In addition to being Public Defender, Matt Shirk is working on making sure his office is more visible in the community. Part of that initiative involves getting in front of students at Florida Coastal School of Law. Shirk recently spoke to a group of about 70 Florida Coastal students and encouraged them to volunteer at an area law office.
“The hands-on experience that you receive through an internship, a voluntary role or even a part-time position at either a private sector law firm or governmental law firm such as the Public Defender’s Office, is extremely valuable,” said Shirk, who graduated from Florida Coastal in 1999. “What you learn about in theory in a classroom is put in action in an office or courtroom environment and you come away with a much more thorough understanding of the process.”