I personally have not taken advantage of the opportunity to serve as a judicial extern. However, after talking with classmate Skyler Silvertrust about his personal experience as an extern, I have gained a better understanding of the position.
Skyler found his externship for Judge Jeffrey Cole, a Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, to be one of the most positive and useful law school experiences thus far. During his experience as a judicial extern, Skyler researched and drafted a variety of pleadings, ranging from motions for summary judgment, to discovery disputes concerning numerous legal issues.
For Skyler, drafting an opinion, or part of one, was initially a daunting task. He was essentially being asked to play a pivotal role in a real case. It can be difficult to make a decision after reading convincing briefs from both sides because there isn’t necessarily a “right” answer to every legal issue. Skyler learned that as an extern you must do the necessary independent research in order to be as instructive and clear as possible when applying the law to a particular set of facts. .
Skyler considers draft opinion writing time consuming, yet beneficial for growth in understanding the law and developing legal writing skills. He has personally seen his writing skills improve tremendously since working as an extern. Skyler gained writing experience that would not have been available to him at a firm job.
In addition to the legal writing experience, the externship has offered the opportunity to observe court proceedings as well as the interactions of lawyers and judges in the courtroom. Although judges’ personal styles vary, you can quickly pick up by observing in chambers what techniques help or hurt the way you represent your client. Avoiding clerical errors and doing your research, which may not be apparent to a young lawyer, go a long way in establishing credibility and professionalism. For example, attaching copies of exhibits to motions with tabs, and supporting your arguments with precedential authority from the relevant jurisdiction are two ways you can put yourself ahead of even the most seasoned attorneys.
The judicial externship offers students a unique opportunity to experience behind-the-scenes aspects of judicial decision-making. If you are interesting in having the opportunity to observe actual cases, draft opinions, and work directly with a judge, please take advantage of this great opportunity. For complete program information and requisite qualifications visit the externship website at https://externshipatjmls.org/.