Kassidi Thompson Witnesses Justice in Action at Massachusetts Courthouse

As she walked into the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts in Boston for the first day of a summer fellowship, Kassidi Thompson ’27 felt both empowered and at ease.  

“I was sure that I was in the right place,” she recalls of joining seven other fellows to meet their summer mentors. “The first conversation we had with Judge Angel Kelley was about the importance of taking a leap of faith in ourselves and having the confidence to step into spaces — like the courtroom — with a sense of duty but also belonging. This feeling followed me throughout my entire summer at the district court.”  

The first month of the competitive nine-week fellowship included legal research and writing courses and an assignment to Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton’s chambers. Thompson attended sentencing hearings and status conferences alongside law clerks and interns. She also helped prepare materials to be used for the judge’s sentencing proceedings.  

“I got insight into different public policy issues, including drug distribution and its contribution to drug addiction in Boston,” Thompson says. “As a first-generation college student from Boston studying Finance, Public Policy and Law at Bentley, I’ve always believed that understanding the law is inseparable from understanding how to create real change for real people. This fellowship was the next step in building the foundation to do exactly that.” 

Gaining Confidence for the Courtroom 

During the second month of the fellowship, Thompson gained another perspective of the justice system in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Her group worked on two investigations: one addressing healthcare fraud and another dealing with beauty spas connected to investigations involving health complications caused by cosmetic injections.  

“I got to speak one-on-one with leaders from multiple units and observe attorneys in practice during jury trial cases on charges including illegal exports to foreign countries, intellectual property disputes and medical malpractice,” Thompson says. “I also worked on FBI agent witness preparation for a homicide case, and acted as a mock juror to give feedback to attorneys on case presentation.” 

The tables were turned when Thompson tested her own litigation skills in front of a federal judge during a moot court competition. She gave her first oral argument before Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, arguing a hypothetical motion to suppress evidence on the grounds of Fourth and Fifth Amendment issues. 

“I focused on the Fourth Amendment as it related to what I argued to be an illegal search,” Thompson says. “During the summer, we worked through 17 cases to better understand the legal issues and write a brief supporting a motion to suppress evidence stemming from an allegedly illegal search and potential Miranda violations.” 

Though her team had only a month to learn about the case and write the brief, Thompson says the process was easier because of the fellowship and what she had already learned at Bentley. “Having Bentley classes in business law and legal research and writing, plus being team captain for the Bentley Moot Court Team, was helpful to prepare for moot court this summer.”

She specifically notes Senior Lecturer Emeritus in Law Franklyn Salimbene as a particularly influential mentor. One of his courses, English Origins of the Law (Law 145), included a week-long intensive study abroad experience in London after learning about the development of royal courts, early writs, the jury system and the constitutional limits on power that shaped both English and American law. “Professor Salimbene has played a huge role in helping me become more confident in this field. His courses are seminar-style discussions, so I was able to work on joining conversations and taking on leadership roles.” 

Leading with Purpose

Since her first semester at Bentley, Thompson has worked closely with Professor of Global Studies Rob DeLeo on several research projects centered on public policy issues. “Professor DeLeo’s course, Techniques of Policy Analysis (Global Studies 298), gave me an extensive introduction to research design and methods that ignited my passion for research.” 

She joined his team of research assistants for a multiyear project funded by the institution’s first-ever National Institutes of Health grant dedicated to understanding the impact of institutional trust on individual behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. That work informed her Honors capstone presentation on the impact of media consumption habits on people’s ability to make sense of crisis. 

Outside the classroom, Thompson has continued to build on leadership and public policy work. “Through my participation in the Bentley Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Center — including the Civic Initiatives Committee, Social Entrepreneurship Committee and now the Business for Social Justice Committee — I’ve learned how to work together toward a common goal and to make sure people’s voices are heard. This was especially important during the fellowship when we were preparing for moot court, and everyone wanted to get their point out. Working as a team isn’t about thinking you know everything; it’s about being open to learning more by listening and asking questions.” 

Believing in What’s Possible 

Thompson vividly remembers the day she found out about her acceptance to the fellowship program. “I woke up randomly at about 8:00 that morning and saw an email from the fellowship with a congratulatory letter signed by Judge Angel Kelley and Judge Judith Dein. I couldn’t believe it because I had applied for the fellowship the year before and didn’t get it.” 

She first heard about the opportunity through Career Edge, an online career platform for undergraduate students managed by Bentley’s Pulsifer Career Development Center. Given her plan to pursue a law degree, she had been working with Alyssa Hammond, director of undergraduate career development and a former practicing lawyer. 

“I knew I wanted to be a part of the fellowship and did in-depth interview preparation,” Thompson says of applying in 2025. “I was so upset when I didn’t get it that I almost didn’t try again this year. But I knew that getting experience in the federal court system at the undergraduate level is unique, so I pushed myself to try and was accepted. At that moment, I learned to never count yourself out of something you want to go for.” 

Today, Thompson recognizes that the fellowship was a professional steppingstone — and more. “The sense of community among the fellows resonated with me because there have often been times where I’ve felt I couldn’t be fully transparent about my personal barriers because someone might judge me. We have different identities and experiences, but a shared goal of pursuing a career in law.” 

Though her career goals have shifted dramatically over time, they have always been centered on something bigger than herself. This fall, she is an intern for Rep. Thomas M. Stanley at the Massachusetts State House. 

“I can’t say that I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer. As a kid I wanted to be a singer so I could use music to make people happy, but I’m not that good of a singer,” Thompson jokes. “But then history and economics classes in school helped me start to make sense of what was happening in my neighborhood, in my city and in the world. I realized that even though I didn’t have all the answers, I could find ways to give people hope. For me, that’s through a career in law, because everyone deserves a fair shot at a good life.”