Blog 17: Fourth Interview Questions

1. What is your procedure when you first get a case?
2. What kind of questions do you ask when getting their side of the story?
3. What must someone look for to make sure a report is fair?
4. How does a plea bargain work?
5. Can you explain the different pleas?
6. What are motions?
7. What are the more typical offenses in misdemeanors?
8. How much time should an attorney spend on a case at minimum?
9. What are some of the things needed to research more on the case?
10. If your client truly believes he is innocent and would rather go to trial, what are some of the step you take to gather information?
11. Why would an attorney appeal to the jury emotionally rather than factually?
12. What do you do if a witness or the client himself says something that "screws him over"?
13. What are some strategies when at court?
14. What are some advice you give clients when going through a difficult time?
15. What are some questions clients ask when checking for experience of their attorney?
16. What do you do if you enter a trial you truly believe won't benefit your client?
17. What are some ways to improve the public image of public defenders?
18. What advice would you give to new attorneys?
19. What mindset should an attorney have when speaking with a client? At court?
20. How can a defense attorney best defend a client in court?
21. Is there anything else that you believe people should know to better understand your profession?

Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

1. What is the best way a defense attorney can defend her client in court? Why?
2. Are there different strategies or techniques used when defending a client in misdemeanors or felonies? If so, please list them.
3. What would you advise your client to do to NOT make their situation any worse than it already is?
4. How would you ensure your client got the mandatory-minimum, and not anything more if convicted?
5. Do believe mandatory-minimums are a weapon for prosecutors who want to be unreasonable and unjust? Why?
6. Can you give me some examples of a few times where a case was dismissed or anything that called for a plea bargain?
7. Can you give me any scenarios or cases that you wouldn’t mind sharing that I could use in my presentation?
8. What are some of your strategies when negotiating a plea bargain?
9. How would you know if you are getting a fair bargain or not?

Second Interview Questions (Revised)

1.  Who is your mentor and where do they work?

• My mentor is Ramiro Cisnero who works at the Pomona court building.

2.  What five questions will ask them about their background?

• What experiences helped you prepare you for the work you have now?
• What qualities were your employers looking for when you applied to work there?
• What were some of the most significant courses you took in college?
• Was there anyone to help guide or mentor you through your own path to become a public defender, and what did they help you with?
• What would you say would be your greatest achievement?
• What made you want to become a public defender?

Blog 4: Interview Preparation (Revised)

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  Why?

• I plan on interviewing Ramiro Cisneros because he is my mentor.

2.  You have to ask 5 questions.  What additional questions do you plan to ask? 

• I am interested in studying something akin to public defending. What can you tell me about it, or in other words, how would you describe it to someone?
• Is there a difference with public defending and just defending?
• From your perspective, what else could I study that would benefit me in on my Senior Topic? 
• What do you find interesting or exciting about your job? 
• What are some stressful moments that come with the job? 
• How would you deal with unruly clients? 
• What do you do when you don't agree with the point of view of a client? 
• Who else would you recommend I talk to? 
• What books should I read in this field?
• My last question is, what other kinds of activities should I do for experience?

Second Interview Questions

1.  I Have yet to find a mentor since my summer one has just informed me that he would not be able to help me during the school year.  A new potential mentor would be my first interviewee, Don Halili, who owns his own business.

2.  If I did currently have a mentor, I would ask him or her: 

• What experiences helped you prepare you for the work you have now?
• What qualities were your employers looking for when you applied to work there?
• What were some of the most significant courses you took in college?
• Was there anyone to help guide or mentor you through your own path to become an accountant?
• What made you want to become an accountant?

Blog 4: Interview Preperation

1. I plan to interview Don Halili because he is the accountant my parents meet up with. I plan on interviewing him because he would have a lot of experience in the field and it would help me start trying to talk to others professionally than relying on a relative. Interviewing him would connect me to other potential interview and a potential mentor.

2. Additional Questions: 

• What are some of the stressful moments that come with the job?
• How would someone handle an unruly client? 
• If a potential client was worried about fraud and other scams, how would you comfort and gain their trust?