By: Daniella Fernandez
At the beginning of this summer, my community-based inquiry was centered around the criminal justice system, especially through the lens of a public defender’s office. I was interested in questions about fairness, access to representation, and how people experience the legal system when they can’t afford private attorneys. But partway through the summer, my experience shifted—I began interning at a personal injury litigation office instead.
At first, I thought this change would take me away from my original focus. But surprisingly, it’s done the opposite. It’s expanded how I understand justice, showing me that legal systems don’t just exist in courtrooms for criminal cases—they shape everyday life in ways I hadn’t fully considered before.
One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is the range of stakeholders involved. In personal injury law, the direct stakeholders are the clients—people who have been injured in accidents and are dealing with the physical, emotional, and financial consequences. These cases aren’t just about legal outcomes; they’re about recovery, stability, and sometimes survival.
On the other side are defendants, which can include individuals, businesses, or insurance companies. Then there are indirect stakeholders like attorneys, paralegals, medical professionals, and insurance adjusters, all of whom influence how a case unfolds. Compared to what I initially expected in a public defender setting, this environment feels more focused on negotiation and compensation, rather than guilt or innocence—but both systems still revolve around accountability.
This transition has also made me reflect more deeply on my own connection to these issues. Going into this summer, I assumed that justice was mostly about criminal law—about right and wrong in a very clear sense. But working in personal injury has challenged that assumption.
Now I see that justice can also mean making someone “whole” again after harm is done, even when the harm wasn’t intentional. I’ve realized that I used to overlook how complicated these situations can be. For example, dealing with insurance companies, proving liability, and documenting injuries requires a level of persistence and knowledge that not everyone has access to.
This has made me more aware of how privilege, resources, and knowledge shape outcomes in both criminal and civil legal systems. My growing interest in law, combined with these experiences, is helping me think more critically about what fairness actually looks like.
When I look at my research so far, I notice that many sources emphasize legal structures, policies, and statistics. That perspective is important—it explains how systems function. But something that often feels missing is the lived experience of the people going through these processes.
Whether it’s someone facing criminal charges or someone recovering from an injury, their personal story isn’t always fully captured in academic research. That’s the gap I’m becoming more interested in.
The perspective I want to bring to my work is one that centers those human experiences while still recognizing the importance of legal systems. I think this matters because it helps connect theory to reality. Laws don’t just exist on paper—they impact real people in very real ways.
Through both of my internship experiences, I’ve also started building relationshipsthat are shaping how I see my future. Even though my placement changed, I’ve still been able to connect with professionals who are guiding me, answering my questions, and exposing me to different sides of the legal field.
I do see myself maintaining some of these relationships beyond the Global Scholars experience. Not just for networking, but because these are people who have already influenced how I think about my career path. Staying connected means continuing to learn from them and possibly opening doors in the future.
Overall, this shift in internships has made my community-based inquiry more dynamic than I expected. Instead of sticking to one perspective, I’ve been able to compare different areas of law and see how they intersect.
If anything, this experience has shown me that justice isn’t one-dimensional. It looks different depending on the situation, the people involved, and the systems at play. And understanding that complexity is what makes this inquiry feel meaningful.
I’m still figuring out where I fit into all of this, but I know one thing for sure—I’m no longer looking at these issues from the outside. I’m starting to understand them from within.
HSF House Blogs 