My Summer Internship

Suzanne Camp, a woman with straight, long light brown hair, wears a white blouse and black jacket.By Suzanne Camp

This past summer, I interned with the Environmental Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ). Within the Environmental Division, I worked in the Coastal, Commissions and Administrative Section. I had a wonderful experience and learned a great amount. During my summer internship, I had the opportunity to attend a variety of North Carolina board and commission meetings including the Coastal Resources Commission, the Sedimentation Control Commission, the State Water Infrastructure Authority, and the Water Treatment Facility Operator Certification Board. It was fascinating being able to learn about the intricacies of how these groups operate and make decisions that affect our community. A great deal of my work involved drafting final agency decisions for the North Carolina Department of Justice that explained the legal rationale for a commission outcome. In these final agency decisions, I acknowledged the arguments made by the petitioner to the commission as well as the Department of Environmental Quality, and, ultimately, came to the correct legal conclusion in accordance with the Commissioners’ decision. I also worked on tracking legislative bill updates during the North Carolina congressional long summer session. Specifically, I monitored changes relating to the NCDOJ’s Environmental Division and updated my team accordingly. Moreover, I analyzed case law shellfish leases, riparian rights, and language that constitutes a frivolous claim.

Furthermore, the internship provided interesting opportunities to engage with the community and different parts of state government and branches. For example, interns had a few occasions to attend and watch the oral arguments in front of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Additionally, we had opportunities to take a tour of the Central Prison, the State Archives, the State Crime Lab, and more.

The Zoning, Planning, and Land Use Section Scholarship allowed me to cover more of my living expenses during the summer since the internship was unpaid. I was able to travel to visit my family for a weekend over the summer, which became affordable with this scholarship.

I was very grateful for the North Carolina Bar Association Zoning, Planning, and Land Use Section’s generosity.

I am not entirely sure of my career plans for after law school, but I would love to work in a field of law that relates to the natural environment. Specifically, I am very interested in land use and natural resources.

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