Judicial Externship Opportunity - Judge Nixon
His Honor Lewis M. Nixon of the Circuit Court of Cook County is looking for externs summer and fall 2024. He is the Supervising Judge of the Mortgage Foreclosure / Mechanics Lien Section therein and specializes in mechanic’s liens. He expects to conduct at least one bench trial in the summer and one bench trial in the fall. There is always a chance for the bench trials not to occur, as the cases may settle. If they go forward however, externs will have the opportunity to observe them and will likely be able to perform tasks associated with them.
In addition, the Law Clerk will teach externs mechanic’s-lien law in the same manner in which a doctrinal course would be taught. After that, externs will be asked to draft opinions or write bench memoranda.
Applicants should expect the externship to be rigorous. In terms of time commitment, there is a mixture of in-person work and remote work. Bench trials are typically spread into multiple sessions across multiple days. A session may last an entire day. Externs are expected to attend the entire bench trial unless excused. For example, students would certainly be excused if a bench-trial session conflicts with a class during fall 2024, but the Court just needs to know in advance.
The Law Clerk would lecture on mechanic’s-lien law once a week. However, reading, writing, and drafting assignments would all be completed remotely. In addition, all other hearings that Judge Nixon conducts and that externs would observe are remote with very few exceptions.
Overall, externs should expect much more remote work than in-person work. What makes the externship rigorous is that many consider mechanic’s-lien law to be rather difficult. In addition, the reading, writing, and drafting assignments require exacting precision. This externship is for those looking for a challenge in exchange for some likely valuable experience in return.
Applicants should send a cover letter, a resume, and a writing sample no longer than ten pages to the Law Clerk at polatip.subanajouy@