A Reflection of a SRNM Law Clerk

This summer clerkship at Schmiedeskamp has not only prepared me for my 2L year of law school, but I also feel more prepared to be a practicing attorney once law school is finished.

Coming from a family with no legal background, I did not have a clue as to what type of law I wanted to go into. Working at Schmiedeskamp has allowed me to experience a variety of different practice areas and helped to pinpoint practice areas that interest me and that I may want to pursue as a career. I was able to assist with everything from transactional corporate work to civil litigation. This clerkship also helped me learn to conduct legal research efficiently and effectively. I also got a great overview as to the billing and client relation-based side of practicing law, something that I also had little to no experience with prior.

I was able to sit in on multiple depositions, both in person and via zoom, as well as assist in filing various motions with the court. These hands-on opportunities have boosted my confidence and have made me feel much more prepared for when it comes time that I am a licensed attorney. The experience I have gained here will also help me in my teaching fellowship for the incoming law school students in the Fall. I will be able to speak to actual life practices and not just speculation from a student that has not had any actual experience.

Schmiedeskamp has been extremely welcoming and accommodating to help make my summer here so much less intimidating than anticipated. Everyone was more than happy to take a break from what they were working on and take the time to explain something to me if it was something that I did not understand. It has given me a great peek in what it would be like to work in a more rural area as opposed to a big city. Initially I had thought that I would enjoy practicing in a big city more than coming home and practicing around here but now I am leaning towards wanting to return home and practice in a more rural setting.