What does an attorney law clerk do?

Summer associates are law students hired seasonally by law firms. The aim is for future lawyers to be exposed to the practical aspects of a firm. Typically, this program lasts for nine weeks, beginning in May and running through July. Summer associates are expected to be friendly and kind to people, preserve company reputation, support other associates, and perform legal tasks appropriately.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between attorney law clerks and summer associate. For instance, attorney law clerk responsibilities require skills such as "discovery responses," "pre-trial motions," "legal memoranda," and "administrative law." Whereas a summer associate is skilled in "first hand," "client facing," "team work," and "powerpoint." This is part of what separates the two careers.

A Litigation Associate offers legal advice for individuals involved in lawsuits and represents them in court. They prepare pleading, collect evidence, defend depositions, and manage the client database.

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that attorney law clerk responsibilities requires skills like "real estate transactions," "demand letters," "administrative law," and "summary judgment." But a litigation associate might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "discovery motions," "insurance coverage," "mediation," and "securities."

In a judicial internship, a law school student can be assigned to a court to assist a judge or other law practitioner. One of the primary responsibilities will revolve around conducting thorough research on various legal issues, studying and revising orders, and preparing documentation such as a memorandum. Furthermore, an intern will have an opportunity to attend meetings and hearings, observe how legal actions are processed, and develop a perspective on how the entire judicial system functions.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from attorney law clerk resumes include skills like "litigation," "discovery responses," "settlement agreements," and "real estate transactions," whereas a judicial internship is more likely to list skills in "judicial opinions," "procedural issues," "habeas corpus," and "civil procedure. "

Legal externs are law students who took the opportunity to do on-the-job training at a law firm. Instead of monetary compensation, they receive academic credits. Legal externs primarily engage in job shadowing. They are usually assigned mentors in the law firm, and they would shadow their mentors in their daily routines. Legal externs are exposed to the actual work done by lawyers. Legal externs are involved in cases, providing insights while building a solid case for their client, giving advice to clients, and representing clients under the supervision of the actual lawyers in the firm. They are usually not given administrative or clerical tasks since they are expected to do more tasks directly related to being a lawyer.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between attorney law clerks and legal externs, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an attorney law clerk might have more use for skills like "discovery responses," "legal memoranda," "real estate transactions," and "labor law." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of legal externs require skills like "legal intern," "legal memos," "real estate," and "powerpoint. "