At the Trial Advocacy Program’s recent INTO THE COURTROOM event at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building, Trial Team member JOSEFINE BLICK became the third recipient of the Alex Alvarez Scholarship in Trial Advocacy.
The scholarship, founded by Trial Ad Program benefactor ALEX ALVAREZ of The Alvarez Law Firm in Coral Gables, recognizes students who have displayed extraordinary interest, talent, and effort in becoming a great trial lawyer and who have contributed significantly to FIU’s Trial Advocacy Program in and out of the classroom.
Josefine has been an advocacy powerhouse here at FIU. Most recently, she was part of the winning team of five students who brought home our second championship in as many years in the Florida Justice Association’sHon. E. Earle Zehmer Memorial Mock Trial Competition held in Orlando. In addition, Josefine is a Trial Team Ambassador, a senior staff member of the Law Review, President of the Women’s Law Society, a member of theH.T. Smith Black Law Student Association, a Kaplan Head Representative, and an Office of Admissions Student Ambassador. She has also interned for Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Rodolfo Ruiz, clerked for Wicker Smith, participated in the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic, and has been externing in the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office.
Pictured (left to right), Founding Director of the Trial Advocacy Program Professor H.T. Smith, Assistant Director of Trial Advocacy Professor H. Scott Fingerhut, Josefine Blick, Dean Tawia (Tay) Ansah, and Judge and Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy Miguel de la O.
“Trial Team and the Trial Advocacy Program are so important to me,” Josefine wrote, “because they help teach me and prepare me for my future as a trial lawyer. Being pushed to my limits makes me realize how far I can go, how far I can push myself, and how far I must go in order to be the best I can be – which translates into the best possible representation for my clients.” Josefine continued, “My Trial Advocacy experience at FIU has taught me the amount of effort and preparation that needs to be put into every single case. Because of my own life experiences, I have always wanted to help people who cannot help themselves. When I came to America in 2010, I realized the injustices that are part of everyday life in this country – and I wanted to do something about that. So much is broken in our criminal justice system, too much, and the poor and minorities are paying the price. I want to give people with no voice a voice. I want to fight for them. I want to fight for what’s right.”
A 3L, Josefine graduates next May and hopes to work for the Miami-Dade Public Defender.