By Sydney Mahan, Virginia Sea Grant Student Correspondent
This spring, two Virginia Sea Grant Law Externs compared fisheries management plans with local land use ordinances to see to what extent fisheries policy and local government align.
“We looked at multiple counties within a certain area and looked for similar terms or exact terms to see if we could enhance the county plans,” said Jie Hou, one of the spring externs.
While they are still working on their project, Hou’s co-extern Julie Cook said externship as provided them with a new opportunity to learn about fishery management and local governments.
“It was interesting to see how two different institutions have overlapping goals,” Cook said. “They don’t see eye to eye but are still able to achieve all those goals in their different plans and language.”
Both of these future lawyers will continue with this research during the remainder of the spring 2014 semester.
Jie (Jessica) Hou graduated from the College of William and Mary with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and a Minor in Accounting. She then went on to attend William and Mary Law School and will receive her Juris Doctor this May. Hou has worked as a Student Consultant for the Business Consulting Clinic, as a Legal Extern for Pierce McCoy, PLLC, as well as a Tax Intern at WTAS, LLC.
Julie Cook graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies and Minor in Legal Studies. She is currently a third-year law student at William and Mary School of Law and will earn her Juris Doctor in May. In the past Cook has been a legal extern for James City County Attorney’s Office, as well as a Summer Law Clerk at Smith Moore Leatherwood, LLP among other positions.
