Each summer, Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith brings bright, talented, and eager law students to its law clerk program and to the results-driven client service of a premier corporate defense and litigation firm. Clerks go beyond observing – they contribute and learn alongside their potential future colleagues. For both clerks and attorneys, summers at Galloway provide opportunities for meaningful growth.
Nadia Savo, Myles Sonnier, and Andy Waters proactively support the law clerk program, strengthened by their own experience as law students. They offer their insights, valuable guidance, and practical lessons not only to clerks hoping to maximize their experience, but also to attorneys looking to make the summer a productive and fulfilling time.
Making a Clerkship Count
A law firm summer clerkship is a foundational chapter in a burgeoning legal career. From their first day, Galloway summer clerks are immersed in substantive work – real research, real drafting, and real impact on the Firm’s business.
Andy, a Director in Galloway’s New Orleans office and a member of the Firm’s maritime team, commented that great clerks are exceedingly responsive and take immense pride in their work, separating themselves from the good clerks. “The best clerks that I have encountered over the years immediately acknowledge receipt of an email as soon as it is received, and they carry legal pads for taking notes into all meetings or presentations.”
Great clerks are responsive, reliable, and detail-oriented. “Carry yourself with a positive, can-do attitude. Ask thoughtful questions. Demonstrate your work ethic by attacking assignments with urgency,” Andy advised.
For Nadia, an attorney in the Firm’s Houston office, responsiveness and and initiative matter. “A great law clerk does not focus only on the assignment given by their supervising attorney. They also share ideas about the next steps that should be done on the case.”
Standout clerks think ahead and refine their sharp legal analysis while demonstrating a desire to improve their soft skills like professionalism, kindness, and a willingness to accept coaching.
Relationships Matter
Law firms do not exist in a vacuum or without the people that make it their professional home. In Galloway’s Lafayette office, Myles makes a point for clerks to invest in the relationships along the way. “The relationships you make during summer clerkships are important. You may work with the same attorneys after law school, or may work adverse to them. Either way, good relationships are invaluable to building a career as a litigator.”
Collaboration, not competition, is a hallmark of Galloway’s law clerk program. Productive relationships among clerks can add significant value to the experience. Looking back on her time as a clerk, Nadia reflects, “Being able to learn with the other summer clerks and bounce ideas off each other was something that helped me develop my skillset. I did not feel alone because I was able to learn these new concepts in a group setting where we were all learning together.”
Social events and informal gatherings are a beneficial way for clerks and attorneys to build those relationships across the summer. Andy reminds his colleagues, “Frequent and impactful attendance at social functions is very helpful to clerks. Although the firm evaluates each clerk’s individual fit throughout the clerkship, at the same time, the clerks are gauging whether the firm’s culture would be a good match for them, and they want to see what that translates to beyond the confines of the office.”
Those meaningful relationships extend beyond attorneys and clerks. Myles added this advice to clerks – “Be kind to everyone, including assistants and paralegals as they can often make or break you day as a young attorney.”
Guidance and Growth
Successful summer associate tips often focus on maximizing the value of each assignment. Equally important, though, is the environment attorneys create to nurture that learning. Andy has found that “many clerks will be transitioning from an educational environment into a more traditional, professional setting for the first time in their lives, and that is not always a natural shift. There are plenty of questions to ask, and no question on that front is too silly or small.”
Clerks may not have the experience producing the work product expected in practice at Galloway, so constructive feedback, templates, and resources for self-study can make the difference for clerks with limited experience. Explanations and encouragement can be significant. Andy added, “Attorneys may be surprised how long a clerk will remember the fact that an attorney took the time to tell a clerk that their efforts were appreciated. Sometimes a little can really go a long way.”
A strong work ethic and commitment to professionalism is paramount to clerks, where their work has real consequences on legitimate matters for the Firm. “Our firm does not assign busy work to summer clerks, all of the projects we assign have real and tangible impacts on the lives of our client. Even if a project seems small or repetitive, your responsiveness and quality will make a lasting impression,” Myles stated.
Nadia makes a point of letting clerks lead with their ideas, teaching by example that they can go way above and way beyond with their own knowledge, skills, and insight. “I try and give clerks a chance to decide on what should be done next on a case instead of giving them the answer. I believe it helps them understand what is important in a case and helps them think like an attorney.”
Clerks perform best when they understand the big picture, and communication is imperative. “The more communication the better, especially about the facts of the case and strategy. The more the clerk knows about the case, the more valuable they can be for the supervising attorney,” Nadia added.
Andy echoed his colleague’s insight, explaining that involving clerks in hearings, depositions, inspections, closings, and other out-of-office tasks demonstrate the variety of moving parts that comprise the practice of law. “Clerks who have the opportunity to put faces to names and witness the actual delivery of certain testimony may have an easier time grasping the nuance of the file materials, which can yield more competent work product. This synergy naturally boosts the assigning attorney’s file management efficiency while enhancing the clerkship experience.”
Investment Pays Off
“I did not realize how much I actually learned as a clerk until a became an attorney. It is the best way to develop hands on experience and I am lucky that the supervising attorneys I worked for as a clerk prioritized being a good mentor for me,” Nadia reflected on her experience as a clerk. For Galloway attorneys, working with summer clerks is an opportunity to give back and pay it forward. For clerks, it’s a glimpse and a window into the real world of litigation. For the Firm, it’s an investment in the next generation of lawyers.
Mutual effort from both clerks and attorneys ensure a successful summer clerk program. Attorneys can teach and benefit from fresh perspective and genuine enthusiasm. Clerks who ask questions, show initiative, and approach each day with curiosity make a lasting impression and gain valuable experience.
A successful summer clerkship is intentional and built on responsiveness and collaboration. There is always something to learn, and someone new to learn from. More than a temporary position, this is the beginning of a legal career, a chance to form fruitful relationships, and an opportunity to see the practice of law in real time.
At Galloway, we believe in cultivating productive clerkship experiences that are meaningful and practical for both clerks and the attorneys who supervise them. We welcome the next group of summer clerks to Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith, where both clerks and attorneys are encouraged to embrace the experience, to lead with kindness, and to go way above and way beyond together.