Beyond the Classroom: NCCU Law Student Gains Hands-On Civil Rights Experience With Ben Crump

For North Carolina Central University School of Law student Joy Kibobi, an internship with the law firm of nationally recognized civil rights attorney Ben Crump provided more than an opportunity to gain legal experience. It reinforced her desire to pursue a career in civil rights law.

Crump has gained national prominence for representing families in high-profile civil rights cases, including the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Trayvon Martin.
His work has placed him at the forefront of national conversations about civil rights, injustice and police accountability.

A Kenya native who grew up in Durham, North Carolina, Kibobi had long been interested in civil rights advocacy. She learned about the internship opportunity through Professor David Green, who recommended her for the position.

"When I heard that there was exciting opportunity available, I was like, yes, I don't care who it's with. I just want an opportunity to learn," Kibobi recalled.

After completing the application and interview process, she was selected for the internship, which ran from June through August. Kibobi worked under the direct supervision of attorney Chance Lynch '09, an NCCU Law alumnus. Although the internship was primarily virtual, Lynch's location in Charlotte allowed Kibobi to accompany him to court proceedings, press conferences and other legal engagements across North Carolina.

Her experience included attending proceedings in Mecklenburg and Halifax counties and participating in legal activities in Raleigh. She also had opportunities to interact with Crump, whom she met on her second day of the internship during a visit to Charlotte involving a police brutality case.

Kibobi conducted legal research, drafted documents and engaged with clients, particularly in cases involving allegations of police brutality. "As hard and as complex as they were, they were the most meaningful to me because I got to do a lot of client engagement," she said. She gained exposure to evidence preservation, filing claims, preparing letters of representation and coordinating the information necessary to develop a case.

"In law school, we tend to kind of get the facts in a nice little bundle, but in actual practice, you have to be able to coordinate with a lot of people just to get those facts, even before applying the facts to the law," she explained.

Kibobi credited Lynch with helping her strengthen her understanding of strategic case evaluation, client advocacy and trial preparation. Most importantly, the internship reinforced her professional aspirations. "I think that it definitely affirmed my decision to pursue civil rights law," Kibobi said. "It showed me that it's not out of reach for me." For fellow law students considering similar opportunities, Kibobi offered encouragement to pursue their interests, even when they may feel uncertain about their qualifications.

"I would say to take a leap of faith and apply anyway. Even if you feel like you're not qualified, or you don't feel like you would fit in or belong."