by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Though they’re not interns, they’re not yet attorneys either. They’re law students who are clerking in some of Jacksonville’s busiest legal firms.
“A lot of law students clerk nowadays,” said Jason Gabriel, an attorney who clerked for two summers before earning a position with Edwards & Cohen. “It’s a fantastic way to get a taste of the practice of law before you’re out of law school.”
Suzanne Judas and Debbie Eubanks coordinate the summer associate program at Holland & Knight. They, like Gabriel, attest that as clerks, law students will learn many of the things they can’t get from a book or a professor.
“We like to think that we are teaching our summer associates about the economics of a law firm,” said Judas. “In school, they don’t fully understand the importance of things like billable hours, for example. The business side of law is very important, too, whether of not they realize it.”
Judas said with the 12-week Holland & Knight program — which got its start in the 1960s — students are offered “the total package.”
“We try our best to expose the clerks to every practice of law we offer at our firm,” she said. “Hopefully, they will be able to figure out what areas they like and also what areas they don’t like.”
There are over 100 different practice areas at the firm.
In addition to working closely with experienced partners and associates, clerks, who are paid as though they are first year associates, will also be given assignments, ranging from drafting pleadings and discovery requests to reviewing documents and appearing in court with Holland & Knight attorneys at hearings and trials.
“We really just try to give them a good, solid grounding,” said Judas. “Plus, they are able to benefit from observing an attorney at work.”
The selection process for the program begins nearly a year before the clerks come to work. According to Judas, finding the right students — usually around five — is essential to the program’s success.
“We try to find second year law students who are in the top 10 percent of their class,” she said. “Additionally, we look for those students who possess a broad range of extracurricular activities and leadership skills. If a first year student shows an extremely high level of promise, we’ll remember them when they’re in their second year.”
Scouting takes place at the top 60 law schools from around the country.
“We maintain close relationships with the on-campus recruiting officers who can let us know who to watch out for,” said Judas. “We also receive a lot of unsolicited applications through the mail.”
Once the serious candidates have been narrowed down, they are brought in for face to face, day-long interviews with various partners and associates.
“The interview process is very important,” said Judas. “You have to understand these individuals are going to be working very long hours at the firm so we need to find the right people who can really fit in with the staff here.”
According to Judas, applicants who look flawless on paper don’t always translate well into promising clerks.
“It happens all the time,” she said. “You can spot someone right away who won’t work out no matter what there wealth of credentials are. Grades aren’t everything.”
Finalists are selected by November.
In addition to all the hard work and long hours, clerks will also be able to take advantage of “fun stuff.”
“We want our clerks to feel comfortable here,” said Judas. “Especially the students who are not from here.”
Clerks are frequently encouraged to participate in out-of-office activities, including softball games and dinners.
“We not only want to introduce them to the firm, but we also want to sell Jacksonville as a city, too,” said Judas. “Frequently, we extend offers to our clerks to come to work after they graduate, so they have to want to live here, obviously.”
It is customary for students who exhibit exemplary performance in the summer associates program to receive job offers.
“Summer associates are the future of the firm,” said Judas. “We treat them as such by giving them the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a lawyer at Holland & Knight.”