& GOVERNMENT GAVEL Clerkships: providing real-world experience By Erika Winston JUAN SEMPERTEGUI Judicial clerkships offer a unique opportunity to view the legal system from the perspective of a sitting judge. For individuals who can secure a clerkship, the experience is both professionally and personally rewarding. Clerks not only assist with the management of the judge's courtroom, but many also have the privileged opportunity to impact the decisions of the court while gaining the benefit of a lifelong mentor. Attorney Juan Sempertegui spent a year clerking for Judge Maurice Ross in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, and he describes the position as a "tremendously rewarding" experience. "It's had a substantial impact on my legal career," Sempertegui says. Applying right out of law school, he saw a clerkship as a valuable way to gain litigation knowledge and experience. "I got my job as a litigation associate because I clerked for Judge Ross. "Clerkships are very competitive," he explains. "To say there are thousands of applicants is not an understatement." Sempertegui had a career prior to going into law, and he worked full time while attending law school at night. "My judge liked the fact that I had real-world work experience," he says. Juan Sempertegui The daily duties of a judicial law clerk include managing the judge's calendar and conducting legal research. Clerks also draft memoranda and perform clerical duties as needed. Sempertegui suggests that aspiring judicial clerks intern with a judge to establish a professional relationship and to learn the expectations of the job. "It gives you a leg up. You are someone they know and they know your work." He also suggests that law students take advantage of resources available through their schools. "Our law school had a clerkship binder with alumni resources from previous clerks. This was helpful and not a lot of students took advantage of it," Sempertegui says. 16 WASHINGTON LAWYER * JANUARY 2017 * Photo courtesy of Dalila Semperteguihttp://www.dcbar.org