Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 17


GOVERNMENT & GAVEL

JOHN NIELDS

Attorney John W. Nields Jr. spent three rewarding
years clerking for U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Byron White. He explains that one of the biggest
challenges of the position was figuring out how to
best use his time.
"You have two jobs. The first is to help your judge
figure out how to vote, and the second is to help
your judge write the opinions."

John W.
Nields Jr.

According to Nields, the tasks of analyzing case
law and writing opinions are similar to the
tasks of being a law student. "That's what
you're taught as a law student. That's what
you're learning how to do as a law student,"
he says. "It's not as big a jump as going from
law student into the U.S. Attorney's Office."

Nields knows a lot about that jump. His
clerkship opportunity came about as he was
serving in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the
Southern District of New York. Within his
clerkship, he found it helpful to have previously
practiced law. "It gave me a broader understanding
of what it's like to do the work that lawyers had done
in the cases we were reviewing."

Both attorneys greatly appreciate the relationships
formed during their clerkships. "I developed a
relationship that we maintain to this day and has been
incredibly valuable," Sempertegui says.
Nields offers a similar assessment: "I liked my justice a
whole lot," he says, fondly recalling the legal debates
that took place in chambers. "Those debates were
very entertaining, educational, and interesting."
For legal professionals considering a judicial clerkship,
Nields suggests taking advantage of this unique
opportunity. "You get a look at the legal system from
a vantage point you don't normally get to see . . . from
the unique vantage point of which lawyer tricks work
and which don't," he says.
"I think about whether the experience was rewarding
in ways that make me gladder that I am a lawyer,"
Nields says. He believes that it did. "I became a better
lawyer as a result."
Erika Winston, JD, MPP is a writer, educator, and freelance
contributor to Washington Lawyer. She spends her spare
time yelling at political pundits through the television.
Monty Cooper of Sedgwick LLP talks
about the benefits of his clerkship at
youtube.com/TheDCBar.

* WASHINGTON LAWYER * JANUARY 2017

17


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMPdzNzrydc http://capitalreportingcompany.com http://www.dcbar.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Washington Lawyer - January 2017

Washington Lawyer - January 2017
Contents
Your Voice
From Our President
Our Membership
Career & Professional Development
Practice Management
Calendar of Events
Government & Gavel
Feature: An Inside Job
Feature: Investment Planning for Lawyers
Feature: Making the Virtual Leap
Feature: Lawyers Have Heart
Member Spotlight
Global & Domestic Outlook
Worth Reading
Media Bytes
Partners' Perspective
Ask the Ethics Experts
Attorney Briefs
Pro Bono Effect
Community & Connections
Last Word
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Washington Lawyer - January 2017
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Cover2
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 1
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Contents
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 3
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 4
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Your Voice
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - From Our President
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 7
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Our Membership
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 9
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Career & Professional Development
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 11
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Practice Management
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 13
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Calendar of Events
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 15
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Government & Gavel
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 17
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Feature: An Inside Job
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 19
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 20
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 21
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Feature: Investment Planning for Lawyers
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 23
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 24
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 25
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Feature: Making the Virtual Leap
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 27
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 28
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 29
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Feature: Lawyers Have Heart
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 31
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 32
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 33
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Member Spotlight
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 35
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Global & Domestic Outlook
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 37
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Worth Reading
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Media Bytes
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Partners' Perspective
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 41
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Ask the Ethics Experts
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Attorney Briefs
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Pro Bono Effect
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 45
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Community & Connections
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - 47
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Last Word
Washington Lawyer - January 2017 - Cover3
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