A Look Into My Internship With the NCDOJ Medicaid Investigations Division
I looked forward to my first summer for my entire 1L year. I frequently heard older students and mentors describe their first summers as the moment when all the pieces fell together. Heading into their second year of law school, they felt a deeper understanding and appreciation for the work they do while in school. Now, at the conclusion of my first summer and the early stages of my 2L year, I echo those sentiments.
I spent this summer interning with the North Carolina Department of Justice Medicaid Investigations Division. MID represents the interests of the citizens of North Carolina, particularly as they relate to the health care industry. The bulk of MID’s work involves investigating and prosecuting Medicaid fraud; they also handle patient abuse cases in Medicaid-funded facilities across North Carolina. MID’s work is critical for protecting the integrity of the Medicaid system and guarding state and federal funds from bad actors.
I was eager to work with MID and explore what I now know is an interesting, and often overlooked, area of law. My experience was enriching, and it allowed me to practice the skills I developed during my first year at Campbell Law. More importantly, however, this summer was the first chance I have had to engage in meaningful legal work for the benefit of my community. Since beginning law school, I have been eager to apply my developing legal skills in a practical and useful way. My internship with MID was an excellent opportunity to do so, and I am grateful I could spend my summer in this way.
As a first-year student, I worried my first internship would be mostly comprised of busywork. Fortunately, that was never the case working with MID. My duties related to real, ongoing cases with extremely high stakes. Before starting my internship, I was somewhat familiar with Medicaid fraud investigations, but I did not realize just how widespread fraud, waste, and abuse is throughout both the Medicare and Medicaid systems. I learned about health care law, compliance, and regulatory law, and I applied that knowledge in practical ways. When new allegations of fraud or patient abuse were submitted to MID, I reviewed the intake documents and practiced making recommendations on whether to proceed. I also performed research on a variety of legal issues — including the Daubert standard for admitting expert testimony and applicable defenses — as well as issues particularly related to the health care industry, including qui tam cases, whistleblower protections, the False Claims Act, and Anti-Kickback Statute violations. I drafted and edited litigation hold letters, civil investigative demands, and complaints, gaining a greater familiarity with legal writing with each document. I also attended court hearings, criminal pleadings and sentencings, case review meetings, and interviews of subjects.
One of the most exciting projects I handled was also the most edifying. During the first week of my internship, I had the opportunity to work on a particularly interesting False Claims case. Throughout the summer, I frequently returned to that case as the attorneys prepared for litigation. It was rewarding to be involved in a single case for so long. With each completed task, I could see the direct impact my work had on the direction of the case. I completed several research and drafting tasks for the team; I also began a legal memorandum for the court, attended a hearing at the federal district courthouse, and watched several depositions of expert witnesses. Each practical experience allowed me to see the importance of the foundational skills I developed during my 1L year.
Although I found the subject matter exciting, the undisputed highlight of my summer was working with the attorneys and investigators at MID. I learned about the government’s approach to health care fraud and abuse cases and enjoyed speaking with the investigators about their work. The attorneys I worked with relied on me to produce high-quality work in a timely manner while trusting me to handle critical and confidential information appropriately. Their trust was empowering and gave me increased confidence in my own abilities. Each attorney I met was genuinely interested in my future; I gained a mentor and several friends with whom I intend to remain connected for years to come.
My summer was not “all work and no play.” The North Carolina DOJ’s internship program is a comprehensive and rewarding experience. Throughout the summer, NCDOJ cultivated opportunities for interns from each division to interact with each other. I met students from other law schools and enjoyed hearing about their divisions, backgrounds, and interests. We also had several opportunities to take “field trips” around the state. We visited the State Crime Laboratory, the Justice Academy in Salemburg, the Highway Patrol Headquarters, the State Archives, Central Prison, and several more. In addition, NCDOJ offered opportunities to attend a variety of events, including lunch with Attorney General Stein and the all-DOJ training. I ended the summer with exciting new professional connections and an appreciation for the capabilities and the impact the NCDOJ has on practically every aspect of life in North Carolina.
An NCDOJ internship is an excellent summer opportunity. I would encourage every law student to consider working with the NCDOJ. There are numerous divisions to choose from and opportunities to experience nearly any type of law. More importantly, it is an opportunity to meaningfully serve the citizens of North Carolina.
This summer was a time of tremendous professional and personal growth for me. My time with MID granted me a closer look at and a deeper appreciation for what it means to be a public servant. Working in a public service position is not always feasible without financial support; it can be challenging or impossible to pursue a volunteer summer internship as a student. This opportunity certainly would not have been possible for me without the support of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Government and Public Sector scholarship. By offering this support, NCBA ensures that law students can benefit from valuable public service experiences like the one I had this summer.
Emily Jacobson is a second-year law student at Campbell Law School. This year, the NCBA’s Government & Public Sector Section partnered with the Zoning, Planning, & Land Use Section and the Criminal Justice Section to provide joint scholarships to law students who show demonstrated interest in public service and who work in an unpaid summer internship in a federal, state, or local government office in North Carolina. Jacobson received a $1,200 scholarship to support her internship with the North Carolina Department of Justice Medicaid Investigations Division in summer 2024.