Administrative Office of the Courts:
SANTA FE – Eight law students began summer externships this week as part of the Judicial Clerkship Program, an initiative that provides training, mentorship, and possible clerkships for those traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession.
The New Mexico Supreme Court, the State Bar of New Mexico Committee on Diversity in the Legal Profession, and the Young Lawyers Division jointly manage the Judicial Clerkship Program, now in its fourth year. The externships last 10 weeks.
“The Judicial Clerkship Program is a win – win situation for everyone,” Chief Justice David K. Thomson said. “Students not only gain valuable experience by writing and doing research, they gain mentors and a pathway to work for the Judiciary in the future.”
The main goal of the Judicial Clerkship Program is to train law students to become law clerks after graduating from law school. Law clerks within the New Mexico Judiciary typically work for a justice or a judge for one or two years. Law clerks write bench memos, which detail all of the issues within a case objectively, and spend time doing research for writing draft opinions. A written opinion is a formal explanation of a ruling of a case. It is widely acknowledged that judicial clerkships increase professional development of law school graduates and often lead to greater advancement in their career as a lawyer or in the judiciary.
Law students James Herndon, Dante Gurule, Hosanna Black, Jean-Fredric Belaise, Ezra Baldwin, Danielle Lopez, Rebecca Myers-Rusek, and Brianna Segay were selected to participate in the Judicial Clerkship Program last fall and most attended “Clerkship Boot Camp” in spring. “Clerkship Boot Camp” provides professional development such as practical guidance to writing effectively, interviews, professionalism and working in the Courts.
Hosanna Black is one of the first-year law students participating in the Judicial Clerkship Program. Going to law school years after graduating from college is something her sister suggested Hosanna do because she loved writing and doing research. “I’m excited about the program,” she said. “I was looking for an ‘Act 2”. I want to do something for myself that I enjoy.” Hosanna said she would love to clerk after she graduates and wants to go into disability law. “I want to do public service in some way.”
2022 Judicial Clerkship Program kick-off at the New Mexico Supreme Court. Front row from left, Judicial Clerkship Program (JCP) student Deanna Warren, JCP student Angelica Aragon, Supreme Court Justice Julie J. Vargas, Kateri Eisenberg, JCP students Killean Carter, Kimberly Weston, Barbara Ryan and Emmalee Johnston. Middle row from left, Supreme Court Justice David K. Thomson, Supreme Court Justice Briana H. Zamora, Celina Baca, Alma Buena, Dominic Martinez, Ryan Azar, Emily Worline, Judge Court of Appeals Judge Jane Yohalem, Lana Elledge, and Morgan Pettit, Member Services Manager with the State Bar of New Mexico. Back row from left, Chief Justice C. Shannon Bacon, Kara Shair-Rosenfield, Jordan Vasquez, Royce Deller, Lionel Vetch, Julio Romero, Emma Easom, Past President, State Bar of New Mexico Tina Cruz, Court of Appeals Judge Gerald Baca, Ambrose Kupfer and Sonya Duke-Noel. JCP students not pictured – Brittany Dutton-Leyda and Oliver Stephanz. Courtesy/NMC
