Clerkship reception

1Ls and 2Ls learn about judicial clerkships

-By Lori Craig

USC Law alumni and other lawyers are encouraging first-year students to pursue judicial clerkships after graduation. Several former clerks spoke about the value of their clerkships during an Oct. 3 Clerkship Reception hosted by the law school and the USC Gould School of Law Board of Councilors’ Select Committee on Federal Judicial Clerkships.

Dean Robert K. Rasmussen and David Walsh

David Walsh ’85, partner at Paul Hastings and chair of the select committee, said clerking was “the best year of my legal career.”

USC Law Dean Robert K. Rasmussen said he feels the same way.

“It’s the one time for most of us that we will be on the inside of judicial decision-making,” said Rasmussen, who clerked for the Honorable John C. Godbold, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, in Montgomery, Ala.

Rasmussen added that clerking presents an opportunity to spend a year or two in another part of the country, even if students plan to settle in Southern California.

“You’re going to be lawyers for 40 years,” he said. “For one year, do something different.”

USC Law alumnus Ben Wang ’03 (pictured left), an associate at Irell & Manella, practiced for a year before clerking for the Honorable George Herbert King ’74, judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. He then clerked for the Honorable Ferdinand Fernandez ’62 of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

“You’re in the courtroom every day, and you’re learning how things are done – or how they should be done,” said Wang, who received firm credit for the clerkships and joined Irell & Manella as a fourth-year associate in 2006. “It’s a really fantastic experience. I keep in touch with the judges I clerked for, and they’ve been great mentors.”

Other speakers included Sophia Chang, a Harvard graduate and associate at Jones Day; Richard B. Kendall ’79, partner at Irell & Manella; and Michael Tomasulo ’94, partner at Jones Day.

Sophia Chang and Eleanor Mercado '05

The reception, held at Town and Gown, was sponsored by 10 law firms: Munger, Tolles & Olson; O’Melveny & Myers; Jones Day; Morrison Forrester; Latham & Watkins; Paul Hastings; McDermott Will & Emery; Sidley Austin; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher; and Irell & Manella.

The USC Federal Judicial Clerkship Program schedules two receptions for students each year to increase their awareness of the opportunities for, and benefits of, clerkships and externships. The spring reception, for students who are applying for clerkships, is attended by a number of federal judges.

Below are photos of USC Law 1Ls with former clerks.