As an aspiring litigator, I chose Michigan Law for its national reputation and for how well it places students in clerkship positions. From day one, Greta Trakul, director of clerkship advising in the Office of Career Planning (OCP), was an unmatched resource. As someone without any lawyers in my family, I did not fully comprehend what a clerkship would entail or how to get one, but I was interested in the process and knew spending the first few years out of law school learning from a judge would provide excellent training. Greta spent considerable time with me talking not only about the procedural aspects of applying for a clerkship, but also about the benefits of working for certain types of judges on certain types of courts and in certain parts of the country. I still talk to her to this day about how my clerkships fit into my broader career goals, and I would encourage any future Michigan Law student to take advantage of OCP.
My first clerkship was on a federal district court; it was extremely substantive, fast-paced, and allowed me to see the ebb and flow of civil and criminal trial practice. Then, as a fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General for the District of Columbia, I was able to transition from a clerk’s role of helping a judge be an impartial decision-maker to a role where I was the advocate making the best arguments on behalf of my client. I was fortunate to represent the District in a variety of interesting and consequential cases, including drafting briefs in the US Supreme Court and arguing a case in the DC Court of Appeals before a panel of judges. My current clerkship is further exposing me to appellate work at the federal level, where I often research novel issues and help a judge reach her decisions using persuasive language and clear analysis. These experiences gave me a set of tools that will help to ease the transition to practice.
Participating in the Law School’s Henry M. Campbell Moot Court Competition was also helpful in preparing for my experiences after graduation. For me, Campbell was an opportunity to dig into a real problem that was percolating in federal courts across the country, work up an appellate brief from start to finish, present an oral argument to both faculty and, eventually, a panel of judges—and, in the end, I was lucky enough to win. That experience boosted my confidence and affirmed my desire to be a litigator.
Throughout my time at Michigan Law, I had only positive, helpful interactions with professors, staff, fellow students, and alumni. That willingness to connect and help is indicative of the broader Michigan Law community.
