Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen (middle left) and Rutgers-Camden Chancellor Antonio Tillis (middle right) with interns at concluding luncheon. (Credit: Ron Downes, Jr.)
Rutgers Law students Jacob Honesty ’25 and Emily Konell ’25 were among six exceptional Rutgers-Camden students who participated in the 2023 Chancellor’s Mayoral Internship Program. Rutgers-Camden Chancellor Antonio Tillis founded the eight-week summer program as part of his “15 in 5” slate of initiatives introducing students to the wide range of ways to make a difference in public service careers.
Jacob Honesty '25 (Credit: Ron Downes, Jr.)
Jacob conducted research for attorneys and worked on ordinances related to the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). This included analyzing the legality (state and federal) of municipal ordinances, clarifying state statutory guidance, drafting responses to motions for litigators, and learning the city employee disciplinary rules and regulations.
He said, “I was fortunate to learn a lot from the staff of attorneys as well as the wonderful support staff members. The lesson which made the most impact on me in my time, however, is the importance of doing things the right way. During the course of the internship, I saw numerous instances in which opposing counsel made small mistakes and careless errors in which attorneys here were able to use to their advantage.”
Emily Konell '25 (Credit: Ron Downes, Jr.)
Emily worked closely with assistant city attorneys, observing legal arguments and depositions. She also reviewed and created summaries of case discovery and drafted memos and motions, such as motions for summary judgment and motions to dismiss.
“I've learned from my experience at the Camden Mayor's Office that a City is facing a wide range of legal challenges every day, including anything from sewage, to implementing new cannabis laws, and city code violations,” she said. “Being a city attorney means being a jack of all trades and being flexible and dynamic.”
Click here to read more about the Chancellor’s Mayoral Internship Program