“Something I never dreamed I could experience while still an undergraduate student.” These were the words Daniela Forbes Bessa used to describe the experience that marked her academic journey. A fourth year Law student, Daniela became the first intern from the ADN Jurista Program to undertake an internship in a Court. The internship took place at the Local Criminal Court of the Court of Matosinhos over approximately three months, totaling 140 hours of direct contact with judicial practice.

“This experience contributed very significantly to a better understanding of the work of judicial magistrates, which confirmed and consolidated my intention, which already existed, to pursue this area of Law. So yes, I certainly see myself working in this field,” says Daniela Forbes Bessa.

She also highlights the impact of the ADN Jurista Program on her education: “The program helped and challenged me to build and improve skills that I believe are essential for my future, skills that go far beyond the technical dimension of Law and set me apart as a professional. Completing the program gave me the opportunity to intern at a judicial court, accompanying the daily work of a magistrate, allowing me very close, direct, and daily contact with the exercise of justice, something I never dreamed I could experience while still an undergraduate student. It was a remarkable experience in my professional and personal development and played a decisive role in consolidating my career choices.”

More than a program of the Porto Faculty of Law, ADN Jurista is a starting point for undergraduate students. It brings them closer to professional reality, challenges them through ethical and critical thinking, and creates opportunities for direct contact with legal practice.