Post-Graduate Clerkship Success

Congratulations to ten Touro Law graduates who have secured post-graduate clerkships! Clerkships provide an invaluable opportunity for law school graduates to work closely with a judge performing a wide range of duties often including research and writing, drafting legal opinions, helping to manage case schedules and dockets, and acting as a contact between the judge and attorneys.

“These are prestigious jobs that can open many doors while providing valuable hands-on experiences for graduates,” stated Jim Montes, Assistant Dean for Career and Professional Development. “We are proud of these students and know that like many of their Touro Law predecessors, they will be able to use these experiences as a springboard to clerkships at higher level courts or major law firms in New York and New Jersey.”

This year’s class of clerks is impressive and includes one of only a handful of students clerking for the NY Court of Appeals and one of only 8 students nationally chosen to receive the Mangano-Prudenti Fellowship in the Appellate Division, Second Department. Additionally, two students earned desired clerkships on Long Island, and six who earned clerkships in New Jersey.

Congratulations and good luck to all!

Redento Bilotti - Judge Lizette Colon, Supreme Court of New York, Kings County
Samuel Creech - Judge Michael L. Ravin, Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County
Elizabeth Hildebrandt - Judge Felice J. Muraca, Supreme Court of New York, Nassau County
Hannah Highland - Judge Amy K. Manigan, Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County
Emily Jay - New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second
Department (Mangano-Prudenti Fellowship)
Michael Lazard - Judge Christopher A. Edwards, Superior Court of New Jersey, Somerset County
Alexa Liverano - Judge Deborah Silverman Katz, Superior Court of New Jersey, Camden County
Victoria O’Connell - Judge Joseph L. Rea, Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County
Edward Ryan Judge - Nora J. Grimbergen, Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County
Christopher Spinosa - Central Staff Clerk, New York State Court of Appeals

In Their Own Words
Christopher Spinosa will serve as a Central Staff Clerk with the New York State Court of Appeals in Albany, New York. He is looking forward to assisting the state's highest court in deciding whether to grant civil motions for leave to appeal (i.e., applications for certiorari) by preparing written reports which determine if leave-worthy legal issues are presented. He states, "I have wanted to clerk since my first year in law school after completing Legal Process. My fascination with the judicial decision-making process, along with my enjoyment of legal research and writing, piqued my interest in obtaining a clerkship opportunity. With outstanding guidance from the Office of Career and Professional Development, I now have the honor and privilege to receive mentoring from the top legal minds in the profession. My advice is to get started with the application process as soon as possible. Work closely with your advisors to keep track of the application timeline. Consider interning for a judge and joining the Touro Law Review to develop your research and writing skills."

Hannah Highland will be clerking for the Honorable Judge Amy K. Manigan of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex Vicinage. She states, “I wanted to pursue a clerkship because it is an amazing mentorship opportunity where we work directly with a judge every day. It is a great way to start out a legal career because we will get to spend an entire year inside the courtroom, and I believe that will be an invaluable experience. I am extremely grateful for all that I have learned at Touro, and I cannot wait to utilize that knowledge as I start my next chapter as a law clerk.”

Michael Lazard will be clerking for the Honorable Judge Christopher A. Edwards of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Vicinage 13. He states, “This position will provide valuable insight into the world of both criminal and family law as Judge Edwards is assigned to both the Family and Criminal Divisions of the Superior Court. I am looking forward to being able to see the attorneys perform in court from the perspective of the court because I can see what works and what does not. I would advise students looking into clerking to research their judges as much as they can. Find out what they did before becoming a judge and where they went to law school because it will lead to good conversations to have during the interview.”

Elizabeth Hildebrandt will be clerking for Judge Felice J. Muraca of the Supreme Court of New York, Nassau County. She states, "I am so excited to begin my law career with a judicial clerkship because I know the experience will serve as a solid foundation for my future in the legal field. Viewing the legal system through the lens of the court and gaining insight from a judge is an invaluable experience. Not only does it provide an immense amount of knowledge about the legal process and diverse areas of the law, it’s also a great way to strengthen research and writing skills. As someone who worked in the courts throughout law school and completed a judicial externship, I highly recommend that students gain experience in the courts through externships and internships. The Office of Career & Professional Development is a valuable resource that can assist students with these opportunities.”

If you are a current student and are interested in applying for a clerkship position, please reach out to Margarett Williams, Director of Employer Relations who handles post-graduate clerkships at (631) 761-7035.