advising office and offers counseling from a professional pre-law advisor. This service is extended to students of all majors who hope to pursue law as a career, and our office provides the resources and support to prepare you for a future in law.
