Not all paths to the judge’s bench look the same, especially when it comes to appointed positions. For many law school students walking into their first class, such a lofty position may feel like a distant dream — but choices made in law school can lay the foundation for a judicial career.
The first step is to find an area of law you enjoy and deepen your legal understanding, experts say. Federal judgeships are most competitive — none more so than the Supreme Court — so becoming a state or local judge may be a more reasonable aspiration.
If you’re interested in becoming a judge, consider these five tips.
Cultivate a Strong Reputation
Attending law school is an opportunity to expand your knowledge through rigorous courses, mock trials, moot court and networking. Aspiring judges should work on building connections with their professors and practicing lawyers, experts say.
“Get to know a lot of lawyers, get yourself exposed (to) a lot of settings (and) be someone who is known for doing excellent work and having great integrity,” says Neil Fulton, dean at the University of South Dakota’s Knudson School of Law. “Protect your integrity from day one. That’s built over a lifetime and lost in a moment. So be the student who’s recognized as honest, diligent and personable.”
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Cultivating a strong reputation is key to earning a position on the bench, experts say.
“Attorneys need to develop a reputation for competence, fairness and civility among the practicing bar in the community in which they seek to serve as a judicial officer,” Zelda B. Harris, dean at Western New England University School of Law in Massachusetts, wrote in an email.
Judges are public servants, so their appointment often hinges on the impressions they leave on professors, colleagues and local communities.
Secure a Judicial Clerkship
Securing a judicial clerkship after law school can be a challenge, but it offers invaluable practical experience and prestige. A judicial clerkship can provide clarity about the type of legal career a student would like to pursue, especially if that includes becoming a judge in the future, experts say.
While securing a judicial clerkship is highly competitive, a “student that has a strong academic profile and experience in law review or moot court could enhance their opportunities for gaining a judicial clerkship, which is a step in the direction toward becoming a judge,” Harris says.
Judicial clerkships are typically one- to two-year positions available after graduating from law school and can provide opportunities to refine your legal knowledge and secure valuable mentorship.
“I think what’s important about a judicial clerkship is you can see how chambers work, how a judge makes decisions, what the judge needs, and I think that’s helpful,” says Alberto Gonzales, dean and professor of law at Belmont University College of Law in Tennessee.
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Sharpen Your Writing Skills
Law students should hone their writing skills to succeed in law school and when drafting judicial opinions, motions and rulings as a future judge, experts say.
“Students start preparing in the 1L year by developing critical thinking and writing skills,” Harris says. “Most 1L students are required to complete a full year of legal writing that includes introduction to the skills that will be needed as a judicial officer tasked with writing judicial opinions.”
The legal writing, analytical thinking and communication skills students develop in law school can enhance a judicial career.
“Small businesses and families are looking to courts to answer critical questions and respect the rule of law, and law schools have the ability to prepare students for that,” says Cheri Beasley, a professor at Elon University School of Law in North Carolina.
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Gain Relevant Experience After Law School
Gaining experience in the field of law you’re interested in is essential, experts say.
Those pursuing judgeships often “get involved with pro bono organizations, nonprofits within their communities as a way to broaden their network outside of their particular practice area,” says Austen Parrish, dean and professor at the University of California–Irvine School of Law.
Take advantage of opportunities that “allow you to test your legal abilities, test your temperament, your character,” Gonzales says. “Those are all things that would be important long term, certainly through thinking about a career as a judge.”
Stay Open to Diverse Pathways
If a judicial position becomes available, “take it,” Fulton says.
However, stay open-minded throughout law school to a number of career options, which you can explore through networking, experiential learning and conversations with professors, experts say.
“I would always caution law students that it’s good to have those kinds of goals, but you may have multiple careers in different areas of (law) that you can’t even imagine today,” Gonzales says.
Becoming a judge doesn’t happen overnight, so law students don’t need to have everything figured out from Day One.
“The pathway to the bench isn’t direct from law school,” Harris says. “It’s about building your brand, your professional identity, your reputation and your connections through the practice of law.”
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How to Prepare for a Judicial Career in Law School originally appeared on usnews.com
