I have a tremendous amount of gratitude for the HeLP Legal Services Clinic instructors and for the intern opportunity with the clinic because it helped prepare me for my summer law clerkship at the Atlanta Law Group.
For example, weekly supervision meetings and a comprehensive mid-semester review where my supervising attorney provided feedback on my lawyering skills, knowledge of the law, professional habits, and interdisciplinary competence helped me to better articulate my professional strengths during the interview for my summer position.
My clinical experience prepared me to become more confident and efficient in my ability to manage multiple cases, research and draft legal briefs and memoranda, learn the substantive law of unfamiliar subjects, adjust to the expectations of a law firm, and hone my oral and written legal advocacy skills.
Moreover, work in the clinic afforded me the opportunity to learn interviewing, negotiation, and counseling skills. These skills, in addition to an opportunity to conduct a moot hearing, helped me to successfully represent and win financial and enhanced medical benefits for a low-income, disabled child at a SSI hearing before an ALJ this summer.
What I liked best about the clinic is it provided me with the practical experience of lawyering. Throughout the semester, the instructors provided ample opportunities for interns to engage in client role plays, which helped me become more comfortable in the role of an attorney. I learned how to simultaneously acknowledge client frustration while discovering the client’s goals during interviews and/or counseling, which paid off substantially when it was time for real client interaction.