Jake Casto has been interning at Gruel, Mills, Nims, and Plyman Attorneys and Counselors since the end of last semester.

Casto, a senior, approached Scott Melton, who is a family friend at church and asked him about finding an internship. The pre-law program no longer exists at Cornerstone, so he was on his own to find one.

“I wanted to experience it before I entered law school,” Casto said.

At his internship, he is Melton’s personal assistant.

“I do what he tells me to do,” Casto said.

He helped him do background checks and learned how to use trial director, which is a program the office uses to outline a case for the jury. He creates outlines for Melton. He also attended court sessions and depositions, which are interviews with people.

He learned a lot from being in the office with Melton and listening to him interact with clients. Also, by watching how he carries himself, he basically learned the professionalism of the job.

He learned how the trial director PowerPoint worked and how the legal process works.

“I gained a lot of experience,” Casto said.

The first case he went to with Melton was in a history court downtown which was interesting because he did not know anything yet.

“I got my cell phone and pocket knife taken away,” Casto said.

It was not a full case, so he sat through just the motion.

“As we walked back, it was interesting to listen to him talk about the relationships with the judges,” Casto said.

They ran into five or six people they knew including Casto’s sister and three people from their church.

“I realized the respect he has in the community,” Casto said.

They also met a homeless man on the way back. He said “I have a funny question for you guys.”

“Scott says, ‘OK what is your funny question?’” Casto said.

The homeless guy said, “Can I borrow $20,000 from you?”

“The whole experience was beneficial,” Casto said.

Casto is a senior now and is graduating in May. He is getting married at a beach on Sept. 12, to Alyssa Iverson.

He is planning on attending Thomas M. Cooley Law School downtown.

Casto also went to China over spring break with Brad Stamm, professor of business.

“God keeps blessing my future. I appreciate the blessings He has given me as far as marriage, career, relationship with Him and my family and all they have done for me,” Casto said.