With his eyes on world justice, UR senior Sam Geller got a head start on that journey this summer through an internship at the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.

Geller served as a law clerk, where he tracked daily court cases, researched criminal records, and otherwise assisted in helping the staff meet its mission. The senior plans to build on his experiences within America’s legal system, aiming for a role in bringing criminals to justice in international courts.

“I think about what I can do to improve the system in any way to allow us to hold international criminals more accountable than they are now,” said Geller, a global studies major.

“You see people at the top constantly exploiting everybody around them, especially the poorest people and their nations — and getting away with it,” he said. “I’m interested in global power dynamics and politics.”

Geller’s internship, based in the Torrance office just 20 minutes from his Manhattan Beach home, was supported by a UR Summer Fellowship. The program funds students to intern or research in an area of interest.

“These experiential learning opportunities are an integral component of a student’s UR experience,” said Brendan Halligan, senior associate director of experiential learning, exploration and assessment within Alumni and Career Services. “Faculty-mentored research and internships help students continue to explore their academic interests while allowing them to cultivate the skills that will make them stand out as they pursue their chosen careers and prepare them to excel at top graduate schools.”

Nearly every shift for Geller started with reviewing the day’s calendar for the latest on active cases. He also monitored his assigned courtrooms, touching base often with the attorneys to fill any emerging assignment. The most interesting case he observed featured testimony from a police expert on L.A. criminal organizations, with details down to the meaning of the placement and angle of a gang member’s tattoo.

“Occasionally, I was asked to do a case timeline on someone to figure out any prior arrests or convictions — whatever’s on their criminal record — so the lawyers could use that information to build their case or to file a motion to strike a case,” said Geller, whose closing internship assignment compared domestic and international court systems.

“The lawyers in this office are brilliant — and they’ve chosen to do something for public service,” he added. “That’s been eye-opening to see how satisfied they are with their jobs and what they’re doing. I started thinking about how I could be more like them and work toward the public good.”