While in law school I did a variety of internships with public defender offices. My first job out of law school was working for a legal aid office doing family law. I got tons and tons of in court experience that way. Many people can't afford to do contested hearings but our clients always could because it was free to them :) I probably have about as much contested hearing experience as someone who has been practicing three times longer than I have. Now that I have moved to San Antonio I hand pick my family law cases after ensuring me and the client will have a good relationship, and I also do criminal cases as well.