Understand the responsibility judges assume when they take their oaths of office by observing the judicial system from the court’s perspective.

In this externship—one of nine externships at the Quinnipiac University School of Law—you’ll work with state and federal judges at the trial and appellate levels and may have the option to choose civil or criminal assignments, or focus on areas such as family, juvenile or housing law.

You’ll become familiar with procedural and evidentiary rules and hone your research, writing and oral communication skills by preparing bench memoranda and drafting opinions for judges.

Read court files, discuss pending matters with judges and clerks and see what tactics will or won’t work in written and oral advocacy.

Whether you use this as a prelude to a judicial clerkship after graduation or simply to get an insider’s view of the court and bench, you’ll come to realize that lawyers advocate, but judges must decide.