Private Sector/OCS Week: Lea Downey

by admissions

Saturday, April 03, 2010 at 06:47 AM EDT

As an avowed public interest type, I have had no real occasion to work with the Office of Career Services (OCS) until recently. But since deciding that I might be interested in judicial clerkships after graduation, I’ve realized they really do have something for everyone.

First, I attended a general orientation they held in February for 2Ls considering applying to clerk next year. Advisors from OCS discussed the benefits of clerking, how to decide whether it’s for us, and the application timeline. Then they facilitated some “pass the torch” networking with 3Ls who had already finished the process. I left more interested in clerking than ever, but with a few questions specific to my case.

Fortunately, I found OCS just as approachable as the Office of Public Interest Advising I usually frequent. Through the OCS website, I picked a convenient appointment with the Associate Director for Judicial Clerkships and J.D. Advising, Kirsten Solberg. She assured me it was still worthwhile to apply for clerkships within a narrow geographic preference like my hometown of Austin, Texas, and described how to research and choose judges there.

She also helped judge strength of my candidacy, being very patient that (from well outside the law firm interviewing process and other mechanisms that give people a sense of how they compete) I had no real clue about it. Her frank and encouraging assessment, along with advice on which professors to ask for recommendations and when, left me feeling very prepared.

Now, staring down a process that makes even the savviest students anxious, I’m so relieved that being unacquainted with OCS until now won’t add another hurdle. I’ve felt very welcome to use their services and look forward to continuing this adventure with their support.

– Lea

This article originally appeared on HLS in Focus.