Student Summer Spotlight #1: Misha Nishiki, 3L
Each summer, 红桃视频 students can be found across the country sharpening their lawyering skills through a wide variety of experiences. In this series, students share a firsthand account of their meaningful work in private and public agencies, non-profit organizations and government offices.
This past summer, I interned with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration鈥檚 (NOAA) General Counsel in their Alaska and Pacific Islands (Hawaii) Section Offices. NOAA is the federal agency tasked with overseeing the nation鈥檚 fisheries through the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), enforcing environmental statutes such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and managing marine monuments and sanctuaries such as the newly expanded Papah膩naumoku膩kea Monument.
As a legal intern, I researched and analyzed various environmental statutes, and had the opportunity to provide input on proposed rules and informal ESA Section 7 consultation. In Alaska, I wrote a research memo that explored how a recent court decision could affect the listing of a species as a distinct population segment under the ESA. In Hawaii, I assisted with drafting litigation documents on a challenge to a final rule promulgated under the MSA, and attended meetings relating to actions recommended by the Western Pacific Fishing Council.
Besides work, I was able to explore the unique environments the NOAA offices were located in. In Alaska, I hiked daily. One memorable hike was to the Mendenhall Glacier where I encountered a luminescent ice cave. I also experienced Alaska鈥檚 famous wildlife including: black bears, beavers, marmots, bald eagles, and running salmon. In Hawaii, I explored the islands鈥 unique marine and terrestrial ecosystems while hiking, diving, and surfing.
Interning for NOAA鈥檚 Office of General Counsel was an incredibly rewarding summer experience. The work I was exposed to was challenging, interesting, and cemented my aspirations to work in environmental law - specifically in the natural resource arena.