I would have never imagined that taking the time to apply for a scholarship would open so many doors and lead to such a rewarding summer experience. During my interview, I immediately felt that if I were chosen as the recipient of the scholarship I would join a team of intelligent and experienced attorneys who genuinely cared about my professional development. My instincts were right, and during my 8-week clerkship this past summer at Kluger Kaplan, I received invaluable feedback on my work product and gained numerous mentors willing to help me figure out my career path.

After I was notified that I had received the scholarship, Alan Kluger called and said he wanted to get lunch with me before I started working. I remember how nervous I was, thinking this was going to be another interview, but I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that it was just an opportunity for us to get to know each other better. This was the first of many informal lunches where I was able to speak candidly with and get to know the attorneys, legal assistants, and paralegals at the firm on a more personal level. Everyone was so welcoming and down-to-earth, which made me feel at home and that I could come to them with any questions or concerns I may have had.

I don’t come from a family of lawyers or legal professionals, and I was pre-med before I discovered that law school was the right path for me; so, aside from what I had read online, I had no idea what to expect from my summer clerkship. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to become a litigator because the thought of going to court and having to speak consistently in public terrified me. Luckily, last summer showed me that I had nothing to fear and that there is so much more to being a litigator than just going to court.

My favorite classes in law school have been the legal research and writing courses, which my professors always say simulate the typical daily work of a lawyer. I put what I have learned into practice through the vast array of interesting cases and practice areas for which I was asked to conduct research and writing assignments. Whether I was drafting a demand letter for a potential employment discrimination case, researching statutes in the Uniform Commercial Code to determine if a contract was effectively modified, or drafting responses to motions to dismiss in complex estate matters, I was exposed to, and had an active role, in so many different matters. I was amazed at how much confidence each attorney had in me to work on assignments without being micromanaged. Of course, my supervising attorney for the assignment would guide me on how to complete the assignment. If I got stuck on something or was unsure of how to proceed, I was encouraged to ask questions.  Even so, each attorney treated me as if I were a professional and not just a law student.

I had so many great experiences with the firm this past summer that it is hard to encapsulate them all in a few words. For example, I was able to accompany Lisa Jerles on a tour of a facility that was the subject of ongoing litigation, and I not only got to accompany Bruce Katzen to a trial, but I also was able to participate in the trial by reading parts of a deposition into the record. These were just a few unique experiences that I did not expect to be a part of my summer clerkship, but they have shown me different aspects of litigation and given me some practice speaking in a courtroom.

They say that time flies when you are having fun, and my 8-week clerkship seemed to whizz by. I am so grateful for the opportunity to get exposure to litigation and the practice of law because it opened my eyes to my career possibilities and has given me tools that will supplement the rest of my legal education. Thank you to everyone at Kluger Kaplan for guiding and mentoring me and making me feel at home.