Class of 2022 builds on Notre Dame Law School’s strong tradition of securing internships | News | Law School

Notre Dame Law School has always had a strong track record of graduates earning coveted judicial internships. The Class of 2022 continued this tradition with a significant increase in internship placements.

More than 23% of 2022 graduates accepted an offer to clerk for a judge, earning a total of 59 internships – 49 with federal courts and 10 with state courts. According to data from the American Bar Association, ND Law’s class of 2021 ranked 12th among U.S. law schools in earning federal internships, with 9% of graduates entering federal internships after earning federal internships. their degree.

“At Notre Dame Law School, we are proud to be recognized for our weight above our weight in internships, and we are actively working to further build that reputation,” said Vincent Versagli, Director of Career Development. of the law school.”The success of the Class of 2022 is a prime example of this effort.”

Internships are prestigious and competitive job opportunities. Paralegals learn to effectively advocate for themselves, hone their legal reasoning and writing skills, and become familiar with a wide range of legal practice areas. Trials at the trial court, in particular, provide experience interacting with local attorneys. The secretariat also offers the opportunity to develop a lifelong mentoring relationship with a judge.

Jaylen Amaker ’22 JD is clerk for Judge David J. Hale of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He will then serve as clerk to Judge Denny Chin of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit during the 2023-2024 term.

“I applied for an internship because I value mentoring. The judges are the best in the profession, and I wanted the opportunity to learn from the hands of a master. I also wanted to join an intern family of lawyers from different law schools, geographies and practice areas,” Amaker said.

“This opportunity is going to change my life and inspire and touch the lives of an entire generation,” he said. “The hope is that my story and experience will inspire children in my community to strive for a life off the beaten path, recognize their potential, and pursue their dreams.”

Faculty support for internships

The Law School’s Career Development Office and faculty-led internship committee provide a strong level of support for students interested in internships and guidance throughout the application process.

Members of the Faculty Clerkship Committee help students decide if a clerkship is right for them. They then help students develop an application strategy based on each student’s career goals and aspirations.

The Career Development Office works with students throughout the application process and sends all internship applications free of charge. Faculty members arrange mock internship interviews for all students who are invited to interview a judge. Additionally, students who are awarded internships have the opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty member to prepare for success in chambers.

John P. Murphy Foundation law professor Nicole Stelle Garnett, who chairs the internship committee, said, “At Notre Dame, we are committed to helping all interested students secure an internship and get started on the first day. day. All of us who have been clerks understand what a wonderful and transformational experience being a clerk can be. We want to do everything we can to ensure that as many students as possible have the opportunity to start their career working with a judge as a mentor.

When students work with the internship committee, they often discover judges or chambers that they might not otherwise have considered.

“My past professional experience has taught me that your first boss shapes the trajectory of your career. As I navigated the internship process, I looked for a judge who could have a similar impact, and I’m confident the judge Hale is that person,” Amaker said. “I focused on finding the best opportunity for me, regardless of location. I understand that opportunities don’t always come to your place of greatest comfort, and you have to be ready to step out of that. I know that sacrifice is a prerequisite for growth.

“Possibility to Serve Justice”

More than one-third of law school tenure track faculty (14 out of 40) have articled with the United States Supreme Court. Additionally, 70% of tenure-track faculty have served as clerks for a federal district or appeals court, while others have served as clerks for bodies such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Iranian-American claims and the Supreme Court of the States. from Micronesia.

With this extensive experience among faculty, students are able to gain first-hand knowledge of how judges run their chambers and how to prepare for internship interviews.

“Articling applications are a difficult process to navigate, especially for those who don’t come to law school with a sense of how the process works — or even the benefits of articling,” said Jenae Longenecker ’22 JD. “I am grateful for the faculty support that guided me to the two judges I will have the privilege of working for. Beyond my own experience, I am thrilled whenever I see resources at ND Law devoted to opening these doors to all students, especially first-generation and minority students.

Longenecker is clerk to Judge John Blakey ’88, ’92 JD of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois during term 2022-23. She will then serve as clerk to Judge Kim Wardlaw of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit during the 2023-24 term.

While securing an internship is impressive, 10 students, including Longenecker and Amaker, accepted two internship offers.

Kathryn A. Boswell Enlow ’22 JD splits her time as a clerk for Judge Gray Borden and Judge Madeline Haikala, both of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

“I see the job of clerk as an opportunity to serve the judiciary in a unique way,” Boswell Enlow said. “I am fortunate to be able to serve my hometown and my community in such an honorable way. Of course, working as a clerk will expose me to a plethora of new skills that will serve me well throughout my legal career, but aside from standard takeout, I’m excited to serve my hometown in pursuit of justice.

Andrew “Ross” D’Entremont ’22 JD also accepted two internships. He is clerk this year for Chief Judge Thomas Schroeder ’84 JD of the United States District Court for the Intermediate District of North Carolina. He will then clerk in 2023 for Judge Cory Wilson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

“The chance to learn from and work with judges who are considered among the highest echelons of our profession is a special opportunity that without Notre Dame and her faculty, I may never have known,” said D’ Entremont.

State and specialized courts

Federal Guaranteed Internships for the Class of 2022 include placements at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits. Graduates are clerks for federal district court judges in 14 states as well as Washington, DC and Puerto Rico.

This class also sought out internship opportunities beyond the Federal District and Courts of Appeal.

Graduates have obtained internships in specialized federal courts, including the Court of Appeals for the Armed Services, the Court of Federal Claims, and the United States Bankruptcy Courts. Nine graduates are articling with state judges, including two in state supreme courts.

Reid Edwards ’22 JD is an assistant to Justice John Lopez of the Arizona Supreme Court. Edwards said clerking in a state Supreme Court is the most direct way to serve your fellow Americans and make a lasting impact on the legal community.

“You have the same level of impact, if not more, on the citizens of the state as the Supreme Court of the United States, but remain accountable for your decisions within the community in which you reside, which in my view opinion, is important for judicial decision-making,” Edwards said. “My main reason for deciding to be a state Supreme Court clerk was Justice Lopez himself. I greatly admire the man and we both had a great working relationship, so making the decision to replace him with anyone else was really a no-brainer.

Visit law.nd.edu/clerkships to learn more.