Law students can learn about the legal profession from internships, externships, and other vocational opportunities. Numerous law students intern for law firms either during the school year or during the summer, and this is a great way for law students to learn about what it is like to become a practicing lawyer. Some law students also intern for judges in a number of capacities, and some judges take an active role in mentoring law students. This can be an enriching experience for everyone involved, and even though this might require some time and resources, more judges should consider mentoring law students and providing internship opportunities.
Earlier in my career, I attended an oral argument, and when I got to court, I discovered that a number of law students were sitting in the jury box observing the proceedings. It was honestly nice to have an audience, and the presence of the law students did not bother me or my adversary at all. After each of the cases was argued, the judge and the law students would retire to the judge’s chambers, and I could tell that they were all discussing the matter, and the judge was asking questions of the law students that were intended to increase the teaching value of observing oral argument.
When we received a decision from the court, a footnote thanked one of the law students for their help in drafting the opinion. It was clear to me that one of the law students who observed oral argument had helped draft the opinion, or perhaps drafted an initial opinion for the court that was then reviewed by the judge before the decision was filed. Having law students assist in drafting opinions for matters they observe might help courts decide more matters with limited resources, and it also helps law students put their research and writing skills to the test.
When I was in law school, I interned for a judge between my first and second years of law school. This was a great learning experience for me and the other interns. Most of the time, I got to sit right beside the judge on the bench while he oversaw oral arguments and trials. In this capacity, I observed all manner of applications and arguments, and this was my first taste of the practical side of practicing law.
At other times during my summer internship with the judge, I was tasked with drafting research memorandums on various topics that arose during cases the judge was overseeing. It was better to research and draft memoranda related to real-life situations rather than the fake scenarios we handled in law school classes, since I had direct access to real-life facts related to the cases.
The court that had the summer internship program also organized educational panels for all of the summer judicial interns. In some instances, we observed matters that were not typically handled by the judges for which we were handling. At other times, we attended sessions led by judges and practitioners about various topics related to the law. It was enriching to learn more about the law from practitioners and members of the judicial who actually dealt with real-life case rather than law professors who had not deal with actual legal matters in years.
In any event, law school interns can help judges with judicial tasks if they are trained properly, and sometimes it is simply fun and enriching to have fresh blood in a courthouse. As a result, more judges should take an active role in mentoring law students and expanding internship opportunities so that law students can have more practical experiences with the judicial process.
Jordan Rothman is a partner of The Rothman Law Firm, a full-service New York and New Jersey law firm. He is also the founder of Student Debt Diaries, a website discussing how he paid off his student loans. You can reach Jordan through email at jordan@rothman.law.
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