Kwabena Lynn, a Class of 2028 JD/MBA candidate, decided to stay in Chicago this summer to pursue a judicial externship in the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Working in the federal courthouse has provided an array of experiences and insights that have confirmed Lynn’s desire to pursue a career in litigation. 

How did you connect with this summer opportunity? 

UChicago Law’s Office of Career Services connected me with this summer opportunity. I received an email from OCS with information about various summer and judicial internship opportunities and applied for each of the ones on the list! 

How does your experience connect with what you currently envision doing with your law degree? 

There are many aspects of this position that will help prepare me for what I envision myself doing with my law degree. This summer I have had the opportunity to watch lawyers make arguments at both the district and appellate levels. I have observed the different strategies and stylistic techniques these lawyers use and have been able to get a clearer sense of what effective advocacy looks like in the courtroom. These are lessons and experiences I hope to carry into my 2L summer at Morrison Foerster in Seattle, where I'll be doing litigation work. 

Please describe a “typical” day at work. 

I usually start the day with a check-in at my judge's chambers, where co-externs and I get to speak with the clerks and our supervisor. After this, we usually head down to the courthouse library to work on our writing assignments or spend the day watching a federal trial at the district level, or oral arguments at the appellate level. Throughout the summer, we balance assignments with court proceedings, which has been a great experience. 

What is something you learned or experienced that was surprising or particularly compelling during this summer position? 

The kindness and collegiality of the bench have been particularly compelling. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know and work with Judge Scudder, as I feel like he’s an incredibly well-reasoned individual who approaches every situation with nuance.  

What are a couple of your key takeaways from your experience? 

I have learned to take advantage of everything the courthouse has to offer, whether it’s getting to speak with practicing attorneys after trials, learning from law clerks, or talking to judges. Everyone has had incredibly valuable insight to share. 

What advice would you offer another law student contemplating working in a similar position next summer? 

Even if you think you have a relatively minor interest in litigation, I’d encourage every law student in this position to pursue an externship in the federal courthouse (at either level, district or appellate). There’s just so much that can be learned from working in an environment like this. 

How are you spending your free time this summer? 

I have spent my free time working out and hanging with friends and family. Recently, I also had the chance to spend some time in Hawaii with family, where we all had a blast! 

What are you most looking forward to in returning to UChicago Law this fall? 

Spending time in my MBA classes and getting to know more of the MBA cohort! I’m also looking forward to getting to see my friends in the Law School who weren’t in Chicago over the summer. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share? 

I’d like to thank the UChicago Law Career Services team for connecting me with this opportunity!