The Gould Cooksey Fennell Blog

Thank You to Our Summer Interns

July 31, 2026
Gould Cooksey Fennell

Summer at GCF is never just one thing. This year, it included meaningful projects, good questions, new faces around the office, team lunches, Kona Ice, and a few fun moments along the way.

As the season wraps up, we want to thank our summer interns, Ethan Darnell, Ben Jamieson, Noah Marine, and Emma O’Riordan, for the time, energy, and curiosity they brought to Gould Cooksey Fennell. Each of them jumped into different parts of the firm, supporting work in personal injury, real estate, estate planning, family office services, marketing, and administration.

Before the summer fully gets away from us, we wanted to take a moment to recognize their contributions, share a little about what they worked on, and thank them for being part of the GCF team this summer.

Getting to Know Our Summer Interns

Ethan Darnell

Undergraduate
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
B.A., Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law

What projects, practice areas, or types of work did you spend the most time on?

During my summer internship, I supported the administrative team by auditing file inventories and updating software systems, while also collaborating with the Real Estate group on lease modifications and client development initiatives. Additionally, I worked alongside Personal Injury attorneys, where I assisted and shadowed legal proceedings to better understand litigation strategy.

What was your favorite thing you worked on this summer?

My favorite part of my time at GCF this summer was collaborating with the Real Estate team to review and modify complex lease forms. This hands-on experience gave me a fascinating look into property law and provide me with hands-on experience into the technicalities of contract negotiation.

What surprised you most about working at a law firm?

What surprised me most was how much teamwork and organization happens behind the scenes to keep a law firm running smoothly. I also did not expect to gain such immediate, hands-on exposure to diverse practice areas like Real Estate contract adjustments and Personal Injury litigation, so early in my career.

What are you hoping to do next after your summer at GCF?

Moving forward, I am looking to build upon the legal foundations I established this summer, both in the classroom at the University of Florida and with future hands-on experiences in the legal field. Through my time at Gould Cooksey Fennell, I gained valuable experience and insights to propel my remaining academic and professional careers assisted and shadowed legal proceedings to better understand litigation strategy

Ben Jamieson

Undergraduate
The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA
B.A., Economics

What projects, practice areas, or types of work did you spend the most time on?

I was able to spend a lot of time with the marketing director. I learned how marketing supports a multi-practice law firm, including the role our website and social media play in supporting client intake.

What was your favorite thing you worked on this summer?

It had to be learning about what drives a law firm’s online content higher in Google and AI search rankings.

What surprised you most about working at a law firm?

What stood out to me most was how helpful and involved everyone is. No matter what project you’re working on, people are willing to answer questions, offer feedback, and help you achieve the best possible results.

What are you hoping to do next after your summer at GCF?

I hope to continue gaining experience in the legal field by working at another law firm or taking some time to travel.

Noah Marine

Law School

Incoming 1L, St. Thomas University College of Law, Miami Gardens, Florida

Undergraduate

Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
B.S., Double-Major in Accounting and Digital Marketing

What projects, practice areas, or types of work did you spend the most time on?

I worked with the Family Office, Real Estate, and Estate Planning groups during my time at GCF.

What was your favorite thing you worked on this summer?

Writing real estate articles for the firm’s website taught me a lot about real estate in general. It served as an introduction to many of the forms and processes involved in real estate transactions. For the Family Office team, I also worked on a promissory note refinancing project, which gave me a challenging, hands-on look at transactional work. I loved the challenge that came with that project.

What surprised you most about working at a law firm?

It was not so much a surprise, but after working at GCF for the past seven or eight months, I confirmed my interest in studying and practicing transactional law. What did surprise me, however, was my developing interest in tax law.

What are you hoping to do next after your summer at GCF?

I plan to focus on my studies and work hard at St. Thomas University College of Law.

Emma O’Riordan

Undergraduate
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
B.A., Business Administration

What projects, practice areas, or types of work did you spend the most time on?

Throughout my summer, I completed various projects within the personal injury department including, but not limited to, closed file clean up, creation and organization of expert witness folders, file organization, and other day-to-day tasks assisting partners, associates, and paralegals.

What was your favorite thing you worked on this summer?

My favorite project I worked on this summer was helping to create a functional and efficient system for accessing expert witness data through our filing system. This project allowed me to be creative and think outside the box while completing a task that was beneficial to the entire firm.

What surprised you most about working at a law firm?

Working at a law firm for the first time, something that really surprised me was the incredible collaboration and partnership among everyone in the firm. I really value the fact that if someone needed help or advice on a situation, there were always three to five people ready to offer support and assistance. Everyone is very in tune with what is going on, and everyone’s priority is truly helping one another succeed and put their best foot forward.

What are you hoping to do next after your summer at GCF?

After my summer at GCF, I will be returning to the University of Florida to continue my third year of college. There, I will spend the majority of my time serving Chi Omega as the Philanthropy & Community Service Assistant and Sponsorship Chair, as well as serving with Young Life at Buchholz High School in Gainesville, while balancing my classes and other extracurricular activities.

Thank you, Emma, Ethan, Ben, and Noah, for a great summer at GCF. We wish each of you the very best as you move into your next chapter and have no doubt that you will continue to achieve great success in all that lies ahead.

About The Author

Gould Cooksey Fennell

Gould Cooksey Fennell (GCF) has proudly served Vero Beach, Indian River County, and the Treasure Coast for more than 70 years. As one of the region’s most respected law firms, GCF provides trusted legal representation in personal injury law, medical malpractice, estate planning and tax law, and real estate law. Our attorneys have secured multi-million dollar verdicts for accident victims and families while holding negligent parties accountable, and we also provide skilled guidance in estate planning, tax strategies, wills, trusts, and asset protection. In addition, our real estate team assists clients with residential and commercial transactions, closings, and property matters throughout the Treasure Coast. For generations, clients have turned to GCF for local knowledge, proven results, and a commitment to the community.

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