In collaboration with Administrative Judge Suzanne Adams and Justice James d’Auguste, the internship program has expanded over the years. More than 400 high school, undergrad and law school students participated this summer and observed court proceedings, visited appellate courts, and assisted with legal research and drafting.
Interns are overseen by the judges for whom they work during the summer. As part of the program, the judges may choose their own interns, while others may prefer to have them assigned from a pool of resumes Justice Adams receives regularly.
The interns also participated in periodic “Lunch and Learn” sessions, featuring judges, lawyers and other professionals. The programs, curated by Kawtar Merfouk and Larisa Blinderman, provide opportunities to learn, network, and hear firsthand accounts about public service.
Guest speakers participate in Lunch and Learn, including former Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, Rolando Acosta, to Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for the Office of Justice Initiatives Edwina Richardson, a vast number of judges from New York and other counties, as well as lawyers from around the country coming to speak on a myriad of topics, including commercial litigation or transaction law, as well as aviation, insurance, criminal, family and entertainment law, as some of the topics interns have expressed their interests lay.
The following piece was authored by Jacob Daly of the University of Pittsburgh.
Mark Fava Lunch and Learn, moderated by William de Wolff
By: Jacob Daly, University of Pittsburgh
In Room 300, the ceremonial courtroom at 60 Centre Street, on June 24, 2026, Mark Fava came to speak to the New York judicial internship program interns for a Lunch and Learn. Mr. Fava is currently a Vice President and Ombudsman at Boeing and spent his career working in the aviation law sphere and serving in the Navy.
Mark Fava and William de WolffPhoto by Larisa Blinderman
The talk was introduced and moderated by William De Wolffe, a former law clerk for Manhattan Supreme Court Justice James d’Auguste, who is also currently working in the aviation law world as an associate at Condon and Forsyth LLP. Mr. Fava spoke on a wide array of topics, but centered the conversation around success, integrity in leadership, and the importance of mentorship.
As a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and with an extensive military and private practice career, Mr. Fava had plenty of anecdotes to share with the group about what makes a good leader, and more importantly, when stepping back and listening is the best option. From stories about his leadership roles in the Navy to lessons learned the hard way about dealing with others in the legal profession from his years in private practice, Mr. Fava’s attitude around integrity certainly inspired all who had the pleasure of listening. Learning about the importance of finding a positive mentor in the course of your career was another vital aspect of this lecture.
Mr. Fava spent a considerable amount of time stressing how important it was for young professionals and those starting their careers to seek counsel and wisdom from those who are more experienced. Keeping your options open to resources and advice from those who have had years and years of practical knowledge seems to be a critical piece in building a career in any field. All of us at this judicial internship program were captivated by Mr. Fava’s warm demeanor and sage words and thank him very much for coming to speak with us!