Cloughjordan Law Student takes on the US Justice System

It’ll be an interesting summer for Cloughjordan student, Jade Banaghan as she’s set to see the notorious US justice system from the inside. Jade, who is now studying law at Griffith College in Dublin, has been chosen as a Brehon Law Scholar and will spend the next five weeks in Philadelphia to work in the Court of Common Pleas.

Jade will get to sit in on real-life court cases in the Family, Federal, Civil and Criminal courts and learn about how to US justice system operates.

As well as learning about life in the US court, the students are also taken on a variety of trips including visiting a police station, a fire fighter department, going on a ride along with some of the local police officers and a marine boat tour. They also get to meet members of the SWAT and K9 departments as well as visiting some of the state prisons.

The internship is available to all students of the Law Faculty at Griffith College and to get chosen they have to go through a rigorous interview process.

The lucky six students are Jade Banaghan from Tipperary, Katie Prendergast, Lisa Fitzsimons from Glasnevin, Precious Abebe from Laois, Richard Donnelly Devine from Louth and Sarah Hayes from Dublin.

Jane Casey, an LLB student from Griffith College who went on the internship in 2016 said: ‘As well as making many friends who I am still in contact with, the Philadelphia internship was an invaluable experience in furthering my education in law. It is a once in a life time opportunity, and I will forever be grateful I got to be a part of it’!